View Full Version : July 4th weekend from Kincora
Rain Man
06-17-2008, 18:13
Envirodiver and I are thinking of hiking over the July 4th weekend. Start point would be Dennis Cove Road (i.e., Kincora Hostel) and end point would be Highway 91 road crossing. That's 28 beautiful, leisurely miles on the AT, past Laurel Falls, Watauga Lake, and Iron Mountain. We would take Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Likely to stay at or near shelters, though that's not set in stone. There are a few road crossings, so you could join us, or abandon us, at a few points along the way.
Anyone interested in hiking along with us, assuming things fall together and we get to go?
Rain:sunMan
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Tennessee Viking
06-17-2008, 22:35
Leisurely? Well for most of it. You still got to climb up to Pond Flats. You can thank Possum Bill for all the cutting and new signage going up the mtn.
I might see you all on trail then. I will be doing day hikes or maintenance.
Rain Man
06-18-2008, 00:51
Leisurely? ... You still got to climb up to Pond Flats....
Shhhhhhh. Don't tell them about the climb up to Pond Flats! hee hee
Truly, though, we'll likely be doing a short day that day.
Rain:sunMan
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Cabin Fever
06-18-2008, 20:56
Pond Flats is a mental test going north with a great reward for pushing. Flat on top with easy trail on the way down to the lake.
Hey Rain Man, this sounds like I nice hike, I think I would like to join you for the three days.
Does anyone have any interest in continuing on to Damascus?
Lone Wolf
06-18-2008, 21:16
Leisurely? Well for most of it. You still got to climb up to Pond Flats. You can thank Possum Bill for all the cutting and new signage going up the mtn.
I might see you all on trail then. I will be doing day hikes or maintenance.
it's an easy climb. y'all ain't been to maine
Rain Man, great idea. Unfortunately I'll have just arrived home from vacation and won't be able to go. However, as I recall, Pond Flats has no pond and is not flat!! Keep an eye out for a box turtle with a cracked shell.
Rain Man
06-18-2008, 22:48
it's an easy climb. y'all ain't been to maine
Actually, I have. :D
Rain:sunMan
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I'm interested in coming along at least part of it, though may have to work the 4th.
Rain Man- Would Pond Flats be a good vantage point for watching fireworks? Or are there other locations on the trail in that section that would be good for Friday night?
http://content.sweetim.com/sim/cpie/emoticons/000201F6.gif (http://www.sweetim.com/s.asp?im=gen&ref=10)
http://content.sweetim.com/tbsig/sig.asp?img=ad1 (http://www.sweetim.com/s.asp?im=gen&ref=12)
Rain Man
06-19-2008, 22:28
Rain Man- Would Pond Flats be a good vantage point for watching fireworks? Or are there other locations on the trail in that section that would be good for Friday night?
I have no idea. I'll see if someone at the trail maintenance club can advise us. Perhaps some of them are on here and will see this, but I'll contact the club directly too.
I will say that if we stop at Pond Flats, it'll be an awfully short day!
Rain:sunMan
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I've heard of people going up to Bald Mt. to watch fireworks. Doubt if you could see much from pond flats. Too many trees and Elizabethton and Johnson City are a ways off.
Rain Man
06-20-2008, 12:36
The TEHCC folks indicated there wouldn't be any special fireworks display in the area, and no place to see fireworks from the trail, if there were any. Though they did say Vandeventer Shelter would be the one place to have a view of the lake if anyone were shooting fireworks, but that's a longer hike than our group wants to make the first day.
Rain:sunMan
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Chenango
06-26-2008, 14:38
Just checked Google map. It is a 12 hour drive from Central NY. Too far for even a 3 day weekend without taking vacation time from work and I don't have it to take. Maybe another time. Have fun and stay safe!!
Rain Man
06-27-2008, 14:45
We have 5 WBers and friends so far. Hitting the trail on July 4th at Kincora (Dennis Cove Road, TN) and hiking north past Laurel Falls and Watauga Lake on the 4th and on northward for the weekend.
Give a shout if you'd like to join us!
Rain:sunMan
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Do you know where your first night will be? It would be nice to see some of the faces behind these post.
Rain Man
06-29-2008, 17:19
Do you know where your first night will be? It would be nice to see some of the faces behind these post.
I'm guessing on the lake near Watauga Lake Shelter or there abouts. Plans are still tentative right now.
Also, if anyone does want to make definite plans to meet us and visit, that in itself might determine where we stop the first night, so speak up. Also, if we arrange a slack-pack the first day, that may affect where we camp that night.
We have three days to get to highway 91, so I'm thinking an easy 10 miles on Friday, an easy 11 miles on Saturday, and then the final 7 miles on Sunday. Driving home on Sunday evening. That's sort of what's in my mind right now. But I could easily be out-voted or otherwise swayed, so beware.
Rain:sunMan
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Survivor Dave
06-29-2008, 17:21
We have 5 WBers and friends so far. Hitting the trail on July 4th at Kincora (Dennis Cove Road, TN) and hiking north past Laurel Falls and Watauga Lake on the 4th and on northward for the weekend.
Give a shout if you'd like to join us!
Rain:sunMan
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Rain Man, it's tempting for sure. It'd cost me $160 just to get there and back. We'll see. I was going to Neel Gap that weekend to night hike Blood and maybe help out a little with the BBQ.
