Mile 165.9
Elevation 1,853
Miles Hiked 15.2
It’s supposed to rain on Friday, and the only place I wanted to spend a down day (not hiking in the rain if I can help it) is the Fontana Hilton or as it is officially known, the Fontana Dam Shelter. So the Nantahala Mountain Lodge shuttle dropped Deejay and me off at Stecoah Gap. As mentioned in a previous post, Deejay remained at the gap waiting for a ride to Davenport since she intended to skip hiking through the Great Smokey Mountain National Park. I on the other hand intended to hike the “Smokies,” so I headed north from where we were left.
Hiking is not without its perils. Traveling down narrow paths while trying not to slip a 100 feet down a steep incline takes a lot of concentration. You’re stepping over rocks, boulders, tree roots and loose branches. The danger is slipping and falling but also twisting an ankle can be the lesser of the consequences, which brings me to my current physical status report. Aside from the ongoing pain in my left knee, during my hike to the Fontana Dam Shelter, I almost took a header down a steep ravine. Luckily my trekking poles saved me. Unfortunately, there was still a victim – my left ankle. I sprained it. The ankle got twisted on the tree root that tripped me up. There was pain involved but it didn’t really concern me as I continued to hike as fast as I could. I reached the shelter at the end of the day.
The Fontana Dam Shelter is the largest shelter on the trail so far. It has four walls and two openings midway in the building. The interior has two levels. There is fresh water right next to the shelter and a restroom with showers a short walk down the road. There is also a solar power phone charging station. The shelter overlooks Fontana Lake. Plush! It is rated to hold 20 hikers. I was lucky enough to grab one of the last spots on the lower level of the shelter. By nightfall, there were more than 30 hikers in the shelter with some setting up sleeping bags on the floor between the sleeping platforms. Yep, a full house tonight at the Fontana Hilton.
