It was just above freezing when I started on the 3.5-mile hike back to the trailhead, and the wind was blowing hard. I’ve no idea what the wind chill factor was. Cold. I wore my waterproof jacket as a wind-block over my down jacket. Once I got moving, I had to remove the down jacket as I was overheating. My ears, though, were cold (as Ginger likes to point out, “That’s because they are big.”). Not wanting to take the time to dig into my pack for a beanie, I used a buff I keep in my pocket to protect them from the wind. Not particularly fashionable, but then, when have I been fashionable? The temperature was 41°F (5°C) when I arrived back at the trailhead, just before half-past-twelve.
Despite the problems (of my own making), my last trip of 2020 had been good, and it taught me some lessons that will hopefully help me stay safe in 2021. I hiked the 3.5 out miles in under two hours.
Trip Summary
- 26.3 miles hiked
- 2,172 ft of elevation
- I’d hiked the Blair Ridge Trail, my last un-hiked Hercules Glades Trail, and
- I’d found a source of water on the western edge of the wilderness.
Copyright © 2020 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.