Dates ........ Tuesday, April 30, 2002
Miles ........ 12.1 miles, climb 1700' total
From ........ Carter Gap shelter NC
To ............. Rock Gap shelter NC
Weather ... 45 degF cool sunny, AM, mostly cloudy mid-60's afternoon

Tuesday, April 30, 2002

Albert Mountain and Fire Tower NC 5220'

I was on the trail by 8:10 AM, enjoying the cool damp morning. A small side trail led to a large rock jutting out of the mountainside that offered beautiful views of the adjacent mountainsides and valley below. Off in the distance I could see smoke rising from some industrial plant. The mountain to my left had a rocky, rugged side with lots of cliffs.

Studying the map, I found this part of the trail - from Standing Indian shelter to Carter Gap and Albert Mountain, and around to Rock Gap, where I would be staying tonight, forms a big horseshoe shaped loop with Standing Indian Mt. and Rock Gaps being the "points". Between them was Standing Indian Campground with roads and side trails connecting these points. As a crow would fly between points, it was about 4 miles. The trail covered 19.5 rugged, scenic and roundabout miles between the same two points.

Coming into Mooney Gap I had yet a third incident with THE SAME IRRESPONSIBLE COUPLE and their aggressive DOG. I was walking the trail when their unleashed dog leaps from the bushes barking, growling and baring his teeth, the hair on his back standing straight up. I barely managed to keep him away with my hiking sticks. The immature, and inconsiderate couple that owned the dog came chasing after him, again. They tried to reassure me he was a good, friendly dog and wouldn't hurt anybody. I tried to inform them that friendly dogs wag tails and try to lick people's hands. Good dogs come when called and don't go after other people. He was neither friendly nor good. I stressed the potential for their dog to injure someone, especially a defenseless child or an unaware hiker. I told them in firm but polite terms that their AGGRESSIVE DOG was a menace to every hiker passing them on the trail and did not belong on the trail, even on a leash. (Which it never was). I told them to think of other people and not just of themselves.

I think I may as well have been talking to a pile of stones. I really love dogs, and all animals for that matter. But, incidents such as this and several others I have experienced on my 1700 miles of AT lead me to believe that for the common good of all hikers, wildlife, and the limited water supply along the trail, DOGS DO NOT BELONG ON THE TRAIL except seeing-eye and rescue dogs. I have met many hikers with loveable, friendly dogs on the trail, but they can't be sorted from bad dogs and/or irresponsible inconsiderate owners. Also, most dogs on the trail are not conditioned for the challenges of the trail, many suffer from a lack of water and too heavy a dog pack. And, dogs so burdened can and do suffer, get injured and die on the trail. Sorry, but it's a classic case of a few bad dogs and owners spoiling it for nice dogs and responsible owners.

Maybe it was my adrenalin pumping, or my anger, but after that confrontation I was again hiking very strong. I pushed up the mountains steadily and had a smooth, fast stride on the level and downhills. The trail along the base of Albert Mountain was a pleasant hike with many scenic views and some very interesting rock formations. In places it paralleled the road up to Albert's summit. As often the case, the trail got rockier and steeper as it approached the summit and downright nasty, a real climb, at the top. It was a challenging, near vertical climb but worth every drop of sweat. The view was awesome, especially from the tower. There are so few of these old fire towers left, I sincerely hope they preserve as many as they can, or at least convert them to observation towers as they have in a few cases.

On the 5220' summit of Albert Mountain I met two senior gentlemen that drove up on the road and two young female hikers enjoying the grand panorama. I climbed the tower and tried to capture some of the grandeur with my camera. This is one of those spectacles that simply must be experienced to appreciate it fully. I was thrilled that I was one of the lucky ones experiencing it. Thrilled and experiencing an Appalachian Trail high. Besides its grand view, Albert Mountain is part of the Coweeta Hydrologic Laboratory, which, for over 50 years, has been well known for its studies of trees and water relationships.

A tiny portion of the view from Albert Mountain fire tower. AT parallels road to summit for part of the way (foreground, right).

From tower, view over Coweeta Forest Laboratory with Appalachian Mountains profiled on horizon.

Going down the mountain I stopped for water at Big Spring shelter. Another young lady was there with her black lab. She was trying to catch up with the other two gals, her companions. Her leashed dog was friendly and very nice, reminding me of my own black lab. Just after the shelter we found ourselves in a large forest fire burn area. Unlike many, this was not a controlled burn or a fire that was contained at the AT. It burned both sides of the trail for about two miles, up and down both sides of ridges the AT follows. It was a recent fire this spring. In this rugged terrain, it must have been a nightmare to fight. The girl with the black lab took a lunch break on a ridge.

Forest fire burn area on both sides of the Appalachian Trail.

As I near Rock Gap shelter a bedraggled person, not equipped as a hiker, approaches me and asks if I've seen a young couple with a crazy dog. "Yes, I've met them and they are behind me." He thanked me and moved on. I got to the rock Gap shelter and the two young women were there. They asked if I'd seen their friend and I told them where I last saw her. From the spring behind the shelter I could see and hear cars going down the paved road leading to the Standing Indian Campground. I removed my pack and hung it high in a tree, took my valuables and walked 1.5 miles to the campground, called home and returned to the shelter. As I was approaching the shelter I smelled marijuana smoke. Rounding the corner was the young couple, their dog on a leash (for a change) and the bedraggled fellow I'd met earlier. They scrambled to put out their joint, the dog owner apologized again for the dog's behavior and they left. Evidently the other women had left while I was gone.

Dennis, Ester and their kids came into the shelter for the night. I was glad to see them again and that they were keeping to their intended 12-mile hiking days. Ester prepared dinner while Dennis filtered water - a 45 minute task for a family of four. At home before their trek, Ester had prepared meals of dehydrated vegetables, meat, seasonings, pasta or rice or cuscus, enough for the four of them, sealed them in plastic bags, and labeled them. To prepare supper, all she had to do was add boiling water to the bag and stir. To my good fortune, they had extra, were tired of carrying the extra weight, and were heading into town tomorrow to re-supply and relax in a motel. They generously shared their extra dinner with me. It was a real treat. Being with them was a treat. They were such nice people.

I saw from the register that Andy "Squidleyman" Hall was way ahead of me. Dan, Ed "Turtle" and Paul "El Toro" must be behind me, somewhere. I wonder how they are all doing. Just before dinner, a group of 8 local hikers stopped by and said hello before moving on to the Standing Indian campground.

Around 8 in the evening, it started to blow up a thunderstorm. Lots of thunder and lightning, then heavy rain. It continued all night, well into the next morning. We were all thankful for the shelter and covered cooking area. I slept well on a full belly.