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Backpacking the Mountain to Sea Trail Journal Index

Below are my journal entries from my Mountain to Sea thruhike in February - April of 2007. I started in Jockey Ridge State Park and hiked west to Clingmans Dome in the Smokey Mountains.


Date Day Starting Location Destination Miles Cumulative Miles Notes
09 Feb 0 Parma, Ohio somewhere on the road 0 0 Go Greyhound and leave the driving to them... for 20+ hrs
10 Feb 1 Jockey Ridge State Park Near Bodie Island lighthouse 11.6 11.6 And so it begins
11 Feb 2 Near Bodie Island Lighthouse a dune on Pea Island 15.6 27.2 Crossing the Herbert Bonner bridge and camping on a sand dune.
12 Feb 3 that dune this dune ? ? Looking for water, an overweight pack, and lots of sand.
13 Feb 4 dune Avon 7 47.5 Need water in the morning - renting a cottage in the evening.
14 Feb 5 Avon Cape Hatteras Lighthouse 8.4 55.9 Late start, giant tent stakes, and another hotel room. This is hiking?
15 Feb 6 Buxton Ocracoke Island 13 68.9 Finding the MST blazes. The trail is found.
16 Feb 7 Island campsite Ocracoke village 13 81.9 Last beach walk along the Banks. Another night in a motel.
17 Feb 8 Ocracoke village Cedar Island ferry .8 82.7 Ferry problems. Another night in a motel.
18 Feb 9 Cedar Island ferry near Oyster Creek 17.5 100.2 Fast pace today.
19 Feb 10 Oyster Creek camp Laurel rd. & NC101 18.8 119 Heavy truck traffic. Camping in a front yard.
20 Feb 11 Laurel rd. & NC101 Blackjack Lodge 10.8 129.9 Strange trail loop, start of the Neusiok trail, and an AT style lodge.
21 Feb 12 Blackjack Lodge Somewhere on the neusiok Trail ? ? Air show, bog hiking, and mosquitos
22 Feb 13 Trail campsite Woods north of Arapahoe ? 154.4 Lots of pictures
23 Feb 14 Woods campsite Bridgeton 16.5 170.9 Monologging motel proprieter. Almost fainting. Clothes get washed.
24 Feb 15 Bridgeton just beyond Piggly Wiggle on rt 55 in New Bern 8 178.9 Town walk through New Bern
25 Feb 16 just beyond Piggly Wiggle on rt 55 in New Bern Cove City 13.9 192.8 Beating the storm to Clover Farm Food Center
26 Feb 17 Cove City US 258 & Bill Stroud rd 20.6 213.4 1st 20 mile day
27 Feb 18 US 258 & Bill Stroud rd few miles north of LaGrange 19.4? 232.8? I hate barking dogs
28 Feb 19 few miles north of LaGrange Turner Swamp rd 19.9 252.7 Meeting friendly people and getting a good night of sleep
1 Mar 20 Turner Swamp rd Lamm 18.7 271.4 Police part I and a much needed shower. Escaping the rain.
2 Mar 21 Lamm Dwight's shed in Daddysville 20 291.4 Police part II. Dwight to the rescue.
3 Mar 22 Dwight's shed in Daddysville the Traxler Place in Youngsville 16.5 307.9 Yard camping with beer and email.
4 Mar 23 the Traxler Place in Youngsville Falls Lake Dam 15 322.9 Brains & eggs the breakfast of champions. Old Chief hosts Hardcore.
5 Mar 24 Falls Lake Dam somewhere on the Falls Lake Trail 18.4 341.3 Hiking in the woods? Sounds almost like a trail.
6 Mar 25 somewhere on the Falls Lake Trail Old Weaver rd 12.5 353.8 Now Spiderman takes in Hardcore for a night. Everybody loves Hardcore.
7 Mar 26 Old Weaver rd Masons rd & 157 23.8 377.6 Photographing old buildings and does Hardcore = America's most wanted?
8 Mar 27 Masons rd & 157 NC 49 & NC 119 22.9 400.5 Hot dogs, the best kind of dog. Sleeping in the summer houes.
9 Mar 28 NC 49 & NC 119 A.O. Vol. Fire Dept. Station 2 15 415.5 Cookies, firetrucks, and a redneck BBQ.
10 Mar 29 A.O. Vol. Fire Dept. Station 2 Bryan Park 16.5 432 Hiking into Greensboro and staying with Grizzly Adam
11 - 16 Mar 30 - 35 Cleveland Cleveland 0 432 A break from the MST to visit with my brother
17 Mar 36 Bryan Park Yancyville rd. 5 437 Back on the trail.
