View Full Version : BMT thru hike
Well, I've managed to carve out 2.5 weeks off out of my schedule and will be starting the BMT at Springer on April 11th and heading to Davenport Gap.
It works out great - I'm in a wedding in Lawrenceville, GA (not far from Gainesville) on April 10th and after the wedding I'm getting dropped off at the Hiker Hostel in Dahlonega and they're taking me to Springer the next morning. Just got my reservation confirmation from the HH so I'm set.
Looking forward to it!
royalusa
02-15-2011, 16:50
Have fun! What's your resupply strategy?
Have fun! What's your resupply strategy?
I haven't gotten that far but it doesn't look too difficult. About like the AT actually. I think most places should be open by April 10th....
The only sketchy place is GSMNP and I'm thinking The Hike Inn / resupply Robbinsville then going non-stop through the park to Standing Bear Farm to get picked up. There's always Cherokee if necessary.
Slo-go'en
02-15-2011, 17:46
Just got my SGT Rock BMT guide today. I hope to start around April 1st. I hope to be in good enough shape to do ~15 miles a day from get go.
I figure to resupply at Fontanna village before going into the Smokies. Now to highlight all the resupply options before there.
Have fun! It is great little trail. Awesome way to see the southern Apps without the crowds of the AT. :)
Just got my SGT Rock BMT guide today. I hope to start around April 1st. I hope to be in good enough shape to do ~15 miles a day from get go.
I figure to resupply at Fontanna village before going into the Smokies. Now to highlight all the resupply options before there.
I have heard that Fontana Village resupply frequently gets stripped bare by AT thru hikers -- not sure if that's true or not but there's a post office around there somewhere too.
I haven't really spent much time thinking about resupply on the BMT but I also have Rock's new guide and I skimmed it quickly and it looks very similar to resupply on the AT. 2-4 days between places, some right on the trail, others a few miles off, a post office or 2... etc.
I'm more worried about missing a turn and getting off the trail and hiking into the Twilight Zone than anything....
Slo-go'en
02-15-2011, 23:02
I have heard that Fontana Village resupply frequently gets stripped bare by AT thru hikers -- not sure if that's true or not but there's a post office around there somewhere too.
The couple of times I've hit up Fontana village in the higth of thru-hiker season they were still well stocked. I think they kinda know the amount of traffic they get and when it comes. The hiker friendly stuff might get a bit thin by the end of May... Post office is right next to the little grocery.
SGT Rock
02-17-2011, 22:03
You can send yourself a package of the main staples to Fontana and pick up whatever else you can find there.
They don't shuttle to and from Deals Gap or 20 mile, last year they said they would if they could. It means going out of your way a little to get a supply in that area.
You can send yourself a package of the main staples to Fontana and pick up whatever else you can find there.
They don't shuttle to and from Deals Gap or 20 mile, last year they said they would if they could. It means going out of your way a little to get a supply in that area.
I was planning on calling The Hike Inn and spending the night there and resupplying in Robbinsville (using Jeff or Nancy for a shuttle).
Should work, no?
wornoutboots
02-17-2011, 23:03
I was planning on calling The Hike Inn and spending the night there and resupplying in Robbinsville (using Jeff or Nancy for a shuttle).
Should work, no?
Much better than resupplying in Fontana Village!! That place is extremely expensive :(
SGT Rock
02-17-2011, 23:08
I was planning on calling The Hike Inn and spending the night there and resupplying in Robbinsville (using Jeff or Nancy for a shuttle).
Should work, no?
I've never hear a complaint, except about price - but you know up front what you are spending so that shouldn't be an issue. If it were me, I would hike to the Deals Gap Motorcycle place, call them, then enjoy a Dragon Burger while you wait to get picked up.
I've never hear a complaint, except about price - but you know up front what you are spending so that shouldn't be an issue. If it were me, I would hike to the Deals Gap Motorcycle place, call them, then enjoy a Dragon Burger while you wait to get picked up.
I'll consider myself fortunate to make it through all the unblazed wilderness areas and various trail junctions and make it to Deal's Gap. :)
Once I hit GSMNP I'll relax a bit about navigation.
SGT Rock
02-17-2011, 23:16
LOL, the Smokies has NO BLAZES...
LOL, the Smokies has NO BLAZES...
Looks like there are campsites every few miles all the way to Smokemont and after that the trail runs in a general NE direction - pretty easy to stay on the right trail in the park I'd think.
I hope anyway.... :)
SGT Rock
02-18-2011, 04:07
It is pretty easy to follow, especially if you know the local trail names you should follow.
almost all trail intersections with the BMT in GSMNP were marked (little sign diamond and arrow to show direction) in 09 when I went through - I only got confused a couple times
generoll
02-18-2011, 11:10
the really great thing about the BMT through the Smokies is that you still get to climb Shuckstack (groan), just on a different trail.
