Day 5 Over Blood Mountain and into Neels Gap

Long day up Blood Moutain, the first iconic climb after Springer. Broke camp at 5:15 and hiked in the dark with a buddy for a couple of hours before the sun came up. It's a lot more intense while hiking with just a narrow beam to focus on. Very peaceful.

We hit 9 miles before Blood, then up a lot of stone to the amazing view from 4442 feet. Couldn't stay long to enjoy the view because a heavy storm was moving in and the descent is notoriously tricky - solid, smooth stone for hundreds of yards at a time. And you don't want to try it on slipperywet rock. I just made it below the stoney area before the bottom fell out and it rained for the next two miles until I got the end of this section at Neels Gap.

Neels Gap has the unfortunate distinction of being the road crossing where most of the attempted through hikers drop out. It's 30 miles into the trail and folks figure out if the trail is for them or not. There is a famous tree outside the outfitters there where those that have had it throw their bear up hikers into the branches.

I can see why it's not for some people - I was wet, cold, exhausted, starving and in a lot of pain.

But Sean, the Warrior Expedition founder, was waiting to take us to an awesome mountain cabin in Blaresville, Georgia. We got a shower, did our laundry and enjoyed a soft chair to sit in. The best was yet to come - The First Baptist Church of Blairsville (at least 20 of the church members) brought pork BBQ and all the fixings. We had a memorable evening of home cooked food and country fellowship. Then sleep of the dead for 10 hours.