Bear Chews Tent: 20 Days in TN Mountains

[Tipi Walter]

This trip happens in October/November 2023 and starts at Beech Gap on the TN/NC state line. Here's the route---

**Beech Gap to Bob Bald and Hangover Mt.
**Backtrack from Hangover Mt to Bob Bald.
**Trail 54A (N) to Barrel Gap and Trail 149.
**Lost on Brush Mt Trail and return to 149.

**149 South to Cold Spring Gap.
**South Fork Trail Down to Citico Creek and out to Indian Boundary Lake.

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I arrive at Beech Gap on the BMT with my heavy McHale pack.

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Little Mitten shuttles me up the mountain. We leave home at 70F and it's 40F in the gap. Cold!

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I reach the top of Bob Mt and air out my WM Puma sleeping bag after two days of rain even tho we're in a drought.

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I leave Bob Bald and head east to Naked Ground Gap and get water from NG spring which has alot of water but it's all in a mud pit. This is where a pump filter comes in real handy.

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While in Naked Ground I meet friendly Nurse Bobby out of Columbia, Georgia.

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Nurse Bobby decides to follow me up to Haoe Peak as I make my way to Hangover Mt.

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I reach Hangover Mt---best view in the Southeast---and meet John Quillen and Patrick out for their annual October gathering.

[Tipi Walter]

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King Quillen surveys his kingdom. (Note: John is a mountaineer and has climbed Mt Everest and Broad Peak and a dozen others).

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I leave the Quillen group and backtrack to Naked Ground Gap where I run into old friend Nathan DeLay in his tent with his dog.

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I leave NG and pass over Bob Mt and descend to Trail 149 to begin the hardest trail in Citico wilderness---Brush Mt---for the 35th time. But I get lost.

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Getting futile water from Happy Rock Spring somewhere on Brush Mt trail.

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After spending four hours trying to find Brush Mt trail I fail and have to return to the trailsign on Trail 149 where all this madness began. I take 149 north to a favorite CS I call Dean Camp which is next to an actual creek.

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After a good night in Dean Camp I head south on 149 into Cold Gap (where I was on Day 1) and take South Fork trail steeply down (in microspikes) to South Fork Citico Creek and enter a terrible section of trail I call God's Anus---a gauntlet full of sawbriars, grape vine and brambles---ergo the results.

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After a hell slog I finally reach beautiful South Fork Creek where I camp and where a black bear chews on my red Hilleberg tent. He leaves eight small tooth holes.

[Tipi Walter]

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Late night bear chew toy with 8 small holes. I get up fast and see the bear running thru the woods.

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I carry silicone patches and McNett's silnet glue so the fix happens fast---top two patches. Bottom patch is from another bear bite happening on Thanksgiving 2020.

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I continue down South Fork trail and stop by the creek for a breather.

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Pretty South Fork Creek in late autumn.

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South Fork trail jcts North Fork Citico trail so I cross North Fork's footbridge and head upstream.

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A view of South Fork Creek from the footbridge---in low water.

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I cross North Fork Creek one time and set up camp at Crossing Two, a fave.

[Tipi Walter]

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I leave North Fork camp and return to South Fork trail and set up camp next to Citico Creek (combination of North Fork and South Fork) and hunker in for a few days with a stray hunting dog.

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This abandoned hunting dog stays with me for three days---and we backpack together out of Citico wilderness and up Citico Creek road to a stealth CS I never used before---on an old gated logging road.

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The end of South Fork trail where it meets Citico Creek road to begin my long roadwalk west.

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Old gated logging cut 40401 which I explore for both water and a CS on my last night.

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I find a great CS right on the old logging cut and it's close to a water spring.

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Day 20 and a last roadwalk to this sign near my evac point.

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One final road hump and I'm finished with another backpacking trip.

[jeffmeh]

Great trip report as always. That bear sure has expensive tastes!

[Tipi Walter]

Great trip report as always. That bear sure has expensive tastes!

Blood red tent looks tasty.

[JNI64]

What happened with the dog?

[Tipi Walter]

What happened with the dog?

During my roadwalk a rolling hunter picked him up.

[gpburdelljr]

Where do you store your food?

[Slugg]

Enjoyed the report, Tipi. I’ll be up in the same area doing a little base-camping and hiking for a few days next month.

[chknfngrs]

Nice! You know how to backpack!! Always love your reports

[Mike Goodman]

Nice! You know how to backpack!! Always love your reports

He didn't mention the 110 pound pack.

[chknfngrs]

He doesn’t have to! Everyone knows his style is “everything but the kitchen sink” which in this day of gram weenies is a breath of fresh air!

[Tipi Walter]

Where do you store your food?

Well hung or in my belly.

Enjoyed the report, Tipi. I’ll be up in the same area doing a little base-camping and hiking for a few days next month.

It's a nice place for hiking with some stupendous hill climbs.

He doesn’t have to! Everyone knows his style is “everything but the kitchen sink” which in this day of gram weenies is a breath of fresh air!

Pack weight is just a tiny part of backpacking. More important are meandering trails, creekside camps, natural beauty, foot propelled freedom, good food, foraging, snowfall, all night rains, wind events, and the occasional backpacking companion. Oh and even the elusive black bear.

[JNI64]

Thanks for taking care of the dog lots of Respect!
And thanks for sharing your adventures!
You're one strong 70+ and one strong inspiration!

[JNI64]

Anyone that can not see that is either a fool or a blind man....