WhiteBlaze Pages 2024
A Complete Appalachian Trail Guidebook.
AVAILABLE NOW. $4 for interactive PDF(smartphone version)
Read more here WhiteBlaze Pages Store

Results 1 to 19 of 19
  1. #1

    Default Dances with Amphibians: 17 Days in Big Frog Wilderness

    I finally pull a backpacking trip in 2023 and it's into Big Frog wilderness where I see about 3 backpackers the whole time.

    Trip 222
    Feb 4-20, 2023


    The trip begins at Thunder Rock campground where Little Mitten drops me off with my 100 lb McHale pack.


    I take the BMT out of Thunder Rock and pass Ocoee River on my way south into Frog wilderness.


    Day 1 and I see my first backpacker---Chris---and he's headed thru Frog into Cohutta for a 7 day trip.


    Chris's Dana Designs pack as we both hike to West Fork Creek on the BMT.


    First night's dinner is a 17 oz box of soup---my heaviest food item. Of course that big jug of peanut butter ain't so light either.


    I cross West Fork Creek two times and take Trail 70 West to Frog Pond where I sit up camp.


    I eventually reach Low Gap on Big Frog trail 64 and go on a downhill water run using my pack's lid as a daypack to haul water.

  2. #2

    Default


    I leave Low Gap and use Big Frog 64 trail to reach the top of Fork Ridge where I squat in a terrible windstorm with a couple gusts coming in at around 70mph---at least that's what my NOAA radio says. I have to put rock on some tent pegs and two of them still pull out of the ground.


    After the windstorm I pack up and keep climbing to the top of Frog Mt.


    I reach the top of Frog and descend slightly to Elderberry Spring for precious water so I get a full load.


    The big wind brings in a minor blizzard with cold temps at around 15F so I hunker in on the very top of Frog Mt in another bad windstorm so more rocks secure the stakes.


    A zero day on Frog Mt to account for the storm.


    My Hilleberg tent keeps me alive for another day so I hunker in and watch Miss Nature do her pole dance.


    Finally it's time to leave Frog Mt on a long day down to the bottom of Yellow Stand Lead trail.
    Attached Images Attached Images

  3. #3

    Default

    inspirational! Thanks for sharing

  4. #4

    Default


    Microspikes comes in handy on the long descent off Frog Mt.


    I backtrack off Frog into Low Gap and rest by the trailpost. I've been here before back in 2014---see next pic.


    In Low Gap 9 years before.


    I leave Low Gap and take Yellow Stand Lead trail down and pass this sign.


    I reach the bottom of Yellow Stand Lead trail and turn left to hook onto the Big Creek trail.


    Big Creek with its trail on the right side climbing.


    A view of Big Creek from the trail.

  5. #5

    Default


    My hardest day of backpackaging---going up the hellish Big Creek trail thru a valley destroyed by tornado winds with consequent beaucoup blowdowns. I finally reach Peavine Gap where Big Creek trail jcts Grassy Gap trail so I put on my cleats and turn left onto Grassy Gap and tool back into Low Gap and further to Frog Pond after a long tough slog.


    I make it back to Frog Pond and set up camp and go visit my amphibian friends.


    I leave Frog Pond and descend back down to West Fork Creek and run into these two backpackers---Jeff and Corey---on a grand plan to reach Jacks River but a huge rainstorm turns them back.


    My West Fork CS is calm and the creek is low before the big rainstorm.


    West Fork crossing on the BMT after the big storm.


    Corey and Jeff circle back on their way out---on an 18F morning---so I hike them down to West Fork Crossing #2 while heading north on the BMT.


    Jeff says goodbye on crossing 2 of West Fork Creek.

  6. #6

    Default


    On Day 15 I leave West Fork Creek and climb back up to Frog Pond Camp and squat. It's right on Big Frog trail 64.


    On Day 17 I take Big Frog trail 64 out to its trailhead on FS road 221.


    A 221 roadwalk returns me to the BMT where I turn left and head north back into Thunder Rock campground.


    Little Mitten meets me and so ends another great trip.


    Little Zoe dog is happy to see me too.

  7. #7
    Registered User
    Join Date
    06-25-2012
    Location
    Lurkerville, East Tn
    Age
    64
    Posts
    3,719
    Journal Entries
    1

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Tipi Walter View Post

    I make it back to Frog Pond and set up camp and go visit my amphibian friends.
    Any idea what these amphibians are? Bodies are too long to be frogs or toads. Sure are a bunch of them.

  8. #8

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by illabelle View Post
    Any idea what these amphibians are? Bodies are too long to be frogs or toads. Sure are a bunch of them.
    Simple salamanders.

  9. #9
    Registered User
    Join Date
    04-22-2015
    Location
    Cumming, GA
    Age
    55
    Posts
    160

    Default Dances with Amphibians: 17 Days in Big Frog Wilderness

    Great report, glad you survived the storm!

  10. #10
    Registered User
    Join Date
    12-01-2018
    Location
    Cookeville, TN
    Posts
    65

    Default

    You know it's cold when the rhodes get that wilted look.

  11. #11
    Registered User Slugg's Avatar
    Join Date
    04-07-2017
    Location
    Georgia
    Age
    31
    Posts
    365

    Default

    Back in ye olde Frog! Big Creek Trail’s difficulty is underrated and seldom-discussed..A top 3 slog in Cohutta/Big Frog I’d reckon.

  12. #12

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Slugg View Post
    Back in ye olde Frog! Big Creek Trail’s difficulty is underrated and seldom-discussed..A top 3 slog in Cohutta/Big Frog I’d reckon.
    Made more difficult by all the unsightly "tornado" damage along the route.

  13. #13

    Default

    Thanks for sharing! I always enjoy your trip reports and photos.
    Charlotte

  14. #14
    Registered User
    Join Date
    06-12-2006
    Location
    northern illinois
    Posts
    4,532
    Images
    2

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Tipi Walter View Post
    Made more difficult by all the unsightly "tornado" damage along the route.
    Were you out on a trail while all this nasty weather has been going through the AT territories??? Did your Tipi stay safe?

  15. #15

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by zelph View Post
    Were you out on a trail while all this nasty weather has been going through the AT territories??? Did your Tipi stay safe?
    If you consider my tent to be my tipi then we made it out okay. The worst was that 70mph windstorm on Fork Ridge on Day 5-6. The blizzard on Frog Mt was also in high winds ergo the rocks on my tent pegs.

  16. #16
    Registered User
    Join Date
    06-12-2006
    Location
    northern illinois
    Posts
    4,532
    Images
    2

    Default

    I was thinking more recent storms. Is this still your home?




  17. #17

  18. #18

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by zelph View Post
    I was thinking more recent storms. Is this still your home?



    I lived in that tipi from 1980 to 2001 and then moved to the mountains of TN.

  19. #19
    Registered User
    Join Date
    06-12-2006
    Location
    northern illinois
    Posts
    4,532
    Images
    2

    Default

    The recent storms in TN were brutal. Glad you're safe.

++ New Posts ++

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •