Water at Beauty Spot Gap closed for the season

[Tennessee Viking]

If anyone will be hiking around Unaka & Beauty Spot for the rest of the fall and winter season, the spring just north of Beauty Spot will be closed for the season by the TEHCC & Old Timers Club due to possible contamination. The water signs and blue blazes at the road crossing have been taken down. Next best water sources are located at Deep Gap & Cherry Gap Shelter northbound. A few on trail springs & Curley Maple Shelter located south of Indian Grave Gap.

The source will possibly reopen next year.

[Cabin Fever]

...will be closed for the season due to possible contamination by the TEHCC & Old Timers Club.

Correction: ...will be closed by the TEHCC and Old Timers Club due to possible contamination.

[Flush2wice]

Can you elaborate?

[Tennessee Viking]

The water at the location has become contaminated with sulfur compounds.

Cabin Sue me I am from the mountains lol... plus I just got off a little day trip in the Rocky Fork backcountry.

[dmax]

Thanks for the heads up on this. I walked through there on Sunday. Water was tasting good at deep gap. I saw a small snake on the trail between Unaka mt. and Beatyspot. Not sure what kind it was. It was out enjoying the weather like I was.

[Flush2wice]

C

The water at the location has become contaminated with sulfur compounds.

Cabin Sue me I am from the mountains lol... plus I just got off a little day trip in the Rocky Fork backcountry.

Can you elaborate?

[Montana Mac]

If anyone will be hiking around Unaka & Beauty Spot for the rest of the fall and winter season, the spring just north of Beauty Spot will be closed for the season by the TEHCC & Old Timers Club due to possible contamination.
The source will possibly reopen next year.

Is this the spring indicated at NOBO mm 350.6 in Appalachian Pages where it is also indicated as a campsite?

Correction: ...will be closed by the TEHCC and Old Timers Club due to possible contamination.

Is this a permanent closure?

[Kerosene]

There are two springs in that vicinity. The one closest to Beauty Spot was closed (I met two trail maintainers, who were likely from the Old Timers Club, walking up to inspect the spring on Friday morning). However, the boxed spring north of that should still be open and was flowing well from a pipe. Basically, you cross the gravel road to a campsite, and then make a right down a mown trail for perhaps 50 yards to the spring.

[Kerosene]

Note that the water at Cherry Gap Shelter was barely a trickle (a liter every 10 minutes). There was a small leaf-ridden collection pool that you could pump from, but it was pretty cloudy and shallow. I positioned a few rocks to hold my cup and catch the flow from the pipe so I didn't need to keep bending over.

The area below the spring is basically mud and I couldn't find a better pool to dip from.

[Tennessee Viking]

Is this a permanent closure?

At the moment, the spring will be checked next year, after some winter snow dilute the contaminates and push it down stream.

[Marta]

Any ideas about the cause of the problem?

[dmax]

I hope its some kinda clue to find the lost silver mine up there.

[Tennessee Viking]

Any ideas about the cause of the problem?

Most likely due to the dry seasons last couple years.

[mudhead]

Any ideas about the cause of the problem?

I am curious, too. All I can come up with on the net is organic compounds decaying and petroleum products.

I did learn that tar sands yield sulphur as a byproduct.

Any science types out there?

[dmax]

Would a water filter make the water safe to drink?

I was up there two weeks ago and I noticed tracks in the snow going to this spring. I went to the spring a couple of weeks before then to check it out. I did notice the blue blazes were covered up that were on the trees. There was still one blue blaze. The one on the rock in the middle of the water source was still there. Since I still use old guides, I'm think'n I better update incase other sources were closed in previus years that I wasen't aware of yet.

It would be nice if a little sign was posted at a bad water sources on the trail. If I hadn't read about this on here, I would have thought the blue blazes were painted over by teenagers as a joke on a hiker.

Would the use of a purifier make this water safe to drink?

[generoll]

I'm planning on doing that section in a couple of weeks. Could you give me any tips on water from Indian Grave Gap north?

[dmax]

What has been good and tasty at Deep Gap this winter. Its a nice piped spring.
How big of a section are you doing? In the morning I plan on going from Indian Grave Gap to Iron Mt, so I usually only fill up there. There are two more water sources that are pretty good between Deep Gap and Iron Mt. If you need more info., I'm planning Carvers Gap to Erwin either next weekend or the one after. I could give an up date on that section then, if you still need it.

[Tennessee Viking]

I'm planning on doing that section in a couple of weeks. Could you give me any tips on water from Indian Grave Gap north?

From Indian Grave Gap north to Carvers, the main sources will be:
Deep Gap
Cherry Gap Shelter
apple orchard in between Iron Mtn Gap & Weedy Gap
Greasy Creek Gap
Clyde Smith Shelter
Ash Gap campsite
Cloudland parking area (when the Garden Road is open, the utilities will be operating)
Roan High Knob shelter
Carvers Gap

Seconary sources:
old trail north of the Unaka summit (if you can identify the old trail, the piped spring is still there)
Low Gap
wet wall spring on the northside of Little Bald Knob
campsite north of Greasy Creek Gap
Hughes Gap (down road on Tennessee side above the road)

[generoll]

thanks. I'll have to note those on my copy of the companion when it print it up.

[The Weasel]

Purifiers will not remove minerals such as sulfur.

TW