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View Full Version : Max Patch this Saturday 20 Oct = see the meteors



SGT Rock
10-17-2007, 15:24
Just got a tip over on my site that there is going to be a meteor shower this weekend: http://www.earthsky.org/radioshows/51729/orionid-meteors-before-dawn-on-october-20-22

So I'm planning to head up to Max Patch this Saturday and camp out on the bald with my family. Any WhiteBlazer in the area of operations is invited to come. BYOFB (Bring Your Own Food Bag).

Marta
10-17-2007, 15:27
Man, you are tempting me. My mother-in-law will be arriving here from Maine on Saturday. I wonder if I can interest here in camping out...

SGT Rock
10-17-2007, 15:28
Can she walk? ;)

Ewker
10-17-2007, 15:40
I will be in the Smokies this weekend so a drive up to Clingmans Dome might be worthwhile

Marta
10-17-2007, 15:49
Can she walk? ;)

She's had a hip replacement, so she limps. It's not that long a walk, though.

SGT Rock
10-17-2007, 15:50
True. We figure we can find us a hammock spot somewhere around there and walk out on the bald to watch meteors when the show starts.

Sly
10-17-2007, 16:05
She's had a hip replacement, so she limps. It's not that long a walk, though.

I met a guy last week that had a hip replacement and he limps too. He's also hiked the AT twice!

JoeHiker
10-17-2007, 16:05
I'll be hammocking on Glastenbury Mtn in Vermont at Goddard Shelter. Hope I can see something.

Sly
10-17-2007, 16:07
True. We figure we can find us a hammock spot somewhere around there and walk out on the bald to watch meteors when the show starts.

Just north along the trail there's a campsite that's probably suitable. It may also have water. I forget.

SGT Rock
10-17-2007, 16:08
I figure somewhere between the parking lot and the shelter there has to be something.

mudhead
10-17-2007, 17:21
The moon set is in your favor. Have a blast.

Tha Wookie
10-17-2007, 17:32
shoot.... about the ONE weekend I'm not camping this fall!

Two Speed
10-17-2007, 17:58
Was up on Max Patch last Saturday, and it was very beautiful. Also crowded. Both streams, north & south of the Patch were running, although not nearly as strongly as I remember from three years ago. Saw a couple of meteors, so if ya'll have got a shower it ought to be awesome.

Hammocks may be problematic. There's a good campsite for hammocks in a grove just north of the Patch, but it filled up pretty early Saturday afternoon. Actually, given how dry it's been cowboy camping would be my choice.

SGT Rock
10-17-2007, 18:00
Thanks for the recon report two speed. Most likely we will get there late morning on Saturday and find us a spot to take over.

Gray Blazer
10-18-2007, 07:55
Another mountaintop you can drive to is Snowbird/Wildcat Top. Did you find that drive to near the summit of Cheoh Bald?

SGT Rock
10-18-2007, 08:35
Not yet. I have only been looking at maps.

Wonder
10-18-2007, 17:40
Just north along the trail there's a campsite that's probably suitable. It may also have water. I forget.

I camped there this april. THere was water, but it was hard to find. The "path" is right as you walk into the caming area (just in the treeline) so you'll probably have to backtrack. If I remember....it's only a mile or so from the parking lot, so just camel......great site too.

Sly
10-18-2007, 19:04
One time, a few years ago, when there was a big meteor shower we drove up the BRP near Asheville to find a good spot for viewing. At 4AM it was the most cars I've ever seen on the parkway. All the lots and pull outs were full. We still had a blast.

Pirate
10-18-2007, 22:11
The Damascus Anti-Social Cllub will be camping on top of White Top Mountain for its first club activity.

Tennessee Viking
10-18-2007, 22:29
I would but I helping with a Halloween party in Hampton. So I might do Roan or Beauty Spot instead.

Ewker you might want to check with the park office, I believe they usually close down Clingmans Dome Road around this time of year before winter hits. But they might be keeping it open longer because its been so warm.

Ewker
10-18-2007, 22:51
I just did a quick check on the park's website and found this on the roads:

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=pagetitlecolumn vAlign=top align=left width=572>Seasonal Road Schedule
</TD><TD class=rightborder width=8></TD></TR><TR><TD class=leftborder width=20></TD><TD class=breadcrumbscolumn vAlign=top align=left><!-- -->

</TD><TD class=rightborder width=8></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!-- title & breadcrumbs table -end -->
<!-- -->

<!--content tables BEGIN--><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=contentlayouttopborder vAlign=top width="100%" colSpan=5 height=20> </TD></TR><TR><TD class=leftborder vAlign=top width=20>http://www.nps.gov/ser/templates/images/graphics/spacer.gif</TD><TD class=contentlayoutcolumn vAlign=top width=425 height=275><TABLE id=idLayout2 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" summary="" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD id=idCell2x1x1 style="TEXT-ALIGN: left" vAlign=top width="100%">Seasonal road opening and closing dates are listed below. Click for information about temporary weather and construction related road closures (http://www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/temproadclose.htm).

