Day 16: Sassafrass Gap Shelter to Stecoah Gap

Well, last night was *miserable*. It started snowing about 10:30pm last night. It was 16 degrees when we woke up this morning. And, I spent the entire night on the shelter floor (no insulation). The old leaky sleeping pad lasted about 3 hours between deflations, and the new one lasted about 20 minutes.

I don't think I have ever been so cold. My sleeping bag kept me pretty warm, at least the parts of me that weren't on the ground. When it started snowing last night I broke out the space blanket (thanks Wael!) and wrapped it around the sleeping pad, so that helped keep some of the cold air from the shelter floor out. Still - cold and miserable. I didn't sleep hardly at all. I knew it was almost sunrise because it stopped getting colder.

A tip for keeping your water reservoir hose from freezing while you hike: Blow the water back into the reservoir after you finish taking a drink. Then clip the hose so the mouthpiece is high up; this causes the water to flow back into the reservoir instead of collecting at the mouthpiece and freezing.

I walked with Old Goat & Silver Streak today. Decided pretty early (like, 1am) that I did not want to spend another freezing night in the woods, so I looked up hostels in the area and found one that picks up at Stecoah Gap. Old Goat went into town with me. We are going to slackpack 15 miles tomorrow to get to Fontana on schedule.

Speaking of on schedule, Big Agnes did not overnight my sleeping pad originally so it is scheduled to be here Monday. Agh! I called them and they upgraded to overnight, but they can't guarantee it will be here tomorrow (Friday) because it is already in transit. I am trying to be cool about it, have a "whatever happens, happens" attitude but I am freaking out a little bit. I don't want to wait around for 2 hiking days for a sleeping pad that may or may not work. But Fontana is basically a resort town & doesn't have an outfitter per se. So we will see what happens.

Called AWE to talk about all the options. I was saying - well if I am going to stay in Fontana for 3 days why not go home? And she said - honey I love you but you have to stay on the trail. Even if it means you pay for a hotel room. If you come home it will make it hard to go back.

She is right. There is a piece of me still looking for an excuse to quit. I have to make sure that piece does not win.