FKT: Michelle Martin - Clingman's Dome, Appalachian Trail (NC, TN) - 2021-08-29

Athletes
Route variation
up & down
Multi-sport
No
Gender category
Female
Style
Unsupported
Start date
Finish date
Total time
3h 50m 28s
Report

The first half of my trip report was included in my Clingman’s Dome ascent FKT submission for verification. To briefly recap, I started a few seconds after 9:50am and started Strava on both my cell phone and watch so I could record the ascent on my phone and capture the up&down on my watch without having any unaccounted for time in between. I took some goofy pics along the way to add evidentiary support for my submission. I completed this attempt in the unsupported style, carrying all my food/equipment and only taking water from natural sources. After sitting briefly on top of Clingman’s Dome after stopping my Strava on my phone , I stood up, took a selfie, and headed back down for the “descent.” It was starting to be hot and I wished I had a bit more water, so I had to ration until I could get back to the spring. I wasted time trying to filter some trail water (the AT is basically a river in some places, right?) but managed to get about a tablespoon of water after sitting for what felt like too long. Spooked a doe who watched me just off trail and I stopped to take several pictures of her. I filtered water at the Speing around mile 12 of the attempt. I forgot to mention in my ascent trip report, but I ran off trail around mile 1.5 SOBO and probably lost about a minute trying to find the trail. I realized I should’ve turned trail right at the parking lot instead of trying to go straight up to a picnic area that I mistook for the trail. Anyways, the return to Newfound Gap was fairly uneventful, a beautiful day with several interesting people on trail. I managed to travel almost the full up&down without falling but in my haste to get ready to pause and stop my watch I ate shit and landed on my trekking poles just a few feet from the end. It was pretty funny, the parking lot was full and I’m sure people saw me, but I had a good laugh and survived! 
 

thanks for reading and taking the time to review my submission. Cheers!