Yellow Jacket nest on trail about .2 past Cody Gap

[-Rush-]

This is just a WARNING to anyone hiking between Stechoa Gap and Fontana Dam. My son and I hiked this section this weekend, and we encountered a CRAZY situation with yellow jackets. At around 8pm we had just passed a FULL (8) hiker party at Cody Gap where we intended to tent for the night. We decided to move head on the trail and seek out a more private area to camp. About .2 north from Cody Gap there's a large rock sitting right on the trail. It looks like a perfect place to sit down and take a break, like the many others you see on the AT, so we did. I put both of our packs on the rock, and we sat down to rest and study our map.

We found out quickly that there's a LARGE yellow jacket nest under these rocks! We had to run down the trail leaving our gear behind. We each were stung a few times, and luckily walked away with no issues. When I returned to get our gear it was swarmed and crawling with yellow jackets. I'm not talking a few either.. it was INSANE. A cloud of yellow jackets were surrounding this rock and our packs were covered with them. It was getting dark fast, so I had to act quickly. I had to use a LONG (10-12ft) dead tree limb to fish our packs and trekking poles off the rock and drag them down the trail several yards. I also had to destroy all the stragglers stuck in the nooks and crannies of our packs. By now it's dark and we had to night hike about a mile up the trail before we found a nice tent site and setup camp.

The next day we met a few other hikers that were stung in the same area just walking past the rock, so please be careful on this section of the trail. You WILL get attacked if you go anywhere near that rock, and you cannot avoid it without bushwhacking around it up the side of the mountain.


Takeaways:

1. A long dead limb can be used to successfully manipulate items in/near an agitated nest.
2. Essentials and medical supplies are best carried in a pouch or pocket that never leaves your body.
3. It could have gone bad quickly if either of us had a negative reaction to the stings since our medical supplies were in the packs.
4. Hiking in the forest during late summer sucks for several reasons. Find something else to do during these months.

[Engine]

Glad it worked out well for you guys. We had a similar instance not far from that very spot many years ago. My young son thought it was a good idea to stuff the end of his hiking stick into a hole in the ground...we too ran away without our packs. Yellow Jackets are nasty creatures!

[MuddyWaters]

In all the times Ive come across a note laying on trail, (at least half dozen) about yellow jackets, bees, etc ahead on trail, theyve never been there when I passed. Glad you are OK. These insects usually dont bother you unless they get stirred up first. Sitting on top of their hole would probably do that. They also go back in hole after dark and dont fly in dark, then you can easily retrieve anything. Thats when we destroy nests around hunting camp. Ive been chased off my 4wheeler in the woods before when stopped over a nest. Fortunately they dont chase far either. Some insects like deerfly will chase you miles, and wait on you to come out if you go inside vehicle, camper, etc.

[JLorenzo77]

Glad you guys were okay. I had an experience with these suckers a few weeks ago, not on the trail though. They built a hive in one of our planters and when I went to remove some dead plants, they got me good. Stung me three times on my hand and wrist. I had to go to the ER because it swelled up and I had some other symptoms. Fortunately it was just a large local reaction. They don't mess around!

[ChuckT]

Hate those ×÷=%$@\&£€¥₩'s

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[-Rush-]

They also go back in hole after dark and dont fly in dark, then you can easily retrieve anything. Thats when we destroy nests around hunting camp. Ive been chased off my 4wheeler in the woods before when stopped over a nest. Fortunately they dont chase far either. Some insects like deerfly will chase you miles, and wait on you to come out if you go inside vehicle, camper, etc.

Thanks for the tips. It would have been nice to know I had a chance to get the gear after dark, but even so, my headlamp was in the hipbelt pocket! I usually have an emergency flashlight in my pants/shorts pocket too, but for some reason I also had that in the hipbelt pocket. Live and learn!

[saltysack]

Another reason to carry a few Benadryl.....


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[FatMan]

Definitely a bad yellow jacket season here in GA. My wife has been stung three times this week between Woody Gap and Justus Creek. The little buggers are all over the place. Haven't seen it this bad in about 7 years. If you are hiking GA and are sensitive bring some benadryl or whatever you use.

[saltysack]

Definitely a bad yellow jacket season here in GA. My wife has been stung three times this week between Woody Gap and Justus Creek. The little buggers are all over the place. Haven't seen it this bad in about 7 years. If you are hiking GA and are sensitive bring some benadryl or whatever you use.

My pup got stung in the face a few years back...jack Russell looked like a shar pei his face was so swollen....the Benadryl saved his arse....


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[saltysack]

It must be pretty bad up there now...my aunt just got back from their house outside Waynesville, NC.....she also got multiple wasp stings while on day hikes around western NC..


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[CamelMan]

That really sucks! I would hate to be in a situation like that. The most stings I've had at one time was six.

[ChuckT]

You have no idea.

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[Five Tango]

Delivering wood to a campsite in my truck once when I noticed what appeared to be a LARGE floating beachball come up out of the ground about 50 feet away-a mass of yellow jackets!Nobody had to tell me to jump in truck and close the doors and windows btw!

[Gambit McCrae]

Man I got hit by a giant hornet in the ankle, and 5 miles down trail got hit again 3 inches away from the first one! Must have been carrying a pheromone from the first one as I have never been stung. I kept an eye on my breathing and swelling and however it did burn all the way up to my groin for about 4 hours I suffered no reaction. This however took place just north of Keffer Oak in Virginia Heading up Sinking Creek Mountain, and then on top of Sinking Creek Mountain

[Nooga]

My experience is that yellow jackets become even more aggressive in the fall.

[cneill13]

I got hit by a hornet last summer and this girl I was with took a handful of Georgia mud and smoothed it over the sting. Quickest relief I have ever felt.

Carl

[ChuckT]

Nooga I have a 3 day planned for mid September and you are definitely not helping me😨.

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[Puddlefish]

I was sailing in the middle of a lake last weekend. Someone on the boat pointed out that there was a wasp on the collar of my shirt. I let it climb onto my finger, said it would be my new little wasp friend and then gently flicked it downwind. I haven't been bitten/stung by a wasp/hornet/bee/yellow jacket in 40 years or so.

My daughter completely panics when she sees them, and has been stung quite a few time. They tend to sting the most active people, and the smell of a dead wasp riles up the rest of the wasps. Pretty much say calm and it's far less likely you'll be stung.

[illabelle]

I was sailing in the middle of a lake last weekend. Someone on the boat pointed out that there was a wasp on the collar of my shirt. I let it climb onto my finger, said it would be my new little wasp friend and then gently flicked it downwind. I haven't been bitten/stung by a wasp/hornet/bee/yellow jacket in 40 years or so.

My daughter completely panics when she sees them, and has been stung quite a few time. They tend to sting the most active people, and the smell of a dead wasp riles up the rest of the wasps. Pretty much say calm and it's far less likely you'll be stung.

Reminds me of one time there was a wasp treading water in a 5-gallon bucket in the back yard. I happened to pass by and took pity on the poor thing. So I reached my finger under it and lifted it out to safety. Little booger lit my finger on fire!
I've learned to use a blade of grass for rescue operations.

[Puddlefish]

Reminds me of one time there was a wasp treading water in a 5-gallon bucket in the back yard. I happened to pass by and took pity on the poor thing. So I reached my finger under it and lifted it out to safety. Little booger lit my finger on fire!
I've learned to use a blade of grass for rescue operations.

Ouch. Once they're already stressed, it's best to just avoid them.