TownDawg
10-07-2004, 14:17
This post is not for asking people to join my trip, but rather to find out what additional information I can read/gather.
Trying to gather information on Round Bottom area, Ravenfork area, CS#44 (McGee Spring), Breakneck Ridge Manway, and Balsam Mountain Trail and Pin Oak Gap. Reading Kenneth Wise's accounts, also looking for any trip reports and/or pictures. Itinerary shown below for your reference.
Three Forks is not on the Smokies maps, but described (by Kenneth Wise) as one of the most interesting places in the GSMNP.
Current itinerary as suggested goes like this:
Day 1 - Travel to Round Bottoms, and on to CS#44. This allows for latecomers to get there before the real assault on the 'attempt'.
Day 2 - Travel to Three Forks using Breakneck Ridge Manway and return same day. (We can leave the gear somewhere at CS#44.)
Day 3 - Get to cars, and return home. That way we have a whole day to get to Three Forks from CS#44 just in case it is really grown over.
If you want a deathmarch -- There's been a suggested one. I don't see doing the deathmarch at the moment though. For your reference, the deathmarch would be tracing the Ravenfork Valley watershed from Three Forks up to TriCorner (or hitting somewhere along the Balsam Mountain Trail to Laurel Gap Shelter) -- but that's a two day journey in itself most likely!
SwampTromp has done the deathmarch manway, and I want to reinforce it is NOT part of my current plans. From there, you'd have to hike Balsam Gap Shelter to Pin Oak, and take the road back to Round Bottoms. (A killer, but doable.)
I prefer the itinerary suggested above -- a three day journey that would not pit our strengths and tax our emotions.
Day 1 - Travel to Round Bottoms, and on to CS#44. This allows for latecomers to get there before the real assault on the 'attempt'.
Day 2 - Travel to Three Forks using Breakneck Ridge Manway and return same day. (We can leave the gear somewhere at CS#44.)
Day 3 - Get to cars, and return home. That way we have a whole day to get to Three Forks from CS#44 just in case it is really grown over.
========================================== ====
If you want to sign up -- that's another link.
http://www.thebackpacker.com/trips/trip/505.php (http://www.thebackpacker.com/trips/trip/505.php)
Trying to gather information on Round Bottom area, Ravenfork area, CS#44 (McGee Spring), Breakneck Ridge Manway, and Balsam Mountain Trail and Pin Oak Gap. Reading Kenneth Wise's accounts, also looking for any trip reports and/or pictures. Itinerary shown below for your reference.
Three Forks is not on the Smokies maps, but described (by Kenneth Wise) as one of the most interesting places in the GSMNP.
Current itinerary as suggested goes like this:
Day 1 - Travel to Round Bottoms, and on to CS#44. This allows for latecomers to get there before the real assault on the 'attempt'.
Day 2 - Travel to Three Forks using Breakneck Ridge Manway and return same day. (We can leave the gear somewhere at CS#44.)
Day 3 - Get to cars, and return home. That way we have a whole day to get to Three Forks from CS#44 just in case it is really grown over.
If you want a deathmarch -- There's been a suggested one. I don't see doing the deathmarch at the moment though. For your reference, the deathmarch would be tracing the Ravenfork Valley watershed from Three Forks up to TriCorner (or hitting somewhere along the Balsam Mountain Trail to Laurel Gap Shelter) -- but that's a two day journey in itself most likely!
SwampTromp has done the deathmarch manway, and I want to reinforce it is NOT part of my current plans. From there, you'd have to hike Balsam Gap Shelter to Pin Oak, and take the road back to Round Bottoms. (A killer, but doable.)
I prefer the itinerary suggested above -- a three day journey that would not pit our strengths and tax our emotions.
Day 1 - Travel to Round Bottoms, and on to CS#44. This allows for latecomers to get there before the real assault on the 'attempt'.
Day 2 - Travel to Three Forks using Breakneck Ridge Manway and return same day. (We can leave the gear somewhere at CS#44.)
Day 3 - Get to cars, and return home. That way we have a whole day to get to Three Forks from CS#44 just in case it is really grown over.
========================================== ====
If you want to sign up -- that's another link.
http://www.thebackpacker.com/trips/trip/505.php (http://www.thebackpacker.com/trips/trip/505.php)