Backpacking

If I had to choose one hobby and not 4-5, it would be backpacking. Do to work schedule, I mostly go for the weekend. Couple times a year I will get to go for 3 days. Every couple years I take my only week vacation for the year and go backpacking 5-6 days. Most overnight trips will be around 15-16 miles total. The week trips can be 70-80 miles. Ive been backpacking over 20 years. Ive done trips in GA. SC. NC. TN. MD. PA. WV. VA. I get more of a recharge in life while backpacking then any other hobby I have. Here is some pictures that I have taken more recently.

Have you hiked Cades Cove mountain in TN?I did that in my youth.It was wonderful.We took the moderate trails and did it over the weekend.If I get the time to go back,I'm seeing everything I can possible see.There's loads of trails up there.We did it the Les Stroud(Survivor Man) style.We took a hatchet,lantern,sleeping bag,a couple tents,warm change of clothes and a jacket.We went mid July and it got down in the 40's at night on top of the mountain,high 90's in the day.

I am a bit of a backpacker myself. My scoutmaster is a very avid hiker, so we backpack quite a bit (we are the most active troop in the general area, so we do a lot - really only about 1/3 of our trips are backpacking). Due to school and work schedules, most of our trips are Friday - Sunday on the Ga. section of the AT. Though, we have done a few 4 day trips in NC and a few trips in Tennessee.

A few of us older troop members went to Philmont Scout Ranch in 2007. It is a 12 day trip in New Mexico. In '07, we did an 84 mile trek, which equated to about 105 miles with side hikes, and since I was the youngest on that trip, I am still young enough to go again, so I will be going again this June. This time, however, we will be doing the longest trek they offer - 110 miles, not counting side hikes. It is truly an amazing place. Google it, and you will see some amazing pictures. Nothing like hiking around here. It rains/snows/hails everyday at about 3:30, depending on altitude. Can be 70 degrees at base camp (8000 feet above sea level), but a couple days later, when you gain up to 4500 more feet of altitude, you will have snow. If you ever have the chance to hike out in New Mexico, or similar areas, I would strongly recommend it. Really amazing, especially for us used to the Georgia/NC mountains.

Where is that swinging bridge at? I *think* I have been there.

Hardcore! :beer:

The swinging bridge is over Toxaway river in NC. One of the rivers that flow into Lake Joccasee. You cant get there by water anymore. The Foothills Trail and the Cane Brake Trail join there. 220 foot long bridge. Was the longest foot suspension bridge this side of the Mississippi. One in NY is longer now.

I started backpacking with the Scouts in PA. Did a lot of AT weekend trips. Covered all from Route 30 in PA to just outside of Harpers Ferry WV.
Now I live in the south so Im logging miles in the southern sections of AT. Doing Blood Mnt next month.

sccamper said:

Doing Blood Mnt next month.

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I cannot tell you how many times I have hiked that. It has become a troop tradition to go there every November, and have the group of cub scouts that are about to join come with us, so they can get a feel for what Boy Scouts is like. It is a great day hike. Which side are you starting from? Winfield Scott, or Neels gap? Winfield Scott is a little electric only lake, I am thinking about 12 acres, and there are some good bass in it. I have seen quite a few in the 5 pound range pulled out of there. Also, if you go in the summer, it is a hatchery supported trout lake, so you can catch them there too. May want to plan on taking a boat, or at least a rod or two (fairly good shore access).

Howdy fellow backpackers and Scouters. \/

Couple years ago I took 15 to the Porcupine Mountains in UP Michigan. We did 55 miles during the week and had a great time. Swam in Lake Superior 4 days, and an interior lake one night. Camped on a bluff overlooking the Eagles soaring above the virgins trees. Watched a great thrunder and lightening storm blow through while on the cliff too. What a great week.

I remember the days of 50-60 pound packs. Not any more, 35 pounders for me. I could cut it more by swapping out my stove and shovel. However those are things I am willing to carry some extra weight. I use a COleman Dual fuel Peak 1 stove, fuel is contained in teh base. I also use a military e-tool for my shovel. After I dig the cat hole I change the blade to a 90 degreee angle and use it for a seat. I hate squatting while taking care of business.

I dumped my tent years ago, now its just two tarps, one pole, some stakes, and line. I'll have to post some pics from my other pc.

I carried the Peak 1 stove for years. Im alcohol cat stove now. I started my last week long trip with 41 lbs. I carried way to much food. During warmer weather I can pack down to about 29. I am going to have fun and unwind so Im not going to be uncomfortable to save a couple lbs. Besides, Ive lost nearly 25 lbs. Cant shave that much out of the pack.


Is there good water at Slaughter Gap tent sites or Woods Hole Shelter? We are starting at Woody Gap and come out at Neels Gap. We have talked about staying in Blood Mnt shelter. I have read no water and no fires. Ive also read that the shelter is nasty. I would rather tent than in a gross shelter. Mice are one thing, but gross is another.

Couple of pics
Winter camping.
Yes that is my tent, well actually two tarps, and no I don't use heaters.

Couple of my sons friends showed up. Time for Euchere. I'll add more later.

bassboy1 said:

sccamper said:

Doing Blood Mnt next month.

