Blood Mountain Nightmare (almost)

[JLB]

I wrote this on another non-hiking forum, but thought it may interest you guys.

I drove my kids up to summer camp in North Carolina, and took some time with my wife (and beagle) for a short vacation. I wanted to show her the highlights of Northern Georgia, which I found to be very beautiful, and not at all what I had expected.



Last year I hiked a 50 mile section of the Georgia Appalachian Trail, before moving on to NC (to avoid the rain) so having and extra 4 days, we drove down from the Asheville area where the camp is located to Hiawassee Georgia, and Lake Chatuge. This is one of the most beautiful towns I have ever seen. Lake Chatuge is a man-made lake, part of the TVA, and has 120 miles of shoreline, with 4,000 foot mountains all around it. It's 7 miles log, and 4 miles wide at it's widest, but has scores of small fingers of water branching off. The house on the lake are gorgeous, but expensive, as the TVA owns most of the shore line, so lake front lots are large in number, but limited in supply.
We stayed at the Hiawassee Inn, a place that specializes in the hiking community, and was the exact place I was on the 4th of July last year, coming off the trail at Unicoi Gap.

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From Hiawassee, we headed up to Neel's Gap, and to the Hostel and camping store there, to stock up on gear. I had virtually everything, from my long trip last year, but my wife had never done any mountain hiking, other than a trip out to Glacier, Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons a few years back, and that was just side trails from the road, nothing serious. We stocked up on camp food, and picked up a set of Crocs sandles for my wife, for camp shoes, and I picked up a cheap poncho, as I had forgotten to pack all of my rain gear. (last year it rained on me all day, 18 days in a row)

Neel's Gap is at the base of Blood Mountain, which is the highest Ga. mountain on the AT, at around 4500 feet. The trail is only 2.5 miles, but it's like straight up, so I would rate it as difficult, for a beginner with a moderate pack. I made sure she was only carrying a day pack, with 15 pounds, while I carried my usual Gregory pack, with about 35 pounds. There is no water source up top, so I was maxed out on water.

Blood Mountain also has the oldest shelter on the AT, and has a pretty spectacular view, so we planned an overnight there, and then would hike back down, and drive further south on the trail, and do another overnight at Long Creek Falls, where tech30528 was last week, and near the beginning of the AT.

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tech30528 at Long Creek Falls

The beagle was having an absolute blast, being off the leash for the first time in the mountain woods, and probably hiked twice the distance we did, and did so at an amazing pace, running forward, and backwards, as we climbed.

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Angel, our 3 year old 13" tri-color beagle

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Near the top

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Near the top

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At the top, finally....

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Blood Mountain Shelter

When we got to the top, the temps started dropping, and we were made aware that a front was moving in, ahead of the tropical storm, so temps started droppping, and we got a light rain, with some mist. Luckily, we had bought 3 camp blankets, and had 30 degree down bags with us.

Blood Mountain Shelter is a stone structure, with two rooms, a front room, and a back sleeping area, with a raised plywood platform, about 6 inches off off the ground. There is no door, and the windows are completely open.

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Sleeping room

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Karen reading "DaVinci Code" in the sleeping area.

We got there about 3:30 in the afternoon, and had the place to ourselves for a while, and then were joined by a man and his two sons, who had put in a 12 mile day, so were exhausted. It started raining, so they started cooking, but inside the first room of the shelter (a no-no, as food aroma attracts wildlife).

When it started getting dark, I hung my food and trash with a rope about 15 feet up in a tree, to discourage bears, and other animals from getting at it. Most shelters have mice, and we call them "mini-bears' as they will chew a hole into your pack, and get at anything inside.

I asked the man if he was going to hang his food, and he said he wasn't, as he hadn't seen any bears from his hike from Springer, and didn't see the need. He actually kept his pack, with food in it, in the sleeping area. I strongly disagreed, and told him that if a bear came through the door, I would insist on him dealing with it. He laughed, and said he would.

Now, it's dark, and before bed time, I tied the beagle's leash around my foot, and gave her about 8' of play, so she could move around, but not go bolting out into the darkness after a rabbit, or a mouse. The 8' proved to be a wise choice, as you will soon see.

Now it's about 11pm, and I can't sleep, as the dog has stolen most of my down bag, and I'm laying on plywood, freezing, as I gave my wife my Therma-rest sleeping pad. For the next 20 minutes, the beagle starts shaking and whining. She obviously is detecting something, but I'm assuming it's just the shelter mice, as I can hear light scratching in the next room. I try talking to her to calm her down, but she was wound up pretty tight.

All of a sudden, the scratching noise moves from the front room, to the back sleeping room, right over where this guy's pack was. The noise was pretty loud, and I was starting to form a plan of action for the worst case scenario. I eased my fanny pack over, and grabbed my Surefire 6P flashlight (very powerful and small, same as the cops carry).

