Sassafras Mountain, Georgia

[Almost There]

Just posted something on trailjournals that I thought would be of interest to future thru hikers as you start off in Georgia. Make sure you camel up on water at Hawk Mountain, as well as leaving here with at least two liters of water. I remember last year running out of water half way up Sassafras Mountain, and being with some hikers who had already thru'ed they almost made the same mistake and we're out of their water by the time we hit Horse Gap just north of the mountain. This is your first big climb of the hike, and there is no water between Hawk Mountain and Justus Creek. Will you die...no. Will it be a krappy time until you get to Justus...yes. Make sure you get the water and carry it. Just in case, I plan on doing a few weekends trail magic at Horse Gap...schedule permitting, for those who are gonna need the water. On my section last year I managed to yogi some water from boy scout leaders, just wanted to keep others from having to rely on this to quench their thirst. I was lazy and didn't feel like walking back for more water, hindsight says now...get the water.

[RockyTrail]

He's got a point; Sassafras is the first real "uphill" you get after leaving Springer...with yet-to-be-lightened packs, not being in trail shape yet, and the relatively uneventful hike to that point it does catch you by surprise and the creates the temptation to slurp the water dry.

But by the time you cross Blood, Tray, and even Kelly Knob, it doesn't seem like it was such a big deal after all!
you'll get there - keep on hikin'

[Jack Tarlin]

Almost There made made a good point.....lots of folks don't carry enough water in the beginning of their hike, and for good reason; they don't yet realize their needs. The general all-purpose fatigue that plagues thru-hikers in many cases is nothing more than dehydration. Most folks don't drink enough water. Until you have a better idea of how much you need, it's best to carry extra, i.e. it's better to have it and not need it than the other way around.

[Dances with Mice]

He's got a point; Sassafras is the first real "uphill" you get after leaving Springer...with yet-to-be-lightened packs, not being in trail shape yet, and the relatively uneventful hike to that point it does catch you by surprise and the creates the temptation to slurp the water dry.

That's all a big part of it, I'm not arguing, but I think the main reason people run out of water on this stretch is even more subtle.

If the NoBo hiker's first day is Springer to Hawk Mtn, he's walking beside water almost all day. Downhill from Springer, across the parking lot, over a little ridge then down to an old roadbed right beside a stream. He'll be hiking beside one stream or another from there all the way to Long Creek Falls, crossing streams a couple of times, sometimes with foot bridges sometimes without, but hardly ever away from the sound of water. Even after Long Creek on the climb up Hawk, there's still a double-branch stream to cross in a large cove just a third of a mile or so from the Hawk summit. Water on the AT? Hah! No problem.

The second day, there's a problem. A dry six mile problem, and Sassafrass is halfway through it. The top of Sassafrass might be the first time some hikers really take an interest in reading their Guide and checking out their maps. Hunger and thirst are wonderful teachers.

On my first section hike of GA with my kids I made the same mistake. We were SoBo and were SO DRY when we got down to Horse Gap. BTW, check out the AT map's profile of Horse Gap - there's no WAY the elevation change shown can be correct! On the climb up Hawk from Hightower Gap we stopped at the first spring and drank about 2 quarts each. We were so dehydrated when we got to Hawk all we could do was sit around for 30 minutes. But after the water had time to absorb, a few Snickers had time to hit, then a bowl of soup each we were ready to push on to 3 Forks. Except my daughter balked - she didn't believe the map profile after that Horse Gap profile. But then a NoBo walked up and confirmed that the trail to 3 Forks really was smooth and mostly downhill. He sounded pretty credible, much more so than her dad. He convinced her and her little brother to saddle up and head out.

That NoBo was Moxie. Small world.

[Lilred]

Dances with Mice is right. Passing all that water before Sassafrass lulled me into thinking I'd be alright. I can still remember exactly what that last stream looked like that I passed and didn't fill up. I thought about that stream all day as I hiked over Sassafrass, in March, in upper 70 degree weather, with lots of hot sunshine and no leaves on the trees. Believe me, I thought about that last stream A LOT! It taught me a hard lesson. I try to camel up at every stream crossing now.

[Rain Man]

... The general all-purpose fatigue that plagues thru-hikers in many cases is nothing more than dehydration. ...

AMEN. Hydration, of lack thereof, really affects the body's chemistry. Not drinking enough water will make a hiker feel more tired and exhausted than the muscles might really be. With a hydration bladder and tube, it's easy for me to try to sip all day long and try to never get thirsty.

And, I remember that short dry stretch in Georgia on my very first section hike. It wasn't that I was going to die from thrist, but I was licking my lips and kicking myself for not carrying a bit more water. Lesson learned.

RainMan

.

[digger51]

All true about hydration before Sassafras Mtn, as I made the mistake and dehydrated my first time up there. There is, however water at the base of Sassafras. Just follow the dirt road around to the right for about a half mile and there is a drainage pipe going under the road. It had plenty of water in the early spring. A bit out of the way, but better than the extra day I had to spend at Justus Creek getting rehydrated.

[Lone Wolf]

Y'all ain't gonna die in 5 miles. Too much hype.

[Almost There]

Wolf, I think I said you won't die, you'll just feel krappy. Remember back in the day...lot's of pudgy out of shape people starting their hikes, most aren't consumate runners such as yourself...I would love to see you running with that beard by the way!!! All kidding aside, I know you won't die, heck I had a worse day hiking in NC in June, but all the same, people will just be starting their hike, and I figured I would throw it out there, some of them haven't set a foot on the AT before this hike.

