First day of a major heat wave hitting this area right now. Low miles and done by 11 am is a must! Great views though!
NOBO Section: Reid’s Gap to Mile 851.6 (Humpback Rocks Picnic Area)
| AT Miles | Triple B Miles | Total AT Miles Hiked | Miles Remaining |
|---|
6
0.5
214.8
1983.6
DAY STATS
| ⏰ TIME TO COMPLETE: 3 hrs 10 min | 👣 TOTAL MILES TODAY: 6.5 |
| 📍 STARTING POINT: Mile 851.6 | 🤠 MOOD: Happy |
| 📍 ENDING POINT: Reid’s Gap | 🤕 INJURIES: None |
| 🏔️ ELEVATION GAIN: 694.6 ft | 🐻 WILDLIFE: Chipmunks & Squirrel |
| 🏔️ ELEVATION LOSS: 1,262.5 ft | 🌡️ WEATHER/TEMP: Sunny & HOT!!! |
| 📐 TOTAL GRADE: 325.3 ft/mi | 💰 EXPENSES: $0 |
Today was a low mileage day. I wanted to be done absolutely no later than 11 am due to the day’s extreme heat warning forecast. It wasn’t long before I realized that I should have had Suspenders drop me off even earlier. At 9 am, it was already 90 degrees with a feel like of 100 degrees.
Honestly, we did leave the campsite early, but I forgot how long it takes to drive down the twisty, turny roads of Skyline, where the Speed limit is 35 mph. It took us 1.5 hours to travel 50 miles to my drop-off point, located just south of the park.
Anyway, I decided to head south today and started at Humpback Rocks Picnic Area. It is a spacious, well-maintained area with flush toilets, trash cans, running water, and numerous picnic tables. Camping is not allowed, however, so keep that in mind.
It wasn’t long before I crossed back over Blue Ridge Parkway and was met with one of the most amazing views I have had in a while. I took some time there to grab some “action” shots.
The trail today was extremely rocky, which made it difficult to maintain any kind of pace. Plus, the heat didn’t help.
I had one more awesome view before heading to the truck.
All in all, it wasn’t a horrible day elevation-wise at all. That heat, humidity, and rocks were something else, though!
APPALACHIAN TRAIL DAY 39 VIDEO
AT Gear List
Interested in finding out what I carry on my Appalachian Trail Backpacking Trip? Check out my gear list here:
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