17 DAYS IN THE CITICO
There are 3 tough nutbuster trails in the Citico Creek wilderness of Tennessee and they are the North Fork, Brush Mt and the South Fork. My goal on this trip was to pull a 17 day backpacking trip with my trail tools and clear these most favored of trails.
The North Fork was already in pretty good shape but Brush Mt and the South Fork needed alot of work. Since this trip started on November 27 I took the usual standard winter load. To see all trip pics go here---
https://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/Backp...e-Citico-Nuts/
TRIP 170
November 27--December 13 2015
HIGHLIGHTS
** 17 DAYS IN DECEMBER
** BICYCLISTS ON THE NORTH FORK TRAIL IN THE CITICO WILDERNESS
** MEETING PATMAN COMING DOWN THE NORTH FORK TRAIL
** 75 HOUR NORTH FORK RAINSTORM AND 3 ZERO DAYS
** CITICO AND NORTH FORK CREEK FLOODS
** 12 COLD AND TOUGH NORTH FORK FORDS
** 7 BACKPACKERS ON BOB BALD
** THE HELL OF TRAILWORKING BRUSH MT TO BUG HOLLOW GAP
** THE HELL OF TRAILWORKING BRUSH MT TO THE SOUTH FORK CROSSING
** TRAILWORKING SOUTH FORK CITICO TRAIL
TRAILS
Entrance at Beehouse Gap
Beehouse Roadwalk
South Fork 105
North Fork
**Camp 2 North Fork**
North Fork
**Camp 7 (2)**
North Fork
**NF Switchback Camp (2)**
North Fork
**Blue Rock**
North Fork
Trail 149
**Cold Gap**
54A South
**Raven Camp Bob Mt (2)**
54A North
BMT Connector
**Barrel Gap**
Trail 149
Brush Mt
**Bug Hollow Gap**
Brush Mt
**Brush South Fork Camp**
South Fork
**White Rock**
South Fork
**Camp 28**
South Fork
**Iron Camp**
South Fork
Cold Gap
54A South
**South Col Bob Mt**
54A South
Fodderstack
Beech Gap and OUT
PRE-TRIP ITEMS: Before the trip Little Mitten and I drove to Rock Creek Outfitters in Chattanooga and I got some items for the trip, including this Patagonia capilene midlayer hoody, which proved to be outstanding.
Little Mitten drives me up the Cherohala Skywad road and drops me off in Beehouse Gap where I did a roadwalk with my 88 lb pack a mile down to the South Fork 105 trailhead and take it to the North Fork 98 trailhead and up the creek trail to stop at this scenic spot.
Another new item are these Zamberlan Vioz Plus GT boots to replace my crappy Asolo boots, and they worked perfectly.
As I make my way up the North Fork trail I run into my backpacking buddy Patman doing some intricate loops in the wilderness and so we hang out for an hour and eat lunch together on the trail.
Patman takes off down the North Fork trail and crosses #7 as I head up the trail to camp. Soon begins my 75 hour rainstorm which turns the North Fork into a raging river.
The nasty 75 hour rainstorm causes me to hunker in for 3 zero days in my Hilleberg tent as the North Fork trail has around 25 creek crossings and the storm kept me pinned as the creek went wild, as above.