We made it out of the village and did the 1.2 mile section that we missed when the shuttle picked us up at the trailhead. We considered going another 6.6 miles up the mountain to get to the only tent site in the GSMNP (all other sites in the park are shelter only). But we were dissuaded by another cloudburst. So, we are hanging in the Fontana Hilton (so-named because it has electricity and running water) as is everyone else on the trail. Looks like at least 25 in the shelter and 10 tents and hammocks in the campground.
If we were waiting on a sign that things were gonna clear up for us tomorrow - God sent us a rainbow. So, at long last, we are heading out very early in the am to climb into the Smokies and we are shooting for a tough 12 mile hike to our first of 5 shelters in the park.
