Citico/Slickrock Trip Reports

[Tipi Walter]

If anyone is interested, I am posting my photos and trip reports in the Citico/Slickrock Wilderness and along the Benton MacKaye Trail on the Trail Journals website. Just search for Tipi Walter and you can look up the many photos and journals I have posted including numerous shots of Slickrock Creek, Bob Stratton Bald, Naked Ground and the Hangover, the South and North Fork of Citico Creek and along the B Mac/Fodderstack, Farr Gap and Crowders.

[ed bell]

If anyone is interested, I am posting my photos and trip reports in the Citico/Slickrock Wilderness and along the Benton MacKaye Trail on the Trail Journals website. Just search for Tipi Walter and you can look up the many photos and journals I have posted including numerous shots of Slickrock Creek, Bob Stratton Bald, Naked Ground and the Hangover, the South and North Fork of Citico Creek and along the B Mac/Fodderstack, Farr Gap and Crowders.

Thanks for the heads up Tipi. I have enjoyed my trips to JK/Slickrock Wilderness and wondered about the path of the BMT through there.

[ed bell]

Did a quick scan, and I gotta say that I really enjoyed the pictures from January 31, 2006. I've been on Bob Stratton Bald a couple of times, so this was my favorite:http://www.trailjournals.com/photos.cfm?id=195137
Rime ice can really be spectacular. Thanks again for sharing your journal and photos.

[Frolicking Dinosaurs]

Thank you so much for share this, Tipi. This area is where I go to hike when the GSMNP has its annual tourists infestation.

[Skidsteer]

Did a quick scan, and I gotta say that I really enjoyed the pictures from January 31, 2006. I've been on Bob Stratton Bald a couple of times, so this was my favorite:http://www.trailjournals.com/photos.cfm?id=195137
Rime ice can really be spectacular. Thanks again for sharing your journal and photos.

Beautiful shot TW. You should consider posting some of these on WB.

[Ramble~On]

Thanks Tipi..
I like the way you call that section the "Nutbuster Trail"....holds true in either direction...I have a similar "Ghost Tree" shot and need to post some more shots from the Bob to my gallery here on WB.

[Tipi Walter]

Thanks Tipi..
I like the way you call that section the "Nutbuster Trail"....holds true in either direction...I have a similar "Ghost Tree" shot and need to post some more shots from the Bob to my gallery here on WB.

"Backpacker Magazine" wrote an article on some of the toughest trails in the U.S. and included the Slickrock Creek Trail as one of them. The piece was called "Tough Love" and can be found in the past articles section on their website. They aptly named it The Ballbuster(this is scratched into a birch tree along the trail)but I always just call it the Nutbuster.

Hardest trail in the southern appalachians? I guess if you include all 12 creek crossings along with the upper nutbusting section, but there are many others in the southeast that can also make a grown man weep.

The good thing for the Benton MacKaye backpacker is that both the Bob Bald and the Nutbuster Trail can be easily accessed on dayhikes or blue blazed side trips. The B Mac even follows Slickrock Creek a ways although it's several miles from the start of the harder upper Slickrock section.

[ed bell]

I jumped on the Slickrock Creek Trail at the Big Fat Trail junction and the last 3 or 4 miles were tough. Naked Ground, the Hangover, Bob Stratton Bald, and Jenkins Meadow are all great spots up on the ridges.

[SGT Rock]

I hiked that trail back in 1985, seems like someone had put up a sign that said "Abandon all hope, ye who enter here!"

[Frolicking Dinosaurs]

I hiked that trail back in 1985, seems like someone had put up a sign that said "Abandon all hope, ye who enter here!"

That sign was still up in 1985 I remember when that sign was placed on Upper Slickrock Creek Trail about 1977 or 78. It was placed by some UT biology interns who had to go into the upper Slickrock area to inventory reptiles.

[SGT Rock]

I have been looking at Tipi Walter's photos and now I understand where he gets the name Tipi.

Cool pics. I especially like the ones with the snow and ice. Just beautiful. They are making me homesick.

