2    North Carolina / Tennessee         380 miles /608 km

The next stretch was from Wesser through the Great Smoky Mountains National Park until beyond Hot Springs in North Carolina. Until just inside the National Park it was really warm. The free hot shower at Fontana Dam was a highly welcome reprieve. After lunch break at the nearby Fontana Hilton named shelter I entered the park. The required permit I had obtained from Germany. Instead of just getting cooler with increased elevation it became really cold. The night at Silers Bald Shelter became my coldest of the total AT. I put on all me clothes for the night and it was still shivering cold. We learned the next morning that it was well below freezing overnight. The trees where frozen over. Next place to visit was the highest point of the total trail at 6.643 ft. Klingmans Dome can be reached by car too which became obvious by the number of tourists. But a few yards down the trail it became quiet again.

During my only fall hiking in the south I arrived in the final daylight at a shelter. As this was outside the season I was on my own. So I quickly made hot water and prepared the evening freeze dried meal. While it was simmering for 10 minutes I prepared my sleeping place for the night. Not immediately noticed a dog had arrived. He tried to get hold of my meal. As it was well sealed I could prevent it. A strong collar around his neck had a kind of transmitter attached to. But what for? By bedtime I was still waiting for the dog owner. The dog spent the whole night sleeping and turning on my sleeping bag and my feet. In the morning he wanted to participate in my breakfast. He accompanied me for hours until he left the trail with plenty of barking. I never saw him again. Later I learned that this dog was trained to find bears. The transmitter allows the dog owner to locate the dog once it starts barking.

View of Bald Mountains from Big Bald, North Carolina

Myself in front of Elmers Place, Hot Springs, North Carolina

Longhorn on Hump Mountain, North Carolina

Blow downs on AT, Tennessee

Sunrise at Icewater Spring Shelter, Great Smoky Mountain NP, North Carolina

Rhododendron in Smoky Mountain NP, North Carolina

Iced over mountain slope at Silers Bald, Great Smoky Mountain NP, Tennessee

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