19 Days in the Bald River Backcountry [Archive]

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Tipi Walter

09-05-2014, 10:37

Okay boys, I figure I'll put this in the BMT Forum since I spent half of the trip on the B Mac Trail. To see all the pics of the trip, go to---

http://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/Backpack-2014-Trips-152/Bald-River-Backcountry/

BACKPACKING
THE
BALD RIVER
BACKCOUNTRY

TRIP 158
August 12--30 2014

HIGHLIGHTS
** 19 DAYS IN THE BALD RIVER BACKCOUNTRY

** 19 DAYS WITHOUT SEEING ANOTHER BACKPACKER

** WILL SKELTON JOINS ME ON BALD RIVER

** 6 YELLOW JACKET STINGS

** TRAILWORKERS BRANDON, STEPHANIE AND ROBERT ON BALD RIVER

** HENDERSON TOP TO SKULL GAP AND BACK

** RICK HARRIS, BRANDON AND THE CROSSCUT MOUNTAIN BOYS ON HENDERSON TOP

** THE FIRST RAIN IN 7 DAYS

** KIRKLAND-STATE LINE-BROOKSHIRE LOOP

** TELLICO "TORNADO" ON STATE LINE RIDGE

** FIRST TIME CAMP IN SLED RUNNER GAP

** ADD DAY WITH BILL HODGE AND SAWS

** ON THE WESTERN FLANK OF HAW KNOB

** OVER HAW KNOB AND INTO THE SNOWBIRD BACKCOUNTRY

** MEETING PATMAN IN THE SNOWBIRDS

** SWIMMING IN THE WHIGG POND

** BIRD BANDING BEGINS ON THE WHIGG

** GRAND MEETUP AT THE GREEN COVE CABIN AND OUT

TRAILS
Entrance at Bald River Falls
Bald River
**Big Pine**
Bald River
**Cascade Winter Camp**
Bald River
**Rock Ledge**
Cow Camp
Henderson Top
Maple Camp Lead
**Skull Gap Camp**
Maple Camp Lead
Henderson Top
Cow Camp
**Rock Ledge**
Bald River
**Cascade Winter Camp**
Bald River
Holly Flats Roadwalk
Kirkland Creek
**Kirkland Camp 3**
Kirkland Creek
** Kirkland Camp 12**
Kirkland Creek
Sandy Gap
State Line Ridge
**Moss Gap-Hazelnut Camp**
State Line Ridge
**Water Gap**
State Line Ridge
**Sled Runner Gap**
State Line Ridge
Brookshire Creek
**Horse Camp**
Brookshire Creek
Sugar Mountain
**Pretty Pine Gap**
Sugar Mountain
Fish Hatchery
Sycamore Creek
**Sycamore Camp**
Sycamore Creek
Whiggs Meadow
**West Haw Knob Camp**
Haw Knob
Big Junction
Snowbird Mt
Mitchell Lick
Snowbird Creek
**Upper Bird Camp**
Snowbird Creek
Mitchell Lick
Snowbird Mt
Big Junction
Haw Knob
**Whiggs Meadow Bald**
Sycamore Creek
**Hobo Camp**
Sycamore Creek
Tellico River Roadwalk
Green Cove Cabin and OUT

http://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/Backpack-2014-Trips-152/Bald-River-Backcountry/i-pGcGJcJ/0/M/Trip%20158%20003-M.jpg
To prepare for this particular trip, I dried many tomatoes from our garden and they reconstitute perfectly.

http://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/Backpack-2014-Trips-152/Bald-River-Backcountry/i-9pqttKP/0/M/Trip%20158%20043-M.jpg
My trip begins at Bald River Falls and into the Bald River wilderness where I meet Knoxville backpacker Will Skelton on Day 2 near the Cascades waterfall. (I invited him with an earlier email).

http://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/Backpack-2014-Trips-152/Bald-River-Backcountry/i-5V7sxtv/0/M/Trip%20158%20054-M.jpg
Here's Will's new Osprey pack.

http://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/Backpack-2014-Trips-152/Bald-River-Backcountry/i-CprJ9Cs/0/M/Trip%20158%20071-M.jpg
On Day 3 I hike Will Skelton out of the wilderness and we stop by the Cascades.

