9 miles from Amicalola Falls State Park to Springer Mountain Shelter
Mile marker 0.2 on the AT
The day started off with a nice brunch with a beautiful view on the mountains.
Then, I slowly made my way down to the Amicalola Falls Visitor Center. On my way down on the East Ridge Trail, I almost sprained my right ankle….not even on the approach trail yet 😅 Oups.
At the Visitor Center, the gave us aspiring thru-hikere a speach, information & advice for the trail. I registered in order to obtain my hiker tag! I’m hiker 1358 !!!
They weighed my pack, all in all, 40lbs… That’s base weight plus fuel, food for 5 days & 2,5 litter of water. Food alone was 8 lbs. Way too heavy I told myself.
Now ready to hit the trail. Since the stairs at the bottom of the Visitor Center were closed, two options where possible: take the East Ridge trail (wich I took on the way down) or the Creek Trail wich both connects to the original approah trail. The first, you do not see the falls, the second, you get to see them.
I decided to take the Creek Trail that brings you directly at the bottom of the falls so I still got a taste of the stairs! I now understand better why they say they are brutal😆 They do get your heart pumping, but how beautiful. Wow!Totally worth doing for me.
I would of done all of them if they were opened. Imagine just going up them, and seing the waterfall slowly appear in front of your eyes…how magical. Once the stairs done, I continued my way on the approach trail.
A few moments later, that’s when I meet my first friend on trail. He was running the other way because he forgot his headphone a little back. We hiked together up to Springer Mountain.
Contrary to what people say, the approach trail up to Springer went well! It is with a strange but yet peacefull emotion I arrived to the summit of Springer Mountain.
My first white blaze ! The first of many.
This is the start of the Appalachian Trail. The trail I have been dreaming about ever since I heart about it’s existence.
After at least half of an hour at the top, I continued 0.2 mile to the first shelter on trail to set up my tent for the night. The first night on trail! Wow!!!
Once I set up my tent, I went to get water at the source. Then I ate dinner near the shelter where a few people collected and talked. A fire was made. The sunset was beautiful. What a nice way to start things. I was asleep around 9h30. The night was cold & the wind was strong. I had to wake up at least 6 times during the night. Yet, did not see my thermometer go below 32F inside my tent. It still seemed colder…a cold first night on the trail, but how lucky am I the be here I told myself. The start of a promising journey, living a dream of mine.
