Category: Trip Reports

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2012 Gear Swap (2nd Annual), Event Report

Vic Hasler reporting

Event Date: April 21st

In spite of delaying the Gear Swap until April, a chilly morning greeted the nearly dozen folks setting up booths for this year’s event.  However, plenty of hot coffee was available with friendly conversations and negotiations to warm the crowd looking at various camping, biking, backpacking, and paddling equipment.  One person who brought a truckload of gear due to a planned home move was successful in finding buyers for three-quarters of the items.  A kayak, mountain bike, A-frame tent, and bike rack also traded hands.  Consensus was that 8-11 AM was adequate, thus the planned time for next year’s event, likely on the same second weekend in April.  See you then…

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Friday Hikers: AT – AT from Carvers Gap to Hughes Gap, Trip Report

Collins Chew reporting

Event Date: April 20th

We had a great hike on the AT over Roan Mountain today.  The day started chilly and foggy but warmed and cleared.  Until we started down from the top, we saw no wildflowers, but they began to show up as we descended toward Ash Gap.  With each increment of descent, a different assemblage of flowers appeared.  We ended up with a really great day of flowers with great diversity.  There were carpets of various flowers at different places.  The trout lilies were very large as well as numerous.  We rolled the relocation with a wheel and mapped it with GPS.  It was 0.4 miles longer because of a long switchback added recently.  Hikers were: Olin Babb, Kathy and Jerry Case, June Donaldson, Howard Guinn, Carol Idol, Lowell Toof, Jane Whitson and Collins Chew.

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Lake Santeetlah Paddle/Camp, Trip Report

Debbie Briscoe reporting

Event Date: April 20th – 22nd

I headed out on Thursday night right after work to drive the 3 hours to the campground at Cheoah Point.  Islander had already arrived early that morning.  I got there right at dark:30 as usual.  With help from Islander and his incredibly bright flashlight (what was that thing?), I set up down in the woods.  It was a really nice place with good bathrooms and hot showers!  I pulled out my Bushbuddy and fixed a little coffee to wind down a bit before heading to my hammock. Continue reading “Lake Santeetlah Paddle/Camp, Trip Report”

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Margarette Falls, Trip Report

Joe DeLoach reporting

Event Date: April 7th

The most frequent question I received on this hike was “How far ahead did you plan it?” as it turned out to be a gorgeous day with lots of water and 17 species of wildflowers in bloom.  Although the warm winter and spring resulted in the early spring flowers having already bloomed and gone, later spring flowers including vernal and crested dwarf iris, erect trilliums, foamflower, and a particularly nice patch of bleeding heart made for a very nice display.  Seven of us hiked together up the 1.3-mile trail, which had been improved by the Forest Service with three of the former stream crossings removed by relocations and a new bridge.  Everyone navigated the one remaining crossing without incident.  The crossing of Dry Creek to reach the rough Phillips Hollow Trail at the former parking area is no longer evident.  While having lunch at the falls, Ken Weakley and his family arrived; they had other plans which kept them from going with us, but used the route from the Trail Wiki to find the trail and us.  Hikers included Donna Ashby, Rhoda Bliese, Alan Gamble, Chris Neglia and his 7-year old son Joe, Monika Wiedmann, and Joe DeLoach.

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Friday Hikers: Max Patch, Trip Report

Collins Chew reporting

Event Date, April 13th

We had a beautiful day with pleasant temperatures for our annual trillium hike over Max Patch.  The veterans all think we saw more trillium this year than ever before, with at least four varieties/colors.  There were a number of other flowers with a carpet of trout lily in one place.  Hikers were Gary Bailey, Lee Bockman, Kathy and Jerry Case, Andy Gilbert, Ryan Sheeley, Jane Whitson, Laura Ward, and Collins Chew.

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Friday Hikers: Laurel River, Trip Report

Collins Chew reporting

Event Date: April 6th

We had a beautiful day with early clouds for our annual 7-mile wildflower hike on Laurel River, NC.  The night’s rain had dropped the flowers in the morning, but they recovered well during the day.  Lunch was at the abandoned site of Runion as usual. The river flow was heavy and we spent a fair amount of time watching kayakers and rafters going through the very impressive rapids.  Hikers were:  Kathy Case, Carol and Dave Dunham, Jerry Jones, Jan Mather, Susie Seiler, Shirley and Lowell Toof and Collins Chew.

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Watauga Gorge, April 1, 2012

Ryan Sheely reporting

Sunday April 1st I completed my first decent of the Watauga Gorge with success.  I was accompanied by Wes Bradley, Doug K., and Josh R.  Wes was my lead for the most of the lines, but I got to solo my first Class V ever- “Hydro” with success!  I have to say there are lots of rocks to get caught up and turned around on but plenty of Boofs to send your boat flying.  On this run you are surrounded by the beautiful gorge and its HUGE boulders. The geology of this gorge is amazing; I really don’t think I have ever seen so many rocks on any river I have paddled before -Make them your friends should you find yourself on this river.  We proceeded to stomp every rapid and drop we were challenged with.  I would have to say that “Anaconda” was my favorite rapid of the run and it was BIG.  We scouted “Stateline” and scoped the lines to set it up; I almost botched the line 20 ft from the drop when I was pushed against the rock up from the drop, but I was determined to recover.  Josh R. came out of nowhere and grabbed my stern handle to help free me away and I setup and stomped the line, but traded paint with his boat at the bottom.  Fun times! I was thankful for his assist!  I found this run quite challenging and a rewarding experience! This run will make you step up your skills and experience as a boater.  Paddle aggressively, focus your eyes on the next line and go for it!

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Friday Hikers: AT – Chestoa to Curley Maple Gap Shelter, Trip Report

Bob Harvey reporting

Event Date: March 30th

The hike of March 30 was on the Appalachian Trail from Chestoa to the shelter near Curley Maple Gap, where we ate lunch, and then returned to Chestoa.

This hike was one that had been planned for quite a while, but postponed either to bad weather or to expected bad weather. This time, though, we could hardly have had it any better. Spring flowers were making their appearances and the trail was in perfect condition.  Ordinarily, the northbound through-hikers get to Erwin and vicinity about this time of the year, but we saw only two, both from Destin, Florida.  The hikers were Olin Babb, Bob Harvey, Jerry Jones, Susie Seiler, Jerry Sluder and Lowell Toof.

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Explore the Holston River series – Wadlow Gap to Weber City, June 18

Deb Reynolds reporting

The flat water series continued on 6/18 with a new section for me and most others.  We had a large group of eight folks who were looking for a relaxing paddle and new territory.  Jamie and Eric decided to go upriver a bit as we only expected to cover two miles today and they added on a mile or so.  The rest of us cruised on down to Weber City counting the times that I got stuck on the shoals.  The river was lower today with quite a few shoals.  I managed to show everyone how not to go down on the river.  I did triumph at the end, as I was the only one in the front group not to get stuck on the last set of shoals, but only because Kent went first to show me where not to go.  The river today was exceptionally clean and very very private.  Just like last time, we had a protective blue heron that flew ahead of us, waiting patiently for us to catch up before starting off again.  We just barely made it off the river before the thunder started.  I think Jamie and I were the only ones who were still strapping our kayaks on the cars when the sky opened up. Continue reading “Explore the Holston River series – Wadlow Gap to Weber City, June 18”