Day 24  – Siler’s Bald Shelter to Clingman’s Dome

“Rain, rain, go away, Come again another day” – English Nursery Rhyme 

Up at 6:30. Cold and wet. Packed up and got out of camp at 7:30. It rained again at 7:35…..of course.

This will be a short 4.5-mile hike to Clingman’s Dome, the highest point on the Appalachian Trail at 6612 feet. It is my first 6000-footer and it also marks the 200-mile mark (actually 200.3). So it’s a trifecta!

On the ascent, things change to dense spruce-fir forest. Between that and the rain and fog, it feels like Narnia.

Made Clingman’s Dome observation tower at 10:15. See stock photo below because I’m in a cloud and can barely see the tower today!

I’m sitting here watching the tourists and waiting for Lolly before I go up the tower. Lolly got here about 10:45. Faster than I had expected. She is just as done with this weather as I am. We climbed the ramp to the tower and took some quick photos. It’s windy and we are wet and cold. I’m wearing my rain jacket for warmth and to block the wind.

YouTube video at top of Clingman’s Dome Tower

We hiked the 1/2 mile down to the visitor center and parking lot to wait for our shuttle. Picked up a snack at the visitor center just to break the monotony of my snack food. Ran into Moses and another young guy whose name I can’t remember at the parking lot. Zero cell service. They have been trying to hitch a ride to Gatlinburg. I hit up my shuttle driver on my Garmin to see if we could fit all four of us, and he responded that he could. Traveling Lite Shuttle service picked us up at 12:15, and we headed to Gatlinburg! I called shotgun. Shuttle also brought me my resupply box, which is how this adventure originally started.

Got down to Gatlinburg about 1:00. Checked into the Reagan Inn….bless them for having  room available! Unpacked sloppily and walked a block to Walgreens to look for some cheap flip-flops. Ended up with my lovely new camp shoes, Pringles, chili Fritos, and a 12-pack! Talk about one-stop shopping.

I washed my Hokas out in the bathtub and rigged them on the room heater to dry with my tent poles holding them in place. Cranked it up to 77 degrees and fan on high.

I got EVERYTHING unpacked and set out to dry. Sorted my remaining food as well as my resupply box contents. I’m good on food to get me out of the Smokies and to Hot Springs.

Took a loooooong hot shower and a short nap. Eventually made my way a block to one of our favorite Gatlinburg restaurants….Howards. I had a large appetizer, nice T-bone steak, mushrooms, broccoli, chocolate cake, two Fireball shots, and several seltzers. And I’m still hungry.

Walked back to the hotel and had a call with Dana, then fell asleep watching TV.

Technical Notes:

• Mini donuts 400
• Snickers 250
• Trail mix 270
• And stopped counting once in Gatlinburg 
• Water liters 1.7
• Miles 4.5
• Time 2:45
• Elevation gain 1659
• Calories consumed – lots
• Calories burned – not many