View Full Version : Need help with section; Sam's Gap to Erwin
Mongoose2
03-29-2008, 20:40
Any information is appreciated....total distance, difficulty, shuttles, etc. Thanks!
The Data Book shows it is about 25 miles. Lots of MUD (mindless up and down). Elevations up in the 5000 range. water should be ok.
Not a bad hike at all. The first half or so (Sam's Gap to Spivey's Gap) is the more difficult section if I remember correctly. Plenty of water sources.
And, it seems like it takes forever to make the decent into Erwin after No Business Knob shelter.
Mongoose2
03-29-2008, 21:28
Thanks excuses and 10-K!
Possum Bill
03-29-2008, 21:30
Any information is appreciated....total distance, difficulty, shuttles, etc. Thanks!
Here's my info and photos from that hike, plus a little more to Devils Fork Gap:
http://www.hikingbill.com/2007_logs/2007-04-29/dfg_to_nolichucky.htm
Mongoose2
03-29-2008, 21:37
Thanks Bill, what a cool site!! Awesome Pics!!!
As I remember there was an old farm somewhere near Sam's gap that belonged to a member of the Grateful Dead. He used to let hikers stay on the farm, if you know what I mean. I'm guessing that placed has shut down, anybody remember that farm?
It is a beautiful hike into Erwin, a couple of days to get there. No more Ms. Janet's, so stay with Uncle Johnny. 10-K is right once you get to No Business Shelter it is straight down to Uncle Johnnie's place.
Tennessee Viking
03-29-2008, 23:34
Big Bald will be the main challenge. Its an up and down adventure. Camping is limited on the top. And the top can have some bad weather.
Once you climb up Flattop, its all downhill for several miles to Temple Hill Gap. No Business Shelter will be your last water until Erwin. After that climb and one good size ridgetop climb its all down hill on switchback after switchback.
astrogirl
03-30-2008, 21:18
Uncle Johnny's shuttled me there and I parked my car at their place (no charge for parking, shuttle was reasonable).
I thought Big Bald was beautiful, but it was really hot the day I was up there (last May 1, I think) and I misplaced the trail. Watch for the blazes near the road so that you don't have to hike back up the road and find them like I did. :D
I liked the shelter too. A local came up and brought cold beer -- really nice guy and not just because of the beer!
Not a bad hike at all. The first half or so (Sam's Gap to Spivey's Gap) is the more difficult section if I remember correctly. Plenty of water sources.
And, it seems like it takes forever to make the decent into Erwin after No Business Knob shelter.
Yeah, but going NOBO at least it's downhill. Pity those poor directionally challenged SOBOs. :eek:
It's a good aerobic workout. Big Bald is one of my favorite viewpoints. It reminds me of the "Hills Are Alive" sequence in The Sound of Music. There is a lot of development going on around Wof Laurel now, which has changed the view considerably. Once, when I hiked Big Bald in May, the area near there that is lightly wooded had acres and acres of spring beauties blooming at once. A mind-blowing sight.
The descent into Erwin seems to take forever. You can see the river, and yet you keep going and going and going.
generoll
03-31-2008, 07:40
Miss Janet is available for shuttles from time to time. Send her an IM and ask about times. She shuttled my cousin and myself back to Hot Springs from there. She also wanted everyone to know that she misses the hikers and is still looking for the right spot.
Gray Blazer
03-31-2008, 07:51
Camping is limited on the top. And the top can have some bad weather.
I would say hammocking is limited at the top. If you do set up your tent there, you may find you have an audience when you crawl out in the AM cuz locals like to walk up to catch the sunrise.:o
Yeah, but going NOBO at least it's downhill. Pity those poor directionally challenged SOBOs. :eek:
True enough, but if you're NOBO you pay for it on the way out of Erwin. :)
True enough, but if you're NOBO you pay for it on the way out of Erwin. :)
Yeah, how could I forget? But at least for many the climb is at the beginning of the day!
Miss Janet is available for shuttles from time to time. Send her an IM and ask about times. She shuttled my cousin and myself back to Hot Springs from there. She also wanted everyone to know that she misses the hikers and is still looking for the right spot.
