View Full Version : 12 Days On The Nutbuster
Tipi Walter
04-22-2009, 09:00
BACKPACKING THE CITICO/SLICKROCK WILDERNESS
April 10-21 2009
DAY ONE
The first day of the trip on the Grassy Branch trail heading down into the Citico. There's 7 high water creek crossings so I'm carrying my boots for most of the way.
When a trail seems too good, a newt arrives to make it better.
South Fork Creek. Grassy Branch trail drops you down to the South Fork where the high water crossing gets tricky. I avoided this crossing by bushwacking off Grassy Branch and heading downstream on the South Fork.
White Rock Camp on the South Fork. Here I spent my first night next to the loud creek under a rainy sky.
Down the South Fork trail. Here's a nice view of Ike Branch coming off the mountain and meeting the South Fork. The trail going up this creek is called Brush Mountain and is probably the most remote trail in all of the Citico.
Simply fantastic... I'll be looking forward to your trail journal entry's...
Tipi Walter
04-22-2009, 09:19
CITICO/SLICKROCK WILDERNESS
April 10-21 2009
DAY TWO
Leaving White Rock Camp I go down the South Fork trail and check out the high footbridge leading up the North Fork Citico trail.
My Hilleberg tent set up along the lower South Fork at the Donner Camps. Several years ago I spent 3 days camping here in a butt cold sleeting rain and had a book called ORDEAL BY HUNGER: The Donner Tragedy, to keep me company.
The last vestige of my old 1978 North Face Tuolumne tent: a Fastex clasp that I put on my Hilleberg tent stuff sack.
DAY THREE
I leave the South Fork and get on the 4.5 mile Rocky Flats trail and merge with Doublecamp for a mile and then get on this, the Crowder Branch trail.
Cut Hand Camp. Crowders is another trail with several creek crossings requiring the use of my Crocs. After the 5th crossing I find this little campsite and set up after a 7 mile day.
Tipi Walter
04-22-2009, 09:42
CITICO/SLICKROCK WILDERNESS
April 10-21 2009
DAY FOUR
Crowder Gap Camp on Fodderstack Ridge and the BMT. I leave Cut Hand Camp and pull 9 total creek crossings(the section bewteen crossing 7 and 9 is STEEP), and finally hit the B Mac on Fodderstack Ridge where I set up at a fine campsite.
The morning at Crowders becomes an afternoon on the Slickrock where I set up at Bee Camp. I leave Crowders and go down the 2 mile Big Stack trail and cross a knee high Slickrock Creek to arrive at a big open campsite near the junction of the Big Fat/Slickrock and Nichols Cove trails.
A view of Slickrock Creek from my campsite.
Here I am exploring the area around Slickrock Creek that I call the Slicnic Camps(SLICkrock/NIChols cove).
DAY FIVE
The only backpackers I saw in 12 days. A father/daughter team from Murphy, NC, they came in at Big Fat Gap and climbed up to the Hangover for a night and then went into Naked Ground and came down the Nutbuster trail(the upper Slickrock trail), and stayed a second night near the bottom.
On the Nutbuster Trail. I start up the Nutbuster for the 22nd time(actual tally: 3 times down, 21 up), and find a great campsite in an open cove of big trees somewhere in the middle of the trail.
This dog must think he has already gone to heaven...
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=6135&d=1240403193
Tipi Walter
04-22-2009, 10:04
CITICO/SLICKROCK WILDERNESS
April 10-21 2009
DAY SIX
Yes, we're back on the Nutbuster Trail. Here I am pulling the most rugged section of the Nutbuster on Lonesome Ridge. Every backpacker should hike this mystical trail.
The Heath Overlook. Nearing the top of the Nutbuster there's a little pulloff overlook and so I take a break and check out the view of the Hangover.
Setting up camp at Naked Ground. This is how you keep a tent clean from mud: put down a good layer of dead leaves.
After the Nutbuster comes a high gap campsite at Naked Ground(around 5,000 feet). It's a good place to readjust calf muscles and reinsert lungs.
DAY SEVEN
I left Naked Ground and walked over Haoe Peak and set up at Airjet Camp on the Hangover.
A sunny day on the Hangover. I spent all day on a rock hanging out with a new lizard friend who spent most of his time sleeping next to me.
Dayhikers come to the Hangover.
Tipi Walter
04-22-2009, 10:26
CITICO/SLICKROCK WILDERNESS
April 10-21 2009
DAY EIGHT
I leave the Hangover and go down one of the most remote trails in the Slickrock wilderness: the Deep Creek trail. It's a steep but pretty trail, and right past the wooden footbridge I set up camp.
The Deep Creek wooden footbridge. I'm starting to like this little forgotten valley and especially this little plank footbridge.
DAY NINE
I spent all day in a soaking rain on Deep Creek and decided to basecamp it for 2 days and wait it out.
DAY TEN
I go back up the Deep Creek trail(and it's a steep dang thing), and somewhere along the way I pass this big white rock. There's many more further up.
