Low Gap Shelter to Tray Mountain Shelter

Appalachian Trail, 14.9 miles

Oh my word, what a hard day. Started in the rain and aggravated my blisters all day with wet socks and wet shoes. Even worse, it was a three-mountain day: Blue Mountain, Rocky Mountain, and (finally!) Tray Mountain. This day definitely felt like passing through the fire. I was so proud of myself for finishing.

By the time I got to the shelter the rain had stopped -- I was so thankful. Keith showed up later that afternoon. I was glad of this, because everyone else -- Louie, Carl, and Mike -- was done with their hike and had stopped at Unicoi Gap. It would've been spooky staying at the Tray Mountain shelter alone. It got very cold and really, really windy at night. I wore my gloves, earband, long underwear, pants, shirt, fleece, and raincoat to bed -- in my twenty-degree sleeping bag! -- and I was still cold. It rained much of the night and I worried about how I could stay warm and dry the next day.