21 Days in Two Hurricanes

[Tipi Walter]

I pull a 21 day backpacking trip in August 2021 and most of it is spent in Snowbird wilderness in NC. During the trip I get hit by two hurricanes---Fred on Snowbird Creek and Ida on top of Flats Mt in TN.

All trip pics can be seen here---
https://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/Backpack-2021-Trips-209-/21-Days-in-Two-Hurricanes/

21 DAYS
IN
TWO HURRICANES
TRIP 213
August 12-September 1, 2021

HIGHLIGHTS
** 38 CREEK CROSSINGS
** NO BACKPACKERS SEEN 17 OUT OF 21 DAYS
** REDNECK GARBAGE CAMPS ON SNOWBIRD CREEK
** HURRICANE FRED WALLOPS BIRD CREEK CAMP DAY 6
** DAY 10 FIRST BACKPACKERS SEEN ON BIRD CREEK TRAIL
** 4TH BACKPACK OF KING'S MEADOW TRAIL
** ROB BUSH SURPRISES ME IN COLD GAP DAY 15
** BUMBLEBEE STING BATTLING COW PARSNIPS
** PATMAN ARRIVES ON BOB BALD WITH WATERMELON
** ROB BUSH ARRIVES ON BOB FROM WILDCAT FALLS
** BACKPACKING WITH PATMAN AND ROB TO BEECH GAP
** HURRICANE IDA HITS FLATS MT

TRAILS
Entrance at Hooper Bald in North Carolina
King's Meadow Trail Down
Mitchell Lick Trail 154
**154 Cove Camp**
Trail 154 Down to Snowbird Creek Trail
Snowbird Creek Trail Downstream 11 Crossings
**Upper Meadow Camp**
Snowbird Creek Trail Heading Southeast
**Middle Falls New Camp**
Trail 64A Alternate to Mouse Footbridge
**Mouse Creek Secret Camp**
Snowbird Creek Trail Downstream
**Upper Redneck Camp by Sassafras Creek Crossing**(2)
Bird Trail Backtrack Upstream
Sassafras Creek Trail 65 Up
**Sassy Creek Camp**
Burnt Rock Ridge Trail Northwest
Cross Snowbird Creek
**Burnt Bird Safety Camp**
Snowbird Trail/64A Alternate Heading East
**Mouse Creek Secret Camp**
Snowbird Creek Trail Downstream to King's Meadow Footbridge
**Owl Creek Camp**
King's Meadow Trail Heading Up
**King's Arrow Camp**
King's Meadow Trail Up
**King's Royal Oak Camp**
King's Meadow Trail Heading Northwest and Out
Trail 154 Heading Southwest
ATV Track Heading North by Northwest by Southwest to Mitchell Lick
Snowbird Creek Trail Heading Southeast and Down
**Little Bird Camp**
Snowbird Trail Backtrack Up to Mitchell Lick
ATV Track Backtrack Heading Northeast to High Point
Laurel Top Manway to Big Snowbird Trail to Big Junction
Backtrack Big Snowbird Trail to Manway Down
**Laurel Top Spur Camp**
Laurel Top Manway to Big Snowbird Trail to Big Junction
Haw Knob Manway to Top and Down West to BMT
BMT to Mud Gap
Skyway BMT to Beech Gap
Fodder Ridge Trail to Cold Gap
**Cold Gap Camp**
54A South to Bob Bald
**South Col Camp on Bob Bald**(2)
BMT Backtrack Off Bob to Beech Gap
Patman Drives me 4 Miles to Grassy Gap
Grassy Branch Trail Down
South Fork Trail Down
North Fork Trail Up
**North Fork Crossing 1 Camp**
NF/SF Trails Out to Citico Creek Roadwalk up to Beehouse Gap
Flats Mt Trail Up
**Camp Hope on top of Flats Mt**(2)
Flats Mt Trail Out to Skyway
Skyway Roadwalk West to Lakeview Overlook and OUT.

48560
My trip begins atop Hooper Bald in NC at around 5,240 feet in cool summer temps when Little Mitten and Zoe Dog and Mitten's Mom drops me off with my approx 100 lb McHale pack.

48561
All trips start with a map and this is my old Snowbird map with trails in red and creeks in blue---drawn in at home. I always go into the Birds during the furnace heat of summer as it stays cool and pleasant.

