Mount Collins Shelter
May 28, 2005 - Mount Collins Shelter to Siler’s Bald Shelter
I was up at 6:00 a.m. without breakfast. I made a lot of noise getting out of there too. I left in the rain with the
latecomers still in bed. Flapper was on the trail right behind me. It was a miserable day to hike over Clingman’s
Dome. It was cloudy and raining when I got to the summit. I did not even go to the tower. No one else was around
here either. I got rid of my trash at receptacle and off the mountain I went. I stopped at Double Springs Shelter and
had coffee and a quick bite to eat. I stayed an hour. I went down to the spring and someone had washed dishes in
the only water source for 5 miles. I got enough for my coffee and carried a little after treating it with iodine tablets. I
only had 1.7 more miles to hike to get to the next shelter where I was going to stay. This Shelter has a nice cooking
area and the spring is very close. The sun came out and I was able to dry all of my wet stuff out.
May 29, 2005 - Siler Bald Shelter to Spence Field Shelter
I did 11.8 miles today and I am very tired on a very pretty evening. I left shelter this morning at 7:15 a.m. and walked
a pretty trail to Derrick Knob Shelter where I got water and took a break for ½ hour. Two miles before the shelter
was Thunderhead and very hard hiking in rouged terrain. I was tired after Thunderhead but I kept plugging on.
Rocky Top was how I remember it many years ago with its exceptional views of the south including Fontana Lake
and Dam. Except for Clingman’s Dome I got good views and weather throughout the Smokys so far. I will go only 5 or
6 miles tomorrow. Then the next day I will do 10 to Fontana Village. I am staying at Spence Field Shelter tonight. It is .
2 miles from a grassy bald area where I spent some time just sitting and enjoying the day. I jumped some wild hogs
today on the trail. I never saw them but I heard them squeal. I got a John Grisham book today from Yellowstone Man,
Bleachers. I will read some of it tonight to see if I will carry it on down the trail.
May 30, 2005 - Spence Field Shelter to Mollies Ridge Shelter
I had a good hot breakfast with coffee and left the shelter before 7 a.m. While getting ready to go all who were up
got to see a medium size bear! This shelter was almost full last night. I hiked and took a break at Russell Field
Shelter and by 11 a.m. I then walked to Mollies Ridge Shelter where I will stay for the night. I went down to get my
water and when I returned a thru-hiker by the name of Gunner was there. He is in the Israeli army as a tank gunner
and we talked for a while before he hiked on. He relayed to me at how lucky we are in this country to be in a quiet
safe and free country. [I met Gunner again in 2005 at a camp site. Ironically I saw him walking and I yelled, Gunner!
near Jerusalem road in Massachusetts. We talked again and I got caught up with his thru-hike since we last met.] I
ate a trifecta of wild things today on the trail and for dinner. I had ramps, wild mushrooms, chicken of the forest, and
a big fat snail. I sautéed the snail in garlic butter and it was very good. Some other thru-hikers came by and saw me
preparing the snail and they got a picture of me cooking and eating it. I met the people again later the next day and
they ate and enjoyed some snails too. It looks like rain again tonight.
I was up at 6:00 a.m. without breakfast. I made a lot of noise getting out of there too. I left in the rain with the
latecomers still in bed. Flapper was on the trail right behind me. It was a miserable day to hike over Clingman’s
Dome. It was cloudy and raining when I got to the summit. I did not even go to the tower. No one else was around
here either. I got rid of my trash at receptacle and off the mountain I went. I stopped at Double Springs Shelter and
had coffee and a quick bite to eat. I stayed an hour. I went down to the spring and someone had washed dishes in
the only water source for 5 miles. I got enough for my coffee and carried a little after treating it with iodine tablets. I
only had 1.7 more miles to hike to get to the next shelter where I was going to stay. This Shelter has a nice cooking
area and the spring is very close. The sun came out and I was able to dry all of my wet stuff out.
May 29, 2005 - Siler Bald Shelter to Spence Field Shelter
I did 11.8 miles today and I am very tired on a very pretty evening. I left shelter this morning at 7:15 a.m. and walked
a pretty trail to Derrick Knob Shelter where I got water and took a break for ½ hour. Two miles before the shelter
was Thunderhead and very hard hiking in rouged terrain. I was tired after Thunderhead but I kept plugging on.
Rocky Top was how I remember it many years ago with its exceptional views of the south including Fontana Lake
and Dam. Except for Clingman’s Dome I got good views and weather throughout the Smokys so far. I will go only 5 or
6 miles tomorrow. Then the next day I will do 10 to Fontana Village. I am staying at Spence Field Shelter tonight. It is .
