22 Days with My Neanderthal Mother

[Tipi Walter]

This backpacking trip occurs in March 2023 and begins at Beech Gap on the BMT and ends at Indian Boundary Lake. Here are the trails I hiked:

Fodderstack Ridge Trail from Beech Gap to Crowder Camp.
Big Stack Gap trail down to Slickrock Creek.
Big Fat/Hangover Lead South trail up to Hangover Mt.
Seven Mile Ridge over Bob Bald to Cold Spring Gap.
South Fork trail down to Citico Creek.
Flats Mt from Beehouse Gap to Skyway road.
Skyway roadwalk to Indian Boundary Lake and OUT.

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My trip begins with Little Mitten and Zoe Dog dropping me off in Unicoi Crest by Beech Gap in the mountains of TN. Pack is about 107 lbs and a Dan McHale masterpiece with full winter kit.

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I hike north on Fodderstack Ridge trail aka BMT to Cold Spring Gap and get caught in a neverending rainstorm and on Day 2 see my old friends Dean and Dewey who get soaked camping down in the Wedge by Bob Creek so they have to cancel their trip and leave early due to wet sleeping bags.

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As I squat in Cold Gap during the rainstorm I see my first batch of Cranberries---pulling a 10 day wilderness trip from Cranbrook School in Michigan---on their 54th annual visit---with group leader Gordon on left.

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As usual the big cold rainstorm turns to snow and very low temps by Day 3 with wind chills around 0F because I'm in a gap with high wind gusts.

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During a zero day of bad weather I hike down into the Wedge to visit Gordon and his Cranberries. They all use tarps of course.

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On Day 4 I'm finally able to get out of Cold Gap but my tent is covered in a varnish of ice so it won't pack into its stuff sack so I roll the wad up in my white ground cloth and lash it on the bottom of the pack---and head north on Trail 149 to a CS near Cherry Log Gap.

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I head north on Fodderstack Ridge to Crowder Camp and descend Big Stack trail to Slickrock Creek and see another Cranbrook group---led by Bobby and River and Savannah.

[Tipi Walter]

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Here I am on Fodderstack Ridge preparing to drop to Slickrock Creek.

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I reach my CS on Slickrock Creek.

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The beginnings of spring wildflowers show up so I add them to my ramen meal---in this case yellow violets.

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Several Cranberry groups swing thru my Slickrock Creek CS---here is leaders Jim and Jared.

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I find out Navy SEAL Chadd Wright is out with his group near Wildcat Falls so I spend all day in shorts and crocs with numerous creek crossings to surprise him as he leaves his CS with his group and pulls a rigorous dayhike up the Nutbuster trail and down Hangover Lead South back to Wildcat Falls. He's surprised to see me.

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Chadd in all his glory.

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I tag along with Chadd's group as they make two crossings on Slickrock Creek heading upstream to the Nutbuster trail. This is Crossing 11 above Wildcat Falls.

[Tipi Walter]

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Here is Chadd's group pulling crossing 12 and the last to begin the hard climb up the Nutbuster trail.

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Chadd stops at a tricky part of the trail to give a class in compass and map reading for his students.

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On leg 1 of the Nutbuster trail where Chadd's group has to cross Hangover Creek.

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It's a cold day and I spend all of it dayhiking in shorts and crocs for the many creek crossings I have to do to keep up with Chadd's group. They continue on and I head back to my CS on the creek.

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I leave Slickrock Creek and head up the tough trail to Big Fat Gap where I find Gordon and his group preparing to shove off.

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The last Cranberries I see are Jim and Jared sharing Big Fat Gap with Gordon's group. We say our goodbyes and I bust a nut up Hangover Lead South trail, the sister trail to the Nutbuster.

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As I head up Hangover Mt I have to climb this ice covered obstacle rock and it's tough.

[Tipi Walter]

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It's still winter on Hangover Mt.

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After a tough couple days I finally reach Haoe Peak at 5,240 feet on Seven Mile Ridge.
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I head west on Seven Mile Ridge and run into Spice Cake who's pulling a thruhike of Pinhoti and BMT.

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As I approach Bob Bald I pass by Johnny's Rock on the ridge. See next pic.

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Johnny B at his rock back in 2004.

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I reach Bob Bald at 5,300 feet and cook up ramen noodles with boiled rock tripe, a wild edible.

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Bob clouds---a goat fighting a buffalo.

[Tipi Walter]

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A good surprise as I'm squatting on Bob Bald---Rob Bush comes in from a tough loop and sets up camp with a couple other guys.

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Rob sets up his Hilleberg Nammatj GT tent.

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Nathan DeLay in his hammock on the Bob---part of Rob's group.

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Morning breakfast with Rob in his tent.

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We all shove off the Bob together and head down South Fork trail---me to camp and them to head home.

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I head down the steep South Fork trail and reach where it levels out.

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Going down the steep trail I wear microspikes for traction.

[Tipi Walter]

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South Fork is a long 9 mile trail and I finally reach its main creek crossing which I almost don't get across.

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I finish South Fork trail and rest by its bottom trailpost.

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I climb to Beehouse Gap and take Flats Mt trail to this secret CS which has water.

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Somewhere on the tough climb up Flats Mt.

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Once on top of Flats Mt I get covered in wildfire smoke set by the forest service so I bail off the mountain thru burning embers---white ash hits my tent the night before---and pull an 8 mile day to escape the choking smoke by roadwalking the Skyway down to Indian Boundary Lake.

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I find an emergency stealth CS by Indian Lake and on Day 22 prepare to shove off and meet Little Mitten on the Skyway road. So ends the trip.

[chknfngrs]

You’re a danged social butterfly Tipi! Looks like another lovely trip, and much thanks for sharing

[TwoSpirits]

The goat fighting the buffalo -- I love it.

[somers515]

Always enjoy your trip reports Tipi! And the fact you are able to carry such a large backpack makes me feel like I should never ever complain about my 22-26 lb. pack being too heavy.

[Tipi Walter]

You’re a danged social butterfly Tipi! Looks like another lovely trip, and much thanks for sharing

The Cranberries always come out in mid-March for their wilderness trip---and usually have a basecamp at Rattler Ford campground on the NC side.

Always enjoy your trip reports Tipi! And the fact you are able to carry such a large backpack makes me feel like I should never ever complain about my 22-26 lb. pack being too heavy.

My next trip in May won't be as heavy as I won't be carrying any winter gear.

[illabelle]

Tipi, I ran into a friend of yours this weekend. We spent Saturday night at Mt Collins shelter in the smokies, and met Carver. Enjoyed sharing stories with him. Later I was remembering his voice and trying to think who he sounded like. It finally came to me that he sounds like a younger Bill Clinton - nothing political implied - sort of a smooth Southern voice.

By the way, the goat & buffalo pic is awesome.

[blue indian]

your Neanderthal mother?

Sounds like an encounter with the ancient forest beings??

[Tipi Walter]

Tipi, I ran into a friend of yours this weekend. We spent Saturday night at Mt Collins shelter in the smokies, and met Carver. Enjoyed sharing stories with him. Later I was remembering his voice and trying to think who he sounded like. It finally came to me that he sounds like a younger Bill Clinton - nothing political implied - sort of a smooth Southern voice.

By the way, the goat & buffalo pic is awesome.

I've seen RCarver a bunch over the years---one night at 7F, another on Bob Bald---

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your Neanderthal mother?

Sounds like an encounter with the ancient forest beings??

She runs the whole game, i.e. Miss Nature.

[Mockernut]

Always love your trip reports. You've taught me a lot about this area, and it's my new favorite hiking ground.