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View Full Version : Woody Gap to Neel Gap this weekend



simplysql
09-03-2008, 09:55
Can you guys give me an idea of what to expect? We climbed Blood Mountain earlier - so I'm a bit familiar - how's the rest of the terrain? Thanks!

Dances with Mice
09-03-2008, 10:08
The nickel tour is that there are climbs on each end and the trail just kinda rolls along in the middle. Really nice view on, I think, the second climb out of Woody.

briarpatch
09-03-2008, 10:42
The nickel tour is that there are climbs on each end and the trail just kinda rolls along in the middle. Really nice view on, I think, the second climb out of Woody.

Preaching Rock is the view spot on Big Cedar Mountain. Its the first big climb out of Woody, with about 7 or 8 switchbacks. There is another viewspot about a half mile further down a 50 yard blue blaze on the right (if going north). That spot has a good campsite for 2-3 tents. There is a seasonal spring on the left (again going north) just past where the blue blaze leaves the AT.

A good itinerary would be to do Woody to this campsite on Friday evening (carry water in case the spring is dry or muddy). Hike to Woods Hole or the tent pads near Slaughter on Blood for Saturday, then up and over Blood on Sunday.

EAnderson
09-03-2008, 11:03
We hiked this last Friday, and there is a bad blowdown within the first mile or so. No easy wasy around, and there was much poison ivy and yellow jackets as we tried to go over and around. I managed not to get stung, but my hiking partner got nailed in the neck.

After that, it was great, and the overlooks were really nice. The blueblaze overlook that Dances with Mice & briarpatch mentioned was nice. There was some water after the rains, but not as much as 9-10 inches might have yielded.

Bulldawg
09-03-2008, 11:19
Nice section. Easily doable in one day if you start early. Be VERY food safe though. There are some trouble bears in that section this year. We saw one at Miller Gap, one on Gaddis Mountain, and one just out of Bird Gap in one day this year. And there have been several stories about bears giving some problems around Blood this year.

Other than that DWM's description is spot on. Lots of poison ivy and lots of yellow jackets. Be sure and camel up at Slaughter Creek, because that is the last water you'll see before Neel Gap, 3.2 miles and over Blood Mountain is a long way if you don't bring enough water.

simplysql
09-05-2008, 14:40
thanks for the advice! I agree on the water - we did Blood Mountain earlier this year and ran out of water- no fun at all!

Jason of the Woods
09-05-2008, 14:50
We saw a bear there as well but I wouldn't say he was any trouble. He was actually posing for pictures.;)

Bulldawg
09-05-2008, 14:55
We saw a bear there as well but I wouldn't say he was any trouble. He was actually posing for pictures.;)

Well, I didn't have any "trouble" personally, but I did run into a group of boy scouts that had all of their food (properly stored BTW) stolen. And talked to another camper who had his pack rummaged through (destroyed BTW) at the Slaughter Creek sites. So I'd classify that as a trouble bear or bears. I was just warning the guy.

EAnderson
09-05-2008, 16:22
Well, I didn't have any "trouble" personally, but I did run into a group of boy scouts that had all of their food (properly stored BTW) stolen. And talked to another camper who had his pack rummaged through (destroyed BTW) at the Slaughter Creek sites. So I'd classify that as a trouble bear or bears. I was just warning the guy.

We only saw one small pile of scat, and it was old. Not saying that they aren't active, but no signs at all last week.

Kirby
09-05-2008, 16:49
I remember halling through this section as there was a storm when I rolled through. I do remember there being a few spots where a great view would have been possible on a clear day.

Kirby

Pedaling Fool
09-05-2008, 16:54
I remember halling through this section as there was a storm when I rolled through. I do remember there being a few spots where a great view would have been possible on a clear day.

Kirby
I could be wrong, but I seem to remember all the good views in Georgia being north of Neel Gap, other than Blood Mountain.

Tennessee Viking
09-05-2008, 19:43
I was just at Neels Gap at Labor Day. Crowded. Hiking center invaded by weekend hikers, cyclists, & speed testers. Tons of people on Blood Mtn. Lots of them that shouldn't be even hiking.

bloodmountainman
09-05-2008, 20:38
I was just at Neels Gap at Labor Day. Crowded. Hiking center invaded by weekend hikers, cyclists, & speed testers. Tons of people on Blood Mtn. Lots of them that shouldn't be even hiking.
This is an every weekend experience here! Crowds, cyclists, and all those people who shouldn't be on Blood Mountain are completly gone after Thanksgiving. We like to say up here that the Mountains are "closed" then. That's when the real hiking season begins! Blood Mountain covered in snow is a real treat! Come up after Thanksgiving for some solitude.

Bulldawg
09-05-2008, 22:35
I could be wrong, but I seem to remember all the good views in Georgia being north of Neel Gap, other than Blood Mountain.

Springer is a good view, several short side trail views to Woody, preaching rock, a few short side trail views to Blood, of course Blood. Then wolf laurel top, cowrock. Then not much in the way of views until Rocky Mountain. Then a few good views on the way to Tray. Then the fabulous views on Tray and at the Tray shelter. Then that is about it until Dicks Creek. I've never been north of Dicks Creek in Georgia, so I can't speak to those views, if any. My favorite has to be Blood if I had to pick one, but you can catch some awesome winter sunsets off Springer too.