Allen Gap, NC to Watauga Lake, TN

Prologue to Spring 2001 Trip, May 22, 2001

Spring 2001 has been a whirlwind. Two trips to Las Vegas, one to the Grand Canyon, Lake Tahoe skiing, Hilton Head twice, Sea Island and Topsail Island once each, and oh yeah, work. Hard to fit in ten days of hiking .

The weather has been very nice the last several days, but it looks like it may be cooling off as a cold front has come through. The forecast is for rain as the weekend approaches, but that's a typical mountain forecast for this time of year. The highs have approached the low eighties this week, but tomorrow looks like mid-sixties. It is gorgeous weather and I can't wait to get started tomorrow.

• Day1 - Allen Gap, NC to Jerry Cabin Shelter
• Day2 - Jerry Cabin Shelter to Hogback Ridge Shelter
• Day3 - Hogback Ridge Shelter to Big Bald Shelter
• Day4 - Big Bald Shelter to Nolichucky Hostel, Erwin, TN
• Day5 - Nolichucky Hostel, Erwin, TN to Cherry Gap Shelter
• Day6 - Cherry Gap Shelter to Clyde Smith Shelter
• Day7 - Clyde Smith Shelter to Overmountain Shelter
• Day8 - Overmountain Shelter to Elk Park, NC
• Day9 - Elk Park, NC to Kincora Hostel, Dennis Cove, TN
• Day10 - Kincora Hostel, Dennis Cove, NC to Watauga Lake, TN
• Epilogue