Appalachian Trail Day 10 - Standing Indian Shelter to campsite above the Culvert - Our new Tramily!! (Mile 85.9 to mile 98.2)

Last night the wind was wild, but fortunately the only wild encounter. Our food bags are intact. The weather is clear and crisp. We start each day with a general idea of where we want to finish, as Shelters are located approximately every 8 miles. The next shelter is Carter's Gap,  which is reputable for a big bear problem.

The AT in is section is almost like a path, but then the rocks start pushing up into the trail, challenging us to be more alert to hazards, reminding us to keep our eyes on the ground. 

 Rhododendron in bud, but no blossoms yet.  The Azaleas are a brilliant orange color. The mountain laurel are showing promise of flowering in the weeks to come. 

We filter water at Carter's Gap. This shelter is notorious for bears that have been bluff charging hikers to steal their food, and also figured out how to cut through bear bag lines, as well as climb out on limbs to break the branches and then attack the food once the bags are on the ground.  Even bear canisters are not immune to breaches, as the bears roll them down the side of the mountain!  Someone has carved a warning to other hikers in the shelter.

We meet Buddy,  and ATC (Appalachian Trail Conference) volunteer. He informs us this area was once a bear refuge, but now there is a discussion of hunting the bears to control the problem.  We ask why there are no bear proof food boxes or cables, which are present at many other shelters. Hikers love bear proof hangs, and use them when available. He says the head honcho is worried people would use them as trash receptacles. We wholeheartedly disagree!

We continue to Betty Creek Gap - a camping area Buddy said is safer from bears - but the Far Out app we use has comments to the opposite. There is a food bag with ripped open packages of nut butter, tuna fish, and bars. We are tired and hot, but decide to continue up the trail, deeper in the National Forest, where bears are more likely to be hunted, making them more wary of people.

As I cross Mooney Gap, a man in a truck passes slowly, then turns around to pass back by. I am on the side of the road waiting for Penny. The vast majority of our encounters are pleasant and not threatening. People just want to talk with hikers!  The man asks where a trail is, but I am unfamiliar with the area. I position myself on the edge of the trail, ready to take off if I feel any weird vibes.  He asks about bear encounters, and if I have a gun. This is a question we get all the time. Frankly, I don't feel threatened in the slightest about needing one here. Grizzly country is another matter!  He shows me his sidearm.  I get a little prickly when a stranger shows me a weapon. It's one thing to talk about having one, another to pull it out.  I deduce he is harmless and making small talk, but I knew it would frighten Penny so I wait for her to breach the hill and I quickly say "good talking to you, but we gotta keep going!"

Just up the hill is a culvert pouring out beautifully clean water. A couple who is hiking through informs us of a campsite just above the water. We are so thankful to be able to stop for the night. Shortly after we start setting up camp, a tall woman arrives with a big smile, clean clothes, and a pack stuffed with all kinds of cool things. She is Karma Trekker and has just hiked 17 miles to make it through the bear situation. She is tired and asks to camp with us. We are thrilled to have another woman in camp. The women have really outnumbered the men on this section. We eat with Kelly, and she regales us with tales of her section hike. She has been away from home almost a month, hiking sections of the AT and camping in her car tent. She shows me awesome flower and snail pics taken with her phone. She uses a macro lens and the results are amazing! 

Just before dark (and hiker midnight) a man named Mike enters camp. We assure him we have plenty of room.  Mike is a rep for Gossamer Gear and has an awesome tarp set up. He has hiked the Continental Divide Trail (CDT) and the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT).   He says the Appalachian Trail looks like it will be harder. The other trails are higher peaks, but the AT has more overall elevation gain and loss. 

Todays stats: 12.7 miles, 2300' elevation gain

Section total: 29 miles, 7300' elevation gain

AT Total: 98 miles, 23,000' elevation gain