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I cannot tell you how many times I have hiked that. It has become a troop tradition to go there every November, and have the group of cub scouts that are about to join come with us, so they can get a feel for what Boy Scouts is like. It is a great day hike. Which side are you starting from? Winfield Scott, or Neels gap? Winfield Scott is a little electric only lake, I am thinking about 12 acres, and there are some good bass in it. I have seen quite a few in the 5 pound range pulled out of there. Also, if you go in the summer, it is a hatchery supported trout lake, so you can catch them there too. May want to plan on taking a boat, or at least a rod or two (fairly good shore access).

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Way back when I was in high school, a couple buddies and I would spend spring break every year on Blood Mtn playing on the rocks on the north face. We'd park at Winfield Scott and take the trail up from there. We learned the hard way that it could be 70 degrees at home and 40 degrees at the top. Our first trip up was our first camping trip and our inexperience showed. We took a couple cans of soup to eat and forgot to bring along a can opener. DOOH!

Lately my only camping has been done a bit north of here. My wife's mother lives in Anchorage AK and we try to get up there every other year. The camping/hiking is unbelievable up there but it is a little unnerving to be in a tent in the middle of bear country.

- Poolie

Porcupine Mountains UP Michigan couple years ago.

A little marinated steak the first night out. =P~


Some blister action. By the end of the week both feet looked like hamburger. [-o<



My shelter the night is rained its *** off. I dropped the tow closest corners and never got wet. Sleeped like a baby on those rocks too. They were nice and warm and radiated heat into my weary body most of the night. Kind of like an all night long heat therapy.


The view from our campsite the night it rained its *** off. We got to watch an awesome thuner and lightening show way above the valley. Those trees down below us have never been harvested. Roughly 80' tall and we watched the eagles soar above the trees. It was awesome and worth every blister.

Ouch! It hurts to look at those feet, but I bet it was awesome watching the storm roll in. As long as I'm dry, there's nothing better than sleeping outside when it's raining.

-- Poolie

Great view. I havnt done a tarp since high school. To many bugs, Ill carry my 3 lb tent.

Gotta love the blisters. My last 80 mile in 5 1/2 days trip brought on some blisters. Had one between my big toe and the ball of my foot. We did 34 miles in 2 days to end the trip. I used moleskin and duct tape, ate advil like they where m-m's.

I have tried everything to prevent blisters. Generally my heals get worse, the whole heal turns into a blister. No asprin for me, usually the pain is gone after 10 minutes on teh trail. It picks back up again each stop. But hey that's life.

Couple pics from our trip on the AT in '02.

sccamper said:

Is there good water at Slaughter Gap tent sites or Woods Hole Shelter? We are starting at Woody Gap and come out at Neels Gap. We have talked about staying in Blood Mnt shelter. I have read no water and no fires. Ive also read that the shelter is nasty. I would rather tent than in a gross shelter. Mice are one thing, but gross is another.

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Familiarize me on which that is. Backtrack from the summit of blood mountain to Woody's gap. I think we stopped at that camp for lunch one day. The shelter at the top of Blood isn't the cleanest, I will say that. I don't think I have been to the woods hole shelter though (or is it just up the hill from Gooch gap?)

Woods Hole shelter is approx 2 miles from Blood towards Woody.

Looking at a map, I am fairly sure I had been to the woods hole shelter. There isn't water right at the shelter, you have to backtrack a little ways to get it. I think it is just a small spring coming out of a rock. When I was there was during a fairly warm November. I don't have a clue if it will be frozen, or if it doesn't flow right now for whatever reason. Is slaughter gap just (say less than a mile) south of the Summit of Blood? And, do you have to take a short side trail to get there, or is it right off the trail? If right off the trail, I don't think there is good water at all. First couple of times I went up there, you there was a spring not to far from it, right where the AT connects to the trail coming from Winfeild Scott, and a sign saying last water before summit, but that has been dry the past few times I was there, and the sign removed. If there is a small side trail to get to it, I have never been to it, but I would say there is no water. It has been a LONG time (at least in relation to my life) since I have been to either the woods hole shelter or Neels Gap, but I think those are the closest two sources of water around Blood.

Recently though, the only hiking we have done in that area are from Winfield Scott (beautiful 12 or so acre lake, with some nice bass) to the top of blood and back, as that is the trip that all the young guys about to join come with us on to get acquainted with the troop. Most of our backpacking is further up the trail, close to or in NC.

Hiked Blood Mountain this past weekend. Great trip! Got 1-2 inches of snow overnight. My kind of weekend.

Awesome photos. I love it when it snows while camping. Its surreal. It's generally so quiet you can hear the snow hitting the tent/tarp. Plus that layer of snow adds a layer of insulation and makes the tent actually warmer. Not gonna say warm, its still below freezing outside. :mrgreen:

Winter camping is by far my favorite. Sure it has some things you have to do differently, however there are some serious up sides.

NO BUGS!
No weekend warrior car campers!
:mrgreen:

sccamper said:

Hiked Blood Mountain this past weekend. Great trip! Got 1-2 inches of snow overnight. My kind of weekend.

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In all the times I have been to Blood, I have never been there with snow on the ground. That is awesome. Remind me to post some pictures of Baldy Mountain when I get back from Philmont in New Mexico this summer. 12,541 feet above sea level, and about 4500 above the surrounding area. Beautiful sight, especially with all the snow on the mountains you can see up in Colorado mountains. 20 degrees and snowy in July, and then 4 days later, in base camp, we see 70 degrees, and back to the 80s 2 days later back in Georgia. Real cool stuff.