slbirdnerd
10-13-2016, 19:59
Just back today and want to share the water situation, it’s getting pretty dry. There are other sources not listed below but listed in the AT Guide, but as far as I could tell they are all dry. Hope it helps some of you:
Newfound Gap: There is no water there. I say this because according to both my shuttlers, some hikers have been starting out there not knowing this and they show up dry. Not a good start!
Icewater Spring Shelter: Flowing but not very heavily.
Pecks Corner: Spring pipe is dripping; continue downhill to a couple small pools. Could become dry soon.
Tri-Corner Knob Shelter: Water is flowing well. Watch your food, brazen squirrel!
Cosby Knob: Flowing very well.
Davenport Gap Shelter: Didn’t go down.
Davenport Gap to I-40: Stateline Branch between there and the Pigeon River is running well. The trail crosses it like 3 times and runs alongside it.
Painter's Branch (couple miles north of Standing Bear Farm Hostel): Is down to a trickle/nearly dry, I had to dig a hole (fortunately I didn't smoosh the baby salamander!). I could hear water downstream but getting there would be downhill through rhodo thicket. Nothing between here and Groundhog Creek Shelter.
Groundhog Creek Shelter: Low but flowing, someone dug out a pool which helped. Nothing from here to Max Patch.
Brown Gap: Warning! I did not see a water source here although it's marked in the AT Guide. Three local hunters were parked there scoping out the squirrel situation and said there is no water source around there. They were nice guys, gave me 2 bottles of water.
Max Patch: Just across Max Patch Road you go down to a stream just before heading up to the bald. The stream was flowing pretty well.
Max Patch to Hot Springs: I could not confirm any water sources in this section even after asking several SOBOs. Reports online had been sketchy at best so I stopped my trip at Max Patch just to be safe.
NOTE ON FALL COLORS: Were just starting to come in but won’t be as brilliant as normal due to the dry conditions.
NOTE ON WILDLIFE: No mouse issues at Pecks or Cosby; no bears; few birds; not much to see except Snowbird Mountain is overrun with chipmunks, like, 10 in any 20-foot radius. I’m not kidding.
Newfound Gap: There is no water there. I say this because according to both my shuttlers, some hikers have been starting out there not knowing this and they show up dry. Not a good start!
Icewater Spring Shelter: Flowing but not very heavily.
Pecks Corner: Spring pipe is dripping; continue downhill to a couple small pools. Could become dry soon.
Tri-Corner Knob Shelter: Water is flowing well. Watch your food, brazen squirrel!
Cosby Knob: Flowing very well.
Davenport Gap Shelter: Didn’t go down.
Davenport Gap to I-40: Stateline Branch between there and the Pigeon River is running well. The trail crosses it like 3 times and runs alongside it.
Painter's Branch (couple miles north of Standing Bear Farm Hostel): Is down to a trickle/nearly dry, I had to dig a hole (fortunately I didn't smoosh the baby salamander!). I could hear water downstream but getting there would be downhill through rhodo thicket. Nothing between here and Groundhog Creek Shelter.
Groundhog Creek Shelter: Low but flowing, someone dug out a pool which helped. Nothing from here to Max Patch.
Brown Gap: Warning! I did not see a water source here although it's marked in the AT Guide. Three local hunters were parked there scoping out the squirrel situation and said there is no water source around there. They were nice guys, gave me 2 bottles of water.
Max Patch: Just across Max Patch Road you go down to a stream just before heading up to the bald. The stream was flowing pretty well.
Max Patch to Hot Springs: I could not confirm any water sources in this section even after asking several SOBOs. Reports online had been sketchy at best so I stopped my trip at Max Patch just to be safe.
NOTE ON FALL COLORS: Were just starting to come in but won’t be as brilliant as normal due to the dry conditions.
NOTE ON WILDLIFE: No mouse issues at Pecks or Cosby; no bears; few birds; not much to see except Snowbird Mountain is overrun with chipmunks, like, 10 in any 20-foot radius. I’m not kidding.