View Full Version : Fontanna to NOC
SGT Rock
12-14-2004, 10:30
Thinking about doing a short section next weekend. I figure going SOBO from Fontanna Dam to NOC, conducting a recon of the NOC for the SoRuck next month. Itenerary is basically:
-Thursday night, drop car at NOC, go to Fontanna and stay at the Hilton.
-Friday night stay at Brown Fork Gap Shelter (well, in the vicinity)-about 12 miles I think.
-Saturday night stay near Sassafrass Gap Shelter - about 10miles I think.
-Sunday drop down to the NOC and drive home.
I figure if I plan low mileage then it won't be hard to stay on schedule in case of bad weather, and the days are shorter right now. Plans are not yet solid enough to committ.
Anyone been up on that section of trail lately? Is there snow? Is there a lot of ice?
Thanks.
Thur 16th-Sun 19th?? I did this section NoBo in September, some really awesome views at Cheoah and at the Jump Up. Climbing up outta Wesser was a killer for me. I did Wesser to Sassafrass shelter, approx 7 miles in 4 1/2 hours, forgot a Clif bar in my pack side pocket and the mice had a field day. The privy has about 50 mice living in it too. Made for good company for the morning constitutional.
Hmmmmmmm, will Mrs Sasquatch let me leave for the weekend???
SGT Rock
12-14-2004, 10:49
That is the weekend I am planning Sasquatch. If I go, my oldest boy will be along. Another reason to plan lower milage, he moves slow-hencethe name Dead Man Walking.
gravityman
12-14-2004, 14:26
That is the weekend I am planning Sasquatch. If I go, my oldest boy will be along. Another reason to plan lower milage, he moves slow-hencethe name Dead Man Walking.
I'm sure you are aware already, but this is a tough tough section. Just thought that I would mention it. It's a little better the direction you are heading...
Gravity
SGT Rock
12-14-2004, 14:39
Yes, I have heard that. I figured that going down into NOC would be easier than going the other way.
Hmmmmmmm, will Mrs Sasquatch let me leave for the weekend???
The answer to this question is NO. "You will go to the dinner party on Saturday."
SGT Rock
12-14-2004, 14:45
Lol
Whippppp!!!!
Saving them up for a weeklong georgia section hike during Spring Break week next year, Sarge!
She gets the whole week alone with the 2 kids. I get a week in the woods, I am trying to convince her that SHE is getting the better end of this deal.
SGT Rock
12-14-2004, 22:26
LOL. My deal is usually to take at least one kid with me to reduce her load. She really likes it when I get them both out.
i hiked this section july 2001 from noc to fontana i stayed at browns fork gap shelter,then hiked to fontanna the next day.in july 2003 me and hank my youngest son he was 9 then hiked from fontana to noc,we stayed at browns
fork gap then hiked to noc next day,hank did that as an overnight hike at the age of 9 with no problems,i love that section:sun happy trails to all:sun neo
Rain Man
12-15-2004, 13:23
She gets the whole week alone with the 2 kids. I get a week in the woods, I am trying to convince her that SHE is getting the better end of this deal.
Dang... don't she see that?!!! LOL
Perhaps if you offered to reverse roles with her????
Good Luck, Fellow Man.
:sun
Rain Man
P.S. I wrote at trip report about my NOC-to-Fontana hike over Halloween. Should be under my Rain Man forum, if you're interested.
.
grrickar
12-16-2004, 00:09
Rock, I did that section the first week in October. Of course there was no snow or ice then, but there very well could be now. We hiked SOBO from Hot Springs to the NOC.
We stayed at the Hilton and had the good fortune to be the only two in the shelter. I slept well, and do not recall there being any mice. I could have sworn I saw a bald eagle the next morning over the lake. I asked the TVA caretaker at the Visitor Center and he said others had told him they too had seen one, but that he never had. It actually improved my mood quite a bit.
We tented the next night at the top of a ridge about a 1/2 mile from Cody Gap. A nice site with a fire ring and room for 2-3 tents, but no water nearby. Cody Gap does have water down the hill from the tent site.
We spent the next night at Sassafras Gap shelter. The shelter is okay, but the privy is, well, disgusting. After being spoiled by privys at shelters like Cosby Knob, that thing was awful.
Rain poured in buckets on us the next day, and Cheoah Bald was socked in with clouds and fog. The next morning the weather cleared, and we had a good hike down to the NOC. I have seen pictures of the views, and it should be a nice hike if the weather holds.
SGT Rock
12-16-2004, 20:27
Thanks for the feedback. I got off work too late today, then I had some other time killers added into that, so I won't be staying at the hilton tonight. I'll be getting on the trail by Fontana early tommorrow though.
See ya'll in a couple days.
dixicritter
12-17-2004, 13:34
Just to update y'all....
