19 March 2014 (Day 15) – I hiked to Fontana Dam, NC today. This is the AT’s southern entrance to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP). Due to its variable weather, cold nights, and 5000+ elevation, AT thru hikers consider this section one of the biggest hurdles of the entire thru hike. It’s also one of the prettiest sections. The forecast looks good and will hopefully remain so during the 5 – 6 days it will take me to traverse 73 miles.
There’s no cell phone service within GSMNP, so there will be no updates from me for awhile. See you on the other side!
Current Location: Fontana Dam, NC
Current Map Location:
http://goo.gl/maps/3zuYQ
Miles Hiked: 166.1
Miles Remaining: 2019.2
Tom's 2014 Appalachian Trail Hike 
Awesome section of trail. Did it the other direction 10 years ago in November. I saw everything you mentioned – wicked weather (tornados in the valley), frigid cold (broke frost off my sleeping bag one morning) and awesome sunshine. If you wanted to spend an extra day, detour (~4 miles) to Mt Leconte and sleep in the shelter. Unbelievable view into Gatlinburg and Knoxville. Share some pics when you get to Hot Springs.
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No detour for me but looking forward to the views!
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