SGT Rock
02-18-2011, 20:06
The last report I heard (and I don't want to scare anyone) is that hikers report a couple of the signs missing. I don't know if that means they are actually gone or if someone just didn't find one. A VERY well experienced hiker with thousands of trail miles who I know took a wrong trail in the Smokies, but it was so innocuous that he never realized he missed it.
The last report I heard (and I don't want to scare anyone) is that hikers report a couple of the signs missing. I don't know if that means they are actually gone or if someone just didn't find one. A VERY well experienced hiker with thousands of trail miles who I know took a wrong trail in the Smokies, but it was so innocuous that he never realized he missed it.
I'm going to have Mr. Parkay's BMT gps track loaded on my gps... There haven't been any reroutes in the Smokies in the past 2 years have there?
SGT Rock
02-18-2011, 21:16
No re-routes of the Smokies.
has there been any movement on the bypass of the road walk near Deals Gap? Is the NPS still working on the environmental impact study or has it even got that far yet?
SGT Rock
02-19-2011, 19:45
Not even that far. The good news, maybe, is that there is a new backcountry manager for the Smokies. I met her at the BMTA meeting in November. Very sharp, hasn't learned what "can't be done" yet. Me and a couple of others that are involved in the area or were involved in the original route gave her the facts, problems, and what we think would be a good solution to the issue. I believe the new BMTA president is working on the issue. I hope that in this decade something can happen (you know how these things can go), but I've been with the Federal Government long enough not to get my hopes to high.
My personal belief is the only thing that would make it an issue that could be fixed in the next year or so is a serious injury accident to a hiker - God forbid that ever happens though. I personally advise anyone that can to skip that road walk.
My personal belief is the only thing that would make it an issue that could be fixed in the next year or so is a serious injury accident to a hiker - God forbid that ever happens though. I personally advise anyone that can to skip that road walk.
What's the deal with it? How long is it?
royalusa
02-19-2011, 20:09
Hey 10-K, our journal notes reflect that it's 2.8 miles and took us about an hour. As we walked we alternated to opposite sides of the road depending on blind curves so to reduce the risks. We were there during the busy motorcycle period but really never felt unsafe during the road walk at all. The cars or cycles all moved over and gave us plenty of room. However, you do want to be aware of the traffic and make sure they see you... not a section you want to do at dawn or dusk. We were fine w/ the walk, but we have read that others did not like it.
Hey 10-K, our journal notes reflect that it's 2.8 miles and took us about an hour. As we walked we alternated to opposite sides of the road depending on blind curves so to reduce the risks. We were there during the busy motorcycle period but really never felt unsafe during the road walk at all. The cars or cycles all moved over and gave us plenty of room. However, you do want to be aware of the traffic and make sure they see you... not a section you want to do at dawn or dusk. We were fine w/ the walk, but we have read that others did not like it.
Thanks - I just checked your trail journal and see that you are half of Brakeman and Grasshopper. (!)
You probably don't remember but I passed you on the trail somewhere in 2008 - we were going in opposite directions and stopped and chatted for a few minutes. :)
royalusa
02-19-2011, 20:37
Thanks - I just checked your trail journal and see that you are half of Brakeman and Grasshopper. (!)
You probably don't remember but I passed you on the trail somewhere in 2008 - we were going in opposite directions and stopped and chatted for a few minutes. :)
Cool! Just sent you an email.
SGT Rock
02-19-2011, 21:49
As he said, there are times that the walk isn't bad at all. I did mine in the dead of winter and saw maybe 6 cars the whole time and no motorcycles. There have been times in warmer weather that I just did the walk down to the hotel there from the trail head about a mile away and it was scary sometimes those motorcycles come around the curve almost laid down not realizing there is a chance someone would actually be walking down the narrow shoulder, they didn't look happy about it either.
The solution the park service and the BMT have "agreed" on in principle ain't that much work. It would mean re-opening about 1.5 miles of the old AT (pre 1947) and about 2.5 miles of old road dirt that is still in very good shape. Last maintenance trip that way we agreed we could get the manpower to do it, but the park has a standard that would be much wider than we normally do things, and add to that they don't care for volunteers doing much on the park trails (other than the AT) other than cleaning up campsites. So they are of the position that it would have to be done by their professional trail crews - which is really a good thing if you think about it. Unfortunately they "budget" trail maintenance by miles of trail. And at this point they would have to close about 4 miles of trail somewhere else to open this section based on that model. I hate to see any miles of trails leave, the "Smokies 900" is now about 790+/- on my count because of this. And it does't look like the budget is going to get any better for trails in the near future.