19 Days in the Bald River Backcountry

[Tipi Walter]

Okay boys, I figure I'll put this in the BMT Forum since I spent half of the trip on the B Mac Trail. To see all the pics of the trip, go to---

http://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/Backpa...r-Backcountry/

BACKPACKING
THE
BALD RIVER
BACKCOUNTRY

TRIP 158
August 12--30 2014

HIGHLIGHTS
** 19 DAYS IN THE BALD RIVER BACKCOUNTRY

** 19 DAYS WITHOUT SEEING ANOTHER BACKPACKER

** WILL SKELTON JOINS ME ON BALD RIVER

** 6 YELLOW JACKET STINGS

** TRAILWORKERS BRANDON, STEPHANIE AND ROBERT ON BALD RIVER

** HENDERSON TOP TO SKULL GAP AND BACK

** RICK HARRIS, BRANDON AND THE CROSSCUT MOUNTAIN BOYS ON HENDERSON TOP

** THE FIRST RAIN IN 7 DAYS

** KIRKLAND-STATE LINE-BROOKSHIRE LOOP

** TELLICO "TORNADO" ON STATE LINE RIDGE

** FIRST TIME CAMP IN SLED RUNNER GAP

** ADD DAY WITH BILL HODGE AND SAWS

** ON THE WESTERN FLANK OF HAW KNOB

** OVER HAW KNOB AND INTO THE SNOWBIRD BACKCOUNTRY

** MEETING PATMAN IN THE SNOWBIRDS

** SWIMMING IN THE WHIGG POND

** BIRD BANDING BEGINS ON THE WHIGG

** GRAND MEETUP AT THE GREEN COVE CABIN AND OUT


TRAILS
Entrance at Bald River Falls
Bald River
**Big Pine**
Bald River
**Cascade Winter Camp**
Bald River
**Rock Ledge**
Cow Camp
Henderson Top
Maple Camp Lead
**Skull Gap Camp**
Maple Camp Lead
Henderson Top
Cow Camp
**Rock Ledge**
Bald River
**Cascade Winter Camp**
Bald River
Holly Flats Roadwalk
Kirkland Creek
**Kirkland Camp 3**
Kirkland Creek
** Kirkland Camp 12**
Kirkland Creek
Sandy Gap
State Line Ridge
**Moss Gap-Hazelnut Camp**
State Line Ridge
**Water Gap**
State Line Ridge
**Sled Runner Gap**
State Line Ridge
Brookshire Creek
**Horse Camp**
Brookshire Creek
Sugar Mountain
**Pretty Pine Gap**
Sugar Mountain
Fish Hatchery
Sycamore Creek
**Sycamore Camp**
Sycamore Creek
Whiggs Meadow
**West Haw Knob Camp**
Haw Knob
Big Junction
Snowbird Mt
Mitchell Lick
Snowbird Creek
**Upper Bird Camp**
Snowbird Creek
Mitchell Lick
Snowbird Mt
Big Junction
Haw Knob
**Whiggs Meadow Bald**
Sycamore Creek
**Hobo Camp**
Sycamore Creek
Tellico River Roadwalk
Green Cove Cabin and OUT




To prepare for this particular trip, I dried many tomatoes from our garden and they reconstitute perfectly.


My trip begins at Bald River Falls and into the Bald River wilderness where I meet Knoxville backpacker Will Skelton on Day 2 near the Cascades waterfall. (I invited him with an earlier email).


Here's Will's new Osprey pack.


On Day 3 I hike Will Skelton out of the wilderness and we stop by the Cascades.


I return into the wilderness and on Day 4 meet up with 3 trailworkers from the Tellico ranger district working the Bald River trail. They are Robert, Brandon and Stephanie.


I leave Bald River and hike up to the Henderson Top trail and camp in Skull Gap near the Panther Branch trailhead. The next day I hike back down the Henderson Top trail and run into Robert and Brandon fixing the trail.



Henderson Top returns me into the Bald River wilderness where I go for a needed flea dip to get away from the August heat.

[Tipi Walter]

On Day 6 I hike thru the wilderness and camp near the Cascades where I find a deep tube hole and submerge.


