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Does anyone have an up-to-date report on which water sources between Fontana and Clingman's Dome are dry or which are confirmed flowing? I am leaving tomorrow for that section. The backcountry office had info on some that are dry but could not definitely confirm which were flowing. Thanks!
Here we go: (from Guthooks)
mm 169.7: Can dip water out or pump 9-22
Birch Run Tentsite MM 172.3 Flowing well 10-2
Ekaneetlee Gap Spring MM 176: Flowing but said not to be the best source ever 10/3
Mollies Ridge shelter is dry 9-11
Derrick Knob Shelter is flowing 10-2
Silers bald shelter flowing 10-2
Double spring shelter no water 9-24
Thank you so very, very much! This information is very helpful! The backcountry office said today (10/3) that Silers Bald was dry, but maybe it's not totally dry. The confirmation of water at Birch Spring and Derrick Knob is encouraging!
Just as an additional thought/complication: last week a backcountry ranger told me that Mt. Collins had been reported dry by hikers, but a ranger went there to check and there was plenty of water further down the spring course. It was just "dry" at the normal spot. Hard to know which is which, of course, but in some cases "dry" probably means "inconvenient."Quote:
Originally Posted by Angelfire
For the forseeable future, maybe when we all come back from Smokies AT trips and give water reports we could mention whether or not we tried going downstream at a given spring. Not that there is an expectation to do so, just that that would be good info to have.
I hiked up to Spence and Russell shelters last weekend. I didn't go look at the Spence source, but I passed someone who did and they said it was dlowing, but very slowly.
I walked past the Russell spring and it was barely a small puddle. You would definitely have to scoop it somehow. A couple guys I passed were headed there because they were almost out. I wondered how they would get enough for all of them. I was really low, but passed it up so as to leave some for them. I would not be surprised if it was dry by now.
I spoke to a ridge runner who said Mollies was bone dry.
The creek along Russell trail was flowing pretty good, but you'd have to be committed to hike down the mountain to get it. It's a couple of steep miles down to it