Without warning, the beagle shot across the room in the direction of the noise, and was brought up just short by her leash. I reeled her in, and got a firm grasp, then brought my flashlight up, hoping when I flicked it on I would not see eyes 6 feet off the floor.........................


What I saw, was the next worse possible scenario..................


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Oh s**t!!!!!!!


"Dude" I whispered, "wake up!"

No answer.........

"Wake up everybody, we have a situation!" I yelled.

Everybody bolted upright, and stared at the image in my flash light.

And here it was, our second worse nightmare:

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Note the tail emerging from the guy's pack!

Yes, it was the biggest skunk I had ever seen in my life!

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For 20 minutes we held our breath, as this skunk went in, and out of this guy's pack, and even came over and sniffed their feet.

We discussed what to do, and when the skunk was entirely inside the pack, I told him to just zip it up inside, and take the pack outside. He said "No way, he'll spray my pack." I said "It's your fault he's in here, so take one for the team."

I also considered grabbing the skunk by the tail as it was hanging out, and chucking it out the window like a live grenade, but decided that was a high risk operation, with a large penalty if i failed to use the proper skunk tossing technique.

At one point, it was joined by a smaller skunk, but I couldn't get a pic, as it left the room too quickly.

All the while, I'm holding onto 25 pounds of pure muscle, that is baying, whining, and trying desperately to get at the "kitty" across the room.

2 more feet of leash, and the beagle would have gotten to the skunk, and the entire room would have been the victim of a chemical warfare attack nearly as bad as anything Al Qaeda could dream up.

We would have had a miserable night, then a morning hike with all stinking to high heaven, and then would not have been able to get into our car in our condition.

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Finally, after a long period of time, the skunk lost interest, and left the room, and the guy took all of his food, and put it in the other room, tossing a handfull of trail mix outside to satisfy the skunk family.

We hiked down the next morning, and learned that our plans to stay at Long Creek Falls would be spent in a rainstorm (Tropical Storm was moving through), so we elected to check into a hotel in the Atlanta area, and just take it easy, having had enough excitement to last us a while.

[Lone Wolf]

That shelter is nasty. It's notorius for skunks and mice. It needs to be torn down. Lots of shelters need to be torn down. And not replaced.

[Dances with Mice]

Skunks are nightly visitors on Blood. Rats too, though they mostly stay in the rafters.

Didn't you read the shelter journal? Probably every person staying overnight there for the last TEN YEARS or so has had the same experience. Could be worse, in winter Mr. Stripey likes to snuggle into the foot of down sleeping bags.

Cute sheet set you got there, btw. Polka dots are so underused in backpacking sleeping ensembles.

[JLB]

That shelter is nasty. It's notorius for skunks and mice. It needs to be torn down. Lots of shelters need to be torn down. And not replaced.

The worst part about it, is the windows are two feet above the sleeping platform, and the wind goes right through there. Being at the top of the mountain, it gets a little chilly, even in late July. The rain comes right in, and there is only about a 10' dry spot.

I don't think it needs to be torn down necessarily, because of the history, but a new tin roof, and some pieces of plywood that could be leaned against the window would be great.

They have put two first rate Privys at the top, just down the southbound section of the trail, and that has improved the area a great deal. There was also a complete absence of trash. It looks like the Ridge Runners and trail builders have been doing a great job.

I also noticed a lot of bees up there, and there was a med kit in the shelter, with epinephrine shots included. I don't know if another hiker left it, or if it was from the Ridge Runner.

[JLB]

Skunks are nightly visitors on Blood. Rats too, though they mostly stay in the rafters.

Didn't you read the shelter journal? Probably every person staying overnight there for the last TEN YEARS or so has had the same experience. Could be worse, in winter Mr. Stripey likes to snuggle into the foot of down sleeping bags.

Cute sheet set you got there, btw. Polka dots are so underused in backpacking sleeping ensembles.

Oh, so he has a name? LOL!

"Mr. Stripey"

Has Mr. Stripey ever cut loose on anybody? I have no doubt that my dog thought it was a cat, and we would have all gotten a blast.

Are all of the Georgia skunks that big? I've seen the smaller black and white skunks, but this thing was much larger than any skunk I've ever seen.


Last year I didn't overnight, and ended up at Walisi-yi. I summited with my son, and it was hazy, and raining, so we didn't get the great view we had this year.

Those sheets were from the guy and his two kids that brought their food inside. The skunk ended up walking up and sniffing that guy's feet, and I told him that the skunk probably was in love, and though his feet smelled wonderful.

I didn't see any shelter journal present.

[JLB]

One other note:

After a year of my wife and daughter complaining how ugly my Crocs were, I made my wife buy a set (blue) at Neels Gap, and after wearing them on Blood Mountain, she now thinks they are the greatest thing in the world.

My daughter went to camp, and most of the counselors were wearing them, in pink, orange, etc., and my daughter demanded a pair when she got home, so now has a bright purple pair, and she loves them.

I still have my pair, and after a year of yard work, and wearing virtually no other casal shoe, they still are in great shape.

