Trail Magic and Max Patch Bald - April 24th

 Trail Magic! A group known as Rat Pack spends 4 days of every year setting up a huge spread of food for thru-hikers. Rat is a former hiker. We got a late breakfast of eggs, bacon, and mana cake. Then they fired up the grill and made huge burgers for lunch.

 

The southern Tennessee boys - Rat, Ox, and Bobby . Thanks for the trail magic!

Red trilium surrounded by Dutchman's Breeches

 Max Patch Bald. Sunday, April 24th. We took off our boots and lay in the grass for an hour here.

 View back at the Smokies from Max Patch Bald

 Painted Trilium - I can't stop taking pictures of the many kinds along the trail

The hillsides and valleys were covered with trilium

Smokey Mt National Park - Part 2

We said a final goodbye to family at Newfound Gap, and started out on a cloudy day. We did a 15 mile day, then 20, then 18, to start to make some tracks.

The trail always gets very green as we lose elevation. Here, we are heading to Davenport Gap.

 Breakfast spot along the trail, April 23rd

Wild blue dwarf iris

 View back at the Smokey Mountains. This is our breakfast spot on Snowbird Mt.

 The gated shelter doors are to keep out bears. There were no cables to hang bear bags at this shelter, so extra precaution was needed with food.

Flame azeala, starting to bloom at lower elevations

Campsite at Painted Branch, just outside Smokey NP

Smokey National Park -B&M

I can't top Rosemary's entry, so I will just post some photos from the southern part of the Smokies. Great times! (The photos are out of order, as I'm doing well if I can post pictures at all from these libraries)

 Sun Seeker gazing at acres of Spring Beauties flowering along the trail

 Having lunch at a pavilion at Fontana Dam, before leaving on our hike

 Gaining elevation as we climb Mt Shuckstack

 The rickety fire tower atop Mt Shuckstack - Sun Seeker coming back down. The floor was rotted out and covered with plywood. Still, it gave great views of Fontana Dam and the surrounding peaks.

 Starting our second day of hiking, right above our campsite

 Dinner spot at the shelter on our last night before Clingmans Dome. Sun Seeker planned our meals, so we ate much better than usual - curried rice, thai noodles with peanut sauce, and tortilla black bean soup instead of our usual Lipton noodles.

 Sun Seeker and HayMan in a rhodadenran tunnel

 Making dinner as we camp by Spence Field Shelter

 HayMan and Sun-Seeker on a grassy bald

 On the way to the summit of Thunderhead Mt

Break spot along the trail. We are tired of all the PUDs (pointless up and downs)!

View from Clingmans Dome, highest point on the AT

Looking over at Clingmans Dome the day before. It was a nice evening, but it did cloud up overnight and stormed in the morning.

Breakfast by the shelter, hiding out from the rain

Sun Seeker looking at the view on the final climb to Clingmans Dome. The weather clears as we head upwards.

The ramp up the tower on Clingmans Dome

Yeah! We did some tough miles to get to the summit on Clingmans Dome