Day 1 - Asheville to Trailhead and hike to Backcountry Campsite 28

Three hour drive to trailhead at Sam’s Creek which included Indian Flat Falls and Lynn Camp Prong
Hiking mileage: 5-6 miles 
Elevation Gain: 1,600 feet



Male elk...
 ...guarding his females.
Farewell lunch as we ready ourselves for 6 days hiking.






The trail was wide where once old historic railways transported lumbar, some tracks still apparent.
40 lb pack with food for 6 days

Cars would be abandoned when their rubber tyres wore out as replacement was expensive.
All sorts of fungi grew in this temperate rain forest. 
A relief to down packs at Camp 28
All food, toiletries and packs were hung high to avoid pesky bears.
Sonja, our section hiker/architect/sketcher!

That evening, after dark we went salamander watching by the creek.

The Smoky Mountain salamander biomass is larger than all the mammals and birds  in the park combined; also more salamander species than anywhere else in the world!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Day 4 - Spence Field to Mollies Ridge

Image
Day 4 Mileage:  6.1 miles Elevation Gain/Loss : 1,000 feet / 800 feet Today we get to spend another view-filled day in the high country along the Appalachian Trail.  Next we’ll cross over Big and Little Abrams Gap, Little Bald, and the Devil’s Tater Patch before getting to our next shelter at Mollies Ridge. Loads of sneaky views through the trees until we reached the balds for more open aspects.   After leaving our shelter we will soon hike over Russell Field...  ... another historic livestock grazing area in the early settler days.   Indian cucumber...  ...with an edible rhizome. Francisco reported that you can eat this edible lichen.  Tripe lichen. But it needs to be boiled first.  Tempting... ...but no thank you. More autumn colours appeared in the high country as the week went on. We crossed over Big and Little Abrams Gap, Little Bald, and the Devil’s Tater Patch. Kathy mistakenly...
Read more

Day 2 - Campsite 28 to the AT and Derrick Knob Shelter

Image
Day 2:  Sam's Gap on the Appalachian Trail and then Derrick Knob shelter Mileage:  6.1 miles Elevation Gain/Loss : 1,710 feet / 310 feet We set off for the Greenbrier Ridge Trail with an ascent to the Appalachian Trail, or AT as everyone hiker calls it.  The trail followed an old railroad graded bed part of the way, last used by the Little River Lumber Company to harvest hardwoods from the slopes. Tantalising glimpses through the trees as we ascended to the ridge. Galax grew abundantly. Often 'stolen' from the Parks to be exported illegally for foreign floral displays.  At last, the 'AT'... ...and Derrick Knob shelter. One hiker, told us that he'd never seen a bear in is 33 years of hiking. A useful clothes line for me to dry my tights. And a great fire for our first chilly night. We were squeezed in like sardines on a giant bunk bed, supposedly a maximum of 12.  However, lots of '...
Read more

Day 5 - Mollies Ridge to Campsite 92

Image
Mileage : 6.5 miles Elevation Gain/Loss : 1,450 feet / 1,250 feet Today we ended our nearly 16 mile section of the Appalachian Trail along the  Greg ory Bald Trail eventually dropping elevation for a final night of camping. Sunrise with clots of reddish pink cloud, a fine backdrop for a chilly morning. Backpacks and food hoisted off the ground overnight, ready for their morning descent. Prepping for the walk - blister management! All our water was filtered using local spring water. Giardia is the potential problem if you drink unfiltered or untreated creak water. Day 5, packs lighter and ready to head towards Gregory Bald. Sassafras leaves - shaped like a three-toed dinosaur. The paths along the AT were very clear. Other trails branching to both sides were less trodden and less distinct. The fall leaves appeared more frequently, creating a multicoloured lattice with a deep blue background sky. Stunning! This young tree is...
Read more