A wet Mt Rogers Hike

Mine may have been the only dry feet on this PHOC hike. The previous day I slathered mink oil all over by boots. That may have been the trick.

We started out at Elk Garden, up the AT, bypassed the side trail to the top, returned via Crest River err trail and finally on the horse trail back to the parking area. Lunch was served at Thomas Knob shelter. Another delicious PB&J sandwich, hot tea and after lunch mints. I remained outside the shelter and never made inside where the single malt scotch was making the rounds. Lagavulin 10 year I heard.

We encountered a slew of hikers, all seemingly destined for Thomas Knob Shelter. That is place should be SRO tonight. During lunch, we spoke with 2 PATH hikers at the shelter. One fellow from Raleigh and the second from WFU and after a few minutes he recognized one of our group as a fellow WFU colleague.

Visibility was never much more than 100 yards. It made for an eerie sensation. Ice was everywhere, caked on the windward side. And what wasn't ice, was water. No shortage of that on this hike. Despite this, I had a memorable time. It was great company including one tame pony.

thanks to Matt Perry for leading this hike.

Copeland Creek Hike

My last day at the WWW was spent walking off trail in the Copeland Creek area with Kenny Jones leading our group. We hiked into the park up a Soakash Creek and very shortly were on the OST. However, we soon bushwhacked our way off OST. We had to make our way through some mountain laurel, down a ravine and up the other side and then down a ridge. It would be easy to follow our route as long as there was snow on the ground.

We stopped at every old homesite and Kenny told us who had lived there. That pretty much summed up the day, about 8 1/2 miles of wandering around in the snow looking at old homesites and crossing creeks. We ended up walking out on either Copeland Creek or prong of it.

West Prong-White Oak Sinks-Chestnut Tops

On the fourth day of WWW, we're headed to Tremont to start a hike on some trails I've not hiked before and a visit to a real gem, White Oak Sinks. Another cold start, but we are headed up right away and I warm up quickly. The West Prong Trail works its way up the mountain and finally to the Bote Mountain Trail. BMT is actually a road built in the 1840's. Cherokee labor was used to build the road. The Cherokee were paid a yard of calico fabric for each days labor. The Indians also voted on the 2 proposed routes. Since there was no "V" on the Cherokee alphabet, the route became know as the "Bote" road. The other route is now know as Defeat Ridge. Our walk on Bote was all downhill and ended at Laurel Springs Road between the Townsend Wye and Cades Cove.

We stopped for lunch in a sunny spot and once again I had a PB&J sandwich and hot tea. Headed up from here we are still on the Bote road but here it is called Schoolhouse Gap Trail. White Oak Sinks is accessed by an un-named side trail off the left. There is a horse stile here. I think it was about a mile into the sink. The sink was created when the limestone in the area dissolved or eroded and the ground collapsed. There is a caged cave entrance. If you look at the lichen hanging over the cave entrance you can see that air is coming out of the cave. A short distance away is a waterfall. We were able to see a rainbow in it and thus it is sometimes known as Rainbow Falls.

Our group had split with some folks choosing not to take this side trail into the sink. So when our group came back out, we saw that they had left. For the next 5.4 miles I hiked at my normal hiking pace, something I was not able to do with a group. There were nice views of Thunderhead and even LeConte along Chestnut Tops. The trail ended at the Wye parking area.

\OST

I'm not lost. The notation on today's hike looked like it but is was a slash and OST which stands for Old Settlers Trail. OST is between the Greenbrier and Cosby areas. It is a 16 mile trail. Today, we hiked a middle portion of it accessing it from Rt 321 along an off trail route up Noisy Creek and leaving it likewise at Webb Creek. Someone counted all the stream crossing today. I didn't think there were 31 but he must have counted the easy ones I didn't pay attention to. I'd say there were 5 or 6 crossings that demanded your attention. No one fell in but there were some wet feet. Our guide, Lee Lewis, stood in most of the creeks helping everyone through. I should have asked what kind of boots he had on.

There are many homesites in this area including the highest "still standing" chimney in the park. There is also a wonderful 4 foot wide, 1/4 mile long stone wall built by some sisters. It is extremely well built and looks great today.

