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[at-l] New Years Freeze Out (GSMNP)
- Subject: [at-l] New Years Freeze Out (GSMNP)
- From: dkiefer@JJG.com (Kiefer, David)
- Date: Mon, 1 Jan 2001 21:06:16 -0500
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I have recovered enough to write about my trip this weekend. And after
reading DaRedhead's, I got enough courage to write about my experience on
the infamous Lakeshore trail LOL.
First off, We too got dropped off at the road to nowhere about 11AM on
Friday and started off. The first milage was a breeze, we were looking
forward to chewing up the miles. After the first Campsite (74) the trail
got a little more challenging. Of course we wern't going straight up, but
we had a lot of ups and downs that were a little more challenging then we
anticipated. We had a hard time finding the campsites that we thought we
were passing. The reason was we had only passed one..... there were so many
switch backs along the lake, we made very little westward travel for the
time we put in. We got to a campsite just about close to dark..... We
thought we were at 77, but were at 98..... OH S$%t!!! that was not a good
sign. We figured we must have had 10 miles in for the day. It was hard to
tell since the Lakeshore trail did not have any intermediate mile markers
between campsites.
Our night was cold, just like Red's, but we had good bags. We awoke
Saturday AM to snow on the ground. Our first sign of bad luck was the filter
froze up, and Charlie's stove did not work, but mine did. Good to have a
backup. Later in the day we heated water and then filtered it, it kept it
from freezing while walking. My thermometer said it was 20, but I swear it
was colder, I guess I will go along with Red's, that said it was in the
single digits. We pushed on westward and saw some wildlife (Boars, Turkey,
Grouse, and lots of cat tracks). That was the most enjoyable part about
hiking in the snow, seeing the evidence of wildlife that you would not
normally see. Again, the Lakeshore trail was a mix of old smooth abandoned
RR tracks and cut in trails. Our hardest climb came along an old logging
road between campsites 81 and 86. We got to 86 and found a house, yes, a
house. (Calhone House of a logging settlement) It was in good shape, but of
course it has been abandoned several years. We set up stove to filter
water, and considered if we could push on in the dark. We decided to stay
in the house but proceded to set up a tent for some extra warmth. That is
when we found out we left the tent poles at 98..... OH CRAP. We knew that
someone was watching over us to make sure this house was available since we
forgot our tent poles. So if anyone finds poles in a purple(I think) pole
bag at campsite 98, please let me know :-). We tried to filter water again.
My pump worked, Charlie's didn't... a backup is a good idea.
Sunday, Last day. We had a big day and we knew it. We had to get out even
if we were behind. The rash of bad luck news in the smokies had my wife
worried to no end, and we did not have tent poles. So staying out an extra
night was not an option. The first part of the hike was very easy. Then we
got slammed while going down the Lakeshore trail to campsite 90... we had 13
creek crossings... no foot bridges. We danced around the ice chunks and
rocks... we stayed dry for the most part... Gaitors saved our feet. Another
important lesson, make sure of the trail conditions before you go out. Had
I known I had to cross a creek 13 times, I would not have picked it to hike
in the dead of winter. We got down to campsite 90 ok and then started on
our last leg to Fontana Dam. We had just enough light to get there. It was
2:30, 5.2 mi to go.
We started out on our last leg confident, we would get home on time. Then
we got to a campsite, wait a minute, I did not remember a campsite on the
Lakeshore trail. I looked at the map and we were not on the Lakeshore
trail!! We must have missed a sign or something, but we were on the Lost
creek trail heading up to the Shuckstack Tower on the AT !!! OH CRAP! That
was not good at all. Since we missed the sign coming up, we dedided to keep
going to the AT, at least we knew we would not miss that trail junction.
Suffice it to say, it took every ounce of internal fortitude to climb up
after doing 10 miles earlier that day. That was the hardest hike we have
ever done. I even got scared, as I missed lost sight of the trail every
once and a while, but the cut trees were a pretty good sign. We got to
Sassafras Gap on the AT right at 6 PM, it was still twilight. We had 4
miles to go, but we knew we could do it since it was downhill and we still
had our lights that both worked. We got to the car at 8PM, even though I
have a sore butt from busting it on a rock or two.
That is about all of our gory story. We were able to call our wives from
the Fontana dam just about the time they were starting to get worried. 43
miles in 3 winter days, I don't want to do it again. Know the trail well
(read or otherwise) before you go.
