Captain Blue's

2008 Labor Day Weekend
Appalachian Trail Hike

Photos by Andy "Captain Blue" Niekamp

 

Captain Blue & Princess Doah

August 29 - September 1, 2008
AT Section:
Allen Gap to The Nolichucky River (Erwin, TN)

Northbound - 53.4 miles

Steamer Account of Meeting Captain Blue & Pricess Doah - Photo

 


View From White Rock Cliffs


View From Big Bald Mountain.

Click on an image to view a larger image and a description. Waive your pointer over a photo for a description.

Yvonne in Great Saltpetre Cave in Kentucky. We made a quick trip to the cave on the way to Tennessee. August 28, 2008 A passage in Great Saltpetre Cave. August 28, 2008 Yvonne poses for a silhouette photo in the Chapel Room. August 28, 2008 The entrance to Great Saltpetre Cave. August 28, 2008
The sign for Uncle Johnny's Hostel. We spent Thursday night here. August 29, 2008 Princess Doah and Captain Blue are Princess Doah heads down the trail out of Allen Gap. August 29, 2008 We came cross this Eastern Box turtle on the trail. August 29, 2008
Mushroom along the trail. August 29, 2008 Our packs at Little Laurel Shelter during a break. August 29, 2008 A speed limit sign on the AT. Obviously a joke. August 29, 2008 Sign at side trail to White Rock Cliffs. August 29, 2008
The view from White Rock Cliffs. August 29, 2008 Captain Blue at White Rock Cliffs. August 29, 2008 Princess Doah at White Rock Cliffs. August 29, 2008 Fall flower in bloom along the trail. August 29, 2008
Fall flower in bloom along the trail. August 29, 2008 Captain Blue's tent site near Jerry Cabin Shelter. August 29, 2008 Princess Doah's tent site near Jerry Cabin Shelter. August 29, 2008 Princess Doah getting ready to start a fire as the sun goes down and it gets chilly out. August 29, 2008
Captain Blue chilling out near Jerry Cabin Shelter. August 29, 2008 A toad enjoyed the remains of our warm fire in the morning. August 30, 2008 Captain Blue's clothes line. August 30, 2008 Jerry Cabin Shelter. August 30, 2008
Fall flower in bloom along the trail. August 30, 2008 Mushroom along the trail. August 30, 2008 Fall flower in bloom along the trail. August 30, 2008 Grassy knoll along the AT. August 30, 2008
View from grassy knoll. August 30, 2008 Captain Blue in the grassy knoll. August 30, 2008 Princess Doah collects some ripe blackberries. August 30, 2008 We gathered and ate many of the ripe blackberries along the trail. August 30, 2008
Princess Doah along the trail. August 30, 2008 Captain Blue on a section of trail which is on an old road bed. August 30, 2008 Captain Blue at the Shelton family graves. Two Union Tennessee soldiers were ambushed by Confederate troops and killed near here. August 30, 2008 William Shelton grave - from the Civil War. August 30, 2008
David Shelton grave - from the Civil War. August 30, 2008 A rhododendron leaf is used to create a small waterfall for filling water bottles. August 30, 2008 A sign at the trail road crossing in Devil's Gap. August 30, 2008 Fall flower in bloom along the trail. August 30, 2008
Princess Doah crosses a small creek on a bridge. August 30, 2008 A small family cemetery on the way up Sugarloaf Mountain. Dorothy Hensley lived from 1865 to 1965. August 30, 2008 Mushroom along the trail. August 30, 2008 The view from a clearing near Frozen Knob (Lick Rock). The highway cut is I-26. You you can barely see the summit of Bald Mountain. August 30, 2008
Princess Doah at her tent site at Hogback Ridge Shelter. August 30, 2008 Captain Blue at his tent site with Hogback Ridge Shelter in the background. August 30, 2008 Hogback Ridge Shelter. August 30, 2008 Fellow hiker Steamer from Naperville, Illinois. We shared the same hiking agenda for a couple of days. August 30, 2008
Captain Blue and Princess Doah eat supper at Hogback Ridge Shelter. Photo take by Steamer. August 30, 2008 Captain Blue and Princess Doah. August 30, 2008 Captain Blue on the trail on the way down to Sam's Gap. August 31, 2008 Princess Doah crosses under I-26 on the AT. August 31, 2008
Princess Doah in Sam's Gap. August 31, 2008 Mushroom along the trail. August 31, 2008 The trail goes through this pasture. Good views of Big Bald Mountain. August 31, 2008 Captain Blue in the pasture. August 31, 2008
Princess Doah crossing the pasture. August 31, 2008 The view from Big Bald Mountain. August 31, 2008 Princess Doah on Big Bald Mountain. August 31, 2008 Captain Blue on Big Bald Mountain. August 31, 2008
Heading northbound on the AT on Big Bald Mountain. August 31, 2008 Mushroom along the trail. August 31, 2008 Captain Blue near a large rock with the AT symbol. August 31, 2008 Princess Doah at her tent site at Whistling Gap. The spring at the gap was dry so we found water farther down the mountain. August 31, 2008
Captain Blue at his tent site in Whistling Gap. August 31, 2008 Princess Doah warming up by the evening fire. August 31, 2008 Captain Blue resting waiting for his Mountain House meal to reconstitute. August 31, 2008 Princess Doah on the foggy trail after a rainy night. September 1, 2008
Captain Blue on the foggy trail after a rainy night. September 1, 2008 The foggy trail near a large rock. September 1, 2008 Mushroom along the trail. September 1, 2008 Princess Doah crossing a creek near Spivey Gap. September 1, 2008
Captain Blue crossing a creek near Spivey Gap. September 1, 2008 A few trees were turning color early in September. September 1, 2008 Mushroom along the trail. September 1, 2008 Prescribed burn area. We wondered why we saw so many charred areas along the trail. September 1, 2008
The view of the Nolichucky River coming down in to Erwin. September 1, 2008 The view of Erwin. September 1, 2008 Princess Doah back at Uncle Johnny's Hostel. September 1, 2008 Captain Blue back at Uncle Johnny's Hostel. September 1, 2008

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