Our lunch spot was a snowy homesite by a creek. Again, it was a quick stop for a PB&J sandwich and hot tea.

We stopped at a historic barn just after leaving the OST near Webb Creek. The springhouse was intact as well. I saw moving water inside the springhouse. From here we followed an old road out to Rt 321.

High above snowy Cades Cove

My second day of Wilderness Wildlife Week was supposed to be somewhere else. By day 2, we all came to the realization we'd have to reschedule hikes for the rest of the week due to closed roads. Today, we were able to reach Cades Cove and thus a nice 12 mile loop up and above the cove. Marty Silver led this hike up Crooked Arm Trail, along Rich Mountain Trail to Cerulean Gap, back on Indian Grave Trail and Rich Mountain Loop Trail. It was cold and snow was about 4 inches in most spots. There was a breeze up on the ridges which made it feel even colder. We kept up a good pace with only one hiker really having a tough time. For lunch I sat in the middle of a closed snowy road quickly downing a PB&J sandwich and drinking some hot tea. Due to the low temperatures we didn't want to dally long anywhere.

Marty is a talented and knowledgeable leader. He pointed out mouse prints in the snow and told us the two mice found there were deer mice (tree dwellers) and white footed mice (in the ground). He also pointed out the many coyote tracks we saw in almost every trail almost the entire way as well as the occasional bobcat tracks. In the lower elevations we saw many deer and turkey prints too.

Hiking along Little Pigeon River

This is my first day of Wilderness Wildlife Week hiking. The hike was supposed to be Lower Cammerer Trail out of Cosby but since the road to Cosby, as well as every other road in the park, was closed, this hike was suggested. Our hike leader had never been on this trail but a couple of of us had and we assured him it would be a fine one. The trail is not an official trail and not signed nor maintained. It begins across the bridge from the entrance to Greenbrier. We followed the river the entire way, which I think is just over 3 miles. Many homesites and a couple cemeteries are along this route. We lost the trail a few times but relocated it quickly each time.

Our lunch stop was the Parton Cemetery in the area of Greenbrier known as Partontown. Ben Parton, a Civil War veteran (Union) is buried in the cemetery. He is Dolly's "several" great grandfather. Our trail eventually came to a "T" with the Old Settlers Trail. From there it was short walk out to the gravel road leading to Ramsey Cascade trailhead. At this junction, it is a short walk up to the old schoolhouse in Greenbrier and the largest cemetery in the park. All that remains of the school is the foundation. The school burned prior to the park's establishment. It is believed to have been arson. There was a local squabble over which teacher to hire and one faction won out over the other. Shortly afterward, it burned.

The walk back to the ranger station is a couple miles on the gravel road and was relatively uneventful. We did have one great view of an icy Greenbrier Pinnacle.

Thick Crusted Pizza

Tonight's pizza was again a one half whole wheat dough but far too much dough. The Pizza crust was an inch thick in spots. I did like the pepperoni, cheese and spinach topping. I thought I had this pizza dough thing figured out with the last pizza but apparently not.

Birkhead Wilderness Loop Hike

It was my first foray into this area since the hunting season ended. You never know what you'll find. I have found some trashy places but it wasn't too bad today. There was just one campsite that needs some clean up. As usual, there is lots and lots of flagging - yellow, red, orange and pink striped.

Starting out at the new Tot Hill Road parking area, I walked in on the Birkhead Trail. Within minutes I crossed the new wood bridge over Talbott's Creek.

Once up on Cooler's Knob the trail splits with both routes blazed white and separated by only a few yards for about 3/4 of a mile. The original Joe Moffitt Uwharrie Trail follows an old two track and the Forest Service's Birkhead Trail winds as a nearby singletrack. The Singletrack is virually abandoned now and everyone has been using the old route.

There is a junction with a yellow blazed trail headed to Camp 3 to the left. The junction has evolved into a huge triangle. The old route is well worn and dips down a hill to a junction with the yellow blaze trail to the left, Birkhead Trail continuing right.

I followed the yellow blazes one mile to Camp 3. Just before reaching camp 3 the trail leaves the two track at a downed pine and heads right in the woods on a singletrack. Camp 3 is also the site of what appears to be an old mine. There is a nice rock housed spring here as well.

