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  1. #1
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    Default Wauchesi Mountain

    Hey does anyone know about the side trail off the BMT up to Wauchesi ? Most maps don't show it. I'm just wondering if it's easy to miss. The only references of it that I've seen call it 'unofficial'.


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  2. #2

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    It's a better trail than the actual BMT. It leaves Six Mile Gap and climbs .3rd of a mile to the top of Waucheesi Mt at around 3,900 feet?


    This is looking off the BMT into Six Mile Gap with the "manway" trail up Waucheesi going up to the left behind my tent.


    Here's the actual manway trail---It's a great way to connect the BMT to the Warrior's Passage trail.

  3. #3
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    Thanks, Walter --I appreciate your input. i have three days to spend this coming weekend and i've been trying to plan a route for this area. the Skelton book (2005) says there's pretty great unobstructed views on Wauchesi. Is that still correct, or has it grown up?

    I still haven't done the wilderness trail up Bald River so i was thinking about connecting that up to Kirkland Creek and on up to Wauchesi. Either that, or head up Sycamore Trail to Whigg and maybe circle back on Sugar Cove and Whigg Ridge. or something like that.

    what do you know about Basin Lead Trail? the out-of-date Skelton book says it was pretty obscure ten years ago. I wonder if the North River end of the trail even exists since the bridge has been out for so long. have you ever done that ford of the river?

  4. #4

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    Quote Originally Posted by Ashepabst View Post
    Thanks, Walter --I appreciate your input. i have three days to spend this coming weekend and i've been trying to plan a route for this area. the Skelton book (2005) says there's pretty great unobstructed views on Wauchesi. Is that still correct, or has it grown up?

    I still haven't done the wilderness trail up Bald River so i was thinking about connecting that up to Kirkland Creek and on up to Wauchesi. Either that, or head up Sycamore Trail to Whigg and maybe circle back on Sugar Cove and Whigg Ridge. or something like that.

    what do you know about Basin Lead Trail? the out-of-date Skelton book says it was pretty obscure ten years ago. I wonder if the North River end of the trail even exists since the bridge has been out for so long. have you ever done that ford of the river?
    Waucheesi Mt has some good views but it's a developed mountain with a road to the top (bummer) and a cell phone tower on top and another tower a half mile down the road. The Warrior's Passage trail (awesome trail) also has a trailhead off this mountain.

    You could do the standard Upper Bald River wilderness 17 mile loop if you go in Bald River wilderness behind the Falls and hike south to Holly Flats road and turn left to the Kirkland trailhead and head up Kirkland to Sandy Gap and get on the BMT to State Line Ridge to Sled Runner Gap and down Brookshire Creek back down to the road and turn left back into Bald River wilderness and out to your car. This would be a tremendous loop of about 32 miles.

    Another good loop would be to pass south thru Bald River wilderness and go up Kirkland Creek to Sandy Gap and take the BMT up to Waucheesi Mt and hike the road down to Basin Gap and down forest road 126 right back into the Bald River wilderness and out.

    Basin Lead trail is in fairly good shape as I camped on it in 2016 and here's a pic of the trail (I camped directly on the trail)---


    This pic shows me standing directly on the Basin Lead trail and looking north as the trail winds to Tellico River.


    If you stay on the Basin Lead trail and head north by northwest the trail eventually reaches this spot on the Tellico River. This used to be the Basin Lead trailhead footbridge but it got washed out in a 1997-98 flood. I looked around this area and found a suitable place to ford the mighty Tellico---but only for the brave at heart as the water's deep and fast.

  5. #5
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    wow, I keep coming back to that last photo. it's fun to just imagine what the river looked like at that moment.

    anyhow, that's good news. I'm thinking i'll start with Basin Lead (assuming the ford is passible), head all the way up to Wauchesi and then down Kirkland to Bald River Tr. And if it's not passible i'll just do a lolli-pop route from Bald River. after a week of perseverating it feels good to settle on a plan. thanks for letting me bounce ideas around.

  6. #6

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    Quote Originally Posted by Ashepabst View Post
    wow, I keep coming back to that last photo. it's fun to just imagine what the river looked like at that moment.

    anyhow, that's good news. I'm thinking i'll start with Basin Lead (assuming the ford is passible), head all the way up to Wauchesi and then down Kirkland to Bald River Tr. And if it's not passible i'll just do a lolli-pop route from Bald River. after a week of perseverating it feels good to settle on a plan. thanks for letting me bounce ideas around.
    I have no clue of the condition of the Basin Lead trail from Tellico River (and the busted footbridge) north to northeast. It could and probably will be in terrible shape. You may get lost or have to turn around. My recent Basin Lead experience only took me to Gravelstand Top near Basin Gap. Be forewarned!!

    But for the most part this trail follows old logging cuts.

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