We tried to slip out of the shelter as early (and as quietly) as possible this morning, to make sure we’d arrive at Newfound Gap in time to meet our 2:00 p.m. ride down to Gatlinburg, but even without the worry of dealing with a tent, we barely got away just before 7:00 a.m. The early part of the climb up Clingmans Dome featured many evergreens, and the hike was a treat in the morning mist. N especially was lightly dressed, figuring any additional layers would just mean more sweating on the morning’s climb.

However, after about an hour walking, instead of the fog burning off as we hoped, here came rain, thunder, and lightning; followed by a pelting of hail the size of basketballs (or at least it seemed so) and strong gusty winds which brought the precip in sideways. We had wasted no time getting on our raingear layer, but had not anticipated either the drop in temperature or the wind chill, and when we reached the summit, we were both starting to shiver from the cold. We needed a dry place to put on more layers of clothing underneath, and that we didn’t have. In hopes of finding a dry place out of the wind at the small store run by the Great Smoky cooperating association, we turned downhill toward the paved path to the parking lot. We made good time on the even surface, but in the space of the 4/10 mile walk, N started to loose feeling in his hands, as the parking area was exposed to the wind’s full fury. However, our timing was bad, as on our arrival, the store would not open for another hour, and with the swirl of the wind, there was no spot where we could escape the cold rain. N had a tough time getting gloves on over his wet hands and was having a tough time working the buckles and snaps on his gear, but between the two of us we were able to add a base layer, cover all possible skin area, and we were starting to warm up as we headed back up the paved path to the trail. We had squandered an hour of hiking time, but had avoided serious hypothermia issues.

During our detour, the thunderstorm began to pass, and the clouds were starting to lift from the top of Clingmans Dome. Having resigned ourselves two hours earlier to not seeing anything from the top of the tower today, and therefore intending to skip the curved walk above the tree line, we braved the wind for some quick, but spectacular views. As we walked back to the ground, we noticed a small protected room under the base of the ramp that would have been a much more protected place to change clothes. N spent the rest of the day’s walk beating himself up for not looking to the tower earlier for shelter…

The AT from Clingmans Dome to Newfound Gap (NFG) was more like a river than a trail, and our normal slow pace slowed even more as we tried to be cautious and not slip or fall. [For those of you keeping score at home, the Troverts are now at one fall apiece for the trip. N at about the hundred mile mark fell on his butt when he hesitated putting his weight down on his trekking poles as he stepped on a large rock, and had his center of gravity shift backwards on him; and X now at the 200 mile mark being more blown off her feet than anything else. We hope by Maine the score in this competition continues to look like that of a soccer match…] For most of the afternoon we had no cell phone reception to let Great Smoky Mountains National Park deputy superintendent Kevin FitzGerald know a two o’clock arrival at Newfound Gap was not in the cards, but about two miles from the Gap we finally got a signal, so we could alter our arrival time. When we reached U.S. 411/NFG, Kevin was waiting to give us a ride to park headquarters in a warm car! [It should be noted several other previously arriving hikers waiting in the parking lot gave us the hairy eyeball to see us immediately whisked away in such comfort!] On the way down, we had a chance to discuss the love – hate relationship between AT hikers and the National Park Service, and the difficult task of insuring the park’s pristine resources will be there for future generations, while providing use opportunities for the thousands of folks who use the Great Smoky trail system each year.

At headquarters, we were picked up by X’s good friend Ken Voorhis, who runs the Great Smoky Mountain Institute at Tremont, where we are spending the night. Our laundry is done, and our gear is spread all over Ken’s garage (for we got a lot of things wet today!). We borrowed Ken’s car for a run to the grocery (where we purchased enough re-supply food to put a smile on both Shock & Awe’s faces, each of whom had looked a little emaciated when we reached the bottom of the hill). And when we returned from the store, Ken had grilled us the world’s best barbequed chicken, followed by ice cream, not exactly a backpacker staple…

After a day of defying death on the high point of the AT (well, in hind sight that’s a little over dramatic even for N! but it’s already getting more exciting every time he tells it.), we are here at Tremont, fat, dumb and happy (and most important – clean!); and ready to tackle another day tomorrow, The magical experiences of the trail continue with the help and support of dear friends. Thanks, again, to Kevin, Ken & Jennifer for being there for us today.