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  1. #1
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    Default Beech Gap to The Hangover

    Took advantage of the cool temps Saturday night from the Cherohala out to the Hangover, camped at Naked Ground. Temps were great but the briars have choked the trail to where it's nearly impassable in sections. The worst is from Naked Ground out to Hangover Lead.

    Water situation was tough also. Barely a trickle at the spring south of The Bob and zero water at the camp on Hangover Alt trail...like the pipe is sitting in dry rock.

    Still a beautiful hike and my wife and daughters first trip to the hangover!

  2. #2
    Registered User Slugg's Avatar
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    04-07-2017
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    Default

    Thanks for the report! That section always gets choked up. The Hangover is high up on my list to bring friends/family to as well.

  3. #3
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    Yeah, was up there the previous week and water was a problem. I managed to get the pipe going at a trickle at the Bald and dug out a little pool in the muck when I was at Naked Ground. Lower elevation streams were still ok but it was the driest I've ever seen for this time of year.

  4. #4

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    One good thing about this hike is Naked Ground Gap always has water at the spring---and you can hump it from the gap to Hangover Mt. Plus---if you carry pruners you can clip your way thru the brambles and brush on the ridge.

    TRIP 149 006-XL.jpg

  5. #5

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    Quote Originally Posted by Crossbar View Post
    Yeah, was up there the previous week and water was a problem. I managed to get the pipe going at a trickle at the Bald and dug out a little pool in the muck when I was at Naked Ground. Lower elevation streams were still ok but it was the driest I've ever seen for this time of year.
    The worst I've seen it was in the 2016 drought---when Bob spring went completely dry so I backtracked west to the other spring and hiked about a hundred feet down the dry wash and dug a hole and got full water. A pump filter really helps to suck up fluids.

    P1000044-XL.jpg

    P1000041-XL.jpg

  6. #6
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    Default Beech Gap to The Hangover

    Can y'all enlighten me on how to find the spring at Naked Ground? We camped in the gap but didn't wander down the hill on either side to look for water.

  7. #7

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    It's about 25-30' down the slickrock trail on the left hand side. It's pretty overgrown in the summer but you should still be able to see it.

  8. #8
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    When I was there, 2 weeks ago, there was only pools and had to keep walking down the stream bed a bit until I found a place to dig out a pool and let it settle before I could filter. There's been some rain since then so the flow may be better now.

  9. #9
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    Default Water flows down hill, right?

    Quote Originally Posted by Crossbar View Post
    When I was there, 2 weeks ago, there was only pools and had to keep walking down the stream bed a bit until I found a place to dig out a pool and let it settle before I could filter. There's been some rain since then so the flow may be better now.
    Do not take this for gospel, for it has worked 'most' of the time. Wherever there is a known spring or pipe and it's dry, wander downhill following the drainage, sometimes more than you like. The copperheads get bigger and more plentiful, careful where you squat to get water, they love it more than you.

  10. #10

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    Quote Originally Posted by No Match View Post
    Do not take this for gospel, for it has worked 'most' of the time. Wherever there is a known spring or pipe and it's dry, wander downhill following the drainage, sometimes more than you like. The copperheads get bigger and more plentiful, careful where you squat to get water, they love it more than you.
    In 22 years of backpacking to Naked Ground Gap I've never seen the spring dry up completely. Wandering downhill following the drainage is a vital technique at certain spring water sources, most especially on Big Frog Mt at Elderberry Spring which is often dry. But go down the drainage a couple hundred feet and you reach the East Fork of Rough Creek etc.

    One time I was on the BMT heading west on State Line Ridge between Sled Runner Gap and Sandy Gap and stopped at a ridge-side spring on Round Top Mt to get water. It's now well marked with a blue blaze and wooden sign.

    I dumped my pack and went thru the brush down to the spring and pumped a couple liters of water and when finished I stood up to repackage my Hiker filter and saw my friend sitting nearby watching the whole thing. He was inches from my pumping arm.


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