Just in case anyone was thinking about it. Flooding along the BMT

[SGT Rock]

This is what I know so far. The Tellico River is supposed to be out of its banks. The crossing on Tellico River Road is likely under water. Also, the crossings of the Bald River south of that will most likely be an issue, last night they were reporting the river flowing at three times normal capacity.

Normally Bald River Falls looks like this:



Yesterday it was looking like this:

http://www.wbir.com/news/article/249...ational-Forest

Given that, I would also not recommend even attempting the Slickrock Creek crossing, the Noland Creek crossing may be sketchy, and I would imagine Towee Creek crossing should be avoided for a few days to a week. The weather will dictate that.

[Dogwood]

Thanks Sgt Rock. I kinda figured there would be some flooding in various areas after all the rain. Actually, it will work out nicely because I'm starting the FHT on fri morn at Falls Creek/Hospital Rock, about a 30 mile extension to the FHT, which includes Jones Gap and Caesar's Head State Parks so all the waterfalls will be flowing nicely. Will not be starting the BMT at Davenport for about another 8 days so will see about Noland Ck before heading out on the BMT. Nice pic.

[10-K]

Man... I just got within 12 miles of the BMT / Pinhoti intersection this week and you would not believe the amount of water. Just hiking through the woods all you could hear is the sound of rushing water. I just finished hiking the Pinhoti and it rained every freaking day for 13 days - sometimes every minute of every day and it rained hard.

Nothing like a 20 mile road walk down a US Hwy in the pouring down rain.

[Hoop]

Wow............

[Tipi Walter]

Thanks Rock for sharing this. I was out with Little Mitten a couple years ago on Bald River and we hiked to the Cascades about 5 miles in behind the Falls you posted.


Here is Little Mitten on the rocks of the Bald River Cascades.



Here's the same place a year later when I was on a backpacking trip into the Bald and Upper Bald area and I actually had to cross it on the Brookshire trail where this creek is crossed about 3 miles upstream. I barely made it across and it was probably the stupidest thing I ever did.

[SGT Rock]

Hey Walter, I hear you ran into the German Tourist.

[Tipi Walter]

Hey Walter, I hear you ran into the German Tourist.

Yeah, I met her on the approach trail to Big Frog Mt on the Fork Ridge trail/BMT, as below. This would be around January 5. Afterwards I got hit with 9 days of continuous rain and had the honor of setting a new backpacking rain record of 180 hours, give or take.

[10-K]

I met German Tourist at the Coosa River Bridge on GA Hwy 100 just outside of Rome on a Pinhoti road walk.

[SGT Rock]

That makes sense, she is headed to Alabama on the Pinhoti after she finished the BMT.