48562
A sample of my Accoutrements of Idiocy---Zamberland Evo Lite boots and two food jugs---peanut butter and vegan mayo (mayo used as condiment sauce in cooked meals). The boots are goretex and keep my feet dry in shallow creek crossings.

48563
I leave Hooper Bald and connect to Mitchell Lick Trail 154 and descend Snowbird Creek trail 11 crossings to this "hidden" CS on Meadow Branch Creek. Tent of choice is 8 lb 10 oz Hilleberg Keron, an excellent solo backpacking tent.

48564
What's for lunch on Day 2? Red grapes smothered in organic peanut butter.

48565
No trip to Bird is complete without visiting Middle Falls---and I find a new CS by the falls for my third night.

48566
I leave Middle Falls and continue down Bird Creek and pass this important trail junction with Sassafras Creek Trail---which I will return to after finding a hunker squat station to get thru Hurricane Fred.

[Tipi Walter]

48567
I take Bird trail down to Sassafras Creek crossing and inspect the primitive footbridge which last summer got destroyed by Hurricane Laura. I actually baby-step across this slick wooden bridge later in the trip.

48568
Here's the same footbridge from a year ago after Hurricane Laura kicked my butt.

48569
There are several big CSs on Snowbird Creek trail where it junctions Sassafras Creek crossing and I call them The Redneck Camps for all the trash backpackers leave in the camps. This is Lower Redneck Camp and I use Upper Redneck Camp for my hunker station during Hurricane Fred.

48570
Here is my CS on lakefront property after Fred comes thru. Amazingly I was floating on the surface of a pond but not a single drop of water came thru my outstanding Hilleberg tent floor. Snowbird Creek is right next to camp.

48571
Here is Bird Creek next to my CS before Fred.

48572
After Fred aka Fubar Fred. It keeps me pinned in camp for a zero on Day 6.

48573
On Day 7 I'm finally able to leave Bird Creek and so I backtrack up to Sassafras Creek trail and climb to a favorite CS by Sassy Creek. I stop to rest by this old 1970s era trailsign.

[Tipi Walter]

48574
At home before the trip I fixed the broken cork on my BD hiking pole and used Locktite PL Max Premium caulk---stays flexible and works great.

48575
Next to my Sassy Creek CS is this trailpost showing my route for the next day---up the nut climb to Burnt Rock Ridge and down back to Snowbird Creek but higher up above Middle Falls.

48576
On my way down Burnt Rock Ridge trail I hit this terrible blowdown so out comes the Corona folding saw---can't get thru it otherwise.

48577
30 cuts later and it's fixed.

48578
Burnt Rock returns me to Snowbird Creek trail and I take it back to this big footbridge---and my favorite pic of the trip.

48579
On Day 10 I see my first backpackers and they are Crazy Legs and Dynamite out of Knoxville out for a one night trip. Both carrying Hyperlite Mt Gear packs.

48580
On the same day I see my second set of backpackers---Bret and Ashley from Maryville TN---explained since I'm on the main Snowbird Creek trail heading down to its exit at Junction City.

[Tipi Walter]

48581
Bird trail descends to King's Meadow trailhead which I take a couple hundred feet up over Owl Camp Creek footbridge and set up camp.

48582
The toughest trail in Bird is King's Meadow and the first mile climbs a thousand feet. I call it Entering the Bird's Rectum. This is the Gateway blowdown into the Bird's Rectum. Trail beyond is 48 degree angle etc.

48583
Uncle Fungus slowly emerges from the Bird's Rectum.

48584
As I climb King's Meadow trail I stop to check out this bear print in the mud. Or is it a mountain lion???

48585
I pass over the high reaches of Meadow Branch Creek while climbing the King and stop to thoroughly clean my clogged up PUR Hiker filter. Works 80% better afterwards.

48586
Most of King's Meadow trail is used illegally by engined-Americans as I discover a motorcyclist getting his nature fix while rolling.

48587
After several more nut humps I reach the Meadows of the King and set up at 5,000 feet in cool temps. Showing off my WM Evelite 45F summer bag.

[Tipi Walter]

48588
As I continue my hump up King I find three of these new signs---I guess the motorcyclist didn't see them or just ignored them.

