Backpacking the AT-Day Four

 Monday, October 14, 2024

 Bear’s Den Hostel to Tent site 

Northbound miles 1005.9 to 1021.2

We planned to leave early but woke before our alarms and began packing up. Misty made us pancakes to go with our coffee! Whether at camp or in the hostels, she is all business in the mornings and is always the first one ready to go!

This hostel was so spacious, with so many rooms, and I found my way to a large dining room for breakfast.  I can imagine what it's like at the height of backpacking season, with every seat filled and excited chatter among friends, new and old.

I really enjoyed this hostel stay at Bear's Den.  We met some interesting people, hung out with some cool dogs, and were well fed!  At first light we said our goodbyes and hit the trail. 

The temperature was 58° and that would be the warmest we’d see for the day. The wind was gusty today, too, which would help keep us cool as we traversed the last 4.5 miles of the roller coaster section. 

As we left the connecting trail from the hostel and re-joined the AT, we immediately were given a great view of world below. 

And then it was time to climb. Up, up, up the rocks we went, slowly but surely. My body was feeling good, and my pack was starting to feel more comfortable, too. 

As they say, what goes up must come down, and soon enough we were rock jumping our way down the trail. 

Then there was a sign! A new state! We were leaving Virginia and entering West Virginia.

 Actually, only four miles of the Appalachian Trail are officially in West Virginia, so we’d be hiking back and forth from Virginia to West Virginia all day today. 

After another short climb, we came to Raven Rocks. What a sweet spot this was! You could see for miles up on the ledge, and we took a zillion pictures up there! A couple more hikers showed up, too, and were very friendly. 

Then the trail turned away from the edge, and we were back on the roller coaster.  Up and down, leaves and rocks.  This was a challenging section!

Finally, we saw the sign. We had completed the roller coaster! Aside from the steep climbs and descents of this section, the endless rocks had kept things quite interesting! 

We hiked on through the forest, filled with the colors of fall. It seemed like there was an endless cascade of leaves as we went along. We passed this big old tree and I took a moment to admire its age and beauty.  Oh, the things that tree has seen.

The trail in this section became much more level, with only a few outcroppings of rocks here and there, which really helped us go at a faster pace.  Also, I always appreciate when steps have been cut out of large, downed trees to make things just a bit easier.

We decided to head to Blackburn Trail Center for a lunch break. There was a steep downhill climb to get there, and we were really questioning our decision. The 0.2 mile trail sign was a LIE, I tell you.

But then we were there, and it was beautiful! The main house had a huge wraparound porch, open to visitors. We made ourselves at home, and soon the caretaker, Chris, came to greet us. He asked if we’d like a little trail magic (of course we did) so he took us inside where he offered us a fridge full of sodas of every kind! We were so thankful for an icy cold drink. And then, as an added gift, he gave us all ice cream sandwiches! I think he was just as happy to share these things with us as we were to receive them.  This was truly a hiker oasis.  I would love to go back and spend a weekend here.

We hung out a bit longer, but soon it was time go. We had several miles left to hike! 

The trail up and out didn’t seem quite so bad with our bellies full of sweet treats. I did come upon this little snake and managed not to step on him. 

 The wind at the top, however, was downright cold. We made a quick stop to put on an extra layer of clothing. Brr! 

We continued north on the trail, jumping rocks, dodging rocks, and enjoying the short sections without rocks. 

The day was seeming to go on and on, and Kara was having a rough time.  Her feet were killing her, and I could hear little moans of pain coming from her now and then.  It's never fun to be in a dark place like that.

Just after 4pm, we reached WV 9, a very busy two-lane road with a tiny shoulder. The trail continued on across the road, but a right turn and a 0.3 mile walk would take you to a little store. Sweet Springs Store was just what we needed for a little resupply. Misty and I ordered sub sandwiches to take to camp, and Kara ordered a cheeseburger and fries, which she ate on the hike back to the trail. It was a bit of a challenge fitting all this new food into our packs!

We've seen signs like this a few times on the AT, and I always love them: No parents, no bedtime, no horses on this trail! Hikers only!  Let's go!

We planned to hike 2.2 miles further to a designated campsite, but as daylight was fading, we came across a closer spot with nice flat ground and a fire ring. We quickly 

set up camp, and while Kara opted to dive into her sack, Misty and I built a little fire and ate our subs and made plans for the next few days. We were a little worried about Kara, but hoped a little extra rest and recovery would help her feel better. 

Just before it was fully dark, we stashed our bear canisters and crawled into our tents. A little before 8pm, Misty called over to my tent to see if I was still awake. I informed her that I was.  She wanted to know if I could see the scary, bright light shining at us. When I assured her that it was just the moon, she settled back down. Apparently, she had closed her eyes, and when she re-opened them, the moon was so bright she was sure there was someone shining a flashlight into her tent.  See what I'm dealing with here?!  Good thing she keeps that whistle and air horn with her at all times-the moon is terrifying.

Daily miles: 17.61

Time on trail: 10:19:38

Elevation gain: 3297 feet