Day 12 Mile 107

This week saw an increase in daily miles for a number of reasons. Most significantly, a high motivation to make shelter due to a surprise winter storm on Day 11. Three hours of cold rain turned to snow. Then high winds came in. This becomes problematic when the trail loses shape due to snow accumulation, and the familiar white blazes painted on trees every several hundred yards along the AT are covered with wet (white!) snow.

Note to self: Concentrate and do not go off trail.

We made our destination, exchanged soaked clothes for dry, burritoed-up in our sleeping bags and rested in the 3-sided hut overnight. The 13.4 mile hike out the next day was tiring no thanks to drifts that were sometimes thigh high, but the destination of a Front Royal VA B&B that caters (very well) to hikers was motivation to get our wet packs and selves to this place of respite.