48589
King's Meadow punches me out to where I was on Day 1---Mitchell Lick 154 trail which I take to an illegal ATV track which allows me to discover a new manway exit out of the wilderness thereby avoiding private land above Mitchell Lick itself. The manway goes up to Laurel Top Mt at around 5,300 feet and on the way I get water so I can camp on a Laurel Top spur.

48590
My very private CS on Laurel Top Spur---the manway trail connects 154's ATV track to Big Junction and out.

48591
This map shows my manway exit route. The dotted black line is Trail 154. The red line is ATV track. The yellow is a ribboned manway across a flat spur of Laurel Top Mt (where I camp) and it reaches Big Snowbird trail in blue out to Big Junction.

48592
On Day 15 I exit Bird wilderness and reach Big Junction to begin my tough bushwack over Haw Knob in background---highest point in Monroe County TN at 5,500 feet---and a scrub bramble hellzone. You can connect Bird wilderness with Whiggs Meadow and the Benton MacKaye trail on this route.

48593
Welcome to TN and Haw Knob. This is why I carry Felco pruners.

48594
I reach the top of Haw Knob from the east side. The west side has less briars but I get lost twice trying to find my way out.

[Tipi Walter]

48595
From Bird to Citico at Cold Gap turns out to be a big 11 mile day of backpacking---big for me. While in Cold Gap my buddy Rob Bush shows up and it's a good surprise. He pulls out his backpacking chair for a visit.

48596
Rob is doing an intricate loop---down Jeffrey Hell trail and up South Fork trail to Cold Gap and Trail 149 to Fodderstack Ridge and Cherry Log Gap. Next day north on Fodder to Big Stack down to Wildcat Falls on Slickrock Creek. Next day from Wildcat all the way up to Bob Bald where I'll meet him in two days.

48597
I leave Cold Gap and pull the thousand foot nut climb up to Bob Bald at 5,300 feet.

48598
While on Bob Bald I discover typical human idiocy by the BMT trailpost.

48599
After seeing Rob Bush in Cold Gap I find a sweet spot and call Patman and he shows up a couple days later on the Bob. I try to make it to Hangover Mt 3 miles away on the ridge but get stung by swarming bumblebees in the cow parsnips so I backtrack to set up camp. There's a Bear Warning on the Bob and just after setting up camp I actually see the bear walking nearby---but we never get 'attacked" after 3 days on the mt.

48600
Patman's pack of choice---Six Moon Designs 65 liter. What the heck could be in it to make it bulge out so much????

48601
Ah yes!! The all important Melon Hump!! He's a proud member of the exclusive Backpacking Watermelon Club.

[Tipi Walter]

48602
As Patman sets up camp nearby Rob Bush shows up after his hellish Wildcat Falls to Hangover Mt to Bob Mt hump. One happy family.

48603
Rob checks out our CS---a place I call South Col Camp on the east side of Bob Bald. Rob is carrying his usual Dana Designs Astralplane pack.

48604
Rob sets up his hammock in the open meadow and enjoys Patman's melon.

48605
Rob's hammock on Bob Bald.

48606
Hammock.

48607
Day 18 and it's a cool morning on Bob Bald so we all pack up and backpack together 3.5 miles out to Beech Gap.

48608
Heading off the mountain.

[Tipi Walter]

48609
We reach Beech Gap where Rob has a One Wheel stashed so he can ride 2 miles down the road to his car at Jeffrey Hell trailhead. Patman drives me 4 miles to Grassy Gap and Grassy Branch trailhead in Citico wilderness.

48610
I descend Grassy Branch trail and cross 10 creeks to reach South Fork trail which connects me here to North Fork trail.

48611
A long day in the heat so I reach Johnny's Hole on North Fork Creek to swim.

48612
Backpacking along pretty North Fork Creek.

48613
Heavy pack on Day 1 of trip.

48614
Much lighter pack on Day 19 of trip.

48615
A long day gets me from North Fork Creek to the top of Flats Mt at 4,000 feet where I face Hurricane Ida with 28 hours of nonstop rain and a zero day in a bad windstorm. A few branches land on my tent but nothing big.

[Tipi Walter]

48616
Zero Day 20 during Hurricane Ida.

48617
Day 21 and it's time to pack up the gear and hike a couple miles to my evac pickup point---in the rain of course.

48618
Day 21 exit off Flats Mt and I finally use my invaluable rain jacket.

48619
I reach my pickup point and cover the pack with my tent ground cloth tarp to end another great trip.

[ldsailor]

Thanks Tipi. Always enjoy your trip reports.

