I'm in vacation mode on this trip which means the goal is to camp by wilderness creeks for as long as possible and to have as many easy days of hiking as I want.

The trip takes place in Citico Creek wilderness in Tennessee and a few days above 5,000 feet to the East of the wilderness---on Seven Mile Ridge abutting the Kilmer/Slickrock wilderness in NC.

To see all trip pics go here---

https://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/Backp...Viper-Furnace/

21 DAYS
IN A
PIT VIPER
FURNACE

Trip 199
August 22--September 11, 2019

HIGHLIGHTS
** 68 CREEK CROSSINGS
** TWO BACKPACKERS ON THE NORTH FORK TRAIL
** KATHERINE AND GRAY BUCKLES TRAIL RANGERS ON THE NORTH FORK
** TRAILWORKED 149
** 7 DAYS ON THE NORTH FORK TRAIL IN VACATION MODE
** SOUTH FORK BACKPACKERS KEITH AND JOHN
** SOUTH FORK TRAIL COMPLETELY CLEARED
** COPPERHEAD NAMED JIMMY ON SOUTH FORK CREEK
** ILLEGAL HORSEMEN ON 54A NORTH
** SNOWSTORM ON HANGOVER MT JUST KIDDING
** SOLO WOMAN BACKPACKER ON HANGOVER MT
** 3 BACKPACKERS ON BOB BALD
** RATTLESNAKE JOHNNY ON SF CREEK TRAIL
** FURNACE INTO FALL: 21 DAYS IN THE TENNESSEE MOUNTAINS


TRAILS
Entrance at Grassy Gap in Citico Creek Wilderness
Grassy Branch Trail Down to Two South Fork Creek Crossings
South Fork Trail Down
**White Rock Camp**
South Fork Down
**Cable Camp**
South Fork Down
North Fork Trail Up
**North Fork Crossing 2 Camp**
NF Trail Up
**NF Sidemeat Camp**
NF Trail Up
**Stump Camp**
NF Trail Up
**Hootyhoo Camp**
NF Trail Up
**Blue Rock Camp Two Crossings Above Old Goat Falls**
NF Trail Up
**Rock Ledge Camp**
Trail 149
**Barrel Gap on 149**
Trail 149 into Cold Spring Gap
South Fork Trail Down
**Iron Camp**
SF Trail Down
**Mitten Camp Next to South Fork Creek**
SF Down
**SF Crossing into Brush/SF Camp**
SF Down
North Fork Up
**Blue Rock Camp**
NF Up to Cherry Log Gap
Fodderstack Ridge South
54A North Up to Bob Tee and Bob Bald
**Fir Tree Grove on Bob Bald**
Seven Mile Ridge Heading East
**Watauga Camp near Naked Ground Gap**
Seven Mile Ridge East
**Airjet Camp Hangover Mt**
Seven Mile Ridge Heading West over Bob Bald
54A South Down
South Fork Trail Down
**Iron Camp Creekside**
SF Down
**White Rock Camp (2)**
Grassy Branch Trail Up
**Woodstove Camp**
Grassy Branch Up and OUT.



The trip starts in Grassy Gap in Citico wilderness and my first trail is Grassy Branch which has about 10 creek crossings as it sharply descends a thousand feet to South Fork Creek---all done with an enormous pack weight at about 100 lbs.



Here's my 95-100 lb pack during a reststop on the Grassy Branch trail. It's a Dan McHale pack in the 8,000 cubic inch range---and loaded with 8 books and about 55 lbs of food and 44ozs of stove fuel etc. The tent is 8 lbs 10 ozs. All the books are burned during the trip.



After several miles my first night is spent next to South Fork Creek (behind tent) at White Rock Camp. Here's the almost 9 lb tent, a Hilleberg Keron.



After four days the first backpackers I see are these two guys coming down the North Fork trail. I only see 4 backpackers the whole time I'm on the Citico side.



I set up camp right next to North Fork Creek and it rises a bit after a late night rainstorm.



As I backpack up the North Fork trail I run into two Ranger trail supervisors who are out to study both the North Fork and the South Fork trails.



This map shows my general route from Grassy Branch merging with South Fork trail (far left bottom) and shows SF trail heading north to jct with North Fork trail (footbridge)---and shows NF heading East and UP. It's a nut climb towards the top.