[Ramble~On]

I've been hiking back there for about 10 years and am planning a hike for either this week or for the first full moon in December. I love the area and will be posting some photos here on WB soon. Viewing the pictures Tipi posted and reading the captions has given me the bug for a hike.

I used to lead Boy Scout hikes back there a few years ago but NEVER took them up the top section of SRCT from the stream to Naked Ground as I'm not that cruel. One memory that stands out was about 5 years ago when I was camped with a Boy Scout group at Naked Ground and a voice came from the night asking for help....which of course was answered and a man of about 20 walked into the campsite....soon followed by his girlfriend who was hiding out of sight behind a tree until it was determined that we were not the folks from "Deliverence"...they had gotten lost which isn't uncommon back there...wearing cotton T-shirts and shorts...no food...no water just a backpack with a tent and some towels....
They had parked at Big Fat Gap early in the morning and planned to spend the day at Wildcat Falls...and return the same way....but they missed the trail and ended up on SRCT... it got dark and for whatever reason they didn't notice the difference between SRCT and Big Fat and they kept going...making it to the top at about 10:30....I can't imagine hiking that in the dark with no light...no food and no water..okay, I can but I sure wouldn't want to do it.
We gave them everything we could....being Boy Scouts and all....food, water, a map, flashlights etc...I gave them specific directions back to the trailhead at Big Fat which is as hard as following the ridgeline for most of the way...
I remember the girl kept saying the boyfreind was in "big trouble" with her father as she was supposed to be home at 11. Neither of them would take us up on staying the night and heading out rested in the daylight

I remember an article about SRCT that might have been the one in Backpacker as it rated SRCT as one of the toughest in the country.

Three of us hiked it one winter and the water was up...the first crossing from Calderwood should have been enough of an indication to abort the idea but stupid people make stupid decisions and the second car had been placed at Beech Gap so off we went...halfway across I went for my first swim and my second pair of eyes departed me for places unknown.
Yeah, I think "Slickrock Creek" is aptly and rightfully named. I had a great time on that hike and I'm very gald we didn't turn back even though everything was a bit blurry...

Last winter I again went swimming in SRC while trying to cross in snowmelt flow....and that was a comic moment...I managed to keep all of my eye balls that time as the trip from years past still freshly lingers everytime I cross the stream regardless of season...and a certain other WB member might chime in if he sees this post so I'll leave it to the imagination except to mention that a certain amount of Knob Creek was involved.

Now, lets see if I can find some pictures and get them into my gallery.

[Creepy Uncle]

Last winter I again went swimming in SRC while trying to cross in snowmelt flow....and that was a comic moment...I managed to keep all of my eye balls that time as the trip from years past still freshly lingers everytime I cross the stream regardless of season...and a certain other WB member might chime in if he sees this post so I'll leave it to the imagination except to mention that a certain amount of Knob Creek was involved.

ah yes, trying to cross in crocs and carrying a 3 inch thick rotten birch "walking stick"... yes sir, i got a great view of the entire event as i was still on all fours in the creek trying to keep the head above water during my own failed crossing.. hic!

hey, let's camp here!

lesson learned... keep the knob creek in the pack at slickrock creek (i suppose "certain" amounts are safe under a bottle's worth of certainty with regards to certain failures in crossing certain creeks)

[Ramble~On]

Uh.......Well Hell Yeah...I'll DRINK TO THAT

[Ramble~On]

Oh YEAH !....

Almost forgot........HAPPY BIRTHDAY CREEPY UNCLE

Mine is in a week and it'll be a full moon SO....guess where I'm going.
No Knob Creek this time but Uh....well there's only one thing to take hiking on a full moon Oh god......memories abound of a snowy meadow on top of a mountain....

[Creepy Uncle]

hey, if you ain't going to raleigh, i'll see you sunday!

[Ramble~On]

Deal.

[Tipi Walter]

After a quick learning curve I found out how to add a journal link to my signature and so thanks for the good comments and I'm glad that Sgt Rock likes the snow pics.