19 Days in a Rattlesnake Furnace

[Tipi Walter]

We ran into forest service employee Robert Thomas last year who told us that they had just released a bunch of snakes into the area. I forget the exact numbers but I remember the general scope. Seems he said 120 copperheads and 140 timber rattlers, all released at Farr Gap.

I know Mr Thomas and he seems like a good guy. I'm trying to figure out where he got 140 rattlesnakes to start with??

[Cadenza]

I'd imagine the TWRA biologists are involved with counting and raising the critters. My question is why would they release them all in one place rather than scattering them around the whole area?

[TNhiker]

why would they release snakes into a wilderness area?

are these an endangered species?

[Cadenza]

Not endangered except by humans and hogs. Wild boar (non-native) will kill and eat them. Some say that the instinct to rattle a warning is being bred out of the rattlers. Rattling gets them killed.

[jeffmeh]

Nice to know that you and Jimmy came to an understanding. Great trip report, as usual.

[TOW]

Okay boys, I pulled a 19 day backpacking trip into the Tennessee mountains of Citico wilderness and here is my trip report. All pics can be seen here---

https://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/Backp...a-Rattlesnake/

TRIP 175
June 13--July 1 2016

HIGHLIGHTS
** TRAILWORKED CROWDER BRANCH TRAIL

** TRAILWORKED BIG STACK GAP TRAIL

** 5 BACKPACKERS AT WILDCAT FALLS ON SLICKROCK CREEK

** 4 BACKPACKERS ON THE NUTBUSTER TRAIL IN BURNTHOUSE CAMP

** JOHN QUILLEN WITH LAUREL AND TERRY IN NUT GATE CAMP ON THE NUTBUSTER TRAIL

** 41st CLIMB OF THE NUTBUSTER TRAIL

** 15 BACKPACKERS SEEN

** TRAILWORKED THE NUTBUSTER TRAIL

** BRYAN DELAY WITH EVA AND WINSTON ON BOB MT

** BMT MAINTAINER LARRY ON 54A SOUTH

** RATTLESNAKE IN IRON CAMP ON THE SOUTH FORK TRAIL

** SOUTH FORK/NORTH FORK BRUSH MT LOOP

** RATTLESNAKE ON BRUSH MT TRAIL


TRAILS
Entrance Beehouse Gap
Beehouse Roadwalk
Warden Fields
Rocky Flats
**Ed Abbey Camp**
Rocky Flats
**Johnny's Spur**
Rocky Flats
**Chimney Site**
Rocky Flats
Doublecamp Roadwalk
Crowder Branch
**Mid Crowder Camp**
Crowder Branch
**Crowder Horse Camp**
Crowder Branch
Fodderstack Ridge
Big Stack Gap Trail
Slickrock Creek
**Wildcat Falls Camp**
Slickrock Creek
Nutbuster Trail
**Nut Gate Camp**
Nutbuster Trail
**Buckeye Camp**
41st Climb of the Nutbuster Trail
**Landon Camp Naked Ground Gap**
Four Mile Ridge
**Fir Tree Grove Bob Mt**
54A South
Cold Gap
Trail 149
**Barrel Gap**
Trail 149 Backtrack
Cold Gap
South Fork
**Iron Camp**
South Fork
**White Rock Camp**
South Fork
North Fork
**Stump Site After 6th Crossing on North Fork**
North Fork
Cherry Log Gap
Fodderstack Ridge
**Snow Camp**
BMT Connector aka Snow Camp Connector
Trail 149
Brush Mountain
**Bug Hollow Camp**
Brush Mountain
South Fork
North Fork
**North Fork Crossing 1 Camp (2)**
North Fork
South Fork
Beehouse Roadwalk
Indian Boundary Roadwalk to Skyway and OUT




My trip begins at home by washing out my 7,000 cubic inch Mystery Ranch pack in Dawn soap and it's finally clean and ready for a June outing.



I get dropped off at Beehouse Camp and in about 7 miles I'm on the Rocky Flats trail in the Citico wilderness and looking for my campsite by the old homestead chimney.



