Clingmans Dome - AT - Welch - Hazel - Backpack Day 1

Date: 4/3/15
Distance: 14.4
New Map Miles: 8.1
Total Map Miles: 797

For months I've been planning and scheming and re-planning on ways to get the top of Hazel Creek and Cold Spring Gap.  Finally the plans have come together and I my map finishing backpack was ready to begin.  Russ and I set out on Good Friday from Clingmans Dome at about 11:15 to complete my 2.5 year endeavor.  The day was really nice with forecasts indicating the temperature would get to 70, but at the Dome it was cold.  I quickly traded my shorts for pants and a fleece and wondered if I'd packed enough warm clothes.

We hiked up the paved trail with the hoard of tourists passing a few thru hikers on the way up.  We decided to skip the tower and immediately turned left on to the AT.  The throng of hikers quickly disappeared with just a few passing by over the next 3.8 miles.  The views from the AT were amazing.

At the Welch Ridge intersection, we turned left and started the steady descent to Hazel Creek.  After 1.7 miles on Welch, we turned right onto Hazel Creek Trail.  Hazel has a steep descent as well.  Hazel Creek is your constant companion on this hike.  It had a few cascades along the way that were nice to observe.

 It also had LOTS of water crossings.  We rock hopped the 1st few, but eventually, the creek got too wide and deep and we had to wade.  It felt like we wadded 10-15 times.  I carried some old tennis shoes that I just wore for about 3 miles.

 We finished up the day at Campsite 82.  We were a little disturbed to find it full of horses.  We had reserved 3 spots and there are only 6 available, so we knew they hadn't reserved spots.  They also had their horses in the camping area and not up at the horse rail.

I went with my old standby of Mountain House Spaghetti and enjoyed it.  Sleeping was extra poor as some weather moved in with some thunder and lightening.  In addition, my air mattress went flat during the night to make it extra dreadful.