4/29 – 270 miles
I hiked 17 miles to Deer Park Mountain Shelter, 3 miles from Hot Springs, NC. It was a long day. Much of the trail ran through beautiful mature woods, filled with tall poplar and massive oaks, laced now and then with streams and tunnels of rhododendron, on all fairly level walking. Sometimes it’s nice to walk through woods like this. The trail wouldn’t have to go to the top of every mountain.
After a rather challenging climb over Bluff Mountain, the trail descended 2300 feet to the shelter. Once again, several of my trail friends were already there cooking dinner. They said that someone had seen a copperhead snake in the shelter so everyone was tenting. It was a beautiful night and my tent was first choice for me anyway.
After dinner I brought out a treat for everyone – a bag of marshmallows I had been carrying since Gatlinburg. We roasted marshmallows around the campfire and talked until dark. I went to bed with a full stomach and slept the best I have in days.
I forgot to mention that I weighed myself at the hostel two nights before and found that I’ve lost 22 lbs. already. I need to start eating more because my body is devouring itself.