http://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/Backpack-2014-Trips-152/Bald-River-Backcountry/i-GLjzjWH/0/M/Trip%20158%20073-M.jpg
I return into the wilderness and on Day 4 meet up with 3 trailworkers from the Tellico ranger district working the Bald River trail. They are Robert, Brandon and Stephanie.

http://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/Backpack-2014-Trips-152/Bald-River-Backcountry/i-BDWJ7bj/0/M/Trip%20158%20111-M.jpg
I leave Bald River and hike up to the Henderson Top trail and camp in Skull Gap near the Panther Branch trailhead. The next day I hike back down the Henderson Top trail and run into Robert and Brandon fixing the trail.

http://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/Backpack-2014-Trips-152/Bald-River-Backcountry/i-Cxdfjp2/0/M/Trip%20158%20312-M.jpg
Henderson Top returns me into the Bald River wilderness where I go for a needed flea dip to get away from the August heat.

Tipi Walter

09-05-2014, 10:45

http://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/Backpack-2014-Trips-152/Bald-River-Backcountry/i-QPbhnKF/0/M/Trip%20158%20164-M.jpg
On Day 6 I hike thru the wilderness and camp near the Cascades where I find a deep tube hole and submerge.

http://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/Backpack-2014-Trips-152/Bald-River-Backcountry/i-kSHhFdj/0/M/Trip%20158%20176-M.jpg
I leave Bald River wilderness and hike to the Kirkland Creek trailhead and follow Kirkland all the way up to Sandy Gap on the Benton MacKaye trail and discover a new logging clearcut put in with terrorists with chainsaws and bulldozers. It's the tyranny of private land ownership. Enjoy the view, B Mackers.

http://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/Backpack-2014-Trips-152/Bald-River-Backcountry/i-gBBG4KW/0/M/Trip%20158%20184-M.jpg
Once in Sandy Gap I climb the Three Nuts up to Moss Gap where I find the spring water source and begin climbing up Hazlenut Knob where I set up camp in the jewelweeds.

http://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/Backpack-2014-Trips-152/Bald-River-Backcountry/i-2mZFWgp/0/M/Trip%20158%20196-M.jpg
On Day 9 I take the BMT/State Line Ridge and descend to Hazelnut Gap where there is water .4 mile to the left.

http://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/Backpack-2014-Trips-152/Bald-River-Backcountry/i-5gqv54w/0/M/Trip%20158%20216-M.jpg
State Line Ridge on the BMT and it's a good hike with a full pack and has several nutbusting climbs, especially around Rocky Top.

http://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/Backpack-2014-Trips-152/Bald-River-Backcountry/i-tdtwz4G/0/M/Trip%20158%20098-M.jpg
State Line Ridge ends in Sled Runner Gap where I camp and then I descend Brookshire Creek trail on the BMT and run into my third trailworking crew called SAWS and led by Bill Hodge above (with Stephanie).

http://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/Backpack-2014-Trips-152/Bald-River-Backcountry/i-NF7Df5n/0/M/Trip%20158%20245-M.jpg
SAWS preparing to cut a blowdown on the Brookshire Creek trail (BMT).

Tipi Walter

09-05-2014, 10:53

http://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/Backpack-2014-Trips-152/Bald-River-Backcountry/i-3WMQKhw/0/M/Trip%20158%20095-M.jpg
SAWS boys on the Brookshire Creek trail. This is my favorite pic of the trip I think. Reminds me of 911 and firefighters.

http://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/Backpack-2014-Trips-152/Bald-River-Backcountry/i-78JxnCx/0/M/Trip%20158%20270-M.jpg
I leave the Crosscut Mt Boys on Brookshire and descend the creek trail to this nice campsite a little bit off the BMT.

http://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/Backpack-2014-Trips-152/Bald-River-Backcountry/i-6mGMzbq/0/M/Trip%20158%20294-M.jpg
I leave Horse Camp and cross Brookshire Creek on the BMT and climb up and over Sugar Mt with its pretty hatch marks.

http://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/Backpack-2014-Trips-152/Bald-River-Backcountry/i-hzJXpST/0/M/Trip%20158%20162-M.jpg
There are 10 switchbacks descending Sugar Mt on the BMT and are marked with double blazes.

