Chickamauga National Military Park

Chickamauga Battlefield was the destination for the SD TTA hikers. Eleven hikers started at the Visitors Center and hiked 7 plus miles. We passed lots of cannons, monuments, markers, tablets, . There are over 50 miles of trails here. Some for foot traffic only, horse trails and bike trails. Color coded also, be sure to pick up a trail map at the visitors center.

Here is a link to some interesting facts about the Battle of Chickamauga

We ate at Park Place after the hike. Good food!

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PilotWines Loop - Big South Fork

Three of my backpacking friends had agreed to go on a wintertime overnight with me (with disclaimers: not too cold, no ice/snowstorms/not too far away/ect.) This weekend looked promising. Other than the updates I was getting from Craig and the Outcasts from their trails.

We drove to Big South Fork, Station Camp East trailhead to hike the Pilot/Wines trail. The parking lot was full of trucks and horse trailers. We were hiking the trail counterclockwise. They all went the opposite direction maybe to the Big Island Loop. The trail was in fairly good condition after the rain/snow earlier in the week. Not too much mud. We got to see the Wilderness Resort cabins and stable on the border of the park; they have immediate access to trails from their cabins.  I was able to find Pilot Rock for the ladies to see. It really is impressive. We got to the river level and hiked up the creek to find a campsite out of the mud. There was plenty of firewood and a log to sit on by the campfire. It stayed cloudy thru the evening but we did see the moon shining thru.

Sometime thru the night, it rained a little, then the thunder woke us up at daylight. We got packed up and started cooking breakfast under my tarp when Nancy’s fuel canister rolled down the bank into the creek. I ran down to the crossing to try and catch it. It got stuck between a rock and a hard place, so I grabbed it.

We headed out to cross the creek, sprinkles came and went. We got to the Dome Rockhouse and had a snack in the dry. When we got to the car all the horse trailers had disappeared, I guess horses don’t like rainy days. Just as we were loading up, the rain came down. Good timing! We stopped at the Hitching Post for something to drink and talked with the owner and his companions. You can’t get permits here for overnight backpacks anymore. The park service has an online option or at the Visitor Centers. It was really handy to get them here in case you weren’t going into the visitor center areas. He also runs a lodge in case you need a place to stay.

We got to the Cracker Barrel to the other car and during swap over Amy noticed her poles were missing. She had left them in the Station Camp parking lot while changing shoes. After a quick call to the Visitor Center, the Ranger told her he would check it out when he got off work. Hope he finds them so she can get them back.

Thank you to my adventurous backpacking friends for agreeing to a February backpack J

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CT - Soddy Creek

Day One: 12.2 Miles
Mowbray Pike to Board Camp Creek

Day Two: 4.8
Board Camp Creek to Heiss Mountain Road

Total Miles: 17

Lora and I headed to the Cumberland trail to backpack the Soddy Creek Gorge.  We started on Mowbray Pike trailhead and hiked to Hwy 111. We have not hiked this section since 2013.

It was a beautiful day and me met a few people out on the trail after we got past the Hot Water trailhead. We checked out the two new bridges over Deep Creek and Soddy Creek. It was a challenge going over Deep Creek as a tree was laid up the side of the bridge. Lora crawled on her belly under the tree, but I had to take my pack off and hand it to her.

When we went through the cliff wall section along Board Camp Creek the trail was covered with ice to help us out with our challenge.  A couple of miles further we found a flat area to set up camp for the night.  We enjoyed a night around the campfire.

The next morning we headed out and met one guy that Lora had hiked with before.  It was a good hike with my best hiking partner.

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TTA Roaring Creek

Today’s hike was on the Cumberland Trail at Roaring Creek. 8 hikers with John as our hike leader. We started out at a fast pace, trying to get warm. Or maybe because everyone else’s legs were longer. The first water crossing slowed us down then the climb up the ridge warmed us up. We had beautiful views from the overlooks into the valley below, and Cranmore Cove. At that overlook you can see both Sequoia and Watts Bar’s towers (how safe do you feel now?) We left three of our hikers here to have their lunch. 

We continued on to Galbraith Creek and had lunch there, studying on how deep and slick the water crossing  would be. Nobody wanted to wade, so after we ate we headed back to the trailhead. No critters today other than buzzards. No goat, no wildflowers. Good company and a beautiful day to hike.

This was scheduled to be a long and difficult 12.6 miles.  However, due to high water at Gilbreath Creek, the hike was shortened to 9.2 miles.  The weather was good.  It started out quite cold in the 20s but eventually warmed up to about 50.  The roar from the high water made the name Roaring Creek appropriate.  The hikers from today's hike were Gloria, Don, Lora, Pat, S. Cutter, Mark, Pete and John.

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Oregon Jan 2016

Another wonderful trip to Oregon. Lots of fun times with Melanie, Jagon, Avelyn, and Marjorie. Avee has grown so much since the last trip. The giggles and loves were a precious blessing.

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Deep Creek II

Lillian suggested a weekend of hiking. We decided on the Deep Creek area. She and Karen spent Saturday at the Sandhill Crane festival in Birchwood, then joined me in Cherokee in time for dinner.

I had driven to Bryson City earlier in the day, to check out the Thomas Divide trailhead. It was up a dirt road, mostly one lane. Judi and I had come off the trail here before. As I started back down the road I met a Ranger in a truck coming up. One of us had to back up.....me. I am glad Craig has made me practice backing the boat trailer. Backed up, moved over and got a big smile from the guys inside that seemed surprised that I didn't run off the side of the bank using my sideview mirrors :)
Then on the Cherokee and to Smokemont. 

