I return to the mountains of TN and NC for a long 24 day winter trip---with one food/fuel load of about 60 lbs and a 100 lb pack including various winter items like a down parka and microspikes etc.

Trip 203
February 27--March 21, 2020.

All trip pics can be seen here---

https://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/Backp...-A-Smartphone/

I hiked in two wilderness areas---Citico Creek and Slickrock Creek---and here are the main trails hiked---

**Flats Mt Up and Down (hiked it twice).
**Brush Mt Up.
**Seven Mile Ridge from Bob Bald to Hangover Mt.

**Hangover Lead South/Big Fat Trails Down.
**Nutbuster Trail aka Upper Slickrock Creek Trail Up (my 48th backpack of the thing).
**Fodderstack Ridge Trail Heading North.

**Pine Ridge Trail Down.
**Flats Mt Trail Back Up and Out.


My trip starts with a shuttle ride out of Tellico Plains and up to Flats Mt at 4,000 feet on February 27. This is the Flats trailhead and also shows my monster McHale pack loaded with too much crap.


Nothing better than full leather goretex boots in the winter---and when hauling tremendous loads. These are Zamberlan Evo Lites.


Flats Mt is a 6.25 mile trail and midway along I set up right off the trail at this new and never used CS---with my Hilleberg Keron 3 tent.


In the morning new snow falls and it's cold enough to notice but I stay warm in my WM -15F Puma down bag and my down clothing.


I lose thousands of feet of elevation off Flats Mt and end up on Citico Creek camping when I meet my backpacking friend Bryan DeLay out for a night on the South Fork Citico trail.


Bryan's cuben tarp in a modified tipi configuration.


I leave South Fork and cross the creek and head up the most remote and rugged trail in the Citico---Brush Mt. There are 7 easy creek crossings on the trail and this is number 1.