(Boots Off Hostel & Campground (off mile 428.4) - Stealth Campsite (mile 448.8ish))

🍾🍾🍾FIRST >20 MILE DAY!!!!🍾🍾🍾

I woke up this morning a little before 7:30am. A breakfast of biscuits, gravy, and eggs was prepared by a couple of trail angels staying at the campground - which was an excellent way to start off the day! After breakfast, I decided to take advantage of Boots Off’s new tankless hot water heater one last time before hitting the trail at about 9am.

I didn’t know where I would end up this evening. I had about 43 miles to go between Boots Off and Damascus, VA. Given all the trail reports from trail angels and southbound flip floppers, it should be a really chill 43 miles. Everyone seems to agree that it can be easily knocked out in two days. So, I’m thinking I’ll aim to camp just south of Damascus in two nights. Then, on day three I’ll get into town early, check out the diner, resupply, pick up my bear line from the post office, and get out of town. Nothing like a good ol’ hero. All the benefits of a nearo, with none of the overnight costs. Theoretically, that plan set me up for a 21.5 mile day. With the extra support of a new knee brace from the Boot’s Off hiker box, I was feeling good, and if the terrain is as easy as I’ve heard, I figured it should be doable.

I hiked along the shore of Watauga Lake for the first 3 miles. It was scenic, flat, and overall idyllic hiking. Boot’s Off offers slack-packing and aquablaze options for thru-hikers through this section of trail. Slack-packing is when thru-hikers hike with only a day pack, which lightens the load on your back and generally allows for bigger miles with less strain. Slack-packing is usually facilitated by hostels, which drop guests off at a trailhead north of the hostel. The slack-packers then spend their day hiking back to the hostel (south-bound). I’m not philosophically opposed to slack-packing, but the service costs money, and as a north-bounder, I want to always hike north. The first part is a practical excuse stemming from frugality. The second part is just a bit of wishy-washy personal philosophy. If I was given the opportunity to slack-pack north-bound - for free - hell yeah, I’d do it! Aquablazing is a different beast entirely. Boot’s Off will rent canoes to thru-hikers who want to paddle 8-10 miles up Watauga Lake, which effectively bypasses 21 miles of trail. After spending three summers as a canoe guide, the prospect of an aquablaze was mildly compelling, but ultimately, I feel like I’m on the AT to hike. To each their own. We all hike our own hike, and I passed a few thru-hikers completing south-bound slack-packs along the lake. They seemed to be enjoying themselves.

After 3 miles, I reached the Watauga Lake Dam and was surprised by the excellent views to the north, overlooking the mountains, and to the south, overlooking the lake.

The trail crosses over Watauga Dam after hiking along Watauga Lake for 3 miles

Beyond the dam, the trail left the lakeside and began climbing up the ridge north of the lake. After a short road walk, the trail continued following the ridge, granting almost continuous views of the lake. It was another beautiful day, and lizards scurried beside the trail as I passed. As I neared the crest of the ridge, I found Delta sitting on a small rocky outcropping to the side of the trail. He explained that he was feeling a bit off and just needed to chill for a bit. I wished him well and hiked on.

I have heard a lot of lizards scurrying in the leaves over the last week or so as things have warmed up, but this male fence lizard was the first one I was able to photograph

View of Watauga Lake from the ridge after the dam

I hiked along the ridge, appreciating the lake views for another 6 miles until I decided to stop for lunch at Vandeventer Shelter. Behind the shelter, I climbed up on a big rock overlooking the lake and tucked into my lunch. While I was eating, two thru-hikers arrived and introduced themselves as “Meatsuit” and “Highlander.” The names rang a bell. I think Delta told me he had hiked with Meatsuit and Highlander before 19E. They joined me on the rock and we chatted over our respective lunches. As we were eating, Lighthouse arrived and then Delta, who both joined us on the rock.

View from my lunch spot at the overlook behind Vandeventer Shelter

After lunch, I hiked on with Delta past Vandeventer Shelter. We talked about cars and music. I spread the gospel of some of my favorite artists, including Tim Maia, Extra Golden, and We Lost the Sea. Most of the afternoon was spent cruising along the ridge overlooking Watauga Lake and the surrounding communities. Eventually, we left the lake views behind and after 6 miles we reached Iron Mountain Shelter. Delta wasn’t feeling too good - his stomach had been feeling messed up since the morning and he thought he might be dehydrated - so we parted ways and I continued on.

All the talk of favorite albums, along with a sky that was growing steadily more overcast, put me in the mood for We Lost the Sea’s magnum opus: “Departure Songs.” We Lost the Sea is a post-rock outfit from Sydney, Australia. Their first two albums “Crimea” (2009) and “The Quietest Place On Earth” (2010) were concept albums in the vein of progressive metal, featuring intense vocals by front man Chris Torpy, who took his own life in 2013. Two years later, the band released “Departure Songs” (2015) an entirely instrumental work inspired by stories of epically courageous yet tragically failed explorations to parts unknown. The album explores themes of loss and grief, while also celebrating the inevitable persistence of the human spirit. It’s a cinematic, revelatory roller coaster with emotionally rapturous highs and gut-punching lows. Simply put, the album is a masterpiece. Highly recommended🎸🎶

Nick Grindstaff gravestone engraved with the epitaph “He lived alone, suffered alone, and died alone.” Apparently Nick was a hermit who lived on the ridge

After about 4 and a half miles, the skies gave way to light sprinkling. I checked my mileage and realized I had broken 20 miles for the first time! That’s a pretty big milestone on any thru-hike, so I was feeling good🥳 I started looking for a decent stealth site and found one just a little before a road crossing with Tennessee Route 91. The light rain continued on and off as I set up my tent, hung a bear line, and ate dinner, which consisted of two cold-soaked ramens, olive oil, NIDO, the last of my pad thai seasoning, as well as a mushroom gravy seasoning mix. It was pretty fine. Not the most delicious thing I’ve eaten on trail, but not inedible😅

Someone must have used this stealth spot before because there was a small, disused fire pit and log bench where I sat to eat my dinner. As I was eating, Lighthouse hiked by along the trail. He must of been in the zone because he didn’t seem to notice me. I didn’t want to startle him, so I let him pass. The sprinkling started up again, so I moved into my tent to finish my dinner and enjoy a Honeybun for dessert. Afterwards, I hung my bear bag and retired.