The floor of the tunnel is absolutely cloaked in darkness; the dimest light tells me where the walls lie. My mind easily begins to wonder whether a deep shaft might have opened in the floor of this forgotten 1940's era tunnel. I would easily make my last step into oblivion. ...
Flats Mountain Hike - Citico Creek Wilderness Area View from Cherehola Skyway on morning of my start August 14, 2010 I pulled the van over at Eagle Gap marked by a sign with the hiker/backpacker symbol and unloaded my mountain bike. I my collapsed hiking poles stuck out of the top of my day pack. I carried 8 oz bottles of water, homemade chlorine drops, a lighter, iphone, blackberry, fruit granola bars, and a mix of almonds, raisins, and dark chocolate covered almonds. Mountain Biking between trailheads and hiking back to car. It...
July 23, 2010 Here is the plan. Rebecca and her three friends, Andy, Brady, and Mike, take my car to Beech Gap on the Cherehola Highway and I take the our van to Tapoca Dam at the trailhead for the Slickrock Creek trail. We hike toward one another's vehicles via different routes. I arrive at Beech Gap and drive away the car; Rebecca and friends drive away the van at the other end. Rebecca's route has more downhill. She starts at 4,490 feet elevation and ends at 1,160 feet....
Today was a beautiful blue sky spring day. Started my hike at Neals Gap at about 8:30 am. Still chilly at 48 degrees so I added a fleece jacket to my shorts. Good views toward Brasstown Bald and the Arquah (trail) ridge. Later had views all of the way back to Coosa Bald and Calf Stamp Gap. I would like to link all of this to the AT and hike a giant loop one day. There would be several miles of road walk around why 9 in order...
Itinerary: Smokemont on Bradley Creek Trail to Chasteen Fork Trail to Hughes Ridge Trail to Pecks Corner. Return down Hughes Ridge Trail to Bradley Creek Trail intersection back to Smokemont. February 6th, 2010, Saturday At 5:00 AM I am in my car headed toward Cherokee, NC.. Around Topton, NC where US 129 turns toward Robbinsville, NC I begin to see the remnants from last week’s snowstorm on the side of the road. Descending into Nantahala gorge, a little mixed freezing stuff hits the windshield. My hike begins in Smokemont campground and climbs on...
January 2, 2010 - 8 AM Condition: Temp at Trackrock: 16 degrees. Temp at Lake Winfield Scott: Considerably Colder Winds: Blowing hard, maybe 20 mph gusts Out of the car, we see a couple of snowflakes. We didn't expect that. We quickly wrap up with the remainder of our jackets, hats, and gloves, but too late for the quick chill of cold winds whipping across the lake. It is not too hard to get moving in order to beat off already numb hands and frozen ears. We move over the footbridge and on to...