18 Mar 37 Yancyville road Summerfield 16.5 454.6 Watching fishermen trying to row.
19 Mar 38 Summerfield Walnut Cove Food Lion 19 473.6 Two minutes to spare.
20 Mar 39 Walnut Cove Food Lion Hanging Rock State Park Campground 15.1 488.7 Piedmont to Mountain, horrible humidity, sleeping in a shower stall.
21 Mar 40 Hanging Rock SP campground Somewhere on the Sauratown trail 15 503.7 The first mountain of the trip, Moores Knob.
22 Mar 41 Sauratown trail Pilot Mountain, NC 12.1 515.8 Camping in a Best Western.
23 Mar 42 Pilot Mountain I-77 23.5 539.3 G vs. Dog.
24 Mar 43 I-77 Stone Mtn. State Park Campground 20.2 559.5 Big breakfast. The PO is still open.
25 Mar 44 Stone Mtn. State Park Campground State Park boundary ? ? Sweaty. Really sweaty.
26 Mar 45 Stone Mtn Park Boundary Station Inn (milepost 248.1) ? 584
27 Mar 46 Station Inn Blue Ridge Parkway 16.2 600.2 600 mile mark. Two-thirds done.
28 Mar 47 BRP 264 BRP 282 18 618.2 Rainy weather.
29 Mar 48 BRP 282 BRP 282 0 618.2 Melanie's. Is this a hotel room or my Grandmother's house?.
30 Mar 49 BRP 282 Watkins Trail 13.6 631.8 Views of Grandfather Mountain.
31 Mar 50 Watkins Trail Tanawha Trail past Cold Prong Pond Trail 12.6 644.4 Lostcore instead of Hardcore?
01 April 51 Tanawha Trail old logging road on Beacon Hts Trail 11.6 656 Rain and mist.
02 April 52 Beacon hts. Trail Junction of North Harper Creek Trail and Persimmon Ridge Trail 10.8 666.8 Underwater photos. Litterbugs, beer fine.
03 April 53 N. Harper Creek tr & Persimmon trail Gingercake Creek? 14? 680.8? Lots of water crossings. Late night tent collapse.
04 April 54 Gingercake Creek Chimney Gap 8.9 689.7 Blustery night. Will the trees fall?
05 April 55 Chimney Gap end of FS 106 14.3 704 Long cold river fording.
06 April 56 end of FS 106 Woodlawn picnic area 10 714 Cold night, but warmer than Karen's house. Resupplied at Marion.
07 April 57 Woodlawn picnic area Old Parkway service rd at Buck Creek Gap 12.8 726.8 Cooler temperatures today.
08 April 58 Old Parkway service rd at Buck Creek Gap Setrock Creek 10 736.8 Snow in the morning. Highest Mountain east of the Mississippi. Curious mouse.
09 April 59 Setrock Creek Balsam Gap 13.7 750.5 Cold feet in the morning. Detours. Summit of Mt. Mitchell.
10 April 60 Balsam Gap Potato Field Gap 9.4 759.9 Great Craggy Mountains. Hosted by a Couch Surfer.
11 April 61 Asheville Asheville 0 759.9 0 mile day. Pizza buffet.
12 April 62 Potato Field Gap Folk Art Center 14.4 774.3 Easy hiking with a day pack. Good food at El Chapala.
13 April 63 Folk Art Center Shut-In Trail 13.8 788.1 Another day of easy hiking. Paella and wine in the evening.
14 April 64 Asheville Asheville 0 788.1 Zero mile day.
15 April 65 Shut-In Trail Elk Pasture Gap 15.3 803.4 Hiking in a thunderstorm. Still staying in Asheville
16 April 66 Elk Pasture Gap Beech Gap 24.6 828 Cold. Fallen trees. 2 hours late for pickup.
17 April 67 Asheville Asheville 0 828 Preparing for the final push.
18 April 68 Beech Gap Beechflat Creek 16 844 Free of Asheville.
19 April 69 Beechflat Creek ?? 19.2 863.2 Balsam Gap and almost no campsite.
20 April 70 ?? Jenkins Ridge 15 878.2 New MST confusion, Soco Gap, and BRP tunnels.
21 April 71 Jenkins Ridge Newton Bald Campsite 17.5 895.7 Great Smoky Mountains National Park finally!
22 April 72 Newton Bald Campsite Mount Collins Shelter 17 912.7 Big ascent to the AT. Thruhikers.
23 April 73 Mount Collins Shelter Clingmans Dome 4 916.7 FINISHED!!
Epilogue 73-75 Clingmans Dome Davenport Gap 41 957.7 Extra days on the Appalachian Trail


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journal-index.php last modified on 25 January 2017 12:20:00 UTC