January BMT Thru-hike

[RyanK817]

So some friends and I are looking at doing a thru of the BMT sometime during January. I have never been on the BMT, but I was at Springer last week and everything was covered in snow and it was in the low 20's. Do you guys think hiking the whole BMT this time of year is a good experience? I'm not familiar with the terrain and weather, and I didn't know if conditions get unreasonably bad in cold and (potentially) snowy conditions. Anyone been out there a lot during this time of year? Thanks!

[10-K]

It would probably be better than the AT, especially in the Smokies.

[Bati]

The fords at Slickrock and the 2 at Noland would be extremely bad if it's both cold and you have high water. If the water level is low, you'll need to be prepared with a quick change of socks and shoes. Better yet, consider blue-blazing around them if the water is up (see other threads for info).

Unlike the AT, the BMT is not well blazed. It's difficult to follow/find the AT down South when there's significant snow on the ground, but it can be done if you know how to read a map and reduce your mileage accordingly (translation: have extra food in case you need it- the nearest store is not nearby). Finding the rare blaze on the BMT if there's enough snow to cover over the path would be nearly impossible in places as they can be a mile apart. However, the trail is a short enough time commitment that you can probably just bail (or go hike the AT through the park) if you do encounter a lot of snow. And frankly, we seem to get more snow in March than in January.

As for cold temperatures, the BMT spends more time at lower elevations in SMNP, so you'll probably sleep warmer at night than you would on the AT.

As with any trip, make sure someone knows you're out there. The BMT does not have many shelters, so your ability to leave entries in the shelter logs is limited (the park removed these and used them to search for hikers when a bad storm came through), and there is no "network of hostels" who will be calling and trying to trace missing hikers so those safety mechanisms are gone. Also, if you do get a bad storm, the chances of being able to avoid the worst of it by staying in a shelter are reduced as there are so few of them and the campsites are not cleared for possible falling trees.

But the odds are that you'll have great weather and have a great hike, so go- just be prepared with plan B in case you do encounter bad fords, and plan C in case you encounter bad weather.

Enjoy!

[moytoy]

I wouldn't even consider doing the BMT in Jan without a Trail Guide. Go to bmtguide.com.

[10-K]

The first 90 or so miles of the BMT are blazed better than the AT....

.... Well, I don't know if "better" is the right word - but you won't lack for seeing blazes for the first few days.

[The Solemates]

not a problem. winter hiking is the best hiking in the south. just be safe and smart.

[azb]

Just be prepared. It can be 65 degrees one day and you'll be in a blizzard the next. Most times it hovers around the mid 30s and just rains a lot. :)

Az

[SGT Rock]

I've done it in January. Some things to consider:

Days are shorter, so you have to hike a steady pace during the hours of daylight to make mileage.

Many services are going to be closed on the BMT.

You will be walking past a few great campsites on creeks with good swimming holes, but it will be too cold to get in and enjoy them.

[Mountain Mike]

What about fords? Which ones would you have to Blue Blaze around?

[SGT Rock]

It depends. The two fords you most have to worry about are Noland Creek and Slickrock Creek. There isn't an "approved" blue blaze, so any route you pick based on direction, weather, length, whatever - would be fine. I've forded Noland when it was up, but didn't feel too in danger, just a little cold. I've not forded Slick Rock when it was up, but it really has to rain a lot for it to get up. I have forded it in cold weather and not had an issue because of the cold.

As to bypasses for the trails, blue-blazing around Slickrock would be a long route, especially if you had to back-track. I would rather take a extra day or two of food and have a nice camp on the side of the creek waiting for it to abate. There are a few good campsites on either side of the ford depending on sobo or nobo.

Noland Creek has more options, most obvious to me is to take Spring House Branch Trail out of campsite 64, and then take Forney Ridge Trail up to Clingman's Dome. After that, take Noland Divide back to the BMT. That said, I've not been scared yet by Noland Creek to the point I wouldn't ford it.

[SGT Rock]

For the sake of writing down at least once, I think if you were to have to bypass Slickrock Creek you would probably have a long re-route, and backtracking to do this would suck, especially if you were NOBO and made it all the way to the creek before you found out you needed to turn around. I'll write this out for a NOBO, you will have to look at a map and turn it around to figure out for SOBO.

