Finally going on 1st group hike with Chattanooga Hiking Club

[Ricky&Jack]

Well, when i was at Rock Creek Outfitters today, I picked up a news letter for the Chattanooga Hiking club (Which I did not know existed til i saw the letter)

Inside, they listed upcoming events. (They do local hikes every wednesday, and every saturday is a longer hike, usually a few hours away). I saw the one for next wednesday titled "Thomas Divide/Mingus Creek hike in the Great Smokys"... After reading the description, I emailed and then called the person in charge of the trip.

We talked for about 30 minutes and he told me that he has done every trail in the Great Smokys (I think he said over 900 miles of trails, or something). And I signed up for the trip.

This is my first hike with someone who is NOT my 7month old Husky. I was told that 22 people have signed up so far, with ages ranging from 21 to 82 years old. So I should fit in (I'm 30).

I can't wait to hike with new friends.

(Meeting at 6:30am around chattanooga, and then we car pool the 190 miles to newfound Gap road))

Here is the description of the add. If anyone has done this area and wants to share info about it, that would be great. Im leaving my huge pack and will be buying a day-pack to hold water, snacks, etc)
http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/files/5/3/8/5/4/photo_844_thumb.jpeg (http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=59911)

[Tipi Walter]

The Chattanooga Hiking Club have a great website everyone should check out---

http://chatthiking.com/

I remember when they used to do 3 or 4 day backpacking trips but now it seems they are exclusively into dayhikes. I'd run into them and even joined them on occasion---

http://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/Backpacking2009/With-the-Chattanooga-Hiking/i-MzHTRQx/0/M/TRIP%2094%20041-M.jpg
Kurt Emmanuele on the left with the group in Sled Runner Gap on the BMT.


http://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/Backpacking2009/With-the-Chattanooga-Hiking/i-zjjGfps/0/M/TRIP%2094%20019-M.jpg
Kurt crossing the high headwaters of Bald River on the BMT.


http://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/Backpacking2009/With-the-Chattanooga-Hiking/i-pWTtZBj/0/M/TRIP%2094%20061-M.jpg
The CHC on Brookshire Trail.


http://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/Backpacking2013-1/Green-Cove-Cabin/i-tbnsHBB/0/M/TRIP%20147%20096-M.jpg
A recent CHC dayhike up to Bob Bald in the phlox.


http://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/Backpacking2013-1/Green-Cove-Cabin/i-6XKZ7L4/0/M/TRIP%20147%20107-M.jpg
The Chattanooga hiking club on Bob Bald.


http://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/Backpacking2013-1/18-Days-in-the-Big-Frog/i-WzVMB3c/0/M/TRIP%20141%20356-M.jpg
I run into another CHC group on the Ocoee River in the Thunder Rock campground. Third from left is Betty Petty who sadly died in a car accident.


http://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/Backpacking2013-1/Green-Cove-Cabin/i-tJFkrNx/0/M/TRIP%20147%20108-M.jpg
Betty Petty on Bob Bald, August 3, 2003. She passes away on December 18.

[Ricky&Jack]

Their website is pretty much down. There was 1 lady who did the whole website, but she died in a car wreck and nobody else from the club has access to her information to loginng etc. So right now they communicate by email and news letter. But I hear they started a legal process to regain access of the website again.

I believe they have an overnight planned on saturday. I took crappy notes over the phone, but notes notes say "Sleep in townsend. Gregory Ball. 14.3 miles"... I believe that is an overniter. But I didn't pay too much attention cause I'm not going to that. I'll try to join next wednesday when the group goes to Jacks River Falls/Trail.

[Ricky&Jack]

They only list the Saturday hikes in the newsletter (cause the wednesday hikes are decided a few days prior). But here's the Saturday hikes:

May 31- Springer Mountain Dayhike (16mi)
June 7- Luly Lake Dayhike (4mi)
June 14- Enterprise South Park, Woodland Loop Dayhike (5+mi)
June 21- Thomas Divivde/Mingus Creek Dayhike (11.6mi)
June 28- Racoon Mountain Dayhike (6.5mi)
July 5- Chickamaugua BattleField Dayhike (5mi)

[TNhiker]

My thoughts-----good, good for ya.....no offense and I'm not tryin to be mean---but, it's time to get off the intrawebs (except in what I'll write below) and get hiking...in the last month---youve posted over four hundred times to this board, but seemingly have only gotten out once......change that ratio......two feet on the ground, less fingers on the keyboard....alot of these questions you have will soon answer themselves.......even if it means just walking around the neighbor with your trail shoes or a loaded pack....

again, not trying to be mean but alot of the questions you have will answer themselves on the trail..

now to the hike----I've done all the trails in the park as well.....some a few times over......that's a nice route where you're basically going downhill.......with that bein said, it ain't gonna be easy....that's a good chunk of mileage, so be prepared for a long day.....

there are a couple of trails that, and you'd have to convince your ride to pick ya up, that can be used as an out if you find it to be too much......kanati fork and newton bald trails will take ya to the road......you could also hitch along road if needed.....

The trail will be easy to follow and if you need water (and this gives you a chance to try out your filter), there's a spring downhill from campsite 52.....Mingus creek trail will also have water as you'll be paralleling a creek.....

as for hiking clubs----there's a ton of em out there........maybe even one in your town.......google is your friend.....there's also a bunch of meet up groups......

and I don't think that group will be doing a backpack to Gregory's bald as the campsite up there is closed due to bear activity........although, they could stay at cs 12 and make a day hike up to bald.....

hope ya have fun on he hike....

[Nooga]

The Chattanooga Hiking Club is a good club with great people. Probably the best way to acquaint yourself with trails in the area, other than the AT. They primarily do day hikes, but also a few backpacking trips. I'm confident that the Gregory Bald trip is a day hike.

[Ricky&Jack]

are you a member? you going on the hikes, this week too?

[Venchka]

Now would be a good time to get knee deep in the "how to walk" portions of The New Compete Walker. Skip the gear parts. Focus on the how to live on the trail sections. A day hike or a thru hike are all about one day at a time. Have you got decent shoes yet?

Wayne

[HooKooDooKu]

...he told me that he has done every trail in the Great Smokys (I think he said over 900 miles of trails, or something). ...

Like the '2,000-Miler Club' for people who have hiked the full length of the AT, there is a 900-Miler Club (http://www.900miler.com/) for people who have hiked all the trails listed on the Great Smoky Mountain Trail Map. When the club was started, there were about 900 miles of trails shown on the official Great Smoky Mountain Trail Map. Since that time, several trails have been closed, many of them without a replacement trail being opened. The result is that today, there are only about 850(+/-) miles of trail shown on the official Great Smoky Mountain Trail Map (but they still call it the 900-Miler Club).

I'm trying to join the 900-Miler Club... but I've been working on it for about 20 years and only have about half the trails completed.

I can't provide any feedback on the Thomas Divide/Mingus Creek Hike... other than to say that 11 miles is a really long way if you're not used to it. When I started hiking, I considered 5 to 8 miles to be a long way.