2 miles from a grassy bald area where I spent some time just sitting and enjoying the day. I jumped some wild hogs
today on the trail. I never saw them but I heard them squeal. I got a John Grisham book today from Yellowstone Man,
Bleachers. I will read some of it tonight to see if I will carry it on down the trail.
May 30, 2005 - Spence Field Shelter to Mollies Ridge Shelter
I had a good hot breakfast with coffee and left the shelter before 7 a.m. While getting ready to go all who were up
got to see a medium size bear! This shelter was almost full last night. I hiked and took a break at Russell Field
Shelter and by 11 a.m. I then walked to Mollies Ridge Shelter where I will stay for the night. I went down to get my
water and when I returned a thru-hiker by the name of Gunner was there. He is in the Israeli army as a tank gunner
and we talked for a while before he hiked on. He relayed to me at how lucky we are in this country to be in a quiet
safe and free country. [I met Gunner again in 2005 at a camp site. Ironically I saw him walking and I yelled, Gunner!
near Jerusalem road in Massachusetts. We talked again and I got caught up with his thru-hike since we last met.] I
ate a trifecta of wild things today on the trail and for dinner. I had ramps, wild mushrooms, chicken of the forest, and
a big fat snail. I sautéed the snail in garlic butter and it was very good. Some other thru-hikers came by and saw me
preparing the snail and they got a picture of me cooking and eating it. I met the people again later the next day and
they ate and enjoyed some snails too. It looks like rain again tonight.
Mollies Ridge
May 31, 2005 - Mollies Ridge Shelter to
Fontana Hilton Shelter
I was up early and out fast, as I was motivated to
get down to some real food after a week in the
Smokys. I enjoyed my day and went over to
Shuckstack Fire Tower and hung out there for an
hour and got several pictures. I saw nothing there
on my first trip and I had missed a really fine view. If
you get near here don’t miss the tower. It is more
than well worth it. There is an old chimney here too.
You had an unobstructed view of the dam and
visitors center. I saw no one as I came out of the
Smokys. I got to the dam area and made some
arrangements to go into town to resupply. A shuttle
comes over and for a dollar they will drop you off at
the village. I got a ride over with some hikers
finishing up at the dam and I rode with them in the
cab they rented. I went to the post office and got my
mail and food and went to the grocery store which
was adequate for the area and shopped a little in
the area. I hiked up to the outfitter and for a buck
got a ride back to the Fontana Hilton. I had a great
evening with people at the shelter. One family of a
thru-hiker came to visit him and invited me for a
cookout!!! We had hamburgers, potato chips,
sodas, potato salad and candy. It was a real treat
and they enjoyed my story too. The hikers got way
too much food from home and they gave me a lot to
weight my pack down but I don’t turn down food. It
suppose to rain a lot here tonight. This shelter is a
beauty. Few thru-hikers miss this one. It has
running water and a nice cooking area and a
shower is nearby at the dam. There are flush toilets
and hot water nearby too.
Fontana Hilton Shelter
I was up early and out fast, as I was motivated to
get down to some real food after a week in the
Smokys. I enjoyed my day and went over to
Shuckstack Fire Tower and hung out there for an
hour and got several pictures. I saw nothing there
on my first trip and I had missed a really fine view. If
you get near here don’t miss the tower. It is more
than well worth it. There is an old chimney here too.
You had an unobstructed view of the dam and
visitors center. I saw no one as I came out of the
Smokys. I got to the dam area and made some
arrangements to go into town to resupply. A shuttle
comes over and for a dollar they will drop you off at
the village. I got a ride over with some hikers
finishing up at the dam and I rode with them in the
cab they rented. I went to the post office and got my
mail and food and went to the grocery store which
was adequate for the area and shopped a little in
the area. I hiked up to the outfitter and for a buck
got a ride back to the Fontana Hilton. I had a great
evening with people at the shelter. One family of a
thru-hiker came to visit him and invited me for a
cookout!!! We had hamburgers, potato chips,
sodas, potato salad and candy. It was a real treat
and they enjoyed my story too. The hikers got way
too much food from home and they gave me a lot to
weight my pack down but I don’t turn down food. It
suppose to rain a lot here tonight. This shelter is a
beauty. Few thru-hikers miss this one. It has
running water and a nice cooking area and a
shower is nearby at the dam. There are flush toilets
and hot water nearby too.
Shuckstack Chimney
9