[JNI64]

Thanks so much for taking the time to share your experiences.
I said it before and I'll say it again you are a real badass and true spirit of the wild!!!!!

[Slugg]

Enjoyed the report and all pictures with captions on SmugMug as well. The Snowbird area is on my list..Hopefully put a trip together by this coming winter or spring.

[illabelle]

Always good to read your trip reports, Tipi.

After hiking with you, your buddy Patman met us on Straight Fork Road in the Smokies for an off-trail adventure (trip report later), but he didn't bring us a watermelon! What a slacker.

[Tipi Walter]

Always good to read your trip reports, Tipi.

After hiking with you, your buddy Patman met us on Straight Fork Road in the Smokies for an off-trail adventure (trip report later), but he didn't bring us a watermelon! What a slacker.

He mentioned your trip while in camp and showed me his phone map of the area. Something about Three Fork Creek???

[illabelle]

He mentioned your trip while in camp and showed me his phone map of the area. Something about Three Fork Creek???
Three Forks is a spot where Left, Middle, and Right Forks come together in a large pool to create Raven Fork, which flows into the Oconoluftee. Used to be a trail from Hyatt Bald (near CS44) up over Breakneck Ridge and down to Three Forks. Portions of the old trail are obliterated, but we did our part to keep the current trail open and usable. So very glad Patman came with us. We'd not have had the confidence to go so far off-trail without his experience and leadership.

[Tipi Walter]

Three Forks is a spot where Left, Middle, and Right Forks come together in a large pool to create Raven Fork, which flows into the Oconoluftee. Used to be a trail from Hyatt Bald (near CS44) up over Breakneck Ridge and down to Three Forks. Portions of the old trail are obliterated, but we did our part to keep the current trail open and usable. So very glad Patman came with us. We'd not have had the confidence to go so far off-trail without his experience and leadership.

I sometimes bushwack off trail---like on this trip---but usually I stick to regular trails which are pretty much empty anyway. I can see rattlesnakes and get yellow jacket stung on trail or off trail.:)

[martinb]

Rob Bush needs a large tent. :sun

[PatmanTN]

Great Report Tipi!

Funny enough, I ran into Crazy Legs and Dynamite a month ago when they were scouting the Snowbirds on a day hike; you caught them on the flip side of the actual backpacking trip.

Illabelle,

Sadly I'm only good for one watermelon carry per year.

[Tipi Walter]

Great Report Tipi!

Funny enough, I ran into Crazy Legs and Dynamite a month ago when they were scouting the Snowbirds on a day hike; you caught them on the flip side of the actual backpacking trip.

Illabelle,

Sadly I'm only good for one watermelon carry per year.

That's pretty cool running into Crazy Legs and Dynamite. When they first saw me they seemed hesitant and leery like maybe I'm Charlie Manson's brother---I was looking a little rough after Fred and 10 days of hiker's stank. So there was alot of frowning going on---then they opened up with some smiles.

[Leo L.]

Again: Your trip reports are very inspiring, Walter.
Thanks!

[Tipi Walter]

BONUS PIC---

48626
Rob's nifty aluminum framed backpacking chair.

[zelph]

How do you prevent getting poison ivy when bushwhacking?
Thank you for the excellent trip report 😊

[JNI64]

How do you prevent getting poison ivy when bushwhacking?
Thank you for the excellent trip report ��

And tick prevention?

[Tipi Walter]

How do you prevent getting poison ivy when bushwhacking?
Thank you for the excellent trip report 


And tick prevention?

I made my peace with poison ivy by getting covered in it 40 years ago and experiencing several bouts of nasty reactions. Now I can walk thru it with no effect UNLESS I try to pull it out by hand to set up a tent site. Regarding ticks (like yellow jackets)---some years are bad and other years (like this year) aren't bad at all. I usually can feel them crawling and are easily removed. In bad years I had them attached to all parts of my body (including the crotch area)---even had one hooked to my forehead I guess trying to open up my third eye?

[zelph]

Thank you for the explanation :-)

[Tipi Walter]

BONUS PIC This one from Rob's camera as we backpack off Bob Bald to Beech Gap---

48629