David
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<TITLE>New Years Freeze Out (GSMNP)</TITLE>
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<P><FONT SIZE=3D2>I have recovered enough to write about my trip this =
weekend. And after reading DaRedhead's, I got enough courage to =
write about my experience on the infamous Lakeshore trail =
LOL.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=3D2>First off, We too got dropped off at the road to =
nowhere about 11AM on Friday and started off. The first milage was a =
breeze, we were looking forward to chewing up the miles. After =
the first Campsite (74) the trail got a little more challenging. =
Of course we wern't going straight up, but we had a lot of ups and =
downs that were a little more challenging then we anticipated. We =
had a hard time finding the campsites that we thought we were =
passing. The reason was we had only passed one..... there were so =
many switch backs along the lake, we made very little westward travel =
for the time we put in. We got to a campsite just about close to =
dark..... We thought we were at 77, but were at 98..... OH =
S$%t!!! that was not a good sign. We figured we must have =
had 10 miles in for the day. It was hard to tell since the =
Lakeshore trail did not have any intermediate mile markers between =
campsites.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=3D2>Our night was cold, just like Red's, but we had good =
bags. We awoke Saturday AM to snow on the ground. Our first sign =
of bad luck was the filter froze up, and Charlie's stove did not work, =
but mine did. Good to have a backup. Later in the day we =
heated water and then filtered it, it kept it from freezing while =
walking. My thermometer said it was 20, but I swear it was =
colder, I guess I will go along with Red's, that said it was in the =
single digits. We pushed on westward and saw some wildlife =
(Boars, Turkey, Grouse, and lots of cat tracks). That was the most =
enjoyable part about hiking in the snow, seeing the evidence of =
wildlife that you would not normally see. Again, the Lakeshore =
trail was a mix of old smooth abandoned RR tracks and cut in =
trails. Our hardest climb came along an old logging road between =
campsites 81 and 86. We got to 86 and found a house, yes, a =
house. (Calhone House of a logging settlement) It was in good shape, =
but of course it has been abandoned several years. We set up =
stove to filter water, and considered if we could push on in the =
dark. We decided to stay in the house but proceded to set up a =
tent for some extra warmth. That is when we found out we left the =
tent poles at 98..... OH CRAP. We knew that someone was watching =
over us to make sure this house was available since we forgot our tent =
poles. So if anyone finds poles in a purple(I think) pole bag at =
campsite 98, please let me know :-). We tried to filter water =
again. My pump worked, Charlie's didn't... a backup is a good =
idea.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=3D2>Sunday, Last day. We had a big day and we knew =
it. We had to get out even if we were behind. The rash of =
bad luck news in the smokies had my wife worried to no end, and we did =
not have tent poles. So staying out an extra night was not an option. =
The first part of the hike was very easy. Then we got slammed =
while going down the Lakeshore trail to campsite 90... we had 13 creek =
crossings... no foot bridges. We danced around the ice chunks and =
rocks... we stayed dry for the most part... Gaitors saved our =
feet. Another important lesson, make sure of the trail conditions =
before you go out. Had I known I had to cross a creek 13 times, I =
would not have picked it to hike in the dead of winter. We got =
down to campsite 90 ok and then started on our last leg to Fontana =
Dam. We had just enough light to get there. It was =
2:30, 5.2 mi to go. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=3D2>We started out on our last leg confident, we would =
get home on time. Then we got to a campsite, wait a minute, I did =
not remember a campsite on the Lakeshore trail. I looked at the =
map and we were not on the Lakeshore trail!! We must have missed =
a sign or something, but we were on the Lost creek trail heading up to =
the Shuckstack Tower on the AT !!! OH CRAP! That was not =
good at all. Since we missed the sign coming up, we dedided to =
keep going to the AT, at least we knew we would not miss that trail =
junction. Suffice it to say, it took every ounce of internal =
fortitude to climb up after doing 10 miles earlier that day. That =
was the hardest hike we have ever done. I even got scared, as I =
missed lost sight of the trail every once and a while, but the cut =
trees were a pretty good sign. We got to Sassafras Gap on the AT =
right at 6 PM, it was still twilight. We had 4 miles to go, but =
we knew we could do it since it was downhill and we still had our =
lights that both worked. We got to the car at 8PM, even though I =
have a sore butt from busting it on a rock or two.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=3D2>That is about all of our gory story. We were =
able to call our wives from the Fontana dam just about the time they =
were starting to get worried. 43 miles in 3 winter days, I don't want =
to do it again. Know the trail well (read or otherwise) =
before you go.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=3D2>David</FONT>
</P>
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