Jerry Cabin in summer

[booney_1]

This summer (first week of august 06), the spring here was dry!! We were southbound, headed to Hot Springs. Luckily we were not camping here, we were headed to Little Laurel. But we were thirsty before we found another spring. It was pretty dry generally, a number of marked springs were barely a trickle.

[RAT]

I helped Sam Waddle maintain that section for over 12 yrs and I dont remember but one drought yr where th espring there and the others towards Little Laurel ever dried up, but in recent yrs. with all the warmer temps and below avg. rainfall amounts, the springs have tended to run less and less. It can be a bad thing in that area if you dont know where to go off the mountain to get water when you are out. I truly love that place and have alot of fond memories of it. "Holy Ground" as it was called by Sam.


RAT

[PJ 2005]

Rat, it's definitely a unique shelter. My dad organized some boy scout troops to take turns maintaining that section recently (I've been up once to help). If you're interested in joining us sometime, PM me.

[RAT]

That sounds good. I havent been much since Sam's passing. Are your boy scouts communicating your work efforts thru the CMC ? They prefer that no one does work on a section without permission. I actually go tinto alot of trouble doing that back when i was a "renegade maintainer" lol. I would love to go with you and your boys sometime if we can mesh schedules. What access route do you take? Please send me your dates and times and I will see what i can do. I can always use some help on my section as well, hint hint,, lol.

RAT

[PJ 2005]

Yes, he's gone through all the proper channels - certified to use a chainsaw in minor situations, etc. Honestly I don't remember the names of the road we took up there, but it took us to (near) the top of Big Butt.

We left a laminated article about Sam in the mailbox at Jerry's. His dedication to the trail is hard to match, but we can try!

I will let you know when we're heading up there again. Which section do you maintain?

[RAT]

That would be Horse Creek Road. You must have a great 4X4 !!! That's one rough road have travelled it many times. There is no way to keep things to Sam's standards. You just cant make as many trips up there as often as he did !!!! My section Is Spivey Gap to Little Bald. Thanks for letting me know when you plan any trips for there.


RAT>PATROL

[cascader]

Spent the night alone at Jerry Cabin on March 28. Water source was running fine. Shelter looks like it could be leaky, but it rained hard that night and everything stayed dry. It's a simple three-sided shelter right on the Trail. Was glad to have shelter from the storm that night!

[rcunigan]

Just got off that section and the Spring at Jerry Cabin Shelter is dry. Others along this section are at a trickle.

[dansforest]

Has anyone recently hiked this section that may know if there is any water? We were looking at Allen gap to Devil Fork Gap. We were also wondering about Horse road. How bad it is for a regular 4runner?

[Tennessee Viking]

From the reports I hear, its pretty dry from Flint Gap to Allen Gap. Flint Mtn Shelter is still running. There are some small springs on Coldspring Mtn and Big Butt areas. Jerry Cabin is dry. Little Laurel was last a light trickle to dry. Expect to take the old road to Hemlock Hollow Hostel & Cabins. Might have better water sources on the bad weather trails on Camp Creek.

I was at Rich Mtn tower a month ago. It was dry at the large campsite. A couple sectioners said there was no water in between there and Hot Springs.

Contact Uncle Johnnys, Bluff Mtn Outfitters, and the Carolina Mtn Club for latest news.

I hiked about 3/4 way up the old Horse Creek Road. As of right now, its appears its open to 4x4 trucks. But ORV & dirt bikes are prohibited. Its pretty hard even for 4x4. You can still get to the old Sarvis Cove parking area easy where the road and trails split about a mile and half in from the campground. But where the road turns away from the Sarvis Cove trailhead it starts to get hard mainly do to creek crossings. But eventually when you start up the switchbacks, the road narrows dramatically and quite a bit of blowdowns. Its steep and has lots of exposed rock to back it a rough trip. You may want to contact the Forest Service office in Greeneville to check details of the road conditions.

But I know they usually take horses & supper ubber 4x4 trucks, and people walk in from Devils Fork Gap and Horse Creek to the Shelton Grave dedication each year.

Squibb Creek is listed on some maps of hitting the top where the trail turns on Big Butt. Horse Creek Road is over on the old trail. Sarvis Cove Trail is about mile or so from Jerry Cabin. All which are main drainage trails.

[Short Term]

We hiked Devil Fork Gap to Hot Springs about 4 weeks ago. We filled up at Flint Mt Shelter and didn't see water again until Spring Mt Shelter. The spring at Spring Mt Shelter was slow 4 weeks ago..could be dry now if they haven't had significant rain. It is a beautiful section though...

[Berserker]

How much room is there for tenting at or near this shelter?

[Tennessee Viking]

How much room is there for tenting at or near this shelter?

Haven't been to the shelter itself. But most of Coldspring mountain is flat ridge top with balds. Just north of Jerry Cabin Shelter is a forest road that leads to a backcountry parking area.