You have two options on where to leave the BMT. The first would be at Cold Spring Gap (MP 165.6), from there you would go east on Trail 54 (Bob Bald Trail) to Bob Bald - 1.3 miles. If you miss this turn off, then the next would be at Cherry Log Gap (MP 168.4) where you would take Trail 54A (Bob Bald Connector Trail) to Bob Bald - 1.2 miles.

Once on Bob Bald, continue on Bob Bald trail 0.8 miles to Stratton Bald where you get on Trail 53 (Haoe Lead Trail) for 5.6 miles to the intersection with Deep Creek Trail, then follow Deep Creek Trail 3.9 to Saddle Tree Gap.

At Saddle Tree Gap, get on Trail 56 (Hangover Lead Trail) and follow it 5.4 miles to Yellowhammer Gap where you get back on the BMT/Ike Branch Trail (MP 181.7).

So it would be about 2.1 + 5.6 + 3.9 + 5.4 = 17.0 miles and bypass about 13.3 miles of the BMT. But if you had to backtrack NOBO it would add about 12.5 miles of backtracking to get back to Cherry Log Gap.

I'll also state that I took those mileages out of a book, I haven't walked them in decades, so I don't know how accurate the miles are, or what sort of shape those trails are in.

[generoll]

couldn't you go down the Slickrock Creek Trail from Naked Ground? I think there's a trail that parallels the creek on the NC side.

[SGT Rock]

Seems that if the creek was too high to ford, that trail would be underwater.

[generoll]

on the upper sections of the trail? I once did a loop hike several years ago in February and to avoid the numerous crossings of Slickrock Creek we took the Nichols Cove Trail to the campsite by the creek below Big Fat. That trail wasn't real well maintained then and may be worse now, but it was an option. I've never hiked the upper sections of the Slickrock Creek Trail, but it was my impression that it did not cross the creek above that campground.

Of course you'd have to make that decision well before you got to Slickrock Creek and go over Bobs Bald instead of staying on the BMT.

[SGT Rock]

It has been years, but I seem to recall crossing the creek somewhere below the upper falls but before you would have gotten to Stiff Knee.

[generoll]

ditto on the years part. I'm not sure if we're talking the same trails, but I'm thinking going across Bobs Bald to Naked Ground and then down Slickrock Creek Trail to the campsite at Big Fat Branch and then taking Nichols Cove to the junction with Slickrock about where it hooks up with Stiff Knee and the trail to Yellowhammer. Then up to Yellowhammer and out via Ike Branch. Water available, but dry feet the whole way. Dunno how the mileage compares and I do know that Nichols Cove Trail didn't seem to get a lot of use in spots, but I did hike it specifically to avoid all the stream crossings on Slickrock.

I had planned on a loop hike from Big Fat parking area up to Hangover and then around to Naked Ground and then down Slickrock to the trail back up to Big Fat. I don't see the trail now that I'd planned to use to connect from Hangover to Naked Ground, but I'm pretty sure there was one. In any case the road was gated when we got to it so we changed our route and went in there by the 129 bridge instead. One of the kids I was taking fell into the creek on our last crossing above Lower Falls (February) so we stopped there by the connector to Yellowhammer and built a fire and camped for the night. We had been doing boots off fords ( I usually took my pants off when doing this, but we had a young lady along) and I really didn't want anymore creek crossings.

Maybe we could do an overnighter in this area sometime and do a check on my memory. If you can hike Slow.

[Bearpaw]

The first 90 or so miles of the BMT are blazed better than the AT....

.... Well, I don't know if "better" is the right word - but you won't lack for seeing blazes for the first few days.

Is Big Frog Wilderness blazed now? It's been six years since I hiked it, but it was the first long section without blazes, starting at the GA-TN border around mile 80 and going for a little over 10 miles. Still reasonably easy to follow, except for one creek crossing where the trail picked up at a 45 degree angle to the trail and about 100 yards from the south side. Took a few minutes to sort that one out.

[generoll]

Skids and Kanga recently hiked the section from Double Spring to Thunder Rock. Shoot them and email.

[SGT Rock]

Is Big Frog Wilderness blazed now? It's been six years since I hiked it, but it was the first long section without blazes, starting at the GA-TN border around mile 80 and going for a little over 10 miles. Still reasonably easy to follow, except for one creek crossing where the trail picked up at a 45 degree angle to the trail and about 100 yards from the south side. Took a few minutes to sort that one out.