That is fantastic news! The last post I read by Miss Janet seemed to indicate she had given up.
I am doing this section on the forth of July weekend and we are going to shuttle ourselves but will need somewhere to leave a few cars in Erwin and Somewhere to tent on Thursday when we meet after work (we are going to shuttle early on Friday morning) any ideas?
There is parking at Sam's Gap - I'm not sure how safe it is. On the Erwin side you could probably park at Uncle Johnny's for a few bucks a night.
As for tenting - on the Erwin side the campground or Uncle Johnny's would be the best options because it's all uphill for a few miles as you leave Erwin. I don't remember the area around Sam's Gap enough to suggest anything there.
Are you hiking north or south?
We are going NB
Thanks for the help 10K
How close is Uncle Johnny's to the trail?
Lone Wolf
06-25-2008, 15:36
How close is Uncle Johnny's to the trail?
about 15 feet
about 15 Feet
Ha!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Lone Wolf
06-25-2008, 15:52
Ha!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
well, it is
earlyriser26
06-25-2008, 15:56
Uncle Johnny's is right on the trail
earlyriser26
06-25-2008, 16:06
This is a great hike. Great spot to stop and have a break after climbing out of Sam's gap is a open grassy area before street gap anlong a barbwire fence. Big bald is totally open on its grassy summit, but can be windy, you can see forever. Good campsite and stream in Spivey gap, but close to a road. Steep climb out of spivey, but you follow a nice stream. In erwin you can stay at Uncle Johnny's (as LW says 15 from trail and they have supplies) or take a left and walk about a mile down the road to the Holiday Inn Express (also very hiker freindly)
well, it is
Yeah, I know. I just thought the answer was funny as hell. :D
We are going NB
Thanks for the help 10K
No problem. One way to do this hike would be for everyone to meet at Uncle Johnny's around 7:00 am and leave your cars there and let him shuttle you all over to Sam's Gap. Parking's free when you pay for a shuttle and you'd all be at your cars at the end of the hike.
FWIW, I've used UJ for shuttles 5 or 6 times and every time it has worked out perfectly.
Lone Wolf
06-25-2008, 18:10
Yeah, I know. I just thought the answer was funny as hell. :D
oh, ok :)
Thanks! I will call Uncle Johnny's tomorrow!
Jack Tarlin
06-25-2008, 23:13
Make sure you pay in cash........ :rolleyes:
There is also free parking just across the river from UJ's. People also camp by the river and under the bridge. There is also a campground 1 mile through the park. Also as everyone said, UJ.
There is a parking area up at Sams Gap, under the interstate, on the old highway. Its a nice parking area, on the AT. You get off on the Wolf laurel exit and head north. I've never parked there overnight, so I couldn't tell you how safe your car will be. I can say that the times I've been up there, I haven't seen any broken glass from car windows.
Bearpaw88
06-25-2008, 23:25
No kidding
Moongoose2 , Use cash or Credit just in case.
Tennessee Viking
06-26-2008, 02:28
I hiked over Big Bald back in April. Trail Magic for thru hikers was in full affect at Sams Gap. There is a really good climb about a mile in from the old mining road up to the top of Street Gap.
After Street Gap, it is level ridge until Low Gap then its an adventure up the mountain passed Wolf Laurel up to Big Bald. You can cheat by taking the blue blaze at Wolf Laurel rounding around the backside of the bald.
Winds picked up on the bald, and only a few brave souls were camping there. But water is not directly on trail from below the southside of the bald to the shelter.
Shelter was nice and cold. Me and 5 other hikers hit the sack around 900 being soo cold. Definitely hang your pack, mice everywhere. Lots of water at the lower piped spring. But camping is discouraged around the shelter due to fragile ground. There is a campsite about a half mile further, almost to little bald.
Walking down Little Bald was narrow in some spots and is a knee banger at High Rocks with a lot of high rock steps and a fast winding drop down to 19W.
I have walked the roads on Flattop Mtn. There are a couple good campsites within half a mile of trail that aren't listed in the guides. Go even further to the backside of Flattop to an open deer browse, there is a great view of the Chucky Gorge and No Business.