SD
Survivor Dave
06-29-2008, 17:26
Maybe if there is someone in the Atlanta area that wants to split the gas, I'm so there! Be pretty cool to meet some of the WBers.
Rain Man
07-02-2008, 09:14
Although one WBer has had to drop out due to injury (wimp!), our hike is still on for this weekend! Only three days away.
Right now the new tentative plans are to hike from Dennis Cove Road (Kincora hostel) to Damascus, hitting the trail on Friday morning and arriving in Damascus on Monday afternoon or evening. That's approximately 12.5 miles per day for 4 days.
Anyone interested in joining us for part or all of the hike? We cross several roads, so hiking part of the hike is certainly possible. Two WBers say they'd like to meet up with us at Watauga Lake just to spend Friday evening with us, roasting hot dogs and watching for fireworks on the lake.
We still are not sure about best shuttling arrangements, whether to shuttle a vehicle or hikers, or simply to do our own shuttling by leaving a vehicle at Damascus.
Anyone want to have dinner on Monday evening in Damascus? Or less likely, breakfast on Friday morning?
Rain:sunMan
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Rain Man
07-02-2008, 09:18
Do you know where your first night will be? It would be nice to see some of the faces behind these post.
Dmax, right now it looks as if we might stay near Watauga Lake Shelter, subject to its condition and whether it's over-run by locals.
We are looking into getting Bob Peoples or someone slack pack us over Pond Mountain and bringing us an iced watermelon! Not sure how likely that is, but it would tend to tie us to the road crossing there.
Clear as mud? We'll know more for certain in the next day or two.
Rain:sunMan
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Sidewinder
07-02-2008, 18:01
We are looking into getting Bob Peoples or someone slack pack us over Pond Mountain and bringing us an iced watermelon! Rain:sunMan.
RM- when I first read your post I could just see some hiker packing a watermelon on his/her back up the side on the mountain. LOL
Great idea, enjoy.
Rain Man
07-02-2008, 19:44
RM- when I first read your post I could just see some hiker packing a watermelon on his/her back up the side on the mountain. LOL
I've tried to explain to my daughter that's why we're taking her along, but she just laughs! LOL
Right now it appears we may meet tomorrow evening in Damascus to leave a vehicle. Then we'll either drive to Kincora then or stay over somewhere and drive to Kincora early Friday.
If anyone wants to PM me, I'll send my cell phone number for last minute/final plans.
Rain:sunMan
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good lord who's lame idea was it to carry a watermelon in the first place? :rolleyes:
Rain Man
07-02-2008, 22:42
good lord who's lame idea was it to carry a watermelon in the first place? :rolleyes:
Excellent question for self-examination, I suspect!
So, right now it's looking like it'll be arriving in Damascus tomorrow evening to leave a vehicle, at a minimum, and maybe to stay over some where. Or else, drop the vehicle and grab a bite and head on down to Kincora for the night. I'll be leaving Nashville tomorrow around noon and may not be online again till Tuesday.
Rain:sunMan
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This could offer a clue to the watermelon mystery...
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20080703/Watermelon_Viagra_080703/20080703?hub=TopStories
Rain Man
07-03-2008, 09:29
This could offer a clue to the watermelon mystery...
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20080703/Watermelon_Viagra_080703/20080703?hub=TopStories
Oh, you funny cannucks! LOL
Rain:sunMan
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Sidewinder
07-03-2008, 11:08
This could offer a clue to the watermelon mystery...
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20080703/Watermelon_Viagra_080703/20080703?hub=TopStories
Now that conjures up some very ugly visuals
envirodiver
07-03-2008, 11:12
Although one WBer has had to drop out due to injury (wimp!), our hike is still on for this weekend! Only three days away.
Rain:sunMan
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I may be hurt but I can still read. :(
Rain Man
07-03-2008, 13:11
It's noon Nashville time and I'm hitting the road for Damascus. Hope to be eating dinner in Dots tonight!
Will be back online next Tuesday. Until then... I'll be hiking the AT ... with WBers!
Wooooo wooooo!!!!
Rain:sunMan
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If I can pull myself away from my boat motor, I hope to run into you guys on Friday. I f I don't see you, have a great hike. This will be the first 4th of july weekend that I haven't camped at Wautaga lake in probably 7 years. There always seems to be one bad storm on that weekend. I hope you all stay clear of them!
Rain Man
07-07-2008, 21:05
Well, just got back home this evening and had a great hike. My daughter is ready to go back out on the trail, so that says a lot right there. We met several WBers, some who went to all the trouble to find us on the trail! Mountain Squid packed in cold Cokes and fixin's for S'mores on Friday evening, the 4th, to Watauga Lake Shelter. Tennessee Viking (buliwyf) went to two road crossings and hiked this way and that till he caught us. Rabbit hiked with us the first two days and shuttled our gear for us. She also packed in weiners and buns for dinner on the 4th. Tom Z Brown and wife were at Kincora when we arrived. They did the same section SOBO. We stayed with them at Iron Mountain Shelter. It being the July 4th weekend, we saw a ton of people and dogs the first two days.
Oh, and The Only Wanderer let us park our vehicle at his place, plus let us shower and fed us a HUGE lunch when we arrived in Damascus today at noon. WOW!
I'll post some pics and report later.
Rain:sunMan
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You just wait until you come back and pick up the trail again in front of my house. Your next meal will be polecat. Don't worry you'll like it the way I fix it, you won't smell a thing and think it tastes like chicken.........