PDA

View Full Version : First peak and first get off in NC after you cross the Ga/NC border?



jeepcj258
12-09-2004, 13:12
As the top says, what is the first peak and what is the first good place to exit the trail in North Carolina coming from the south.
More specific, hiking from Georgia to North Carolina. After you cross into North Carolina what is the first good exit point and what is the nearest peak.
I would love approximate milage and directions if you have them.

Is there parking there?

Thanks
God Bless
Seth

Lone Wolf
12-09-2004, 13:22
The first road is USFS 71 at Deep Gap. 82 miles north from Springer Mtn. There is parking there. The nearest peak is Standing Indian Mtn. 2.4 miles north of the parking area. USFS 71 is off Hwy. 64. It's about 5 miles in on a good gravel road.

MisterSweetie
12-09-2004, 13:28
Is this where we can meet, Seth? Both of my people said no to the hike, but I still want to go. Are you up for continuing on the 18th?

Also, for distances, check this out:

http://www.ragtag.org/atdist.html

Springer to Deep gap, 82.4 miles.

Now a question for others: Which side is the "famous" tree near the NC GA border from Deep Gap?

Youngblood
12-09-2004, 13:31
The first road is USFS 71 at Deep Gap. 82 miles from Springer Mtn. There is parking there. The nearest peak is Standing Indian Mtn. 2.4 miles north of the parking area.

From the guidebook:

Deep Gap is at the end of a six-mile, one-lane gravel road, USFS 71, which leaves U.S. 64 just west of the Clay-Macon county line and five miles west of Winding Stair Gap.


Appalachian Trail guidebooks are copyrighted property of the Appalachian Trail Conference (ATC) or its member clubs

Lone Wolf
12-09-2004, 13:33
The "famous" gnarled oak tree is at Bly Gap in N.C.

Youngblood
12-09-2004, 13:37
From Springer:

GA/NC border- 75.4 miles
Bly Gap (your oak tree)- 75.6 miles
Deep Gap- 82.4 miles

orangebug
12-09-2004, 13:39
The road up to Deep Gap may be closed this time of year. One might find a better exit from Deep Gap by taking the Kimsey Creek Trail down into the State Park and going straight to the backcountry parking area. It is an easy trail.

If you wanted to bag the peak at Standing Indian, muchly recommended, taking the straight downhill trail (Lower Ridge Trail?) is very convenient, and comes out in the same spot.

MisterSweetie
12-09-2004, 13:40
From Springer:

GA/NC border- 75.4 miles
Bly Gap (your oak tree)- 75.6 miles
Deep Gap- 82.4 miles
Thanks Youngblood.

Kerosene
12-09-2004, 13:49
Parking for about 6 cars at Deep Gap, plus numerous tent sites just at the start of the the Kimsey Creek Trail (to your left as you enter the parking lot). USFS 71 is dirt but looked quite smooth; several passenger cars were parked in the lot in early April. The road looked wider than one-lane, but winter ice and snow could cause problems for a car.

Youngblood
12-09-2004, 13:57
You guys sound like ya'll are coming from Mississippi to hike the Georgia section? I've got routes for driving to various trailheads, waypoints and the Georgia AT on tracks that I load into my GPS (Garmin 12Map) when I hike it. I haven't updated it for the reroutes from the last few years but that hasn't caused me any problems. It's on MapSource software if it will do you any good. You need to be on your toes to spot USFS 71. Seems like I went past it this summer when I was going east on US64 because you could only read the sign if you were going west... figure you will be heading east. The GPS helps a lot, as do acurate driving mileages from known landmarks.

Alligator
12-09-2004, 14:22
USFS 71 wasn't too bad, we took two vans down it in late spring this year. There weren't any landmarks that I remember at the turn to get to the trailhead.

orangebug
12-09-2004, 15:03
I'd try to get information whether FS 71 is open. It previously was locked midway up for winter. I suspect that it would be easier to park at Standing Indian Park's Backcountry lot and connect to the AT via Kimsey Creek or another trail.

max patch
12-09-2004, 15:20
FS71 is "usually" scheduled to be closed 1/1 thru 3/15. Check with Nantahala Hiking Club for info on this years closure. FS71 is a good road, but I prefer hiking the Kimsey Creek if given a choice.

Hikerhead
12-09-2004, 15:56
I did the Kimsey down to the Campground this past June after a long day. This is really a horse trail, quite a few pointless ups and downs and also a lot of rock that worked on my feet. It seamed like it went on forever before coming to the campground. The campground is a good place to leave your car. You could also take another trail down to the campground that comes up to the Gap and the AT AFTER Standing Indian Mtn. I don't know the name of this trail or the Gap. I can look for more info if you need it. I came up on this trail and went down on the Kimsey after leaving my car at the campground.

jeepcj258
12-09-2004, 17:07
you guys are the greatest, thanks for all of the help.


