A couple basic questions for Amicalola - Neels

[nice marmot]

Wow, thanks for all the replies, quite a wealth of information out there.

-Don't worry, you won't catch me wearing bear bells. The joke out here goes:

How do you tell the difference between Grizzly bear droppings and black bear droppings?
Grizzly droppings has bells in it.

We've got a ridiculous 8L carrying capacity for water should we need it, not that I've ever needed nor expect to need that much. We'll definitely stock up as needed before hanging out on summits.

I like the idea of pushing past Springer the first day, to take the load off the next two days. It all depends on the trip out from downtown Atlanta...

Thanks all, I'll let you know how it goes!

[papa john]

It's been awhile since I've done that stretch, but I think water isn't an issue until you go past Hawk Mountain Shelter. That's also where you start to get a bit of a workout going up and down quite a bit.

[MoBill122]

Well... I got to say it...since ya'll were talking about bears.

No one warned him about those north Georgia Big Foots ! ! <BNG>



Sorry...couldn't help myself....

[DavidNH]

No need for bear spray. In the appalachians there are no Grizzlys, just black bears. Most likely you wont even see one.

expect wicked hot temps, but also plenty of humidity. Leave cotton clothes home unless you want to be drenched in sweat.

david

[Captn]

I did the same section last November. It was my first trip on the AT.

Just a couple of differences between the AT and the Rockies ...

Don't expect a lot of switchbacks .... they are there when they're really needed, but the AT is not graded for pack stock and may be a bit steeper than your norm. This may reduce your miles a bit.

The people I met on the trail were without a doubt the friendliest I've met on any hike. Even the South bounders that I ran into on the trail wanted to stop for a minute and chat. Unbelievably friendly.

There are some great vistas along the way.

The Shelters are great ... bear bagging systems at each, tent areas too. Privy's at each as well.

The people here on WB are a fantastic resource ... don't hesitate to ask them anything.

[Panzer1]

We're well versed in keeping a clean campsite and...

Don't worry too much about keeping a clean campsite since just about anywhere along the beginning of the trail generations of hikers will have washed out their pots and pans and threw the food encrusted water on the ground right next to where you are going to put your tent.

Panzer

[Bulldawg]

Yeah I forgot to mention that. The sign on Springer technically doesn't say not to camp there, but it strongly discourages it. At any rate, I thought Three Forks was a really nice spot to camp. Just note that Three Forks is at a forest service road (58?), so there may be car campers there on the weekend.

There is PLENTY of tent camping on Springer f you want to stop there. The tent camping in out in the meadow just east of the summit. Take the trail towards the shelter and you will see the meadow. Last weekend the spring at the shelter was dry at the shelter, but had water a few hundred yards down the creek bed.

Maybe we will get a tropical storm or three in the next few weeks though!

[Pepper Beard]

My fiancee and I will be out in Georgia next week and plan to take the trail from Amicalola - Neels, Aug 20-23.

Bad timing. They are calling for Tropical Storm Faye to come right through that area. A good chance it will be a tropical storm or depression during those days you are planning to hike.

[Gladiator]

I did the same section last November. It was my first trip on the AT.

I may hike this section in November. How were the spring levels last November?

[Captn]

I may hike this section in November. How were the spring levels last November?

You could still find water .... I carried a 2 plus liter platy and never ran out.

Of course ... it was cool enough that I didn't have to refill a lot during the day.

[Tennessee Viking]

How is the parking at Neels Gap and the center?

[Skidsteer]

How is the parking at Neels Gap and the center?

No overnight parking at Neel Gap.

Byron Reece trailhead, 1/4 mile North on SR 129 is generally good but can get crowded on weekends.

[Captn]

You could still find water .... I carried a 2 plus liter platy and never ran out.

Of course ... it was cool enough that I didn't have to refill a lot during the day.

Check out the Mountain Crossings website ... they were, at least last fall, putting up water reports regularly.

[Flinx]

I may hike this section in November. How were the spring levels last November?

I did that section last November...it was very dry last year but i found water...i made sure to ask every SOBO where they got water.

[nice marmot]

Well, we've made it, thanks for all the info. For anyone else coming across this thread for info on this section, here's a quick breakdown of the trip:

They did have good maps at the Amicalola center that did the trick. I passed on the Appalachian Trail novel they had at REI. We got on the trail at 12:30 and got to Springer in 5 hours, so we decided to push on to Three Forks, which was a great campsite. It's a good thing we did, because the next day out to Gooch Gap was killer, particularly through Sassafras. Water sources were definitely low approaching Gooch, streams a couple inches deep at the most. We took the sidetrip to Lake Winfield Scott and had the beach to ourselves, which was a great break from hiking. Plus, filling up on potable water made the lady happy, she's not too fond of the taste of the water treatment tablets. Instead of going back to the trail, we took the Slaughter Creek trail, what more natural a path to take to Blood Mountain? Blood mountain finally brought the views a hiker deserves after climbing a hill, and it was the only place we saw bears. We saw one heading up from Slaughter Creek and another on the way down the next day, both times they ran off like they owed us money.

Didn't see another soul on the trail or at camps except some day hikers around Woody Gap and Blood Mountain. Hurricane Fay seemed to have done nothing more than to provide some cloud cover and keep it much cooler than it could have been in August, so that was nice, though the cloud cover did take away from the sunset I'd hoped for on Blood.

All in all, good hike, thanks for all the tips!

[Heater]

Don't worry too much about keeping a clean campsite since just about anywhere along the beginning of the trail generations of hikers will have washed out their pots and pans and threw the food encrusted water on the ground right next to where you are going to put your tent.

Panzer

I hope you did not use that as an excuse to do the same!
Did you? Sure sounds like it.