AT '18 "Push Ups in the Shelter"
- Cassandra Smith
- May 4, 2021
- 3 min read
Day #4 Just before Lance Creek to Neel Gap
March 11, 2021
What. A. Day. When I crawled my lifeless body out of the tent this morning, it was windy and chilly and really only got worse. I only had about 8 miles to do to get to Neel Gap. The first couple miles flew by. The trail winded easily through the mountains and I was enjoying myself. Then there was Blood Mountain. It wouldn't have ben bad if it wasn't snowing, foggy and cold with 40 mph wind gusts. My fingers were so cold, they seemed to suck the life right out of my hand warmers. Climbing the damn thing felt like an eternity. I couldn't check Guthooks because my phone screen was wet from the rain so my fingers wouldn't work. Every switchback I came around I expected to see the shelter, but there was nothing. Finally, finally I could see it peeking through the fog at the top of the mountain. I clambered inside with some other hikers. The only thing I could get out of my bag because of my frozen fingers was a bag of pepperoni. I was so hungry I ate the whole thing in a couple handfuls with unfeeling claw hands. I know I should've been drinking more, but the in line hose from my water was frozen and nothing would come out.
I glanced around me inside the shelter and could see from other people's faces they were pretty miserable as well. One guy was down on the cold, stone ground doing push ups (Note: this ends up being Cobra). I eventually saw him later when I was almost to Neel Gap. He has like nothing in his backpack and really looks like he knows what he's doing, I think he might've been a ridge runner. Once I left the shelter I pushed myself hard to warm up and get off the snowy mountain as quickly as possible.

The last two miles before the gap was down steep, rocky trail and I could feel my knee throbbing with every single step. I leaned on my trekking poles like they were crutches but it didn't help much. When I was up on top of the mountain with service I called and reserved a cabin at Blood Mountain Cabins. I was originally going to stay in the hostel to save money, but the thought of interacting with all of the people there after a day like today was too much. A guy on Blood Mountain offered to let me stay in his cabin with he and his friends but I said no thanks.
I wanted to sulk in solitude.
The cabin is so cute and cozy. As soon as I got inside I cranked the heat up as far as it would go and stripped off my clothes. The lady at the main office said if I hurried and brought all my laundry down, she could get it in before the group of 12 boys that were bringing theirs down shortly as well. I limped back to my cabin in my rain jacket and rain pants with a pizza, little debbie, and Diet Coke in hand. I ate it all, wrapped myself in a blanket on the couch and turned on the Office. Once I felt back in my right mind I took the longest, hottest shower of my life.
Later that night I went and picked up some more snacks and my clean laundry. I exploded my pack around the cabin and have all of my wet things hanging up to dry on make shift clothes lines from my bear cord. I've been icing my knee and foot and snacking all night. Damn does it feel good to be warm and dry. Probably going to be a low mile day tomorrow depending on this knee. I gotta go back to the outfitter tomorrow to resupply. I passed right by it in my desperation to get here. What a difficult day.
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