Mr Sweetie, I sent you pm.

God Bless
Seth

Lilred
12-09-2004, 19:42
I Hiked out of Deep Gap to Carters Gap the last week in Oct. this year. USFS 71 was closed due to damage from the hurricanes. I don't know if they reopened it or not, but you might want to check. I got on the AT at Deep Gap from the Kimsey Creek Trail out of Standing Indian Campground, but it is all closed up now so I don't know about parking there.

Lilred
12-09-2004, 19:46
The road up to Deep Gap may be closed this time of year. One might find a better exit from Deep Gap by taking the Kimsey Creek Trail down into the State Park and going straight to the backcountry parking area. It is an easy trail.

If you wanted to bag the peak at Standing Indian, muchly recommended, taking the straight downhill trail (Lower Ridge Trail?) is very convenient, and comes out in the same spot.


It's the Timber Ridge Trail and you can get off the AT there. It's just before Carter Gap. This is the trail I used to get off the AT. A nicely blue-blazed two mile trail down to the road. Take a left at the road and it's about 4 miles to Standing Indian Campground.

veteran
12-09-2004, 21:26
This map might be helpful:

http://www.topozone.com/print.asp?z=17&n=3882226.99956952&e=264471.999888701&s=100&size=m&u=6&layer=DRG25&datum=nad83

jeepcj258
12-09-2004, 21:30
ONce again, I can not thank you guys enough.

Thanks for the map, Good Lord willing I think that will be my exit.

God Bless
Seth

orangebug
12-09-2004, 22:12
Well, the Timber Ridge Trail is near Carter Gap, but the Lower Ridge Trail is at Standing Indian. Opposite the turn toward the summit on the big blue blazed trail, are 2 less prominent blue blaze trails. The left one takes you toward water. The right one is the Lower Ridge Trail, and drops you off the mountain quickly. It is a bitch to climb, but a joy to run down.

The backcountry parking lot is outside the State park, and is not locked up. It is on a paved road to turns to a dirt FS road, I belive FS 83 or 67. When the park is open, they will charge you to park in their observed lot, but I've not heard of a lot of trouble in either place.

I think the TRT takes you down to the FS road, giving you a bit of a road walk back to your car. Kimsey Creek and LRT both drop you by the park headquarters, across the road from the backcountry lot.

Rain Man
12-09-2004, 23:38
The last hurricane through there this Fall wiped out the Forest Service road up to Deep Gap. Unless they really made it a priority, it might not be opened yet.

You can ask the Nantahala Hiking Club. They have a web site. The trail maintainer told me about it.

Rain Man

.

MisterSweetie
12-10-2004, 00:05
You can ask the Nantahala Hiking Club. They have a web site. The trail maintainer told me about it.

Rain ManYep, this link might contain pertinent information:

http://www.maconweb.com/nhc/alerts.html

Road openings and such.

Jaybird
12-10-2004, 07:26
As the top says, what is the first peak and what is the first good place to exit the trail in North Carolina coming from the south.
More specific, hiking from Georgia to North Carolina. After you cross into North Carolina what is the first good exit point and what is the nearest peak.
I would love approximate milage and directions if you have them.
Is there parking there? Thanks God Bless Seth


my suggestion is Standing Indian Mtn (peak) then hike back 9/10th mile to jump off on FS 71 (exit point). There's a small parking area there @ the gap...but it's not suggested to leave cars there due to vandalism.


I exited here on my 2002 section hike & started my 2003 hike here! :D

Lone Wolf
12-10-2004, 09:07
It's 2.4 miles to the peak from FS 71, not 9/10th.

Kerosene
12-10-2004, 10:46
It's 2.4 miles to the peak from FS 71, not 9/10th.I concur. I think it's 0.9 miles north from Deep Gap to the Standing Indian Shelter, then another 1.5 miles to the actual summit where I've read that there is a nice campsite.

Rain Man
12-10-2004, 12:11
Here's an excerpt of the NHC web site report from less than two months ago:

Sent: Friday, October 15, 2004 11:35 AM
Subject: AT Trail Conditions, Wayah and Tusquittee Districts
Update: .....
The Deep Gap Road (USFSRD 71) remains closed.
The Standing Indian area cannot be approached from the Coweeta Hydrologic station.

Also, Seth, I'm not sure what you mean by a "peak," but in my opinion the first peak out of Bly Gap is Sharp Top (and/or "Preacher's Rock"/Courthouse Bald?). The climb starts only a few feet past the famous gnarled oak tree in Bly Gap, and goes straight up without switchback. In my opinion, it was easily the worst climb for me between Amicalola Falls, GA and Fontana Dam, NC, even though it wasn't the highest "peak." I had BAD WORDS to say about the trail designers' "welcome to NC"!!! LOL

Youngblood
12-10-2004, 12:55
Here's an excerpt of the NHC web site report from less than two months ago:

Sent: Friday, October 15, 2004 11:35 AM
Subject: AT Trail Conditions, Wayah and Tusquittee Districts
Update: .....
The Deep Gap Road (USFSRD 71) remains closed.
The Standing Indian area cannot be approached from the Coweeta Hydrologic station.

