Ten Day Journey To The Snow

[Tipi Walter]

Backpacking The Citico/Slickrock
January 30-31 February 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8 2009

DAY ONE
I started my 90th trip into the wilderness by driving along Citico Creek road and up 3 miles along Doublecamp road to park at the Rocky Flats trailhead where I loaded a heavy pack and began my walk up Rocky Flats mountain. At the top I started to go down towards the chimney site and ran into Whiteblazer Hootyhoo coming up so we took a long break as he hung out his tent and bag to dry. We headshedded and decided to return to the road and follow it up on foot the 3 miles to Farr Gap and along the BMT/Fodderstack a half mile where we found a small camp for the night. Along the way we ran into trailguru Ken Jones and 3 other trail workers.

DAY TWO
We woke up to around 18 degress and I continued south on the Fodderstack and pulled several steep hills where I set up camp at Crowders. Hootyhoo veered off to explore down the ridge into the Citico wilderness.

DAY THREE
I packed up and went down the Big Stack trail about 2 miles where I camped next to the good sound of Slickrock Creek.

Day Four
HERE COMES THE SNOW AND COLD
I woke up to sleet and snow and started out in Crocs so I could cross the Slickrock in bare feet. On the other side I quickly rebooted and began the arduous climb up the Big Fat trail and the start of the South Lead trail in ever-increasing snow. By the time I reached a long grassy gap 900 feet below the Hangover it was very cold and the snow was 6 inches deep so I set up a frozen tent and hunkered in.

FOTOGS
Hootyhoo on the Rocky Flats trail
Taking a water break before reaching Farr Gap
We make it to Farr Gap
Ken Jones and his trail cohorts
Ken Jones
Hootyhoo's camp on the Fodderstack

[Tipi Walter]

DAY FIVE
I stayed put in a butt cold windstorm and woke up to around 5 degrees.

DAY SIX
An even colder morning greeted me at zero and everything was frozen especially the boots and the tent. I figured to stay yet another night but by about noon I got a wild hair and decided to go up into the forbidden zone of white and arctic frost. It took every bit of finger effort to pack up and I barely got the icey tent rolled into the stuff sack but hit the trail in moderate layers and began the long steep climb up to Saddle Tree Gap and the Hangover. Nearing the Ridge the trail completely disappeared and the snow was 10 inches deep, the windchill killed my face.

On the ridge, finally, I hit 25 inch deep drifts and sought the closest camp I could find, Airjet Camp on the Hangover. Postholing up to my waist I struggled to camp where I dumped the pack and immediately cleared off a tentsite and set up camp. It was to be a cold night.

DAY SEVEN
I awoke to minus 3 degrees and lifted my swaddled head a couple of inches off the pad and then plopped it back down. In a couple of hours direct sunlight was hitting the tent and so began the day. The first order of business was to string a line and air dry my sleeping bag. Due to the cold and the high drifts I decided to stay another night there at the Hangover. I looked forward to tomorrow's gear up and over to the gap at Naked Ground.

FOTOGS
The first hint of snow on Day 4 on the Slickrock
Heading up the South Lead Hangover trail
Two day campsite at Elysium Fields below the Hangover
Shunka dog on the trail up to the Hangover. The snow got deeper.
Taking a break near the summit
A snowed in Airjet Camp atop Hangover Mountain

[Tipi Walter]

DAY EIGHT
After 2 days at the Hangover I decided to pack up and move the 1.5 miles in warming temps along Four Mile Ridge to the high gap at Naked Ground. The walk took me twice as long as expected due to the deep snow and 20 inch drifts, and the continuous postholing, but I made it and set up a fine open camp overlooking the world below.

DAY NINE
A WINDY sunny morning got me up and I planned the route out to a final camping spot. After a full day of backpacking I ended up at Mill Gap with all intentions of dropping off the mountain and finishing up the trip but at the high water spring of Mill Branch I found 3 tents and 3 backpackers from the Southern Highlanders(hiking outlaws)group and John Quillen introduced himself and we all had a big reunion. So I decide to camp with them.(Check out his excellent website).

DAY TEN
I got up at 2am and listened to a strong ridge wind blowing above me and the tent. Today I dropped 1600 feet in 2.5 miles and hoped to find the car in good shape with me in it riding home. It was and I left.

FOTOGS
Hangover Camp in cold conditions
View off the Hangover looking towards the AT in NC
The snow is not as deep!
Naked Ground camp in the snow
Packed up and leaving the high ground
John Quillen at the high Mill Gap camp

[Ramble~On]

Gotta love Ken Jones. I had to give up those two sections and figured he'd be in there doing his magic - they are in good hands and I'll always look forward to running into anyone wearing a hardhat in there.

[Tipi Walter]

Gotta love Ken Jones. I had to give up those two sections and figured he'd be in there doing his magic - they are in good hands and I'll always look forward to running into anyone wearing a hardhat in there.

Remember when you cut about 26 blowdowns out of that trail about 2 years ago? Well, Ken said they just cut about 30 more along the same route. The virginia pines along that section of Fodderstack trail seem to get walloped more than usual. The most vicious blowdown though was the one you pulled out on the upper section of the Stiffknee.

[ed bell]

Great pictures and trip report, Tipi. I knew you would find the time to get out in that cold snap. You know, the night of the 4th Mt. LeConte registered a low of -22 deg. F? I can't remember how cold you said it got for you, but that is some bone chilling weather. :sun

[Egads]

Enjoyed the trail report

[Nicksaari]

great reading/viewing as always Tipi.
best part is that huge smile you have on your face, so stoked to be out there with the dog in the moment in that element. i know that face, i get it too, but you're too hardcore for me!! haha. look forward to at least one more cold snap before the seasons change, eh?
if only i had a really really warm down bag...