No "official" blazes.


ditto on the years part. I'm not sure if we're talking the same trails, but I'm thinking going across Bobs Bald to Naked Ground and then down Slickrock Creek Trail to the campsite at Big Fat Branch and then taking Nichols Cove to the junction with Slickrock about where it hooks up with Stiff Knee and the trail to Yellowhammer. Then up to Yellowhammer and out via Ike Branch. Water available, but dry feet the whole way. Dunno how the mileage compares and I do know that Nichols Cove Trail didn't seem to get a lot of use in spots, but I did hike it specifically to avoid all the stream crossings on Slickrock.

I had planned on a loop hike from Big Fat parking area up to Hangover and then around to Naked Ground and then down Slickrock to the trail back up to Big Fat. I don't see the trail now that I'd planned to use to connect from Hangover to Naked Ground, but I'm pretty sure there was one. In any case the road was gated when we got to it so we changed our route and went in there by the 129 bridge instead. One of the kids I was taking fell into the creek on our last crossing above Lower Falls (February) so we stopped there by the connector to Yellowhammer and built a fire and camped for the night. We had been doing boots off fords ( I usually took my pants off when doing this, but we had a young lady along) and I really didn't want anymore creek crossings.

Maybe we could do an overnighter in this area sometime and do a check on my memory. If you can hike Slow.I can hike slow.

[SGT Rock]

If you want to do a loop checking out both routes Gene, I calculated it at about 31 miles including a couple of side trips and a fudge facor for beer math. 3 days and 2 nights sound good.

[generoll]

yeah, I could do that. What's the plan, go south up creek on the TN side then cross to Bobs Bald and down Slickrock to Nichols Cove and Yellowhammer to Ike Branch?

[SGT Rock]

Well I was thinking of looking over the side trails. I know there are too many crossings along Slickrock for that to be a viable bypass. I was thinking start at Tapoco take Slickrock Creek Trail to Ike Branch, Ike Branch to Hangover Lead Trail, Hangover Lead to Saddle Tree Gap and the intersection with Haoe Lead Trail. I think there was a shortcut around there that use to go up to Naked Ground from there, but my map doesn't show it. According to my map we would have to stay on Haover Lead down Deep Creek Trail, then back up it again to Roc Creek Knob, Jenkins Meadow, and finally up to Naked Ground.

From Naked Ground I'd go down Slickrock Creek Trail to the intersection of Nichols Cove Trail and then take it up until it intersected with Yellowhammer Gap Trail. Then follow Yellowhammer Gap Trail back to the BMT and out at Tapoco again.

Going the long way (if there isn't a short cut) it looks to be about 31 miles. If there is a short cut, then it would be less by about 10 miles I think.

[generoll]

south on Hangover Lead? I went north and as I recall I was practically swinging from tree to tree on my way down slope. I was thinking of staying out of Big Fat Gap altogether and just coming down Slickrock Creek to the campsite by the creek and then taking Nichols Cove out of there. To go north I figured we could cross Slickrock one time at the BMT crossing and then heading up to the turn of for Stratton Meadows on the BMT. If you have your heart set on going south on Hangover Lead I'll go in from Maple Springs and meet you at the trail junction past Jenkins Meadow. My map doesn't show it, but I recall a trail from around Saddle Tree Gap that connected with the Hangover Lead Trail which would then take you to Naked Ground and then down Slickrock to the Junction with Nichols Cove. That's the part of Slickrock Creek that TW refers to as the "nutbuster" I believe. It's also the part I haven't Hiked and I'm guessing it either doesn't cross Slickrock or it's high enough the the crossings would be manageable even in high water. Pick a time and we'll meet up and go over our maps and figure it out. I had and lost a small scale map of that area, so I'm using NGS # 781.

[generoll]

south on Hangover Lead? I went north and as I recall I was practically swinging from tree to tree on my way down slope. I was thinking of staying out of Big Fat Gap altogether and just coming down Slickrock Creek to the campsite by the creek and then taking Nichols Cove out of there. To go north I figured we could cross Slickrock one time at the BMT crossing and then heading up to the turn of for Stratton Meadows on the BMT. If you have your heart set on going south on Hangover Lead I'll go in from Maple Springs and meet you at the trail junction past Jenkins Meadow. My map doesn't show it, but I recall a trail from around Saddle Tree Gap that connected with the Hangover Lead Trail which would then take you to Naked Ground and then down Slickrock to the Junction with Nichols Cove. That's the part of Slickrock Creek that TW refers to as the "nutbuster" I believe. It's also the part I haven't Hiked and I'm guessing it either doesn't cross Slickrock or it's high enough the the crossings would be manageable even in high water. Pick a time and we'll meet up and go over our maps and figure it out. I had and lost a small scale map of that area, so I'm using NGS # 781.

