Ice Storm Damage in Georgia; Extreme Cold and Snow Trailwide

[Lauriep]

Portions of the A.T. and approach trail from Amicalola Falls State Park to Springer Mountain in Georgia and other locations along the Appalachian Trail may be hazardous or impassable due to blowdowns from recent ice storms. Access roads may also be blocked, closed, or hazardous due to fallen trees, ice, or snow. Temperatures approaching zero or below, combined with high winds, will produce dangerous conditions across the entire A.T. in the coming few days.

Hikers are advised to postpone their hikes and confirm that conditions have improved before hitting the Trail.

Here is a more detailed advisory from the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest in Georgia:

www.fs.usda.gov/detail/conf/news-events/?cid=STELPRD3829963

Laurie Potteiger
ATC

[Tipi Walter]

Thanks for the info.

Finally, AT backpackers get to experience what we experience on all the other Southeastern trails---deadfall, blowdowns, hemlock parts, thickets, branches and a thousand other obstructions in the trail. The vaunted AT is known as the Boulevard and open and easy to hike. Now it may be like all the rest of the under-maintained trails in the Southeast. At least for a while. Here's some examples of what non-AT backpackers get to face.

ENJOY.


A wonderful sight on the Big Stack Gap trail.


A typical sight on the Benton MacKaye north of Beech Gap.


A wonderful squatting duck walk on the Rocky Flats trail.


Never better . . . hiking up the BMT on the Sycamore Creek trail to Whiggs Meadow. Keep lose appendages strapped down.


Don't take it personally and don't get upset or emotional---just climb thru the crap and move on. On the Stiffknee Trail (BMT) heading down to Slickrock Creek. I broke my nice hiking pole on this section---snapped it in half.


Little Mitten getting prodded in the wrong place on the Fodderstack trail.

[Tipi Walter]

A beautiful sight on the Nichols Cove trail. Fun with an 80 lb pack. All these are fun with extra weight on your back.


This meat grinder is on the Little Santeetlah trail in the Slickrock wilderness. Slide thru, gird loins, weep, reattach gonads etc.



My buddy Coy Williams heading down the dreaded Nutbuster trail so-called the Hardest Trail in the Southeast---the Upper Slickrock Creek trail #42. Bend over, inhale deeply, get reamed. Have a nice day.



Take a full enema before tackling this section---the Pine Ridge trail in the Citico wilderness. Go above? Go thru? Turn back? Do a reach around???


A minor problem on the Rocky Flats trail.

[Tipi Walter]

A not so minor problem on the Rocky Flats trail. Grab ankles, exhale, pinch forehead to open third eye, ask Miss Nature for a piece of chocolate etc.


So, what's the end result of all this FUN?? Blood loss.

[Tipi Walter]

Oh, and I can't forget this pic from a trip with Sarah and Rain Man on the South Fork trail---


Yes, there's a trail in there.

[Tipi Walter]

Finally, here's Little Mitten after her trip---

[kf1wv]

Tnx so much, Tipi! I needed the chuckles this afternoon.

Trinn ... in the NH Whites

[DavidNH]

this is not looking like fun hiking!

[rocketsocks]

Walter

I swear, I don't know what I like more, your photos, or your commentary. The photos are great, love em! but the commentary always gives me such a tickle...good stuffs.

[rocketsocks]

this ones way cool lookin'

[Tipi Walter]

Walter

I swear, I don't know what I like more, your photos, or your commentary. The photos are great, love em! but the commentary always gives me such a tickle...good stuffs.

Just take regular colonics and try to stay sober. No photos for either, though.

[Praha4]

great pics! looks like this year's Nobo thruhikers will get to practice their yellow blazing techniques before they even get out of GA

[rocketsocks]

Just take regular colonics and try to stay sober. No photos for either, though.

None needed thanks.

[RED-DOG]

it's 7 degrees with the wind chill it's below 0 right now in W.N.C we've had atleast 2-4 inches of snow in the last couple of days but it does suppose to warm up a little this weekend so if anybody is out their or plan to go you better bundle up.

[Tipi Walter]

it's 7 degrees with the wind chill it's below 0 right now in W.N.C we've had atleast 2-4 inches of snow in the last couple of days but it does suppose to warm up a little this weekend so if anybody is out their or plan to go you better bundle up.

I'm right next to western NC and slept out last night on my exped downmat in the backyard and woke up to 0F on the old rectal thermometer.

[inspectorgene]

I'm right next to western NC and slept out last night on my exped downmat in the backyard and woke up to 0F on the old rectal thermometer.

How did you even get it inserted at that temp????

[Tipi Walter]

How did you even get it inserted at that temp????

I use a scanning rectal thermometer which comes in handy during group trips as everyone likes to get their own personal temps before breakfast. I go from tent to tent and politely scan all bungholes before morning tea. No insertion necessary, naturally.

[inspectorgene]

I use a scanning rectal thermometer which comes in handy during group trips as everyone likes to get their own personal temps before breakfast. I go from tent to tent and politely scan all bungholes before morning tea. No insertion necessary, naturally.

Whew! I am glad you cleared that up.

[Riocielo]

These pictures remind me of our hike last fall.


We hiked Mt. LeConte, and then took the Boulevard trail to the AT. We came upon several fallen trees on the ridge line where we had to go either over or under --around was not an option. With one we had to take off our packs and slide on the ground underneath it.

[Tipi Walter]

We hiked Mt. LeConte, and then took the Boulevard trail to the AT. We came upon several fallen trees on the ridge line where we had to go either over or under --around was not an option. With one we had to take off our packs and slide on the ground underneath it.

This is why is important for backpackers to carry a small folding saw (my fave is a corona saw).


Here's a typical dead hemlock blocking the Nutbuster trail, but I brought my saw . . . .


Voila! Job done!



I showed this pic earlier on the Rocky Flats trail.



My corona folding saw made quick work of the mess. So, a message to all backpackers: Carry a saw or at least a pair of hand pruners if for nothing else then to clip rhodo and briars.

I used to never carry trail tools and complained bitterly about the condition of the sorry trails. I was a Whiner. Then I woke up and got my head out of my bung and started carrying trail tools. They are now part of my standard load.

You can do alot of clean up on a backpacking trip while you walk. It amazes me to see a tree branch on a trail requiring a hiker to bend over and throw it off, taking maybe 8 seconds, and yet THEY WON'T TOUCH THE STUFF!! They walk right over it and speed on. I guess forward motion cannot be impeded for anything except maybe a buzzing rattlesnake.