(Clyde Smith Shelter (mile 370.5) - Overmountain Shelter (mile 386.1))

I woke up around 7:30am and took my time to pack and eat breakfast in camp. The plan for the day was to hike about 16.5 miles to “The Barn,” which would take me over Roan Mountain and through the southern portion of the Roan Highlands. I’ve heard a good deal about the Roan Highlands. They are supposed to be beautiful. I started hiking around 9am and began the first climb of the day to Little Rock Knob Vista. The ~1 mile climb to the Knob was well graded, and even though my left knee was still feeling tender, the climb felt good. As I stopped to admire the views, Excel caught up to me and we hiked together for a mile or so.

I hiked on without Excel after a water source about a mile past the knob. I crossed Hughes Gap Road and started the climb up Roan Mountain. The climb involved a ~2,200 foot ascent over about 4.5 miles. Shortly after the gap, I stopped at a piped spring and got passed by Lebowski. I caught back up to Lebowski and hiked with him to first false peak about halfway up Roan. We chatted and learned that he is married and from Columbia, South Carolina, where he works at a gear shop called Halfmoon Outfitters. Lebowski was planning to meet his wife this morning at Carver’s Gap, just over Roan Mountain. So he was hiking hard and fast. I enjoyed the pace, but bid Lebowski farewell when I needed to stop to dig a cathole.

A very big old tree (Lebowski for scale)

After my pit stop, I continued the climb up Roan Mountain, which was graded beautifully. Whatever trail crew that maintains this section had done a great job. The trail was wide, featuring many stone steps that were well spaced - a rare feature that I did not take for granted. The forest was enchanting, and I enjoyed the solitude as I climbed.

I stopped for lunch at the top of the mountain and was joined my the rest of the crew. We ate in a grassy field which was once the site of the Cloudland Hotel, a massive 19th century resort. Signage at the site explained that the hotel was built about 1884 and catered to pleasure-seekers and those suffering from hay fever. Very little of the original structure remained, but the field made for a lovely picnic spot on such a beautiful day.

While we were eating, we met “Gunga-Din,” a thru-hiker whose trail name was a (purposefully misspelled) reference to the Rudyard Kipling poem. He had earned it after collecting water for an older hiker. Gunga-Din was a big guy. Hailing from Minnesota, he was part of the “Little Hotties” trail family, a group that I had heard of but hadn’t met yet.

I hiked on with the crew and we decided to stop and check out Roan High Knob Shelter, the highest shelter on the AT. The double-decker shelter was a bit off trail, but at 6,270 feet above sea level, it was only about 20 feet lower than Mount Washington. This, of course, is in terms of absolute elevation (relative to sea level). In terms of prominence (elevation relative to surroundings), Roan Mountain has nothing on Mount Washington.

At the shelter, we ran into Gunga-din and a couple others from the Little Hotties crew, including “Disco,” who recently started wearing sun gloves to combat a weird reaction she was having to the sun. Her hands were pretty gnarly, covered in welts that resembled a major poison ivy reaction. I’ve been experiencing a much milder version of her symptoms on my hands as well. Like me, Disco’s hands were not itchy. Most thru-hikers use a lot of hand sanitizer on trail, and a physician suggested that excessive hand sanitizer might be making Disco’s hands sensitive to sun exposure. Who knows, but Disco seemed to think the gloves were helping🤷‍♂️

Roan High Knob Shelter, the highest shelter on the AT (elevation 6186 feet)

I hiked on without the rest of the crew. At Carver’s Gap I ran into trail magic from a gentleman named Don. Don handed me a banana and offered to make me a pimento cheese sandwich, which I gladly accepted. Don explained that he was from outside Charlotte as I lounged in one of his folding chairs and gobbled down my pimento cheese sandwich. I bid Don farewell just as Puddin, Clover, Excel, Katie, and Jasmine were arriving.

I crossed the road and entered the much anticipated Roan Highlands. After trying and failing to find cell service all day, I finally had enough bars to get a call out to Anna Claire, whom I was missing dearly. We talked for a while and AC said she was going to ask the next weekend off to come see me. I’m a lucky, lucky guy.

As I began hiking again, I couldn’t help but watch nervously as dark rain clouds gathered to the south. I decided some music was needed to set a proper mood. I chose “Calamo” by Claudio Tallino, an ominously psychedelic soundtrack to a 1976 Italian erotic-thriller film. It was a good choice. I passed over Round Bald and Jane Bald while being buffeted by wind gusts and light rain. The surrounding landscape was beautiful. It felt like another planet. The views, weather, and music all contributed to a deeply surreal feeling, as if I was on the brink of reality. It was strangely moving.

Rain in the distance made for an atmospheric hike through the Roan Highlands

Despite the occasional rain and threatening thunder, the worst storm clouds blew past just a bit to my south and I seemed to be in the clear as I hiked off Jane Bald. Sure enough, it stopped raining and I was treated to a beautiful rainbow. Wait no… it was a faint double rainbow!!🌈🌈

As I admired the rainbow, a rabbit hopped across the trail nearby. My new furry friend didn’t seem to mind as I crouched to take its picture. Rainbows and a rabbit! It was a truly idyllic trail moment.

🌈 Double rainbow after a brief afternoon thunderstorm 🌈

This rabbit hopped across the trail while I was admiring the rainbows! Maybe my most idealic moment on trail — This rabbit hopped across the trail while I was admiring the rainbows! Maybe my most idyllic moment on trail so far

After another 2 miles, I passed Stan Murray Shelter which was overrun by a Boy Scout troop. I kept moving and made it to Overmountain Shelter 2 miles later. The Barn was unfortunately closed do to major structural instability, but the surrounding tentsites were great and I set up alongside Excel, Clover, and Puddin. Despite suspicious looking clouds, Katie and Jasmine were cowboy camping as per usual.

Overmountain Shelter featured an open concept privy with excellent views. The toilet seat cover was also bedazzled. I assume this was to ensure that hikers were pooping in style😂

The rain mostly held out, with the exception of a quick shower as everyone was preparing dinner. We ran for our tents for a couple minutes and then emerged to find an even more impressive double rainbow stretching across the bowl-like valley below.

As we ate, a man in all cammo arrived carrying a rifle. I asked what he was hunting and he explained that he was out for the start of turkey season. He was a nice guy and I enjoyed chatting with him🦃

Today was a good day.