DAY ELEVEN
I reach the Hangover in the rain and pull another 1.5 miles back to Naked Ground where I spend my final night in the cold, rain and wind.
DAY TWELVE
Uncle Fungus leaves the wilderness to meet his ride. It actually started snowing on the way out.
King Fungus surveying his kingdom. And saying goodbye to Miss Nature for a bit.
Tipi,
Thanks for the report and photos. Another neat trip I'd like to take someday. So many adventures to take and so little time...:-?
Tipi Walter
04-22-2009, 11:08
Tipi,
Thanks for the report and photos. Another neat trip I'd like to take someday. So many adventures to take and so little time...:-?
So much of Nature, so little of me.
sherrill
04-22-2009, 13:37
So much of Nature, so little of me.
Truth. I've hiked and camped in other parts of the world, it seems overwhelming sometimes when you want to see it all. Thanks for your report, the wife and I are going to use it for our own adventure there.
Thanks a lot. Glad you had a good time.
FamilyGuy
04-23-2009, 21:24
Good thing you had that Hilleberg just in case it snowed. So how is the heavy load going?
The picture with you hanging your tongue out pretty much says it all...
Good thing you had that Hilleberg just in case it snowed. So how is the heavy load going?
The picture with you hanging your tongue out pretty much says it all...
If your so affraid of weight why don't you find a new hobbie? Maybe hot air ballooning... It's hiking, it is supposed to be a challenge... It's one of the great things about it... Not all of us require the cushy lattie sipping metro lifestyle... Enjoy your lightweight treks and i'll enjoy my slightly heavier treks... All these opinions must really weight you down, let it go...
Hikerhead
04-23-2009, 21:43
I thought that was a statue on top of the rocks at the sign....naaa it's just you! But I can you in on top of there on day, in stone for real. Good report.
Tipi Walter
04-23-2009, 21:44
Good thing you had that Hilleberg just in case it snowed. So how is the heavy load going?
The picture with you hanging your tongue out pretty much says it all...
Have you ever walked the Nutbuster trail? Check out Backpackers Magazine review of the trail titled TOUGH LOVE: North Carolina Slickrock Creek Trail, by Jean Gauger and Hiram Rogers:
"Early afternoon and already our legs quiver. Lungs wheeze like we've got a four pack a day habit. For all our effort, though, we're only partway up the infamous Slickrock Creek Trail in Joyce Kilmer Slickrock Wilderness. Two more miles of unrelentingly steeps lie ahead. We'd been warned about this trail, but that's like telling a kid to stay away from the cookie jar."
"The upper section of the Slickrock Creek trail is widely considered the hardest hike in the southern Appalachians. Its nickname among local hikers is "The Ballbuster." As we found out, all kinds of body parts get worked over on this hike. The fun begins where Slickrock Creek Trail leaves the creek and rockets skyward through dense rhododendron. Successfully completing this climb takes stamina and willpower . . ."
I don't expect you to know about this trail or attempt it even on a dayhike with a buttpack, but it's a great trail even with a 70 pound pack, just takes a bit longer.
Great report, Tipi. The Nutbuster is something one just has to experience. Just when I thought it couldn't get steeper it did. I love the great places it rewards you with on the ridgetop. Haoe, Naked Ground and the Bob are definitely on my favorites list!
Tipi Walter
04-23-2009, 22:13
Great report, Tipi. The Nutbuster is something one just has to experience. Just when I thought it couldn't get steeper it did. I love the great places it rewards you with on the ridgetop. Haoe, Naked Ground and the Bob are definitely on my favorites list!
Yeah, I know. Everytime I consider another place, like the AT south of Fontana or the BMT around Ocoee/Cohutta, I always get drawn back into the Slickrock and the high ground. Probably cuz it's so close to home. Hate driving far to backpack.
FamilyGuy
04-23-2009, 22:37
Have you ever walked the Nutbuster trail? Check out Backpackers Magazine review of the trail titled TOUGH LOVE: North Carolina Slickrock Creek Trail, by Jean Gauger and Hiram Rogers:
"Early afternoon and already our legs quiver. Lungs wheeze like we've got a four pack a day habit. For all our effort, though, we're only partway up the infamous Slickrock Creek Trail in Joyce Kilmer Slickrock Wilderness. Two more miles of unrelentingly steeps lie ahead. We'd been warned about this trail, but that's like telling a kid to stay away from the cookie jar."
"The upper section of the Slickrock Creek trail is widely considered the hardest hike in the southern Appalachians. Its nickname among local hikers is "The Ballbuster." As we found out, all kinds of body parts get worked over on this hike. The fun begins where Slickrock Creek Trail leaves the creek and rockets skyward through dense rhododendron. Successfully completing this climb takes stamina and willpower . . ."
I don't expect you to know about this trail or attempt it even on a dayhike with a buttpack, but it's a great trail even with a 70 pound pack, just takes a bit longer.
Hilarious.