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DonQuixote
08-09-2006, 11:06
Has anyone here ever done the ascent from Fontana Lake to Clingman's Dome via the Forney Creek or Forney Ridge trails? I know it's steep, but just how difficult is it? I'm pretty sure I could do it, but I'm taking my younger brother, who just had a heat stroke at work yesterday, and I don't want to kill him or make him miserable.

Gray Blazer
08-09-2006, 11:09
Why not do it the other way around (in other words-descend)?

greentick
08-09-2006, 11:11
If he truly had heat stroke he is probably still in the hospital right? After heat stroke the body typically has a really hard time with temperature regulation as its "sensors" may be fried. If that is the case hiking in the heat would be "bad" on the the good-to-bad scale.

DonQuixote
08-09-2006, 11:15
I misspoke. He works in the snack bar inside the USS North Carolina. Apparently a visitor found him unconcious on the floor.

Well, I was planning on driving to end of the Road to Nowhere and hiking up from there, then back down, possibly by another route. Is there a better way to do it?

FLHiker
08-09-2006, 11:35
Well, I was planning on driving to end of the Road to Nowhere and hiking up from there, then back down, possibly by another route. Is there a better way to do it?

Yup - there's a road that will take your car almost all the way to the top of Clingman's Dome - come to think of it - if your really looking for an adventure, and you have a small enough car, you can drive all the way to the top! :D :banana - much easier then walking that whole way!:D

DonQuixote
08-09-2006, 11:41
Right, but if I go down I'm still going to have to walk back up. So 6 in one hand, half a dozen in the other?

Gray Blazer
08-09-2006, 13:00
Seems like you're not getting a lot of help here. If my brother had health problems such as you describe and I wanted to get rid of him, I think it would be a great idea to hike up to Clingman's Dome from the lake. If you love him and want him to stick around a little longer maybe you could start at Clingman's Dome and hike east or west for a while on the AT. A nice easier hike would be from Newfound Gap to Charlie's Bunion. Closer for you, I believe, would be to get off I-40 at Watertown road and drive to Mt. Sterling Gap and hike up Mt. Sterling. There is an old firetower there with great views of Hell's Ridge, Mt. Cammerer and the Balsams. You could hike along the Sterling Ridge Trail for a while. Lots of possibilities. Maptech is a free website that shows the AT route and other trails in the Smokies. It is also good for showing elevation changes. Type in Clingman's Dome, NC and start scrolling around. Have a good time with your brother. Whoops, one more idea. Start at Watertown Road and hike the AT up Snowbird. It is not as strenuous as some of the other hikes and you'll get a great view of the Smokies and Max Patch. Bear's Den Hostel is on that road. I hope this helps.

Gray Blazer
08-09-2006, 13:07
I couldn't get Maptech to come up with a map for Clingman's Dome or Newfound Gap but it did provide a map of Fontana Lake, NC. Go there and start playing around with it. You can follow the AT route through the Great Smokies and see the elevation changes.

Doctari
08-09-2006, 13:23
If climbing from the lake after hiking the previous 100 miles or so of the AT, piece of cake. If starting from the lake, Yep, may be by by baby bro.

Not very steep, but it's quite long. A friend who was (when hitting the trail) started at the lake, "I had to count my steps to keep going. 25 steps, then & only then stop to rest." I on the other hand breazed right up the hill. If you want to climb to the dome, try hiking from Newfound Gap. Want to do an overnight: stop at Mt Collins Shelter.


Doctari.

Gray Blazer
08-09-2006, 13:28
I followed the route on maptech. I'm not sure how many miles Forney trail is, but, it is an elevation gain of 4,600 ft from Fontana to the Forney Ridge parking lot. That's a lot. I thought I was in shape when I went up Mt. Sterling from Big Creek and that was a 4200 ft gain in, I believe, 6 miles and it almost killed me.

C-Stepper
08-09-2006, 13:56
It looks you are planning to hike from the end of "Lakeview Drive" up the Lakeshore Trail, take Forney Creek trail up to the ridge, then hike down Forney Ridge, and loop back, right? Are you entertaining other suggestions for your loop hike? Why not and end-to-end (does your brother have a car?)

Whenever you're hiking up a ridge it will be tough. The degree of difficulty depends on your physical condition and pack weight, so what wasn't "that bad" to me, may make you quit and never hike again. If you're not in shape AND carry a heavy pack (or your brother?), hiking to the ridge via a more easily graded pathway might be a better bet.

Here's MY experience, for what it's worth (2 cents, maybe).

Here's a copy of the planning map

http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/national_parks/great_smoky_trail99.pdf

I haven't hiked Forney Ridge trail yet as part of my hiking the park. There are no campsites on Forney Ridge so you have to take your mileage into account in your planning of your hike so you land at a campsite.

I decended (which may give me a different perspective, as I walked down) the Forney Creek trail in March. It is a gorgeous trail. It was quite steep, and the mile or so just below the dome is quite rocky; it's not the steepest trail in the park (Noland Divide from Deep Creek to Clingman's Dome road has that distinction, per "The Little Brown Book", Hiking Trails of the Smokies. I'd suggest getting a copy, as it's not expensive).

I'm at work and don't have my book with me to remind me of details, but the Forney Creek trail has a number of water crossings that were very deep in March (seems like there were 6 or so that were over the knees and running hard; this would be weather dependent). There's a great campsite with a gorgeous waterfall to camp at (I think it was 68, but check the book).