[Dances with Mice]

"Mr. Stripey"

The Blood Mtn skunks (you only saw TWO?!) are quite familiar with people and very friendly. Their usual MO is to hop in and sniff around the sleeping area. Then people throw food into the other room for them, hoping to lure them out. They eat then come back to poke around for more. Everyone's always very friendly to them. They have a really good racket going on there, and have been doing it for years.

The GATC would be happy to tear the whole thing down but it's a CCC project and supposedly listed as a Historical Site, but I can't find it on any Historical Site registries I've been able to check. If it really is listed, it limits (...increases the costs...) of repairs because you can't just repair it, you'd have to restore it. I can remember when it had working shutters and a door. All destroyed by vandals.

[Sly]

That shelter is nasty. It's notorius for skunks and mice. It needs to be torn down. Lots of shelters need to be torn down. And not replaced.

The problem I see with not having shelters or replacing them is the high impact the area would have because of people constantly camping. I think by having shelters, it affords some relief to the surrounding area, especially during off season when the shelters aren't full and people are more apt to use them exclusively.

[JLB]

There seem to be plenty of nice areas up there to pitch tents, about 100 yards from the shelter. They just need to create the area, and they would get some use.

I think most people are focused on getting to Neels though, and after a 12 mile day leading up to Blood, just go right on over.

My wife was having a great time, and when we reached the first set of rocks and view, she was like: "Finally, the top!"

I pointed to the right up through the trees, and said, "Uh, no honey, that's the top, we are not even half way!"

The look on her face was priceless.

[The Solemates]

We've seen Mr Stripey on more than one occasion. we were actually up at blood mtn about a month ago, but didnt see him, but then again we slept in the tent.

[Hammock Hanger]

Awesome pics... I have spent many a night in that shelter without much excitment. Your story had me laughing, glad you all made it through w/o a "stink". Sue

[Chip]

Good pics. Don't know if I would have stayed to take them. Once had 2 skunks
come right up to our campfire looking for food (Elkmount campground, GSNP).
Ther were 12 of us around the fire telling "fish stories" (Trout Unlimited). The big one that got away. Well the 12 of us were lucky & got away. Skunks can be very brave when looking for food.

[Ramble~On]

Seeing as how you weren't happy to have met them be glad only two showed up. Also, food or not those skunks make nighlty visits. Yes, they do get bigger than the one in the photo. Rather than zipping it in the pack or attempting to throw it out the window you all made the right choice but letting it go about its routine. That Skunk and many others call the shelter and surrounding area home. The guy who left his food inside his pack, on the floor in that shelter or any other shelter was a classic dummy.

[Israel]

I am with Dances with Mice. The skunk pics are cool but the best part of the series of pictures are the sheets in the foreground. If I camped in that I'd be expecting a little chocolate mint on my pillow every night!

[icemanat95]

I'm not sure of the lifespan of skunks, but it is unlikely that the skunks up there now are the same ones that were there when I chose to tent out in 1995.

[Dances with Mice]

I am with Dances with Mice. The skunk pics are cool but the best part of the series of pictures are the sheets in the foreground. If I camped in that I'd be expecting a little chocolate mint on my pillow every night!

But someone matched floral and print patterns? That is just so wrong.

The Blood Mtn skunks are so used to having their pictures taken that they probably carry their own model release forms, but normally I'd be real careful about using flash photography on wild critters that you don't want to upset.

[BigE]

JLB - Great story and pics - cracked me up sitting here in the office. You should re-post this story in <a href="http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=9742"> this thread</a>. I ALWAYS hang my food, even though it can still be messed with, I would rather that activity occur outside of my sleeping quarters.

Thanks for sharing that funny story.

=e=

[BigE]

Dang - I thought the HTML code was on, well just copy and paste the URL.

=e=

[danbo]

"Has Mr. Stripey ever cut loose on anybody?"

I haven't. (Close once. I was tossing trash in a trash can one dark night when Mr Stripey was inside getting his din din. Almost gave me a heat attack. (Car camping)

Heard of an incident at the Ice Water Springs shelter. Apparently they had Mr Stipey's cousin living under the bunks. 2 English hiker came in. Not knowing what they were. And aggravated with him trying to beg or steal food. Well one of them threw a boot at him.

While car camping again. And sitting around the campfire at night. In my lawn chair. Drinking a glass of wine. Mr Stripey would come and settle under my lawn chair and watch the fire with me. Now that took some getting used to. Since then I've enjoyed the company of skunks. (And unfortunately, not all of them have had 4 legs.)

Nice picture. Nice mutt. (I have a beagle mutt also. Quad color, black, white, brown and smoke blue.)

[danbo]

I can't find it on any Historical Site registries I've been able to check. If it really is listed, it limits (...increases the costs...) of repairs because you can't just repair it, you'd have to restore it.

I used to live in a historic district. Word of advise. Don't look for it on the historic district list. just repair it.

Sometimes ignorance is bliss.