Clingman’s Dome: Day 20

Alarms started ringing at 5:30Am for a solid 15 minutes before any movement was heard. Then, the sound of a deflating air mattress filled the air. Once a tramily member deflates his or her air pad, it’s time to get going. If you don’t, you will be holding everyone else up when it was time to go. The air hissed around us and we began to pack up. After 12 miles, we would be going into Gatlinburg to rest. Because it was only 12 miles, we chose to eat a quick breakfast and just snack until we reached Newfound Gap. Pizza awaited us. Today’s hike was downhill, then uphill, downhill, then uphill, then more uphill until you reached Clingman’s Dome. Although the road to Clingman’s was closed because it was not apart of the phase 1 reopening of the Smokey’s, there was nothing stopping back country hikers from taking in the view from the highest point along the whole Appalachian Trail. As we climbed higher and higher, the trees around us changed along with the landscape. More rocks, more evergreens, more snow, and more ice. By the time we got to Clingman’s, we were trying not to slip on the ice. This was May 13th. Why was there snow and ice? Then I remembered I was on top of a mountain and this happened all the time. The view of Clingman’s Dome was eerie in the overcast day. Especially with nobody there. Clingman’s Dome was one of the most popular attractions in the Smokey’s. To see it without people was unsettling. After we had our share of pictures taken, we began our descent. It was relatively easy with a few climbs but the day seemed never ending. This could have something to do with not eating a proper meal and then hiking all morning, but we were too stubborn to stop and make lunch. By the 10th mile marker, Kyle and I were looking at the fallen deteriorated trees and seeing pulled pork instead of rotting wood. It has the exact color and texture of pulled pork. I need pulled pork. This was the only thought going through my mind. As we arrived at Newfound Gap, we attempted a new task. Hitch Hiking. Because the only place to go from Newfound Gap is down into Gatlingburg, it should not be that hard to get a ride into town. But with 4 people the idea to stay together was impossible. We split into two pairs. Within ten minutes both of us were in cars driving down the mountain and we were telling the day hikers of our adventures along the AT. People were very interested in what you were doing when thru hiking. It was nice to be able to talk about it with people who cared. We thanked our drivers as we got out in Gatlinburg. Now it was time for showers and pizza.