{"id":610,"date":"2014-06-03T11:58:57","date_gmt":"2014-06-03T15:58:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/hnatow.com\/wordpress-happytrails\/?p=610"},"modified":"2014-06-03T11:58:57","modified_gmt":"2014-06-03T15:58:57","slug":"day-48-near-pickle-branch-shelter-to-lamberts-meadow","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/hnatow.com\/happytrails\/?p=610","title":{"rendered":"Day 48 – near Pickle Branch Shelter to Lambert’s Meadow"},"content":{"rendered":"

Wow, today was basically the epitome of great scenery on the AT.
\nBig climbs – check
\nRock scrambles – check
\nAmazing vistas – check
\nSheer cliffs – check<\/p>\n

This post is going to be impossible to upload on a crappy cell connection! <\/p>\n

First highlight was the climb up to Dragon’s Tooth. This is a 20-30 foot tall stone monolith. <\/p>\n

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Looks way bigger in person.<\/p><\/div>\n

You can climb it, but it’s out over a cliff and I was way too much of a wus. <\/p>\n

The descent down was insanely rugged and awesome. We had some major rock scrambles and had to move very slowly. It took probably close to 45 minutes to get about 3\/4 mile.<\/p>\n

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That tiny rock ledge is the trail. Yikes.<\/p><\/div>\n

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Vertical trail. At least we got a few handles to help occasionally. <\/p><\/div>\n

Next up was McAfee Knob. It did not disappoint. We got lucky in that there were only a couple other thru-hikers up there when we summitted. The climb itself was pretty easy compared to the other ones we’ve done, but the views are unreal. We also got a few of the famous poses in. We took some photos of the other thru-hikers (Oregon and Lil Bit) and made some plans to grab some drinks with them tomorrow night in Daleville. <\/p>\n

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Crazy good views off the knob<\/p><\/div>\n

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Notice that I was too much of a wus to put both legs over the sheer cliff<\/p><\/div>\n

Then the trail circled around 5 miles or so to Tinker Cliffs. The views were just as stunning as McAfee Knob. <\/p>\n

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Tinker Cliffs view looking back at McAfee Knob<\/p><\/div>\n

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Trail snaked along Tinker Cliffs. It was quite sheer in a lot of places. <\/p><\/div>\n

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What is this idiot pointing at? Is there something wrong with him?<\/p><\/div>\n

We finally made camp and chatted with a cool thru-hiker named Turtle. What a great (and very tough) day of hiking. Tomorrow we are hiking about 9.5 miles into Daleville for a sweet sweet zero day.<\/p>\n

Vital stats :<\/strong>
\nMilestone – 700 miles <\/strong>in the books
\nMiles hiked today – a bit over 23
\nMood – amazed
\nPhysical state – tired and sore, but all good
\nSmell – raunchy nasty dirty stank
\nSong stuck in my head – Tip Your Bartender by Glassjaw<\/p>\n

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