Top of Springer Mountain

 March 11, 2025

The estimate I have is that we hiked around seven miles yesterday.  FitBit has me totaling over twelve miles, but that isn't all trail.  I had a hard time getting to sleep and staying asleep.  With the time change, dawn comes late, 7:51.  We are about 1.5 miles to Springer Mountain and the Southern Terminus of the Appalachian Trail.  Our goal for today was to reach Hawk Mountain Shelter which is 8.1 miles after Springer Mountain. 

Yesterday we saw a bird that I couldn't identify.  While waiting for Bel to wake up, I decided to research it.  I'm not sure, but it may have been a thrasher.  I cropped and put a circle around it in the following picture.  Not much to go by.  Had I not taken two pictures, it would just look like the forest floor.  That shape is not in the other picture.

We left Black Gap Shelter around 9:36.  We arrived at the Southern Terminus, Springer Mountain around 10:19.  From there we went to the shelter for food and water.  We left Springer Mountain Shelter at about 12:25. We got to Springer Mountain Parking Lot at about 13:05.  Corvidae was there waiting for us.  I'm so thankful we started this supported, we were already out of toilet paper.

Black Gap Shelter. 
There were maybe eight tents? 
Nobody stayed in the shelter.

Springer Mountain!!

Selfie!  Selfies will be blurry.

From the top of Springer Mountain. 

First water collection site.

Maybe a junco?
I'm feeling like I should have studied more.

We met a couple who hiked the AT, Maine to Georgia, 50 years ago.  It was their first date.  They met 10 days earlier at a party.  The husband had been planning it for a while, the wife tagged along, knowing that she may have to bus back if she couldn't handle it.  They finished the trail and got married a few years later.  Such a touching story.

After food and some time to digest, we left the parking lot around 14:00.  Hawk Mountain Shelter is no longer our goal for today.  I'm slow, and Bel is having problems with their backpack.  There was someone offering trail magic, but we have our own trail magic right now with Corvidae.  

First water crossing.

Second water crossing (maybe 20 feet from the first).

Not counting them anymore. 
Not the third one.
Bel chose the tree.

I chose those rocks.

Cool bridge

Around 15:15 we arrived at Stover Creek Shelter.  Another break here and then to meet up with Corvidae again for the evening.  We are tired and achy.  We had not planned to meet up with Corvidae as often as we are.  We are getting in less miles because of this, but that is probably for the better.

At 16:40 we met Corvidae at Three Forks Parking Area.   From there we drove about ten minutes to a dispersed camping area to spend the night.  She'll give us a ride back to the trail where we left off in the morning.  

Keeping these shoes in the car.
They feel great after a few days hiking.

And so it is that at 20:00 I am in the tent, ready for bed, writing, with no internet, listening to the nearby creek.  

☮

Thank you for being here and being part of my daily happy things. Stay safe!