11 May 2016, Wednesday
We are both awake, lying in the tent around 5:40 am. In the distance we can
hear the rumble of thunder. Our tent is still dry, and we would like
to pack it up that way – so we are out and taking it down by 6
am. The Quarterdome is neatly stowed in Jazz just in time. Soon the
skies open and we take shelter under the tarp as we eat our breakfast.
It takes awhile in the pouring rain, but we are finally organized for our
backpacking trip on the Maddron Bald Loop. We move our car down to
the hikers’ parking lot and then find our way to the start of the
Snake Den Ridge Trail opposite campsite B51.
Practically as soon as we head up the trail we must stop to don ponchos as the
rain begins again. The ponchos work well, keeping
the rain from running down our backs and soaking the uncovered part
of our backpacks between pack cover and rain jacket. Soon the rain becomes more intermittent, and then the only sources of drips are the trees. As we hike onward, we realize that the first five miles of our 6.5 mile trip go relentlessly upwards. There are absolutely no breaks with level or downward sloping trail. It takes us five hours to hike the first five miles. We gain 4000 feet of elevation over that distance. We both agree it is the longest five miles we have ever hiked.
By the time we reach the junction with Maddron Bald Trail, we are exhausted.
Luckily, the last 1.6 miles go gently downhill over Maddron Bald. (A bald is a hilltop with no trees, sometimes only covered with grass and sometimes covered with low bushes such as azalea or mountain laurel or rhododendrons.) We are now above the clouds. Lilies, trillium and flowering heath glow in the afternoon sun.
We arrive at campsite 29 next to Otter Creek about 5:30 pm. The tent is
up, the tarp is ready, but right now the sun is shining and it is a
beautiful evening. Our supper is finished – we have chocolate
mousse for dessert, our food bag is hung on the bear cable. This
campsite is in a hollow surrounded by ridges on three sides. The sun
sets directly over the opening to the west. A quarter moon shines overhead.