Following the yellow blazes, it is 1 mile to the junction with Birkhead Trail at Fairview camp. The trail passes several home sites along the way and dips in and out of Fern Valley and a pretty creek crossing. Watch for blazes here as it is easy to lose them. Once back at the Birkhead Trail, I walked left. It is 1.75 miles to a small side trail by an aluminum sign identifying it at the Christopher Bingham farm. Take this side trail to the left and stay in the old road bed until another aluminum sign directs you left to the Bingham Graveyard. Nearby is a nice campsite. Upon leaving the Graveyard, continue straight at the Aluminum sign. In a short distance you'll come to a 5 way intersection. Go to the right, but not the first little faint trail. Sounds confusing - it is - I took the wrong trail here and walk an extra 8/10 of a mile. You'll know you are on the correct trail when you come to a signed intersection for the Hannah Creek Trail. Follow it. You'll soon see an old Chimney on the left. From this point on, the trail is much less confusing and easy to follow. It is about 2 miles to an intersection that once had a sign. Just the signpost is left. To the left it is 1/2 mile to another parking area. To the right is Robin's Branch Trail. Robin's Branch Trail is just under 2 miles where it T's into Birkhead Trail. At this point turn left and you are headed back to Tot Hill Parking area in 2 miles. You do have to follow the white blazes especially when you reach that yellow blazed trail and the triangle junction I mentioned earlier.

Once back, you will have walked 12.2 miles.

New Year Day on top of Moores Knob

Sixty hikers from Piedmont Hiking and Outing Club converged on Hanging Rock State Park. The group split into 3 and went different ways. I followed the group up Moores Knob and along the ridge for a nice 5 mile loop. It was a clear view from the top, my friend, Will pointing out Fishers Peak, Buffalo Mountain and Bull Mountain. They were the easiest to identify (other than Pilot Mtn).

Asheville Brewery Crawl

Asheville now boasts eight breweries with another opening in days. And if you include nearby Black Mountain, there is another. With my beer buddy and our wives in tow, we planned our crawl through the breweries with a stop in Black Mountain first. There the Pisgah Brewing Company opens at 2 in an unheated or barely heated taproom. Pisgah has quite a few of their own beers on tap along with a few guest taps. I enjoyed a half pint of their black lager.

From here we traveled to French Broad Brewing. Just in case you're wondering about the name, the French Broad River flows through Asheville. The brewery is located in a nondescript brick building near Biltmore Estate. I didn't get a picture of this, but the passage from one room to another is simply a hole busted through the sheetrock. I've visited here before so I took a few sips and that was it. I don't care much for the beer here. I think they lack body. The Rye PA does have a nice flavor.

We needed to make the Highland Brewery tour at 4pm sharp. We allowed plenty of time but poor directions and incorrect mapping meant we arrived a few minutes late, but not to worry, there are maybe 80 people milling around waiting for the tour. Our tour guide spoke non-stop for an hour. Actually, it was one of the most informative tours I've been on. We sampled all 5 of their regular beers. I really like the Oatmeal Porter. This is a very large micro or very small regional brewery. Their beers are geared to compete with the popular mainstream micros and thus tend to lack the boldness I crave in a beer.

Finding Wedge Brewery proved trying. We tried to find using the address. Then gave up and asked someone. Oh, it is in back of the building with no sign out front. I found the name appropriate. The brewery is wedged into a small space. The taproom wedged around it. The bathrooms wedged in right at the front door. It was crowded and for good reason. this place makes wonderful beer. I loved the Porter.

Now it is time to park the car at our downtown hotel and walk the rest of the way. First stop is Bruisin Ales beer store and then the Greenman Brewery. Greenman, not be confused with greenmon, is in what appears to be an old garage. Very small and with very limited seating, we found 2 empty bar stools and proceeded to enjoy their beer. I drank a wonderful double IPA and my buddy had a cask IPA. We ended up buying some Lusty Monk mustard from the bar tendress, who made it in her home.

It was a very short walk from here to Asheville Brewing. Here I had another nice porter. We spoke with a real estate agent at the bar. Not much selling right now in Asheville.

Another short walk and dinner with an IPA at Lobster Trap Restaurant (Oyster House Brewing). Oysters were $6 per dozen. So that was dinner.