Day 4: Blood Mountain and Neel Gap

Today was dry and sunny but cold and windy. The day started with a big climb up Blood Mountain, steady climbing for a couple of miles, with great views at the top where we stopped for lunch with several other hikers.

A little before 1 we came to Neel Gap, where the trail goes through Mountain Crossings. A lot of people quit here and throw their boots in the tree. A lot of other people stay in their hostel. We resupplied, took a shower and did laundry and ate before hiking another mile to a campground. We’re spending a cold night with most of the people we did last night, and the same guy builds and tends the fire every night, so he might be fire man from now on.