They are on the trail. "One Shoe" (our youngest) and I dropped them off at around 10:30 est this morning at Fontana Dam. While we were there we all walked out to the hilton and met up with another hiker (stomper I believe was his trail name) who was nobo. It was the first time I've ever seen someone's eyes light up like that when Rock introduced himself. Made me prouder of him than I already was (as if I really thought that could be possible...lol).
Anyway, they said they were trying to knock out about 10 miles today (crazy hiking guys... lol). :jump
Kerosene
12-17-2004, 13:41
Yea, I'd love to run into Sarge unexpectedly on the Trail someday and just spend some time together. If you're that proud, Dixicritter, just think about what your sons feel!
The Cheat
12-17-2004, 13:52
Yea, I'd love to run into Sarge unexpectedly on the Trail someday and just spend some time together. If you're that proud, Dixicritter, just think about what your sons feel!
Your son is probably floating those 10 miles.
grrickar
12-17-2004, 15:41
"The cheat?" You must be a StrongBad fan, maybe?
Rain Man
12-17-2004, 16:36
.... It was the first time I've ever seen someone's eyes light up like that when Rock introduced himself. Made me prouder of him than I already was (as if I really thought that could be possible...lol).
Anyway, they said they were trying to knock out about 10 miles today (crazy hiking guys... lol). :jump
Be proud. Be very proud! Husbands need that. :) And, Rock deserves it, from all I can tell.
Ten miles out of Fontana SOBO, eh? OUCH. Considering the long climb up Yellow Mountain (?) right off the bat, I'd vote for stopping at Cable Gap Shelter the first night, if it were me. That's about 6 miles.
Anyway, the Rock doesn't need ME to advise him on hiking, even if he can't hear me.
:sun
Rain Man
.
dixicritter
12-17-2004, 16:51
You are probably right, Cheat, he was listening pretty close while the two of them are talking. And Kerosene, the boys are very proud of their dad this is true. This was a first for me with another hiker, Dead Man Walking (the oldest boy) has been with him many times now and I'm sure has seen it. I've seen it in other areas of our lives, but I know how much hikers and hiking mean to him so it meant something different to me this morning. Of course he will tell me I'm just being silly...LOL.
Rain Man, I hear ya buddy! :)
SGT Rock
12-20-2004, 08:52
Hi ya'll. I'm back - great hike.
Actually Stomper was a SOBO who finished and was headed back north. Apparently he is a NG and his unit in New York is being activated.
We did about 11.8 to Brown Fork Gap Shelter, getting there about 30 minutes after sundown. We had to hike the last mile or so with a headlamp over some snow and ice - but not too much.
The next day we only did 9.1 to Sassafras Gap Shelter. It was getting darn cold by the time we got up to Choah Bald, and the snow around the bald was still a few inches deep, left over from about a week ago.
Then yesterday we did 6.9 (I think) down to NOC and got in slightly before noon. It started snowing on us as soon as we hit the trail, and the snow was getting pretty thick in places by the time we got off. We drove back by Fontanna and took some pictures of the trail head there which was good and white by the time we got home.
It was my son's first time hiking in cold weather and snow, and he did well, but he is still no speed demon, Dead Man Walking still accurately describes his hiking style.
The trail down from Sassafras Gap looks like there have been a lot of relos, so I guess we may have walked a little over the 6.9 my older guide said it is going down - since we crossed back and forth over the older AT on switchbacks in places. I also had a second bald named Swim Bald or something like that, which we were supposed to cross as well, but I never saw it, could it have overgrown or been routed around?
I slept in my hammock every night using my Nunatack Quilt, Jacks 'R Better No Sniveler, and a foam pad - stayed pretty warm. I think the system will do good,. but I think I might want to have a wind shield like the Supershelter or that JRB thing.
SGT Rock
12-20-2004, 16:10
Posted some pics on my gallery:
http://www.whiteblaze.net/gallery/showgallery.php?cat=500&ppuser=5
looks a little wet / slippery in spots - how did your trail runners work ?
SGT Rock
12-21-2004, 10:21
Just fine. I ended up adding GorTex socks on the last day. The rest of the trip I didn't wear them and my socks only got a little damp. They would dry by the next morning just fine. But those GorTex socksjust soaked my feet hiking in them.
Rain Man
12-21-2004, 18:12
We did about 11.8 to Brown Fork Gap Shelter, getting there about 30 minutes after sundown.
Rock, did you notice that this shelter is built on the stump of a huge tree?
:sun
Rain Man
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SGT Rock
12-21-2004, 18:45
No I didn't. I guess I'll have to make another trip sometime.
SGT Rock
12-21-2004, 19:10
Oh, and seems like I saw an entry from you in one of those shelter journals, I can't remeber which shelter it was.