March 28th:
When I finished my hike back into Carvers’ Gap on the 27th, I talked
to two older thru-hikers who described the opposite side of the gap as
“horrible” due to icy conditions. The weather forecast was for warmer
conditions for the rest of the week, so I decided to put off my climb up
to Roan High Knob.
I left my car at the
Station
parking lot at about 8:30 a.m. They charge $10 for overnight or day
parking/security, which rattled my frugal nature, but small businesses
on the trail needs to make money in order to survive. Unlike a Carver’s
Gap, there is no large parking lot here at the trail crossing. Running a
craft beer taproom/hiker hostel/shuttle service is no picnic, so I
didn’t let the fee linger in my thoughts too long.
It was about a half mile road walk downhill on Hwy 19E to the trail
crossing. The elevation here is much lower than Carver’s Gap, which
meant I would be climbing all day to my destination at the top of
Houston Ridge. As I hiked, I quickly realized that I was overdressed for
the lower elevation and warmer day. I went from full gear to a t shirt
and long pants in about an hour. I was running into thru-hikers who
were down to shorts.
After a couple of miles, I left the woods and entered a clearing
called “Doll Flats.” It basically looks like a relatively flat farm
field on top of the mountain, overlooking a steep drop off to small
farms far below. The faint call of a rooster let me know that I had not
left civilization–yet.
I continued my ascent through the woods on the other side of Doll Flats, crossing from Tennessee into North Carolina.
This
above sign is a fairly typical “highway sign” on the Appalachian
Trail. The translation is that, yes, you are on the A.T in North
Carolina, and a water source is off to the right. There is also an
implication that this would be a good time to “water up” because there
might not be additional water for awhile (up on the ridge). I was still
carrying 1.5 liters of water, so I kept going.
Soon, I was hiking above the trees on the long ascent up Houston Ridge.
Even
though the temperatures were much warmer than the day before, the high
winds caused me to put on another layer of clothes and my hat. This
particular stretch of trail was the primary reason that I traveled to
the Roan Highlands. The wind, the views, the solitude all combined to
make me feel more alive than I had in sometime.
About
halfway up the ridge, I saw a little dot on top of the mountain that I
thought was a hiker coming towards me, but the dot stopped moving. Then
I saw it was an animal moving slowly back and forth (maybe a dog?)
Finally, I climbed high enough to see that it was a deer, standing like a
king overlooking his domain. I never did get close enough to
photograph him. I was worried he was going to run off while I retrieved
my camera, so I just kept going, hoping that he would still be there
when I got to the top. The final ascent blocked my view of him, and
then I joined him at the top. He was motionless for an instant, making
eye contact with me. And then he trotted nonchalantly off into the woods
on the right, leaving the summit for me. I have to admit that shivers
went down my spine. For a moment, I imagined being that deer, living
on top of the world in that desolate, windy place. Free.
Then the moment was gone. I sat down behind a rock outcropping for
some wind protection and ate my lunch (trail mix and water) I lingered
up there for about an hour, not another human in sight the entire time.
The
trip down was much faster than the ascent. I was back at the Station
for a beer by 2 pm, ate a bbq sandwich in Roan Mountain at Dairyland
(really good at $4.99, including cole slaw), bought groceries and
firewood, and was back at the campground while the afternoon was still
warm. I cooked up the fixings for beef burritos and then sat by the
fire with a water bottle of Ginger Ale and a splash of bourbon. I would
be ready for the other side of Carver’s Gap on my final day. Life was
good.
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