[max patch]

If someone hikes thirsty for a mile or two it maybe next time they'll glance at the data book if they are hiking in an area they are unfamiliar with.

[MOWGLI]

If someone hikes thirsty for a mile or two it maybe next time they'll glance at the data book if they are hiking in an area they are unfamiliar with.

Yeah, I'm of the opinion that people need to figure this stuff out on their own. IMO - there is no need to dispense H2O in the first 10 miles of the trail. People learn from their own mistakes, and if they get bailed out early on - even by somebody with good intentions - they might not learn an important lesson that'll come in handy later when it's REALLY hot.

[Footslogger]

Checked my personal journal from 2001 and noticed that for that day I had written ..."Sassafras kicked my a$$

Nuf said ...

'Slogger

[generoll]

an excellent point, AT. i think most of us got it.

[MDSHiker]

I remember getting water before Sassafras Mtn and still ran out before getting to Justus Creek. It was a cool day but I was hot and tired. I walked over to the creek, dropped pack, took off shoes and shirt, and lay down in the creek. WoooHoooo....it sure did feel good! The other hikers camping by the creek just stood there lookin' at me like I was nuts. Heh heh!

[Almost There]

Mowgli, I totally understand what you are saying, but I had learned my lesson by the time I hit Horse Gap after Sassafras, this is where I might hang out. I'm of the opinion people need help early on...if at all. They will learn and be more ready for any challenges that are thrown their way as they move on.

[Skidsteer]

Oh sure; an African swallow but not a European swallow, that's my point.

[Youngblood]

Last year when I hiked that section nobo between Springer and Woody Gap, I met Baltimore Jack and Mountain Dew... both a little weary from a little sunburn but in great spirits. It was great to meet them in the flesh.

I also met some other folks along the way, one gentleman in his 60s(?) whose name escapes me. Anyhow, a little story is coming. I was with a college aged hiking buddy of mine and his girlfriend. I remember this gentleman because I saw him before Hawk Mountain Shelter and he was struggling. I recall him joining us as we went on the side trail to the church pavillion and merry-go-round where we all talked a little while we took an hour of so break. Anyhow, I got ahead of him as he overnighted at Hawk Mountain Shelter and my friends and I hammock camped on Sassafras Mountain but he was at Woody Gap the next day when I got there and asked me if I had seen his son. I had! Apparently he got hold of his son the night before, told him he was having trouble and arranged for him to met him at Woody Gap the next day. Well, his son was in remarkable shape and was worried about his dad with a heavy pack going over the mountains between Hawk Mountain Shelter and Woody Gap... so he was running the trail sobo from Woody Gap to intercept his dad and tote his heavy pack for him. This wasn't in the plan that his dad had layed out. His dad ran across some folks on FSR42 which parallels the AT, touches and crosses it a few times in that area. They gave him a ride to Woody Gap but his son didn't know and was jogging sobo to meet him. Opps! Talking about good intentions going bad...

Yeah, those climbs in that section give some folks problems. I was sobo'ing and ran across a nobo family group a few years ago about a mile from the first water north of Cooper Gap. The mom was about toast from dehydration and grabbed my water bottle at the first hint of an offer from me... she was in the first stages of dehydration and chose to drink after a stranger rather than hike on another mile (or maybe less) before she got to water.

There are three back to back to back climbs between Hawk Mountain Shelter and Gooch Mountain Shelter. They are the first taste of what that is like if you didn't hike the Approach Trail from Amicolola Falls State Park and you may find out it is more than you are prepared for or capable of while you are miles from a paved road.

[orangebug]

Point of order:

Isn't Horse Pen Gap just South of Sassafras, and Carter Gap (and the road down to Ft Merrill) just North of the bump of a mountain?

BTW, I'd not angel there, either. It is a good lesson in planning and learning that your body can make do when horribly thirsty.

[Youngblood]

Point of order:

Isn't Horse Pen Gap just South of Sassafras, and Carter Gap (and the road down to Ft Merrill) just North of the bump of a mountain?

BTW, I'd not angel there, either. It is a good lesson in planning and learning that your body can make do when horribly thirsty.

You almost have it right. From Hawk Mtn you go down to Hightower Gap and cross USFS 42/69. Hike over an un-named mountain and then to Horse Gap/USFS 42. Then its over Sassafras Mtn followed by Cooper Gap. At Cooper Gap you cross the intersection of USFS 42 & 80. Then its up and over Justus Mtn to Justus Creek. You keep going, hit Gooch Mtn Shelter and then cross USFS 42 for the last time at Gooch Gap.

[MOWGLI]

You almost have it right. From Hawk Mtn you go down to Hightower Gap and cross USFS 42/69. Hike over an un-named mountain and then to Horse Gap/USFS 42. Then its over Sassafras Mtn followed by Cooper Gap. At Cooper Gap you cross the intersection of USFS 42 & 80. Then its up and over Justus Mtn to Justus Creek. You keep going, hit Gooch Mtn Shelter and then cross USFS 42 for the last time at Gooch Gap.

Hey Youngblood. I thinks it's almost time to haul my Dana Desig Glacier from Springer to Neels Gap. Perhaps sometime in March? I'm giving a talk March 7 near Blairsville. That's the 6th Anniversary of the start of my hike. Maybe we can plan a little 3 day jaunt starting March 8? I want to revisit Sassafras. As I recall, it darn near killed me in 80+ degree heat.