George Steffanos
A
thread 1/11
June 2, 1983: From the bottom of Hughes Gap, I began the fabled ascent of Roan Mountain.
#backpacking #hiking #nature #NorthCarolina #hikingadventures #landscapephotography #forest #Tennessee #mountains #AppalachianTrail
09:56 AM - Apr 22, 2024
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George Steffanos
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thread 2/11
Roan is a sprawling mountain. The scenic section of the Unaka Mountains I would be passing through today and tomorrow, known as the Roan Highlands, stretches for about twenty miles. I will be covering more than ten of those miles on the Appalachian Trail.
09:56 AM - Apr 22, 2024
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George Steffanos
A
thread 3/11
More than half of the Roan Highlands is the main ridge crest of Roan Mountain running roughly east-west with five main summits.

It also throws out several impressive side ridges with significant minor summits. I was climbing one of those now, heading southward towards that main crest.
09:56 AM - Apr 22, 2024
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George Steffanos
A
thread 4/11
The initial climb out was deceptively mild, but the endless slope gradually became steeper. Groaning and trudging along on legs not far recovered from yesterday’s exertions,
09:56 AM - Apr 22, 2024
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George Steffanos
A
thread 5/11
I just had to turn off my mind and keep plodding ahead until the trail leveled off atop Beartown Mountain — a minor summit of Roan. A short side trail led to a decent viewpoint up there, but my legs felt like they had just tackled Everest.
09:56 AM - Apr 22, 2024
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George Steffanos
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thread 6/11
The AT dipped down slightly into Ash Gap and followed moderate grades from there almost to the crest of Roan, but one more thigh-killer was lurking right at the end. Finally, I dragged myself onto the crest of a grassy little knoll and the sprawling summit plateau unfolded before me.
09:56 AM - Apr 22, 2024
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George Steffanos
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thread 7/11
My legs gratefully kissed the ground as I collapsed into one spent heap.

A beautiful fir and spruce forest from out of my homesick daydreams of New England almost made me forget the preceding ordeal. It was one of those crisp, sun-washed days when the sky just seemed to sparkle.
09:56 AM - Apr 22, 2024
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George Steffanos
A
thread 8/11
I crossed a paved road which came up from the valley below and came upon a roadside picnic area with tables, trash cans and water fountains. My table was on a patch of sun-soaked grass liberally dappled with yellow dandelions.
09:56 AM - Apr 22, 2024
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George Steffanos
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thread 9/11
A handful of rhododendron shrubs and fir trees blocked some of the breeze. This was idyllic, as June 2 at six thousand feet is not summery, even in North Carolina. There was a nice view of the valley over the tops of the spruce and fir forest that lined the slopes,
09:56 AM - Apr 22, 2024
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George Steffanos
A
thread 10/11
and I simply wanted to spend some time atop my last six-thousand-footer for almost fifteen hundred miles.

From my book Then the Hail Came (A Humorous and Truthful Account of a 1983 #AppalachianTrail Thru-hike). Available on Amazon in paperback and eBook: https://amazon.com/dp/B09Q...
09:56 AM - Apr 22, 2024
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George Steffanos
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thread 11/11
You can read or listen to my book for free if you are a Kindle Unlimited (eBook) or an Audible Plus (audiobook) subscriber. Both of these options are available from Amazon, where the paperback, eBook or audiobook can also be purchased.
09:56 AM - Apr 22, 2024
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