Balsam Mountain
Open May 11 - October 31, 2007
Buses, RVs and motorhomes prohibited on the road.

Cades Cove Loop Road
Open all year from sunrise until sunset
This road will be closed to motor vehicles on Wednesday and Saturday mornings until 10:00 a.m. from May 9 through September 26, 2007 to allow bicyclists and pedestrians to enjoy the cove.

Clingmans Dome
Open April 1 - November 30, 2007

Heintooga Ridge Road
Open May 11 - October 31, 2007
Buses, RVs and motorhomes are prohibited on this road.

Little Greenbrier
Open March 9 - December 31, 2007

Parson Branch
Will close for the winter on November 9, 2007.
Buses, RVs and motorhomes are prohibited on this road.

Rich Mountain
Open March 9 - November 9, 2007
Buses, RVs and motorhomes are prohibited on this road.

Roaring Fork
Open March 9 - November 30, 2007 Buses, RVs and motorhomes are prohibited on this road.

Roundbottom/Straight Fork
Open March 9 - November 12, 2007



</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Lone Wolf
10-19-2007, 05:41
The Damascus Anti-Social Cllub will be camping on top of White Top Mountain for its first club activity.

then we're driving to the scales in the Mt. Rogers area for car campout on saturday

Marta
10-19-2007, 06:41
Unless there is heavy cloud cover predicted, I'll be heading for Max Patch on Saturday.

SGT Rock
10-19-2007, 06:43
See you there Marta.

Lone Wolf
10-19-2007, 08:31
then we're driving to the scales in the Mt. Rogers area for car campout on saturday

just loaded my truck with some dry firewood and remembered the fire ban.

Gray Blazer
10-19-2007, 08:53
just loaded my truck with some dry firewood and remembered the fire ban.
I know you always follow the rules. Sheeple! :D

Lone Wolf
10-19-2007, 10:24
I know you always follow the rules. Sheeple! :D

this rule involves a major friggin fine. sheeple for a day

Uncle Silly
10-21-2007, 05:02
The Orionids are definitely in effect. I just saw 13 in 50 minutes out on my porch. Did some reading up earlier on wikipedia & space.com, there's a weird difference in the trails of these meteors versus what you see in most other showers. They hang around a little longer and slowly fade out. I've only seen the effect on a few, 3 or 4, but it's really distinct.

elevation 3500', 50 degrees, no wind, & clear; only a little light pollution, but trees and the house block around 50% of the view.

I'm jealous of everyone camped out tonight!

Lone Wolf
10-21-2007, 10:29
just back from "the scales" up near mount rogers. totally clear, cool night. myself, Pirate, Wonder and Belew were there plus 3 hunters and another couple. lotsa shooting stars

Wonder
10-21-2007, 11:39
Sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo nice. I didn't see any early on, but when I work up in the middle of the night and decided to go to my tent, I saw a few. (fell asleep cuddled in my bag sitting right up in a chair.....darn fire ban)
The ones I saw were low on the horizon. It was neat. Bunch of ponies in the shadows, coyote in the distance and a show in the sky.

reddog176
10-21-2007, 14:14
Well, I didn't make it anywhere fun and exciting to see them, however I did go lay out in the cold wet grass of my yard, and caught about 50 over the course of an hour. Have a pretty full view of the sky and little to no light pollution (but you'll get that with 150 acres of land :p)

Had a blast, but would have rather been on Max Patch.

Reddog176 aka Gadget

Marta
10-21-2007, 16:11
Max Patch was wonderful last night! My husband and I cowboy camped right near the summit. Clear sky, nice warm wind that kept the dew from forming. Temp. 53 at dawn. A 360 view of the dawn breaking was as good as the meteor shower.

Had a nice visit with Sgt. Rock, Dixie Critter, Dead Man Walking, and Creekhopper, too.

SGT Rock
10-21-2007, 17:17
Yes, good visiting with Marta and David up there. I was amazed at how crowded Max Patch was this weekend - there was even a wedding Saturday up there.

But, for the good of folks going hiking up there, the water source at the pipped spring on the north side was running, and so was the stream near the shelter.