Mountain to Sea trail - Segment 2

Lora and I headed to North Carolina to hike a 38 mile section of the Mountain to Sea trail. We chose this section of the second segment of the trail because it is in the woods. We have already hiked the section in the Smoky Mountains and this is the next section that doesn't include walking the road of the Blue Ridge Parkway. We started at the Licklog Gap Overlook Mile Post 435.7 of the Parkway. We carried with us the Segment 2 section of trail description off the Mountain to Sea trail web page, The trail description from Scott Ward, and a National Geographic map. We used all three.

We parked our car on US 276 at a parking area just down from the trail. We used Champion Cab to shuttle us and after an hour of miscommunication he finally found us. Super friendly guy named Rick. He took us back down the Blue Ridge Parkway and dropped us off at Licklog Gap Overlook (MM 19). There was a high wind warning and we felt every bit of it. We had about an hour to get the two miles we needed to get off the Parkway property which you are not allowed to camp on. We made it into the Nantahala National Forest and camped just off the road bed before the trail turned and headed down hill (MM 21.4). It was windy, but we had a warm fire going.

The next morning, with the wind blowing, I lowered my tarp to eat inside out of the wind. We packed up and headed out. As soon as we headed down hill we were out of the wind. It wasn't long before we passed a warning sign about a dangerous section of trail and thought "Great!" This part of the trail was mainly old roadbed and easy hiking. There are lots of water crossings which is great to have for hiking. Always needing water!

The trail headed off the road bed and soon we found the dangerous section of trail. They had actually already reworked this section and did a great job. Obvious storm damage. We appreciate trail builders!

The trail turns back onto old roadbed but after the rework stops so does the trail markers. You get a false since of security with flagging, but it also will lead you astray. (MM 29.7) After you pass through the gate which is two white poles follow the road and stay left and a confusing intersection. Lora did some trail dancing and ended up picking herself up off the trail after trying to walk through some brush. We camped at a horse camp just past Piney Mtn. Creek (MM 31.7). Beautiful stars and warm fire.

Day Three:
We followed road bed back up the mountain where we saw our large black bear crossing the trail ahead of us. We ate lunch just before climbing up to the Parkway. We saw our first person here which was a trail runner. After crossing the Parkway we headed into the Pisgah National Forest and then Middle Prong Wilderness Area. This area is unmarked trail. If you look back on your left you will see the Devil's Courthouse. This is where we found our first day hikers. Actually two groups. The Y-intersection (MM 38.8) is more of a trail on the right going up heading off the old roadbed. It is currently marked with pink paint which turns out that is the only pink paint to follow as the other pink paint will lead you off the trail. When you get to the bald, keep right of all other trails to stay on the MST. After you leave the Wilderness, the markings begin again.

At (MM 44.3) the trail turns left and the unmarked trail to the right will bring you to rock overlook. It connects with a paved trail which you will climb stairs and end up looking all over the mountains. There was a couple of ladies up here. We were looking at the signs pointing to all the other mountains and then we were looking for the Devil's Courthouse. We asked the ladies if they knew where it was and pointed out the fact that we were standing on it. Duh??!!

We spent the night next to the West Fork of the Pigeon River. (MM 41.2)

Day Four:
More beautiful forests. more views, and then the Graveyard Fields which are like balds with bushes and small trees. A grouse jumped up and scared Lora. Then down to Skinny Dip Falls where we found some brave souls actually getting into the water. We filtered water and then headed up to the campsite (MM 52.5). We got our tarps set up just in time as the rain came in. It rained all evening and at bed time the storms came in. Three thunderstorms during the night which with prayer never did hit us directly, but went around us.

Day Five:
We got up to dry but extremely windy conditions. Dropping the tarp to the ground again for breakfast. There were times that we both put our hands against the tarp trying to keep the wind from pulling up the stakes. We got on the trail with a few different crossings of the Parkway and lots of climbing for views. Lora did another dance on the wet leaves finding herself laying in the middle of the trail. Always dancing around. We did the final climb up Green Knob with the wind trying to blow us off the trail before going back down to cross the Parkway and down to our car. As we approached US 276 we saw blue lights. Then we noticed that a police car was behind our car thinking "Great"! The officer was extremely nice and said that someone that drives through here everyday called it in for him to check out.

Pictures:

Father/Son Hike 2009

Mountain to Sea Trail: A 935 Mile trail starting at Clingmans Dome in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and going to Jockey’s Ridge State Park at the Atlantic Ocean.

This year’s trip started with some excitement. Steve’s luggage didn’t arrive with him so I got the call to bring extra backpacking stuff. I arrived a little later than planned with some traffic problems. Luckily when I arrived, Steve had already retrieved his backpack from the airport.

We headed out to the Oconaluftee Visitor Center to drop the van off. This is a two and a half hour drive from the Ponderosa. We were slowed a bit by a bear jam on the other side of the road, but were blessed with seeing some Elk at the Visitor center when we arrived. There were three bulls and four cows. Of course we didn’t have a camera on any of us.

After dropping off the van, we headed back to the Ponderosa to a dinner of steak and shrimp. I had already gone with no sleep the night before on shift and then driven three hours, which turned into four and then ridden another five hours dropping off the van. I went to sleep after dinner.

We got up early the next morning and after a great breakfast, Mom took us to Clingmans Dome. This year we were planning on doing the 28-mile Smoky Mountain section of the Mountain to Sea trail. At Clingmans Dome we found that we would be hiking through some snow and ice just to make the day a little more challenging.

We had passed quite a few folks backpacking the AT and then on the Fork Ridge trail we met a couple of gals that turn out to be some seasoned hikers. Smokyscout smokyscout.blogspot.com and Danny www.hikertohiker.com. We did jump frog them a couple of times until we crossed Deep Creek where they headed on and we stayed at campground 53.

We had one of those cold fires as all the wood was wet, but we did finally get enough hot coal to stay warm. We sat around the fire checking out the stars taking cough medicine.

The next morning we got up and headed out about nine thirty that morning. We hiked down Deep Creek to Martins Gap Trail which I was excited to see was part of the Benton MacKaye trail which I have been wanting to hike. It follows along the Mountain to Sea trail until Newton Bald.

We did see some chipmunks and kicked up a grouse on the trail. We also saw a ranger on horseback doing some chainsaw work along Deep Creek.

When we got to campsite 52 we got to join a group of 14 college backpackers from Michigan. They had driven twelve hours and hiked in from Smokemont so they didn’t make it long into the evening. They did provide some entertainment, but camped on a knoll down from us.

We got a fire going with dry wood and watched as Dad showed us how to collect your Mountain House meal from the ground after spilling it. Not to let us down, he also showed us how to toss a brownie into the fire afterwards. It was of mom’s good brownies so yes, he did dive and retrieve it without burns.

Later that night or into the morning we got some rain. It did stop long enough for us to get packed up and on the trail in the morning. The rest of the day we got some mist on us, but nothing serious. We hiked down to Newfound Gap Road and the Mingus Mill. We did a quick tour of the mill and then hiked to the Oconaluftee visitor center where we did get to see another elk and had our cameras with us to take some pictures.

We got in the van and headed up Newfound Gap Road to Clingmans Dome where we were turned around as the road was blocked and they said would be for the next three hours. We had to go back to Cherokee to 40, which turned into a five-hour drive home for pizza and beer.

Pictures: