(Stealth Campsite (mile 253ish) - Stealth Campsite (mile 268.5ish))

The night was cold and windy. I kept warm enough and woke up to my alarm at 5am. It was still pitch black, so I packed up camp by the light of my headlamp and headed out at 6am. The morning was extremely dark, but with my headlamp to guide me, I was able to stay on trail.

I woke up at 5am for a dawn hike to Max Patch to see the sunrise

I made it to Max Patch as the first rays of light were beginning to peak over the horizon. I found a nice spot to sit, set my camera up to record a one hour time-lapse, and ate my breakfast. Although there were several tents set up nearby, no hikers stirred. I felt as if I had the whole sunrise to myself.

Breathtaking.

The sun completed its ascent over the horizon around 8:30am and I decided to hike on. My plan was to hike another 10 or 11 miles and find a stealth campsite. This would put me about 4 hours from Hot Springs, where I am planning to meet AC tomorrow.

As I hiked over the open bald of Max Patch, I was treated to fierce winds and panoramic views of the southern Appalachians. Altogether, it was a truly beautiful spot that I hope to return to someday.

As I hiked down from Max Patch, I passed through a lot of old cattle fencing. It was clear that this area had historically been used for cattle management and I wondered if the bald had been initially cleared for grazing.

After 4.5 miles, I reached a gravel road at Lemon Gap. Somebody had left two boxes of trail magic luna bars at the intersection of the trail and road. Flavors: chocolate peppermint stick (would not recommend, but I was grateful for it) and LEMON (Ha… get it??? …hysterical).

I always get excited when I find big old trees

A little over a mile past Lemon Gap, I stopped for lunch and a siesta at Walnut Mountain Shelter.

I stopped to eat lunch and take an early afternoon ciesta at Walnut Mountain Shelter

As I hiked on, the spirit of spring washed over me. No doubt this feeling of seasonal baptism was instigated by an abundance of wildflowers lining the trail. As I reached the wooded summit of Bluff Mountain, I happened across a multitude of puffball mushrooms and let out a cry of joy. I love finding puffballs! They’re so much fun to poke!

After another 3 miles, I reached the campsite I was planning to stay at. Unfortunately, the tent pads sucked so I hiked on. I then reached an old road bed, which someone suggested as a tentsite in a Guthook comment, but I couldn’t get my stakes into the ground. I was also out of water, so I opted to hike another mile to the next water source. I ended up finding a decent unmarked tent pad and stream a little bit past Garenflo Gap. I was tired, so I figured “why not?” and set up for the evening.

Tomorrow I meet AC in Hot Springs, NC. YEEEEE!!!