Bears and Rattlesnakes and Such

Now that it's summer weather, there is plenty of wildlife to enjoy.  Here are a few highlights of my recent adventures on the Appalachian Trail...

She was giving me the evil eye

 

At first glance, she was resting behind a log

 

Big rat snake climbing a tree

This guy serenaded us all night as we camped by a creek

A botanist I was hiking with was excited to find the Yellow Lady Slipper, a very rare orchid

I nearly stepped on this rattlesnake sprawled out across the trail

It coiled up by the trail as I passed cautiously

 

I spotted this little guy on a rocky overlook

Common site in a hiker town

That's me, way up on McAfee's Knob

The First 25% Completed!

After a slow start, the miles are dropping quickly now, as much as 100 miles per week. The scenery has been surreal and the new friendships have been amazing. The cold weather seems to be behind us now, and we have enjoyed a long string of beautiful days and clear nights under the stars. Having now completed 531 miles of the Appalachian Trail, almost a quarter of the way from Springer Mountain to Mount Katahdin, I would say this has been the most rewarding and fulfilling experience of my life.

Of the 2,000 or so aspiring thru-hikers who left Springer Mountain this spring, it's expected that only about 20-25% will make it all the way to the end of the trail in Maine. Many have dropped out by now, and the trail seems less crowded than earlier on. People are starting to talk about Mount Katahdin more and more now, less like some mythical place and more like an achievable goal.

Here are a few photo highlights from the past few weeks...

Overlooking the Nolichucky River near Erwin, Tennessee

 

A spruce forest at the summit of a mountain

 

This guy did not want me in his forest

 

Several of us escaped a night of thunderstorms here in the Over Mountain Shelter

 

"Sprinkleburst" entertains fellow hikers at Over Mountain Shelter

 

Tortoise, Longhorn, and Lotus enjoy movies at the Mountain Harbour Hostile

 

Hikers enjoy an amazing gourmet breakfast at Mountain Harbour Hostile

 

Sloth, Big Sexy, and Southbound make their way up a hill

 


A cardinal perched outside Kincora Hostile

 


One of hundreds of beautiful stream crossings

 A quick video at Laurel Falls

"Lost Boy" crosses into Virginia

 

A picturesque sunset near the Tennessee/Virginia state line

 

The area surrounding Mount Rogers in Virginia - just stunning

 

"Smokey the Beard" makes a new friend

 

"Hungry" is on top of the world

 

The Grayson Highlands area of Virginia, my favorite part of the trail so far

 

Herds of wild ponies keep the landscape well manicured

 

Yep. 500 miles!