Enjoy!

DonQuixote
08-09-2006, 14:01
I have a GSM topo map, and I've been halfway up the Forney creek trail, but I was hoping someone had first hand experience with the trails further up.

The trip will be Friday night through Monday evening. My brother (17) is in decent shape, but obviously I don't want him to be miserable. Are there any good loops around that might be worth it?

Oh yeah, and I'm in Greenville, SC at the moment, so I will be taking 26 to Asheville.

C-Stepper
08-09-2006, 14:26
Are there any good loops around that might be worth it?

You can make gazillions of loops in the park. Post your expected mileage per day and how many days & nights you plan to be out.

Clingman's Dome would only make my list in off-season, when the road is closed and the people go home.

DonQuixote
08-09-2006, 14:37
We'll have 3-4 hours Friday night, and then all day Sat, Sun, and Mon. I'm hoping for at least 10 miles/day. That will partly depend on whether he is in as good of shape as I think he is.

I made it up Forney Creek to about 1-2 miles past the four river crossings, and I really liked it. I just know it gets steep after that.

He has a car, but I'd rather not drive two cars (with one being a large truck) 3 hours into the mountains.

Maybe hiking up to the AT (I can't remember the trail name that goes there) and then back down Forney Creek, rather than up.

Skyline
08-09-2006, 15:38
What am I missing here?

He was found unconscious on a ship yesterday? And he's going to be going on a four-day backpacking trip from the lowlands to the highest point on the AT, and back, starting...Friday? Something just doesn't compute, sorry...

DonQuixote
08-09-2006, 15:43
Well, basically, he neglected to drink enough water standing in 100+ degree heat for hours, probably locked his knees and passed out for a few seconds.

It's not like he had a heart attack.

TIDE-HSV
08-09-2006, 15:52
down from Clingman's Dome, and that was a long time ago - 70s. Of course, steepness sticks with your memory when you're going up and not so much when descending. The number of creek crossings, though, does stick with me. I think it was in the low "teens." True, it's 4600', but it's strung out over a much longer stretch than Mt. Sterling, which, IMO, is the most demanding hike in the Park on a maintained trail (this excludes the Charley's Bunion manway and Jenkins Trail Ridge's first part).

C-Stepper
08-09-2006, 16:56
OK, home with my book now.

Forney Creek, total of 11.4 mi, begins around 1600' at Lakeshore Trail and tops out about 5800' on the ridge. The final 2 1/2 miles look like the steepest, 4000' to 5800'. Nine major stream crossings are marked; in March, none of these were the rock hop sort. Some would be difficult after a thunderstorm. Note that it is #68 that has Rock Slab Falls at the site, a pretty nice spot for the night if you like tumbling water. I don't recall any views from that trail, but you'll get one at the dome.

Forney Ridge, which I haven't hiked, per the book tops out on the ridge about 6300' after rising from the Springhouse Branch junction about 3800'. Note that Andrews Bald on the trail is mentioned as pretty nice in the book, as having one of the most spectacular views of the park.

My first hike in the park, which was four days, is still my favorite one. However, my mileage is much higher than you're proposing. Thought I'd throw it out there, though. It really helps to have a guidebook to plan great trips! I hiked the AT, Fontana to Russell Field Shelter (day 1), there to Silers Bald Shelter (day 2), Hazel Creek to #85, including Bone Valley (day 3), and returned on the Lakeshore Trail to my car (day 4). This hike includes Shuckstack Tower, a firetower which you can climb up into and has a great view of Fontana Lake, Thunderhead Mountain, the abandoned town of Proctor, a 19th century cabin that you can walk into, great fishing spots, and some lake walking. I did this hike when the wildflowers were blooming at low to mid elevations (your too late for that!) and got some great pics of them, too.

Planning is half the fun, enjoy! :)

Skyline
08-09-2006, 21:50
Well, basically, he neglected to drink enough water standing in 100+ degree heat for hours, probably locked his knees and passed out for a few seconds.

It's not like he had a heart attack.


Well, your original post indicated heat stroke, and you brought up the subject of not wanting to kill him. Sounded pretty serious to me.

DonQuixote
08-10-2006, 09:04
Thank you for your concern, but I also stated that I misspoke.

B.S.
08-10-2006, 11:26
Park at Noland Creek on the Road to Nowhere
Friday:Walk in to Campsite 64 on Noland Creek (4 very easy miles)

Saturday: Up Springhouse Branch Trail to Forney Creek Trail to Clingman's Dome to AT to Double Springs Gap Shelter (9.7 butt kicking miles)

Sunday: AT to Welch Ridge Trail to Jonas Creek Trail to Forney Creek Trail to Campsite 71. (All downhill 9 miles)

Monday: Down Forney Creek Trial to Whiteoak Branch Trail to Tunnel thru tunnel to parking lot. (5 easy miles out to parking lot)

The only tough day will be on Saturday when you gain all of your altitude in about 5 miles of the trip. I did this loop last spring. The Saturday climb is tough but do-able. Once you get to the AT it is not bad at all. You could park at Clingman's Dome and do some variation of this. But getting the climb out of the way on Saturday will give you something to talk about the rest of the trip, and the rest of the trip will be easy. Caution: be sure to wear shoes that have plenty of toe room for the miles of steep downhill on Sunday.

DonQuixote
08-10-2006, 14:07
You know, that loop is exactly what I had tentatively planned.. I'm glad to finally hear someone who has done it tell me that it's doable.