[SGT Rock]

We need Walter to be our guide and Sherpa.

[generoll]

especially sherpa.

It's been about 10 years since I did that hike and I've got conflicting memories now. I can't recall if I hiked up to Yellowhammer and then took the connector to Nichols Cove or if I took Nichols Cove from right at the campsite. I think I was using Homans book, but I seem to have misplaced it. Not the BMT one, but I think there was one for Citico and Slickrock which had most of those trails mentioned as well as more then I will ever know about the flora and fauna of the area.

Anyway, if you've got some time free, let's see what we can come up with.

[RyanK817]

Thanks for the great input everyone, very good info. SGT Rock, I just got your thru-hiker's guide in the mail today, looks fantastic, will definitely put it to good use next month.

[Mountain Mike]

If work offer doesn't pan out I may see you out there. Sounds like fords aren't too bad. Was thinking of the crotch deep ones on PCT. Cold > Pins & needles pain > numb. Only problem was you had to go thru pins & needles once you got out.14584

[SGT Rock]

I think I recall a sign at the top of the Hangover Lead trail that said "Abandon all hope ye who enter here". That was about 26 years ago though.

[Bearpaw]

If work offer doesn't pan out I may see you out there. Sounds like fords aren't too bad. Was thinking of the crotch deep ones on PCT. Cold > Pins & needles pain > numb. Only problem was you had to go thru pins & needles once you got out.14584

BMT fords in January will most likely be as cold. They won't likely be any wider than in the picture to posted, but will likely be moving faster if cold winter rains and snow live up to the norm.

I'd rather start the BMT around the first day of Spring. Still might see snow even then, but overall a good bit warmer, and still not much traffic.

[SGT Rock]

especially sherpa....
Anyway, if you've got some time free, let's see what we can come up with.

I'm looking at a couple of dates in January.

[SGT Rock]

I found my 1980 map of the Slickrock Wildernes, much more detail on that part of the area. Very cool.

[RyanK817]

I've been hearing that BMT fords are substantially more challenging than AT fords usually are, i.e. no bridges or rock-hopping. Has anyone ever come to a ford where the water was so high that you literally had to call it a day and wait to see if it was more passable the next day?

[SGT Rock]

Not yet. I have had one pair of hikers that had to turn around at Slickeock this year, but they were the first I know of in 3 years of doing the thru-hikers' guide. It really isn't as big an issue as it seems to be.

I'm tapatalkin' ya'll

[Bati]

Yes, sort of. I barely made it across slickrock, and only because I spent 2 nights in Green Cove as the days of 100% chance of heavy rain continued. The folks at the store were nice and had printed out weather reports for everyone to see, since all the fishermen were asking.
I didn't leave until the Tellico dropped over 18 inches and took my time getting to Slickrock.
If I hadn't I would have had to camp out at Slickrock instead of hanging out in Green cove eating canned fruit cocktail and microwave frozen hamburgers (which tastes much better when you don't have to carry the extra weight).

[10-K]

Yes, sort of. I barely made it across slickrock, and only because I spent 2 nights in Green Cove as the days of 100% chance of heavy rain continued. The folks at the store were nice and had printed out weather reports for everyone to see, since all the fishermen were asking.
I didn't leave until the Tellico dropped over 18 inches and took my time getting to Slickrock.
If I hadn't I would have had to camp out at Slickrock instead of hanging out in Green cove eating canned fruit cocktail and microwave frozen hamburgers (which tastes much better when you don't have to carry the extra weight).

I got lucky and hurt my leg and had to get off the trail in Green Cove and had the good pleasure to spend a night and day with Rick and Brenda Harris in Tellico Plains. It poured down rain the 3 days before I got there - when I got to Slickrock Creek it was crotch deep and muddy.

Had I not hurt my leg and came off the trail for 36 hours I would have had to stop at the creek I'm sure. If I'm not mistaken, a day or so before I got there a guy did get washed down the creek and had he not had somebody fish him out and get him warm and dry it could have been bad.

[generoll]

I've had to ford Slickrock when it was running high and I took off my pants and tied my boots around my neck. Talk about shrinkage!!