I leave Bald River wilderness and hike to the Kirkland Creek trailhead and follow Kirkland all the way up to Sandy Gap on the Benton MacKaye trail and discover a new logging clearcut put in with terrorists with chainsaws and bulldozers. It's the tyranny of private land ownership. Enjoy the view, B Mackers.


Once in Sandy Gap I climb the Three Nuts up to Moss Gap where I find the spring water source and begin climbing up Hazlenut Knob where I set up camp in the jewelweeds.



On Day 9 I take the BMT/State Line Ridge and descend to Hazelnut Gap where there is water .4 mile to the left.


State Line Ridge on the BMT and it's a good hike with a full pack and has several nutbusting climbs, especially around Rocky Top.


State Line Ridge ends in Sled Runner Gap where I camp and then I descend Brookshire Creek trail on the BMT and run into my third trailworking crew called SAWS and led by Bill Hodge above (with Stephanie).


SAWS preparing to cut a blowdown on the Brookshire Creek trail (BMT).

[Tipi Walter]

SAWS boys on the Brookshire Creek trail. This is my favorite pic of the trip I think. Reminds me of 911 and firefighters.


I leave the Crosscut Mt Boys on Brookshire and descend the creek trail to this nice campsite a little bit off the BMT.


I leave Horse Camp and cross Brookshire Creek on the BMT and climb up and over Sugar Mt with its pretty hatch marks.


There are 10 switchbacks descending Sugar Mt on the BMT and are marked with double blazes.


A bunch of new trail signs have been placed on the BMT and here is one at the Tellico River crossing near the fish hatchery.


Sugar Mt takes me to Sycamore Creek trail which I climb (it's on the BMT) all the way to Whiggs Meadow and I find the sidetrail up to Haw Mt at 5,500 feet on a new route for the western extension of the Bartram trail.


The Haw Knob side trail takes me to Big Junction and the start of the Snowbird Creek trail where I meet my backpacking buddy Patman pulling a dayhike into the Snowbirds. We are standing above Mitchell Lick near Hogjaw Gap.

[Tipi Walter]

The Snowbird backcountry can get a little confusing but if you find the blue blazes you know you're on the Snowbird Creek trail.


After a couple days in the Snowbirds (which are behind to the right of big Haw Mt above), I climb up and over Haw and get back on the BMT and sleep atop Whiggs Meadow at 5,000 feet.


It's time to leave the Whigg and descend the BMT on the Sycamore Creek trail.


I camp on Sycamore Creek on the BMT and find this trail snail.


There are 5 switchbacks on the Sycamore Creek trail and here is the top of switchback #1.


Sycamore Creek squirts me out to the Tellico River road which I hike to Green Cove and take a break.


I hike thru Green Cove and arrive at the Green Cove Cabin (which used to be an old school) where I find Little Mitten and her family car camping. Here is Blade splitting some firewood.

[Tipi Walter]

The family goes to Tellico River for some swimming and a fitting end to my hot August trip.


I take little Zoe dog into the cold waters of the Tellico and then the backpacking trip of August 2014 is over.

[rocketsocks]

Very nice! I never thought to dry my tomatoes like this, in slices rather that minced...will try. I have one of those long saws, and though it's been years since I used it, when sharp it makes quick work of the girthiest of blow down, and lots lighter than a chain saw and without the fuss of fuel and oil...and it's darn fun when two people get in time. Here's to the trail maintainers...

[Tipi Walter]

Very nice! I never thought to dry my tomatoes like this, in slices rather that minced...will try. I have one of those long saws, and though it's been years since I used it, when sharp it makes quick work of the girthiest of blow down, and lots lighter than a chain saw and without the fuss of fuel and oil...and it's darn fun when two people get in time. Here's to the trail maintainers...

The Crosscut Mt Boys have to use their crosscut saws and not chainsaws because alot of their work is in designated wilderness areas.

[rocketsocks]

The Crosscut Mt Boys have to use their crosscut saws and not chainsaws because alot of their work is in designated wilderness areas.

ah, regulations...less noisy too.

[2Ply]

Thanks for sharing the adventure. Likes like a great trip.

[SGT Rock]

Cool trip report.

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