I leave Rocky Flats trail and connect to the Crowder Branch trail and reach crossing 5 of Crowder Creek and set up camp beyond.



At the top of Crowder Branch trail there's a springhead and I set up my big Hilleberg tent with both doors open, basically changing my tent into a tarp.



CROC INFESTED WATERS!!! I leave Crowder Branch and pass over Fodderstack Ridge and take the Big Stack Gap trail down 1,500 feet in two miles to Slickrock Creek and pause at the Wildcat Falls crossing to watch wild crocs in a feeding frenzy.



I make it to Wildcat Falls on Slickrock Creek (now in the Kilmer-Slickrock NC wilderness) and watch 5 backpackers from Knoxville sport in the pools.



On Day 7 I leave Wildcat Falls and begin my journey up the dreaded Nutbuster (Upper Slickrock) trail and run into old backpacking buddy John Quillen and his girlfriend Laurel.

[martinb]

Looks like I just missed you on this trip. I was a little late getting down from Grayson due to a couple of cracked wheels studs. Long story. Got a pea/dime-mix hailstorm on the Bob the evening of the 7th. I'm guessing you are the one who chopped the growth on the north side of 54 as you get to the Bob? Forgot my pruners this trip so I was hacking briars with my griptilian.

[Tipi Walter]

Looks like I just missed you on this trip. I was a little late getting down from Grayson due to a couple of cracked wheels studs. Long story. Got a pea/dime-mix hailstorm on the Bob the evening of the 7th. I'm guessing you are the one who chopped the growth on the north side of 54 as you get to the Bob? Forgot my pruners this trip so I was hacking briars with my griptilian.

If you mean 54A coming up from Cherry Log Gap to the Bob, no, I haven't cleared that section of nasty trail in many months. It always needs work and is one of the worst trails in the Citico. (Not to be confused with 54A south which leaves Cold Spring Gap up to the Bob). Yeah, I was gone by July 2nd so I missed you by several days.

[Cadenza]

I did 54A north, Cherry Log Gap to the Bob back in April. It wasn't bad then.

[martinb]

Walter, 54A correct. I was pleasantly surprised because this spot is usually clogged with sawbriars and whatnot. I had planned to get up there on the 3rd but due to my wheel trouble, didn't get in til the 6th. Only saw two BPers on second night. They were a bit confused as to the direction of 54A on the Bob. Too bad that sign can't seem to be unstolen. Maybe cut one of those big logs, roll it over trailside and stencil/spray it? It's hard to steal a downed tree log.

54A chop.jpg

[Tipi Walter]

Walter, 54A correct. I was pleasantly surprised because this spot is usually clogged with sawbriars and whatnot. I had planned to get up there on the 3rd but due to my wheel trouble, didn't get in til the 6th. Only saw two BPers on second night. They were a bit confused as to the direction of 54A on the Bob. Too bad that sign can't seem to be unstolen. Maybe cut one of those big logs, roll it over trailside and stencil/spray it? It's hard to steal a downed tree log.

54A chop.jpg

Wow, someone DID come out and fix old 54A North.

Where Trail 54A South meets 54A North near the top of the Bob I call the "Bob Tee" and it's a place which has its own trailpost by a rock reststop and always a good place to stop and take a break. Most people reach Bob Tee by coming up 54A South from Cold Spring Gap, and once by the trailpost and rock they may or may not see the trail jct for 54A North heading down the mountain to Cherry Log Gap.

I always pass thru Bob Tee on my many trips and I have many pics of the spot. See---

http://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/keyword/bob%20tee/



Here I am standing right at the trailhead to 54A North behind me and heading down to Cherry Log Gap. I usually place this old trailpost against the tree as pictured.


Last year the NC district put this trailsign in Bob Tee but a month later some miscreant idiots ripped it off the tree and took it home with them.



This is a better pic of Bob Tee and it shows the trailpost on the left by Amy Willow (we're pulling a BMT thruhike in April 2015). To the right of Amy is the old trailpost on the ground and the start of 54A North. Behind Amy is 54A South coming up from Cold Gap.



Another pic showing 54A North behind me in Bob Tee.



Here's the approximate same place during a series of kick butt blizzards in December 2010.