Raven955
08-01-2016, 23:21
My daughter, Ashlyn and I, went on a weekend hike on the AT this past weekend.
We started at Hightower Gap and hiked to Stover Creek Shelter.
Friday night we got to Hightower late and did not want to be on a new trail at night. We saw the local military troops doing what we can only guess was nighttime maneuvers. Pitch black and about 25 or more soldiers come walking up the road. Only 2 flashlights among them. The silhouettes were cool and creepy. After the flashlights looked around a bit, we heard one of them yell, "Follow Me!" We found it funny.
The hike to Stover Creek shelter was uneventful except for getting turned around once. We second guessed the white diamond blaze on the tree at the Long Creek Falls area. We thought we had taken a wrong turn at Albuquerque. We turned around, went ahead and went to the falls. Refreshed, consulted the map and a fellow hiker. Then went back. The Benton-Mackaye and the AT merge at this point. Hence the diamond blaze.
There were massive amounts of people parked and camped at Three Forks.
At Stover Creek shelter we met a a couple of awesome people.
First, we met Lone Ranger. He was ending his 1100 mile journey. He started in Pennsylvania and had his dog, Scout, with him. We enjoyed talking with him. He seemed really tired when he left Stover Creek. He was trying to get closer to the Springer Mtn parking area where his shuttle was picking him up at 0700 on Sunday am. I hope he and Scout got back to Pennsylvania ok.
Then we met Aaron and his son. They were on a weekend trip also. He told us of his stay at the Len Foote Hike Inn. We enjoyed good and friendly conversation. Really good people.
They were heading out the next day heading north to Hawk Mountain. We all left together on Sunday and we gave them a lift back to their car at Amicalola Falls.
Well, a simple drive down some dirt roads, getting directions from lost soldiers "we are not familiar with the names of the roads up here, but here are some directions to get you were you need to be. Just take a few lefts after a couple of rights. Take you right there." Yea, thanks.
3~ hours later we make it back to Amicalola Falls. We ended up going down Winding Stair Rd to Nimblewell Church Rd. So far so good. Except we missed the sharp left hand turn that Nimblewell Church Rd continues down. Instead it turns into Nimblewell Gap Rd. That road makes you wonder "WTH were they thinking when the cut this one." This road climbs up and actually intersects with the approach trail near the Len Foote Inn. At the top we met an older gentleman on a mountain bike. He was killing it on that bike. Good for you. I would have left body parts scattered along the entire way back down. He was getting ready for a mountain bike "race" coming up in Sept. Good Luck!
We eventually came out on Old Bucktown Rd. So we took the scenic route. I had a great time (my Rubicon was thoroughly enjoying itself), daughter got bored after a couple of hours, Aaron's son fell asleep, and Aaron kept trying to get GPS signal on his phone.
All in all, we had a great time. We are sore, tired, and glad to be back. But we cannot wait to do it again. Well, at least, I can't wait to do it again. I hope all those we met along with way made it to their final destinations. Thanks to all for adding to our enjoyment of the trip.
Almost forgot to add....my daughter got her trail name on this trip. It might be cheating for me to give it to her but I thought it appropriate. She was doing some yoga stretches at the shelter and I thought she had fallen asleep in this weird snail position. So, I gave her the name "Sleeping Snail". She loves it!
Until next time...
We started at Hightower Gap and hiked to Stover Creek Shelter.
Friday night we got to Hightower late and did not want to be on a new trail at night. We saw the local military troops doing what we can only guess was nighttime maneuvers. Pitch black and about 25 or more soldiers come walking up the road. Only 2 flashlights among them. The silhouettes were cool and creepy. After the flashlights looked around a bit, we heard one of them yell, "Follow Me!" We found it funny.
The hike to Stover Creek shelter was uneventful except for getting turned around once. We second guessed the white diamond blaze on the tree at the Long Creek Falls area. We thought we had taken a wrong turn at Albuquerque. We turned around, went ahead and went to the falls. Refreshed, consulted the map and a fellow hiker. Then went back. The Benton-Mackaye and the AT merge at this point. Hence the diamond blaze.
There were massive amounts of people parked and camped at Three Forks.
At Stover Creek shelter we met a a couple of awesome people.
First, we met Lone Ranger. He was ending his 1100 mile journey. He started in Pennsylvania and had his dog, Scout, with him. We enjoyed talking with him. He seemed really tired when he left Stover Creek. He was trying to get closer to the Springer Mtn parking area where his shuttle was picking him up at 0700 on Sunday am. I hope he and Scout got back to Pennsylvania ok.
Then we met Aaron and his son. They were on a weekend trip also. He told us of his stay at the Len Foote Hike Inn. We enjoyed good and friendly conversation. Really good people.
They were heading out the next day heading north to Hawk Mountain. We all left together on Sunday and we gave them a lift back to their car at Amicalola Falls.
Well, a simple drive down some dirt roads, getting directions from lost soldiers "we are not familiar with the names of the roads up here, but here are some directions to get you were you need to be. Just take a few lefts after a couple of rights. Take you right there." Yea, thanks.
3~ hours later we make it back to Amicalola Falls. We ended up going down Winding Stair Rd to Nimblewell Church Rd. So far so good. Except we missed the sharp left hand turn that Nimblewell Church Rd continues down. Instead it turns into Nimblewell Gap Rd. That road makes you wonder "WTH were they thinking when the cut this one." This road climbs up and actually intersects with the approach trail near the Len Foote Inn. At the top we met an older gentleman on a mountain bike. He was killing it on that bike. Good for you. I would have left body parts scattered along the entire way back down. He was getting ready for a mountain bike "race" coming up in Sept. Good Luck!
We eventually came out on Old Bucktown Rd. So we took the scenic route. I had a great time (my Rubicon was thoroughly enjoying itself), daughter got bored after a couple of hours, Aaron's son fell asleep, and Aaron kept trying to get GPS signal on his phone.
All in all, we had a great time. We are sore, tired, and glad to be back. But we cannot wait to do it again. Well, at least, I can't wait to do it again. I hope all those we met along with way made it to their final destinations. Thanks to all for adding to our enjoyment of the trip.
Almost forgot to add....my daughter got her trail name on this trip. It might be cheating for me to give it to her but I thought it appropriate. She was doing some yoga stretches at the shelter and I thought she had fallen asleep in this weird snail position. So, I gave her the name "Sleeping Snail". She loves it!
Until next time...