Nantahala Outdoor Center to Stecoah Gap

APRIL 19, 2012
Nantahala Outdoor Center to Stecoah Gap  - Strenuous
13.6 miles in 10 hours

River's End Restaurant at NOC.

We visited River’s End Restaurant again for breakfast before setting out on the trail at 9:00 a.m.  This section of the trail was everything we heard it would be – very steep and a long uphill climb.  Eight miles of elevation climbing from 1723’ to 5062’ at Cheoah Bald.  It was definitely the most strenuous day we have had on this section.  We reached Cheoah Bald at 3:00 p.m.  It was a beautiful view from the top of Cheoah Bald.

A view of River's End Restuarant from across Nantahala River.

Nantahala River at NOC

Nantahala River at NOC

The view from somewhere around Swim Bald.

Lunch break!

When we approached Swim Bald we noticed right off the trail were several people enjoying the view, so we joined them.  This is where we first met a very nice couple (about our age or a little older) who were setting out on a thru-hike.  All the way to Maine!  That was inspiring to meet more people in the golden years aspiring to such an accomplishment.  You meet all kinds, shapes, sizes and ages out here!  We wish them the best on their journey.

We ran across Alabama a few times today and got to know Ryno better.  He had also spent the night in Cabin D at NOC last night and hiked along with us some today. 

Atop Cheoah Bald.

Cheoah Bald

The view from Cheoah Bald.

We met Clyde and Nightwalker at about the halfway point going south!  They had decided to slackpack this section and got his wife to drop them off at Stecoah Gap to hike back to NOC.  A wise move on their part I would say.  No backbacks!  Which started us to thinking – why didn’t we get Donna to slackpack us?  We could have left out packs with her since she lives right at Stecoah Gap and that is exactly where we are going today.  But we weren’t sure we could make it to Stecoah Gap today.

We had planned to stop at Locust Cove Gap with several other hikers including Josh and friend.  Alabama and Ryno were planning to go to the shelter on the other side of Stecoah Gap, Brown Fork Gap Shelter.  We were thinking that if we could make it all the way to Stecoah we could possibly stay at Donna’s cabin tonight and leave our backpacks there to slackpack the last day up to Fontana Dam.   We called Donna from Locust Cove Gap to see if she could meet us at Stecoah Gap.  We told her we thought we would be there in an hour and a half since it was downhill all the way.  I learned NEVER to think it was downhill all the way anywhere in the mountains!  We had at least three uphill steep climbs before we started going down to Stecoah Gap and got there a long 2 hours later.   This decision meant that we would not see our hiking friends anymore on this section and were sad to say goodbye to them. 

Locust Cove Gap - our planned camping spot before we got the wild
idea to go on to Stecoah Gap.

When we were approaching Stecoah Gap down that LONG descent, we saw a picnic table at the parking area at the Gap. It looked like someone had left their picnic remains there.  As we got closer we saw that some nice person had left some Little Debbie snack cakes and some cold Coca-Colas with a note to hikers to help themselves.  We did!  And, boy, was it good.

Donna met us there and it was a short drive back to her beautiful Cabin in the Woods for a very peaceful evening. 

Stechoah Gap - we finally made it!