[SGT Rock]

I got lucky and hurt my leg and had to get off the trail in Green Cove and had the good pleasure to spend a night and day with Rick and Brenda Harris in Tellico Plains. It poured down rain the 3 days before I got there - when I got to Slickrock Creek it was crotch deep and muddy.

Had I not hurt my leg and came off the trail for 36 hours I would have had to stop at the creek I'm sure. If I'm not mistaken, a day or so before I got there a guy did get washed down the creek and had he not had somebody fish him out and get him warm and dry it could have been bad.
That guy was the one I was thinking of this year. As you point out, even at times of high water it is still normally possible to ford Slickrock.



I'm tapatalkin' ya'll

[Bearpaw]

I section hiked both the Slickrock section and the fords in the Smokies in October and the water was much, much lower. Slickrock was mid-calf and the supposed tough ford in the Smokies allowed me to rock-hop. A fall hike definitely offers lower water and easier fords.

[10-K]

Ya'll are giving me BMT fever.... :)

[Hikerhead]

Yes, sort of. I barely made it across slickrock, and only because I spent 2 nights in Green Cove as the days of 100% chance of heavy rain continued. The folks at the store were nice and had printed out weather reports for everyone to see, since all the fishermen were asking.
I didn't leave until the Tellico dropped over 18 inches and took my time getting to Slickrock.
If I hadn't I would have had to camp out at Slickrock instead of hanging out in Green cove eating canned fruit cocktail and microwave frozen hamburgers (which tastes much better when you don't have to carry the extra weight).

Funny, I had my first and last microwave hamburger there and it wasn't all that bad but, I could have ate a dead dog and probably said the same thing at that time. The jar of pickles were especially good. I crossed Slickrock 6 or 7 times on that trip in thigh high water, it was interesting.

[SGT Rock]

Where is Uncle Fungus when you need him?

[Tipi Walter]

south on Hangover Lead? I went north and as I recall I was practically swinging from tree to tree on my way down slope. I was thinking of staying out of Big Fat Gap altogether and just coming down Slickrock Creek to the campsite by the creek and then taking Nichols Cove out of there. To go north I figured we could cross Slickrock one time at the BMT crossing and then heading up to the turn of for Stratton Meadows on the BMT. If you have your heart set on going south on Hangover Lead I'll go in from Maple Springs and meet you at the trail junction past Jenkins Meadow. My map doesn't show it, but I recall a trail from around Saddle Tree Gap that connected with the Hangover Lead Trail which would then take you to Naked Ground and then down Slickrock to the Junction with Nichols Cove. That's the part of Slickrock Creek that TW refers to as the "nutbuster" I believe. It's also the part I haven't Hiked and I'm guessing it either doesn't cross Slickrock or it's high enough the the crossings would be manageable even in high water. Pick a time and we'll meet up and go over our maps and figure it out. I had and lost a small scale map of that area, so I'm using NGS # 781.


Where is Uncle Fungus when you need him?

I'm Back!! With some new BMT fotogs!

http://www.trailspace.com/assets/8/e/7/743655/TRIP-127-368.jpg
Here's backpacking buddy Patman with me at the Brookshire crossing and getting ready to climb Sugar Mt. Nov '11

http://www.trailspace.com/assets/8/0/d/743437/TRIP-127-385.jpg
On top of Sugar there's a fine flat logging road campsite in a big open grassy area.

http://www.trailspace.com/assets/8/0/7/743431/TRIP-127-379.jpg
Patman and I split up and I continued down Sugar Mt and up the Sycamore Creek section where I camped on the third switchback behind this trail sign.

http://www.trailspace.com/assets/8/0/9/743433/TRIP-127-375.jpg
Here's the fine site I call Hobo Camp. Sycamore creek is to the left of the tent and is loud.

http://www.trailspace.com/assets/8/0/6/743430/TRIP-127-381.jpg
The BMT makes you climb the dirt road up to Whiggs Meadow (going south) and it's a tough old nut to crack.'

http://www.trailspace.com/assets/8/0/4/743428/TRIP-127-386.jpg
But then you get to the Whigg with Haw Mt behind. It was a very windy camp.

http://www.trailspace.com/assets/8/e/5/743653/TRIP-127-390.jpg
I spent another night in the Rock Quarry and bent most of my tent pegs hammering them into the old gravel ground. Actually got a dusting of snow.

