Day 4 - Prof

Bearly missed a bear today 😂

I'm sorry about that pun (not really)

So I didn't post yesterday because I was exhausted and fell asleep but nothing cool happened except a couple views but I covered that in my instagram post. Today however was interesting. 

We started off the morning filling up our water next to a cool stream at last nights campsite. Then started a hike of variety that lasted all 12.5 miles today (we wussed out compared to our 16.5 the other day). We initially dropped down through some awesome mountain meadows and walking through pastures definitely reminded me of home, if SD had hills. We crossed a low point that had log footpaths to keep us out of a slough then over a bridge to see our first snake of the day. I didn't get a good glance but I think it was a tiny rat snake. We continued on passed the Keffer Oak which is the second oldest tree on the AT. I think it was something like 18 foot in circumference. 

 

-This photo was taking from a little ways upthe hill and I still barely fit all of it in the picture. -

From here we went up Dissapearing Creek Mountain, a climb that had us both more than a little winded. When we got to the top we stopped for a break and the guy coming up 20 minutes behind us stopped and told us about the bear he had just seen. We missed it by only a few minutes, what a disappointment. We spent most of mid day traveling along the ridge and over some cliff edge rock scrambles. We stopped near a side trail to a shelter on the ridge and the same guy who told us about the bear said he had just came across a eastern diamond back rattle snake. Again,  this was only twenty minutes behind us. 

We then descended the ridge, getting pretty hot and thirsty along the way. Finally we came to a water source and Doc filtered his water first and then I filtered mine and he went down the trail twenty minutes ahead of me. On my way down I came across a 4 ft long black snake. It confused me quite a bit though because it rattled its tail (didn't have a rattle though) and pulled back like it might try to strike at me. I decided to stop prodding him and would patiently wait for him to move just in case. I was too interested in him that I forgot to take a picture. 

Finally I made it into camp around 4 and caught a quick nap in the hammock before supper. While preparing supper Teach showed up and then a handful more behind him and it was great listening to the thru hikers stories. It's a beautiful night so I'm going to sleep without my tarp overhead so that I might see the stars. 

 

-Prof