I hiked part of the Tow String Rd trail that joined the Bradley Fork Trail. I spent some time at the Oconaluftee Visitors Center, walking along the River Trail, and exploring the museum. I just missed the concert they had there, but the beautiful sunshiny day I would rather be outside. Later in the afternoon, on a tip from a volunteer at the museum, I found the elk in a field on Big Cove Road. Just after dark Lillian and Karen met me at Pauls Diner for a supper of Buffalo burgers and Indian tacos. We crashed for the night at Great Smokies Inn. 

Sunday we woke up to snow coming down and a warning from the guy at the convenience store about road conditions driving to Deep Creek. Three brave souls drove thru the snow showers to Bryson City and Deep Creek Campground to drop off a car. We drove back a little way to try and find the trailhead for the Cooper Road Trail. On the way we saw a hawk sitting in the road holding onto something dead, he didn't fly away...strange. Anyway, we found "No Parking", and No Trespassing" signs and a locked gate at a trout farm. On to Plan B. 

The snow had stopped.  Thomas Divide Trailhead. We did a loop of Indian Creek Motor Trail, Deeplow Gap, Indian Creek, Stone Pile Gap x 2, and Thomas Divide out to the parking lot for Deep Creek, then hiked the Juney Whank Trail. Est 11.5 miles for the day. 

Fun weekend with the ladies.

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Chattanooga Tennessee Valley Railroad

Lora and I got on the train today! We headed to Chattanooga and visited the Tennessee Valley Railroad. It was a lot of fun and then we headed to the Chattanooga Choo Choo Depot / Hotel for a visit.

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New Years Day Hike 2016

I went to Edgar Evans State Park for the 1st hike of the year, sponsored by Friends of Edgar Evans SP. There were 82 folks there to hike and eat and hike. We met at the pavilion by the marina and spread the food on the table. Crockpots plugged in, gloves and toboggans on, we carpooled to the trailhead for the Millennium Trail. We had a Park Ranger to lead the hike and three other Rangers came along. It's a pretty trail, some old home sites and rock walls, and a couple of places where the lake came up into the trail. All the recent rains have raised the lake levels. 

When we got back to the pavilion, hungry hikers loaded plates, got some hot chocolate or hot apple cider and had a New Year's feast. Lots of ham, black-eyed peas, not a collard to be seen, potato salad, fruit salad, pasta salad, hominy, chips and dips, and LOTS of desserts! Thanks to the Rangers and the park, we had lots of firewood for the fireplace. It got a little warmer when the sun came out for our 2nd hike. A smaller crowd drove to the visitor's center and hiked the loop trail that leads down to the lake and then switchbacks up the ridge to the visitors center. They have a tower there, nice views of Center Hill Dam from the top. 

Got to see some of my backpacking friends, met some nice people and really enjoyed this beautiful day.  

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Ace Gap Trail

I found a willing backpack partner for the weekend, so Smoky Mountains here we come! Ace Gap trailhead is on the park boundary at Rich Mountain Gap. I passed a couple of bicycle riders going up Old Cades Cove Road, and when I met Judy at the trailhead, they rode by and kept going. With all their energy we could have hired them to carry our packs J The trail descriptions talk about Campsite 4 at Kelly Gap (no longer there) and Campsite 7 at Ace Gap (no longer there). The old railroad bed crosses here. Judi says the pink lady slippers put on a show between Kelly Gap and Beard Cane Trail. I will have to come in the spring to see them!

We were heading to Campsite 3 on the Beard Cane Trail (still here). It is a pretty campsite, level under the hemlocks and by the junction of Beard Cane Creek and Hesse Creek. We had to cross two creeks to get to the camp. Not bad today but we could see where the water had been up after the last rain. Glad is was lower! We got to camp early enough to collect plenty of firewood. We had nice log furniture for cooking and sitting by the bonfire. It was a warm day and didn’t get cold enough to get the fire going the next morning so we left plenty of wood behind for the next campers. We were packing up and I took the water bag down to empty it, looked inside and found a critter inspecting the filter. Crawdad. His story follows this one. I carried him back to the creek where I scooped him from the day before, not sure but I think I got a dirty look from him before he disappeared….

We started back toward the car and watched for the big pines described in the brown book, one with a lightning scar and one 30 inches in diameter. We think we found the big one, but never found the one with the lightning scar. Considering the year the book was published, that tree may have fallen.

Crawdad’s story:

I was hiking up the creek about to go over the cool waterfall. It must have been at least 10 inches high! When all of a sudden I saw a big blue UFO come out of the sky an hover over the creek, it opened a door and landed in the creek, then it started coming toward me and the next thing I knew it swallowed me up! The door closed and I knew we were flying away from the waterfall and no telling where the UFO would take me. I knew we landed and then slowly the water started seeping out. The tall white thing was drinking all my water!!!! Then the UFO took off again, the door opened and down we swooped! I could hear the creek and thought I could escape, but the water gathering was so quick it washed me back to the bottom of the UFO. When it landed again, night was falling and water started seeping out again, but the tall white thing must not have been as thirsty so I still had enough to survive. Daylight came and again we were flying, the door opened and splash, I WAS BACK IN MY CREEK! I ran under the closest rock in case they tried to catch me again. The big blue UFO flew away

Signed,

The very nervous Crawdad

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Dayton Christmas Parade

Lora went to the Dayton Christmas Parade on her way back from the hike.

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