Also, Seth, I'm not sure what you mean by a "peak," but in my opinion the first peak out of Bly Gap is Sharp Top (and/or "Preacher's Rock"/Courthouse Bald?). The climb starts only a few feet past the famous gnarled oak tree in Bly Gap, and goes straight up without switchback. In my opinion, it was easily the worst climb for me between Amicalola Falls, GA and Fontana Dam, NC, even though it wasn't the highest "peak." I had BAD WORDS to say about the trail designers' "welcome to NC"!!! LOL

Yeah, Sharp Top and then Courthouse Bald. Most folks remember their names and the trail designers did show a little mercy, they route you around Yellow Mountain before you get to Deep Gap. Yellow Mountain could have easily been the first 5000 footer.

Youngblood

The Solemates
12-10-2004, 13:34
I love Sharp Top. And I will never forget that day on our thru. It was our first "big mile" day. I think we did 15. We stopped at Bly Gap for pictures in the snow and I pulled out the thermometer and it read 16F at 2PM. We barely made it to the Muskrat Creek Shelter before dark. Pops hiked in from Kimsey Creek to meet us, as it was on a weekend. He cooked us eggs and sausage the next morning. We had to peel the shell of the eggs like a hard-boiled egg because they were completely frozen. It snowed the whole night and it dropped below 0F. 8" of snow on the ground in the morning.

Kerosene
12-10-2004, 15:39
The NOBO climb out of Bly Gap was the hardest ascent from Amicalola, bar none. I'm sure that it didn't help that I really motored up from Dicks Creek Gap (although I did stop for lunch and a rest under the big rock at the GA/NC border). I think what really got to me was the heat on April 9, 2004; the first day the temperature rose above 75. I was sapped by the time I reached the Muskrat Creek Shelter and it was the only time of the hike I had to stop to rest. The two English blokes that passed me during lunch were totally wiped out though, since they weren't used to temps above 70 at any time of year!

orangebug
12-10-2004, 16:20
I'm so glad to read someone else had their butt kicked out of Bly Gap. I always read complaints about Sassafras Mtn, which I thought a pointless stroll above the FS road and away from water. But that welcoming climb into NC was a beast.

Youngblood
12-10-2004, 16:30
Solemates and Kerosene,

You guys need to get ya'lls stories straight... one of you say it is too cold at Bly Gap and the other says its too hot. When I was there the temperature was just right! ... I guess you just can't please everyone? :banana

Youngblood

The Solemates
12-10-2004, 16:45
Well we were there Feb 6. Kerosene was there April 9. Quite a lot can happen in between those times. Especially in the South.

weary
12-10-2004, 20:54
Well we were there Feb 6. Kerosene was there April 9. Quite a lot can happen in between those times. Especially in the South.
excuses, excuses

Hyway
01-03-2005, 18:12
I am also planning to hike the Georgia section of the AT from March 19 - March 27. Our plan is to leave our only vehicle at Amicalola early one Saturday morning and start up the Approach Trail. Then we will hike till the 2nd Sunday, find our way to a road and hitchhike back to Amicalola, drive back to the coast and sleep all day Monday at work.

First question, how difficult will it be to catch a ride on the Forest service roads or should we expect to walk all the way to a paved road? Also, once we make it to a paved road with traffic, how long should we expect it to take us to hitch back to Amicalola?

Second question, why isn't there any mention of a trail from Muskrat Creek shelter to 64. Surely as close as it is someone must have made a trail.

Kerosene
01-03-2005, 18:59
Reply to First Question: I suggest that you get a shuttler to pick you up and drive you back. In fact, you might be able to get them to lead you to the drop-off point so you take the best route.

Reply to Second Question: The Chunky Gal Trail (what a great name) links to the AT 1 mile north of Muskrat Creek Shelter, heading downhill 5.5 miles to US-64.

Hikerhead
01-03-2005, 20:19
http://www.whiteblaze.net/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/4192/sort/1/cat/all/page/1

If my memory serves me right, this sign is south bound readable only.

Hikerhead
01-03-2005, 20:24
Go to the GATC website. They have a list of people that shuttle around that area. One guy that I know of lives in Hiawassee. Gene (can't remember his last name).

Hyway
01-04-2005, 01:55
Thanks for the input, especially about the chunky gal trail. I have seen pics of the sign many times on various journals, but never knew where it led.

