Max Patch to Hot Spring 11/8,9

[ChinMusic]

I'm planning on a little 2-day jaunt from Max Patch (Max Patch Road) to Hot Springs starting Thurs 11/8 and getting into Hot Springs late afternoon on Friday 11/9. We have a Trail Talk get-together in Hot Springs on Fri/Sat. I will prob just do a dayhike north of HS on Sunday.

Day 1: Wife will be dropping me off at Max Patch Road early Thursday. She will be going on to Ashville for sight-seeing/etc. I have tentatively planned to stop near Walnut Mt Shelter of the first night. I will be tenting so I could go further. What about Catpen Gap?

Day 2: will be a general downhill hike into Hot Springs where wife and I will be staying in a cabin (she ain't roughing it).

Water sources that I see are:
2.6 miles - Roaring Fork Shelter (I assume this is the new one. The map show close to Lemon Gap)
3.7 miles - creek
6.0 miles - stream
7.6 miles - Walnut Mt Shelter (might stay here, tent)
11.5 miles - Big Rock Springs
17.4 miles - Deer Park Mt Shelter
20.6 miles - Hot Springs

Any news on any of these water sources being dry? It looks like there is NORMALLY a lot of water in this section. Any good campsites between Walnut Mt Shelter and Bluff Mt? General comments/suggestions?

[Just a Hiker]

Hey there! There is usually a reliable water source on the trail near Roaring Fork lean-to, also Walnut Mt. Lean-to is definately not that great, so I would certainly use your tent there, but plenty of tenting areas. From there, it's smoothing sailing into Hot Springs! Sounds like a good time!!

Just Jim

[ChinMusic]

Is Catpen Gap a good place to camp?

[Marta]

A couple of weekends ago, when I was camping on Max Patch, I asked some section hikers about the water between there and Hot Springs. They said that there was no water at Deer Park Mtn. Shelter. They had found water at about three or four of the listed sources. Can I remember which ones? No, I cannot.

[ChinMusic]

I've been looking at the weather forecasts for Hot Springs. What is the general rule of thumb for lower temps at night with regards to elevation? Out west we considered 5-10 degrees cooler per 1000 feet. Hot Spings is significantly lower than any of the camping areas I'm planning.

I'm thinking the 15° bag may be in order with the forecast right now of 30° at Hot Springs.

[Marta]

I think you're right. It could be quite nippy.

[wannahike]

.Water sources that I see are:
2.6 miles - Roaring Fork Shelter (I assume this is the new one. The map show close to Lemon Gap)
3.7 miles - creek
6.0 miles - stream
7.6 miles - Walnut Mt Shelter (might stay here, tent)
11.5 miles - Big Rock Springs
17.4 miles - Deer Park Mt Shelter
20.6 miles - Hot Springs

Any news on any of these water sources being dry? It looks like there is NORMALLY a lot of water in this section. Any good campsites between Walnut Mt Shelter and Bluff Mt? General comments/suggestions?[/quote]

WE hiked this last weekend. A bear stole a hikers food at Roaring Fork.
Water was good until Walnut Mt. Shelter. We camped next to the creek before the top. Didn't find any water between Walnut Mt. and Deer Park Shelters. The piped spring at Deer Park was dry, we found water in the creek on the other side of the trail.

[ChinMusic]

WE hiked this last weekend. A bear stole a hikers food at Roaring Fork.
Water was good until Walnut Mt. Shelter. We camped next to the creek before the top. Didn't find any water between Walnut Mt. and Deer Park Shelters. The piped spring at Deer Park was dry, we found water in the creek on the other side of the trail.

Thanks. I read in Diesel's trail journal regarding Roaring Fork on 4/11/07:

"The shelter journal says there was a bear here last night that grabbed a guys sleeping bag and started pulling him out of the shelter. The guy yelled and the bear left. I hope the bear doesn't come back tonight."

Sounds like that there is an "active" bear in this area......

I will def be following guidelines regarding food.

[ImkerVS]

I wouldn't worry about bears right now. In April, when that bear was active, there was severe food shortage. Bears were down in the valleys too, raiding trash cans and the rest. They were hungry.

Now NC and Tennessee have one of the heaviest acorn drops in years. There are no hungry bears.

[ChinMusic]

I wouldn't worry about bears right now. In April, when that bear was active, there was severe food shortage. Bears were down in the valleys too, raiding trash cans and the rest. They were hungry.

Now NC and Tennessee have one of the heaviest acorn drops in years. There are no hungry bears.

Thanks for the info.

I thought wannahike meant a hiker had his food "stolen" within the last two weeks.

"WE hiked this last weekend. A bear stole a hikers food at Roaring Fork."

I'm not a bear-phobe, but I will make double-sure not to tempt a bear. I plan on using my tent and staying out of the shelters anyway.

I'm still trying to find out if there is any water after Walnut Mt Shelter.

[Deerleg]

Can't tell you about Walnut Mt, but you are going 20 miles in a day and a half, and it sounds like there are plenty of souses along the way...worst case you have a dry camp (I stelf camp at a dry sight 80% of the time) and will have to manage with the water you have.... I walked a day and a half through Shenandoah National Park a few years ago with only the quart I started with and while I was a bit thirsty, managed OK to the next source. Enjoy your hike and if there’s no water at some sources you still should be fine. Part of the fun for me is adapting to what presents itself. I walked through sections of GA and NC south of the smokies a couple of weeks ago and encountered long stretches where every source was dry. I just carried a little more and relied on SB hikers to give me a 1st hand report on what to expect ahead.

[wannahike]

The hiker, sorry don't remember his name, had his food stolen on the 27 of Oct. There were also notices at the parking area for Max Patch about bear activity at the horse camps.