Low Gap to Unicoi Gap/Hiawassee, Ga

3/21/15 - The mist didn't lift until after midnight at Low Gap.  And since it was crowded and I arrived fairly late compared to others, the tent site I found wasn't level.  So I spent a good part of the night sliding off my air mattress and up against the tent wall.  Between the tent floor, the air mattress and my sleeping bag, it was like trying to maintain a stack of wet watermelon seeds.  Morning was not fun.

The day started cold and damp, but the sun came out about 11am.  I was wearing sunscreen, but with no leaves on the trees, I might as well have been at the beach.   The trail over able Mountain has sections of rocks, which today were still slick with mud.  Add in the elevation gains and losses during the day and it made for a tough day.  And with the forecast calling for a day and a half of rain starting around midnight tonight, I pulled off at Unicoi Gap and got a hotel room in Hiawassee, GA.  Looks like I'll be here two nights.  Then back to Unicoi, spent two days walking over Rocky Mountain, Tray Mountain and Kelly's Knob, and I'll be at Dick's Creek Gap.  Which is on the other side of Hiawassee.  So yes, walk 17 miles over three mountains to get to the starting point.  It's ok, a few weeks from now, the AT actually runs South East in order to go North.  For about 40 miles! Onward!

 Fog/Mist on the way to Low Gap

A spring somewhere on Blue Mountain (wasn't able to brace the shot).  Water was cold and so good.

And yes, this is what bad trail looks like.  Guaranteed to cause sore feet and legs.