New Years Eve Party...

So I'm part of a group of hammock campers. One of them had the brilliant idea a few years ago to start a NYE get together on top of Springer Mountain in Georgia. Now for those of you that don't know, Springer is the southern start/terminous of the Appalachian Trial. So every year a group of people, both tenters (called ground dwellers) and hammockers get together and spend NYE on top of the mountain.

This was my first year in a hammock during winter. In case you didn't notice, this NYE was REALLY, REALLY cold! I took my hammock, clothes and whatnots up to the top of Springer to hang with these people and welcome in the new year. What I wound up doing was getting into my hammock and sleeping bag and ALL the clothes that I brought with me (6 layers on my chest, three on my legs and three pair of socks) and at 8:30 started praying for the acceleration of global warming, or at least localized global warming!!

No ones really sure what the final low was that night on the mountain, but this is known... at 8:30 thermometers were reading between 18 and 22 degress F dependent on location on the mountain and ridgeline exposure, at ~10:00 it was down to 8 degrees at the shelter (which was about 50 yards from me) and that the winds were sustained at 25 mph with gusts into the 40 mph range. All I know is it took an hour of hiking the next day to feel my left toes completely!

I spent New Years doing day hikes and bagging waterfalls. What a way to welcome in the new year!

(P.S.- I'll post pics once I get them loaded from the camera...its still frozen in my pack which is also frozen.)

Ok, to get everyone (all three people that read this!) caught up... Over fall break I put in at Neels Gap in North Georgia, just north of Dahlonega. I hiked from Neels Gap to Jarrard Gap...only to find NO WATER!

So I roughed it down the Jarrard Gap trail and went to Lake Winfred Scott Rec. Area! It was rough, I had to walk all the way across the road to get to the bathrooms. Someones got to suffer...

Notice the road in the background!

I left around 7:15 the next morning and covered good ground. I reached Preaching Rock at 11:30 and then Woody Gap at 12:00 where I ate lunch. It was a perfect day! Good wind that kept you cool, but warm enough that you could still wear shorts and a t-shirt. The view from Preaching Rock was increadible!

Preaching Rock Woody Gap Parking Lot

After lunch I headed on to Gooch Gap and then the Gooch Gap Shelter. Second best shelter that I have been to with Stover Creek still being the best!

I spent the night at the shelter and then I walked out to Suches and caught a ride to my car. Overall, a fun trip.