June 18, 2023
AT miles: 5.9
Ascent: 1236’
Descent: 1125’
Weather: cloudy with a threat of rain, mid-60’s
Sightings: a crowd of section-hikers from Maryland
High points: hiking with Kathy
June 15, 2023
AT miles: 19.8
Ascent: 3432’
Descent: 3223’
Weather: sunny and mid -70’s
Sightings: a garter snake and a baby mouse
High points: the open ups and downs
June 14, 2023
AT miles: 18.9
Ascent: 3563’
Descent: 3554’
Weather: sunny in the morning, with a HUGE thunderstorm in the afternoon
Sightings: too much lightning
High points: descending from Caleb Peak without a fall!
June 4, 2023
AT miles: 19.9
Ascent: 3156’
Descent: 5319’
Weather: 80° and sunny, threatening thunderstorms in the afternoon
Sightings: some lovely wildflowers
High points: seeing the French Broad River
June 3, 2023
AT miles: 16.7
Ascent: 2835’
Descent: 2294’
Weather: warm and sunny (mid-70’s) with a thunderstorm after I made the shelter
Hearings: a pack of coyotes howling
High points: the top of Big Firescald Knob and the conversation with Question
June 2, 2023
AT miles: 17.5
Ascent: 2497’
Descent: 5067’
Weather: sunny and upper 70’s
Sightings: a garter snake and my very first rattlesnake
High points: arriving at the hostel. Today was a long hard day.
June 1, 2023
AT miles: 15.5
Ascent: 4524’
Descent: 2251’
Weather: glorious— sunny with puffy cumulus in the low 70’s
Sightings: interesting butterflies
High points: Max Patch
May 31, 2023
AT miles: 3.8
Ascent: 469’
Descent: 1253’
Weather: warm, hazy, sunny, and low 70’s
High points: the waterfall as I was leaving the park
May 30, 2023
AT miles: 19.8
Ascent: 3035’
Descent: 5742’
Weather: despite a cloudy beginning, sunny and bright and mid-60’s
Sightings: lots of hikers with sore knees
High points: skittering down the long downhill super-fast!
May 29, 2023
AT miles: 15.4
Ascent: 2414’
Descent: 3077’
Weather: sunny and low 60’s
Sightings: a snail!
High points: the glorious views