http://www.trailspace.com/assets/8/b/a/743610/TRIP-127-446.jpg
I did a side trip blue blaze to Hangover Mt and took this shot from the inside of my tent. The big mountain on the left is Cheoah Bald.

http://www.trailspace.com/assets/9/3/d/743741/Trip-86-015.jpg
This is Whiggs Meadow from the top of Haw Mt, a very windy place.

http://www.trailspace.com/assets/f/4/4/745284/TRIP-128-212.jpg
I just got back from a 12 day December trip and here's a small blizzard on the BMT at Cold Spring Gap.

http://www.trailspace.com/assets/f/3/2/745266/TRIP-128-155.jpg
Here's a picture of Waucheesi Mt on the right and showing State Line Ridge, Six Mile Gap and Sandy Gap (taken from a clearing on the Long Branch trail in the Brushy Ridge area).

http://www.trailspace.com/assets/f/5/8/745304/TRIP-128-362.jpg
I ended my trip on a 6.2 traverse of the Warrior's Passage trail which shoots off Waucheesi Mt. It's another good opportunity for BMT backpackers to blue blaze up from Six Mile Gap to the top of Waucheesi and cruise down .8 of a mile to Warrior's Passage.

To Generoll's points---
The Upper Slickrock trail (the nutbuster) is or was in nasty shape with briars and blowdowns, and it does have one moderate crossing over Hangover Creek. There's one trail no one has mentioned and I highly recommend it if needed to avoid bad creek crossings: The Windy Gap trail. It leaves Big Fat Gap straight across the parking lot (at the end) and meanders for several mile to a ridge finger Tee where a left will take you down to Slickrock on the Nichols Cove trail and a right will swing you down to the little twin gravesite and the jct with the Yellowhammer trail. It's a great way to climb up to the Hangover if you're on the "wrong" side of Slickrock and headed south on the BMT. Of course, it's a long re-route loop but it's pretty.

The Haoe Lead trail from Maple Springs to the Deep Creek jct is probably okay, but past the jct to the Jenkins Meadow jct is a living bramble hell, or at least it was last year. It's probably the worst trail in the Slickrock wilderness, along with the Nutbuster going up to Naked Ground.

[SGT Rock]

I figured you were out there somewhere with snow in the forecast. How about the Hangover Lead Trail that starts at Haover Lead near the old fire tower. Is it still navigable down to Ike Branch?

I'm thinking of walking all that next month sometime. Doing some winter camping out there in the wilderness somewhere. Maybe I'll run into you.

[Tipi Walter]

I figured you were out there somewhere with snow in the forecast. How about the Hangover Lead Trail that starts at Haover Lead near the old fire tower. Is it still navigable down to Ike Branch?

I'm thinking of walking all that next month sometime. Doing some winter camping out there in the wilderness somewhere. Maybe I'll run into you.

There are two Hangover Lead trails---north and south. The north lead is a real heartache as it leaves close to Yellowhammer Gap and climbs toughly to the top of some nameless hill and falls quickly to Big Fat Gap. The other lead trail, the south, heads up from Big Fat and gets to the Hangover with about 2,000 feet of climbing. I'm not sure which old fire tower you're talking about, unless it's the one that was on Haoe Peak---I think---years ago. You're probably talking about Hangover Lead North which does end up by the Ike Branch jct. There's a neat trailsign there that reads "GO BACK. DO NOT ATTEMPT. TURN AROUND" or something similar. And at the same place there's a trailsign for Belding Trail, which heads down into the watershed right behind Tapoco Lodge.

[generoll]

Hey Walter. Good to hear from you. For some reason I had it in mind that the trail from Big Fat that you were talking about had been closed or abandoned or whatever. Any of these choices would have to be made well before you got to Slickrock on the BMT. I did find my Homan book packed away in a box I hadn't opened since I moved. Time to go through some more boxes I guess. The upper Slickrock Creek Trail is one of those "someday" trails. Not this week, but someday.

[SGT Rock]

I think you are talking about the same trail I did. I haven't been there since 1985 though. As I recall, when you are up around Haoe there was a base for an old fire tower, and from there you down rather steeply with a sign warning you not to go that way if you don't have too - which I think was Hangover Lead. My book "Hiking Trails of North Carolina" is not very well written when it comes to making sense of a trail, so it sounds like the trail I remember. I'm thinking of going out there sometime after the 9th of January, I'm just not sure exactly when.