The good news is that the temperature finally warmed up. It might not even get to freezing tonight. The bad news is the strongest wind and rainstorm took place all day. All my clothes and belongings are now soaked. The rain also made the snow slushy and even more difficult to walk through. I am 52 miles from town and very low on food. The snow in the smokeys caused it to take 2 days longer to get through. I met one hiker today who was heading southbound and said he started his hike in Maine in July. Shortly after seeing him I crossed what is usually a busy highway that had been closed due to weather. Along with my dwindling food supply goes the low amount of fuel I have left. I was happy to find hand sanitizer in the bathroom at the highway rest stop and was able to use that in my Etowah Outfitter stove to make a hot lunch. I walked the rest of the day through the downpour and felt gusts of wind that could knock a person over. I have 1 dry pair of socks left and at least 2 more days to town so I will have to get creative. I will be leaving the smokeys tomorrow so hopefully the walking gets a bit easier and dryer.
#thruhikingtriplecrown #hikingtriplecrown #howtogothruhiking #calendaryeartriplecrown #backpacking #pacificcresttrail #whatisthetriplecrownofbackpacking #Appalachiantrailinthewinter #thruhikingtheat #whentohikethatAppalachiantrail #appalachiantrail #backpackingcalendaryeartriplecrown #continentaldividetrail #whohasthruhikedtheAppalachiantrailinthewinter #backpackingtriplecrown #thruhikingtheCDT #jeffgarmire #freeoutside #howmanytriplecrownersarethere #thruhikingthepct #hikingtheatinthewinter #whatisthehikingtriplecrown #whatisthecalendaryeartriplecrown #triplecrown #hiking #thruhiking #triplecrowninoneyear #whatisthruhiking