Trip 212
June 10-30, 2021.
This solo backpacking trip (with no resupply) happens in the Tennessee mountains. Incredibly I only see 2 backpackers the entire time.
All trip pics here---
https://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/Backp...r-Backcountry/
HIGHLIGHTS(**overnights)
**21 DAYS WALKING POINT IN PANAMA JUNGLE
**TWO BACKPACKERS SEEN IN 21 DAYS
**36 CREEK CROSSINGS
**LIGHTNING/RAIN HELLSTORM ON SKULL MT DAY 2
**JEFF AND JOE BMT THRHIKERS IN SLED RUNNER GAP
**PISSED OFF RATTLESNAKE ON NIT TOP MT
**TRAILWORKED KIRKLAND CREEK
**LIGHTNING/RAIN HELLSTORM IN DOG HOBBLE VALLEY DAY 12
**NEW CS ON CANTRELL TOP MT
**WINDSTORM IN SIX MILE GAP DAY 17
TRAIL
Entrance at Baby Falls Tellico River Parking Area
Tellico River Roadwalk Downstream
Bald River Wilderness Trail #88
**Black Cave Camp**
Bald River Trail Heading South
Cow Camp Up
Henderson Top Trail Heading East/Southeast
**Skull Nut Gap Camp**
Henderson Top Trail Heading South
FS Logging Cut 40832 East
**Skull Gap Spring Cove**
408 Heading South
FS Logging Cut 40921 Heading Southeast
Sugar Mt BMT Heading North
**Pretty Pine Gap**
Sugar Mt Backtrack and Down to Brookshire Creek
**Tony Camp aka Confluence Camp**
Brookshire Creek Trail Heading Southeast(BMT)
**Sled Runner Gap**
State Line Ridge Heading West
**Hazel Gap**
State Line Ridge Northwest to Sandy Gap
Kirkland Creek Trail Northeast
**Crossing 12 Secret Camp**
Kirkland Trail Down
**Crossing 3 Camp**
Kirkland Down to Bald River Crossing
FS 126 Roadwalk Heading West
Bald River Trail North
**Rock Ledge Camp**
Bald River Trail South
**Big Pine Camp**
Bald River Trail South
FS 126 Roadwalk Back to Kirkland Creek
Kirkland Creek Trail Up
**Crossing 12 Secret Camp**
Kirkland Up to Sandy Gap
**Sandy Gap Camp**
BMT Heading North out of Sandy Gap
**Little Six Gap Camp**
BMT to Six Mile Gap and Cantrell Top Mt
**Cantrell Top Camp**
BMT Backtrack
**Six Mile Gap**
Waucheesi Mt Manway Up to Waucheesi Mt
Waucheesi Mt Roadwalk Down
Warrior's Passage Trail Heading Northwest
**Tobe Creek Camp**
Warrior's Passage Trail Northwest
**Warrior's Hideout Camp**
Warrior's Passage Trail Backtrack
**Wildcat Creek Camp**(2)
Warrior's Passage Trail Northwest and Out
Old Furnace Roadwalk to Tellico Beach Drive In and OUT.
My trip begins with a heavy McHale pack on Tellico River in TN---at Baby Falls.
I enter Bald River Gorge wilderness and jct Cow Camp trail which climbs hard to this trail jct with Henderson Top trail---as seen in this pic.
Welcome to Henderson Top aka Skull Mt---there's a trail in here somewhere. Don't get snake bit.
I finish Skull Mt which pops me out on gated logging cut 40832 which has a spring water source and I find this cove CS.
40832 connects me to Logging cut 40921 which after 42 hill climbs pops me out on the Benton MacKaye trail atop Sugar Mt.
I stay on the BMT and fall off Sugar Mt and head up Brookshire Creek trail---about 2,000 foot climb in 3 or 4 miles. Just in time for my 71st birthday---and hauling too much weight.
Near the top of Brookshire I run into the only backpackers I see for the trip---Jeff and Joe BMT thruhikers. (This is the midway point on the 300 mile trail). Friendly sorts so we talk for 90 minutes.