We will be arriving very early in the morning on saturday and would like to get a early start hiking after a few hours of sleep at the trailhead. I have read posts where people spent most of the day taking care of the shuttling duty. I figure as we hike we can get a better idea on how to get back to amicalola. we'll have 9 days to figure it out :) I watch for the gene fellow on the GATC site

Rain Man
01-04-2005, 11:05
Second question, why isn't there any mention of a trail from Muskrat Creek shelter to 64. Surely as close as it is someone must have made a trail.

Could you be thinking of the Kimsey Creek Trail from Deep Gap down to Standing Indian Campground? That's in the vicinity.

It's a little farther north than the Chunky Gal Trail, but a shorter side trail once you're on it.

The Chunky Gal Trail leads to the Chunky Gal Stables on 64, I believe. I understand the name is from Cherokee indian lore.
:sun
Rain Man

.

Youngblood
01-04-2005, 11:50
... I have read posts where people spent most of the day taking care of the shuttling duty. ...

How much time do you think it will take you to hitch back to Amicalola SP, most of the connections between trailheads are reached by indirect, rather circular routes involving several different roads?

Youngblood

Kerosene
01-04-2005, 13:09
The Chunky Gal Trail is 1 mile north of Muskrat Creek Shelter, then 5.5 miles down to US-64.

The Kimsey Creek Trail is 4 miles north of Muskrat Creek Shelter, then another 3.7 miles down to Standing Indian Campground, which is still umpteen miles of road walking from US-64 and hitching is reportedly difficult. I did manage to get a $5 shuttle from the Standing Indian CG caretaker down to my car at Rainbow Springs Campground when I had to get there before dark.

Hyway
01-04-2005, 14:44
Kerosene, the distance from the bottom of the Kimsey Creek trail to a well traveled road is what concerned me. I have never been in that area, but given that it is the height of the thruhiker migration I was thinking that the FS roads would be busier than usual.

Youngblood, I am expecting it to take most of the day to get back to Amicalola on Sunday, a little less if I can arrange a shuttle to pick us up coming out of teh woods (though I don't know how to arrange that ahead of time since I don't know when we would get there). The difference is that it will be after the hike and I won't be chomping at the bit in anticipation of getting started :). Plus, we will be arriving very early Saturday morning and will either sleep a few hours at the trailhead, or do a little night hiking to slake some of the hike fever I am sure I will be feeling. That is, if the approach trail is well marked and can be followed in the dark.

For now I am just thinking outloud to help pass the time until March. I would love to be actually beginning a thru-hike, but thats not going to happen for a while, so I will just have to satisfy myself with a series of section hikes for now.

steve hiker
01-04-2005, 15:34
Just north of Bly Gap there's this overlook to the south. There's these 2 mountains or hills side by side, shaped exactly the same, that look just like a pair of woman's breasts. The land slopes down below them like a woman's flat belly, and you can imagine the rest from there. I got excited just looking at those hills and had to rush down. I figure they must be named the Breast Mountains.

Hyway
01-04-2005, 15:41
Was there a trail there or did you have to bushwhack your way through?

Youngblood
01-04-2005, 15:50
Hyway,

There are lots of options for hiking the GA section. I posted some info a while back on this post: http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?p=42397&highlight=Georgia+section+hike#post42397 .

One thing I'm going to throw out for you to think about is to bring 2 vehicles and set up intermediate shuttles of 3 days or so. This means that you will have to spend a few hours shuttling along the way but it also gives you an easy means for resupply and more flexibility for your hike.

Youngblood

Hyway
01-04-2005, 16:09
We live in Wilmington, NC, about 8 hours from Amicalola (I think, I haven't really estimated it yet). Thats a long way for two people to drive two vehicles, especially since I am sure we will be pretty beat and will want to share the driving on the way back. I'll check out that link you posted also.

orangebug
01-04-2005, 18:16
Could you be thinking of the Kimsey Creek Trail from Deep Gap down to Standing Indian Campground? That's in the vicinity.

It's a little farther north than the Chunky Gal Trail, but a shorter side trail once you're on it.I think he might be thinking of an old abandoned road that crosses the AT a bit north of Muskrat Shelter, I believe at Whiteoak Stamp. I'm fairly certain that it would be an unmaintained difficult bushwack. Chunky Gal ain't that much further.

However, I bet it would be quicker and safer to simply arrange to meet a shuttle service, perhaps the Hiker Hostel near Woody Gap

Kerosene
01-05-2005, 18:39
One thing I'm going to throw out for you to think about is to bring 2 vehicles and set up intermediate shuttles of 3 days or so. This means that you will have to spend a few hours shuttling along the way but it also gives you an easy means for resupply and more flexibility for your hike. YoungbloodIf you go this route, be aware that food left in your trunk might be accessible to mice. Hikerhead parked his car at Dicks Creek Gap where a family of mice tore his rolls of paper towels into a nest and feasted on Snickers bars! To top it off, yellow jackets were able to find there way inside where it was warm.