Unsupported attempt from GA/NC border to Springer Mountain. I packed in all my food/gear and filtered all water from creeks. No pacers or other support. The only facilities used were toilets along the route (Neel’s gap and Woody’s gap).
I parked my car at the AT crosses Charlie’s Creek road, near the NC border. Note: road was difficult to traverse for a low-clearance car due to washed out ruts. I hiked ~3 miles up to the NC/GA border marker and started about 8:30a.m. on April 14th. I tracked the run/hike on a Coros Apex 2 using UltraMax mode and finished at Springer mountain in 00:21:06:39, about five minutes faster than the previous FKT set by Matt Ross. I kept the watch running the whole trip, including stops for water and the bathroom. I started out strong and then slowed during the heat of the day, near Tellico gap. I intended to try for the out-and-back FKT simultaneously (and had packed extra food), but I canceled that. My feet were raw and blistered after the downhill sheer of the southbound trip, and I struggled to manage sleep, attention, and energy with the effects of heat, cold, and hunger. I crossed paths with a park ranger and lots of hikers on the way south. On the return north I hiked back to Neel’s gap, and then mostly hitched rides from there back to Charlie’s creek (big thanks Wayne and Nate for the rides).
If I attempt the out-and-back again, I’ll toughen up the feet first, try for a cooler day, and pack a quilt for sleep at night.
Very impressed by the prior FKTs on this section, and I love the route. Plenty of vertical and technical to be had, complemented by some fast, runnable sections.