🌜Mt Collins Shelter

Long and magical day hiking in the smoky mountains! I was on trail by daybreak and witnessed multiple sunrises as I traversed the undulating forests-glistening in a pristine veneer of ice and snow. I managed to keep my feet dry until about 3pm when many of the footpaths became waterfalls 😂

I took a couple short breaks during the day, but for the most part I pushed onward- mossy pine forests, exciting heights, mile 200(!) and the Kuwohi monument (highest point in Appalachian Trail @6612ft )were highlights.

I didn’t see very many people on trail- my shelter the night prior was sparsely occupied… imagine my surprise arriving in My Collings where there were easily 2 dozen people! The rules in this park say that tents are only permitted in the shelter areas AND only when the shelter is at capacity- plus the ground is all slushy from last night’s storm so we were all squeezed in tightly. Someone here felt strongly about maintaining a fire in the fireplace which - I usually don’t get involved in fires… they are a lot of work but the benefits were appreciated this time: cozy ambiance and gentle light to guide my nightly routine (much abbreviated due to the number of people here)

Temps today started at 20°F🥶 and climbed into the 60’s there for a minute. It was a thrilling and long day. I covered 19.6 miles of trail.

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