Hi all!
I've read up on the Skyway, Chinnabee, Pinhoti loop, and I just wanted to get some opinions on difficulty.
Most of my backpacking has been done in the Ouachita mountains of Arkansas, with a few solo dayhikes in the higher elevations around Aspen. My wife has been on quite a few dayhikes and one overnight with me on the south end of the Eagle Rock loop in AR. We kept it to about 5.5 miles total, and it was just about perfect for a first time overnighter. I'm thinking the terrain was a little steeper than what is in Cheaha.
I'm thinking the loop may be a good chance for us to stretch to a second night without being too strenuous, but I don't want to push too far too fast. My initial thought was to start at Turnipseed on Friday around noon, hike either to Heaven or to the first creek past Adam's Gap for the night. Saturday, do the Skyway and camp at the creek near the Chinnabee trail. Sunday, hike the remainder out to Turnipseed.
What's the best way to schedule the hike so we don't end up hiking too much per day? Secondly, how could I plan this to where if she decides not to go on, we could cut the loop short or turn it into an out-and-back? We're both in good shape, late 20s.
Thanks for the help.