http://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/Backpack-2014-Trips-152/Bald-River-Backcountry/i-Nz3FsP9/0/M/Trip%20158%20167-M.jpg
A bunch of new trail signs have been placed on the BMT and here is one at the Tellico River crossing near the fish hatchery.

http://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/Backpack-2014-Trips-152/Bald-River-Backcountry/i-pw93xrk/0/M/Trip%20158%20340-M.jpg
Sugar Mt takes me to Sycamore Creek trail which I climb (it's on the BMT) all the way to Whiggs Meadow and I find the sidetrail up to Haw Mt at 5,500 feet on a new route for the western extension of the Bartram trail.

http://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/Backpack-2014-Trips-152/Bald-River-Backcountry/i-TK2htfs/0/M/Trip%20158%20365-M.jpg
The Haw Knob side trail takes me to Big Junction and the start of the Snowbird Creek trail where I meet my backpacking buddy Patman pulling a dayhike into the Snowbirds. We are standing above Mitchell Lick near Hogjaw Gap.

Tipi Walter

09-05-2014, 11:00

http://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/Backpack-2014-Trips-152/Bald-River-Backcountry/i-xhB2NM6/0/M/Trip%20158%20355-M.jpg
The Snowbird backcountry can get a little confusing but if you find the blue blazes you know you're on the Snowbird Creek trail.

http://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/Backpack-2014-Trips-152/Bald-River-Backcountry/i-5sMLnPW/0/M/Trip%20158%20388-M.jpg
After a couple days in the Snowbirds (which are behind to the right of big Haw Mt above), I climb up and over Haw and get back on the BMT and sleep atop Whiggs Meadow at 5,000 feet.

http://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/Backpack-2014-Trips-152/Bald-River-Backcountry/i-KnVBhK7/0/M/Trip%20158%20420-M.jpg
It's time to leave the Whigg and descend the BMT on the Sycamore Creek trail.

http://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/Backpack-2014-Trips-152/Bald-River-Backcountry/i-2M3WBSG/0/M/Trip%20158%20437-M.jpg
I camp on Sycamore Creek on the BMT and find this trail snail.

http://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/Backpack-2014-Trips-152/Bald-River-Backcountry/i-QpHdjWW/0/M/Trip%20158%20473-M.jpg
There are 5 switchbacks on the Sycamore Creek trail and here is the top of switchback #1.

http://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/Backpack-2014-Trips-152/Bald-River-Backcountry/i-pcVMXRr/0/M/Trip%20158%20476-M.jpg
Sycamore Creek squirts me out to the Tellico River road which I hike to Green Cove and take a break.

http://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/Backpack-2014-Trips-152/Bald-River-Backcountry/i-7fmTKQ7/0/M/Trip%20158%20481-M.jpg
I hike thru Green Cove and arrive at the Green Cove Cabin (which used to be an old school) where I find Little Mitten and her family car camping. Here is Blade splitting some firewood.

Tipi Walter

09-05-2014, 11:02

http://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/Backpack-2014-Trips-152/Bald-River-Backcountry/i-HwcVmNJ/0/M/Trip%20158%20465-M.jpg
The family goes to Tellico River for some swimming and a fitting end to my hot August trip.

http://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/Backpack-2014-Trips-152/Bald-River-Backcountry/i-gVNrF8b/0/M/Trip%20158%20469-M.jpg
I take little Zoe dog into the cold waters of the Tellico and then the backpacking trip of August 2014 is over.

rocketsocks

09-05-2014, 12:25

Very nice! I never thought to dry my tomatoes like this, in slices rather that minced...will try. I have one of those long saws, and though it's been years since I used it, when sharp it makes quick work of the girthiest of blow down, and lots lighter than a chain saw and without the fuss of fuel and oil...and it's darn fun when two people get in time. Here's to the trail maintainers...

Tipi Walter

09-06-2014, 09:49

rocketsocks

09-06-2014, 10:06

The Crosscut Mt Boys have to use their crosscut saws and not chainsaws because alot of their work is in designated wilderness areas.

ah, regulations...less noisy too.

2Ply

09-06-2014, 14:43

Thanks for sharing the adventure. Likes like a great trip.

SGT Rock

09-06-2014, 19:52

Cool trip report.

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