Originally Posted by
PatmanTN
Hey Tipi ,you did post a report, must of have missed it. It was great to reunite for two trips (well two for me anyway). I meant to tell you that on the Friday that you came out of the forest I ran into local hiker Steve McCullough in mid Citico loop (North Fork -South Fork) near the 149 junction with 95. I've met him before several years ago and we recognized each other; he mentioned that he ran into you on Warriors Passage.
I was going to stop and camp at Barrel Gap, but in talking with Steve, he mentioned that he had wanted to camp his first night of the loop at the rock wall above old goat falls on the North Fork but didn't make it that far. I stole his idea and spent that Friday night there; what an awesome spot. I wound up hiking up to Cherry Log gap from the rock wall , then on to Pine Mtn, and got that wild hair to bush-whack back down to the North Fork. Fun but exhausting as I then backtracked up the North Fork to Cherry Log and on to Barrel Gap for my second and last night.
I've spent the last two weekends in the Smokies, and it's pretty darn busy as expected. I think I'll be back to the upper bald soon.