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  1. Replies
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    I wonder if backcountry permits ($8 per person...

    I wonder if backcountry permits ($8 per person per night) would also include the cost of parking for the duration of the backcountry trip. Or would you also have to pay for a parking permit for the...
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    8
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    9,965

    Based on past experience.... During midweek the...

    Based on past experience.... During midweek the shelters will be half full. During weekends, they will be mostly full. Due to covid, you currently are not required to sleep in the shelter so some...
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    40
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    6,969

    Actually, it's a bit less sinister than that. ...

    Actually, it's a bit less sinister than that. Per GSMNP's website.....

    "The reasons for free entry to the national park date back at least to the 1930s. The land that is today Great Smoky...
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    20
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    5,237

    Ahhh GoLite. When they started putting out...

    Ahhh GoLite. When they started putting out semi-Jardine equipment, I was already making my own packs from Ray Jardine's rough plans that he included in The PCT Hiker's Handbook and down quilts using...
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    9,315

    Joey Coconato of the MyOwnFrontier youtube...

    Joey Coconato of the MyOwnFrontier youtube channel did one of his hikes last fall in the smokies. He used the Nat Geo map to plan a route and didn't realize that Pinnacle Creek hadn't been...
  6. Thread: Newton Bald

    by madgoat
    Replies
    44
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    7,757

    TNhiker, Yeah, that map is a picture I took...

    TNhiker,

    Yeah, that map is a picture I took from the Wise book. Maybe I have a different edition than yours. I have a first edition c1996 of the book which has no contour lines. Maybe later...
  7. Thread: Newton Bald

    by madgoat
    Replies
    44
    Views
    7,757

    TNhiker, See post #20. I took a picture from...

    TNhiker,

    See post #20. I took a picture from the blue book map and uploaded it. Love the blue book. Its a fun read with usually much more historical insight than the brown book.
  8. Thread: Newton Bald

    by madgoat
    Replies
    44
    Views
    7,757

    Ha, that's great. Sounds like you have a heck of...

    Ha, that's great. Sounds like you have a heck of a resource available to you.
  9. I found a trail journal from a couple years ago...

    I found a trail journal from a couple years ago where a southbounder was singing the praises of the Fontana Hilton showers since they were open in late December. No guarantee they will still be open...
  10. Thread: Newton Bald

    by madgoat
    Replies
    44
    Views
    7,757

    PatmanTN and TNhiker, You guys got me...

    PatmanTN and TNhiker,

    You guys got me wondering, so I did some digging. It was 2004 when we found the volunteer trail, so my recollection of "might have been 10 years ago" was actually 16 years...
  11. There seem to be distinct sections on that trek...

    There seem to be distinct sections on that trek from Clingman's to Fontana. For long stretches, the trail goes straight up and over every knob. Then a trail surveyor who wasn't a mountain goat took...
  12. Replies
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    2,108

    I guess it all depends if you want to trim your...

    I guess it all depends if you want to trim your pack out for qualifying, or raceday. (FKT or thru?)

    Now if only I could get a set of Penske dampers to increase my mechanical grip while on trail.
  13. Thread: Newton Bald

    by madgoat
    Replies
    44
    Views
    7,757

    centerfielder162, Last time I stayed on Newton...

    centerfielder162,

    Last time I stayed on Newton Bald (might have been 10 years ago) we broke camp with the intent of heading down Newton Bald Trail toward Smokemont. There had been a somewhat...
  14. An update. A ranger contacted me today to let me...

    An update. A ranger contacted me today to let me know there have been further reports in the area, so they are starting to look into this a bit more. If you are in the Smokies, keep your eyes...
  15. Funny you should say that. We were at Spence...

    Funny you should say that. We were at Spence Field Shelter on Monday night. Somebody had left a pack on the bear lines, a heavy inflatable mat, some green coleman propane canisters, and...
  16. TNhiker, there were 3 sets of bear cables all...

    TNhiker, there were 3 sets of bear cables all down around where the old shelter was. 1 set was just up the south path leading to the campsites on the south side of the gap. This is the one our...
  17. My reasoning may not have been fully explained in...

    My reasoning may not have been fully explained in my wording above. Bear with me. I doubt it was a person who parked down at Fontana and hiked up a strenuous trail in the middle of the night with...
  18. Theft on the AT - 10/26 at Campsite 113 just north of Fontana in the GSMNP

    Heads up to all in the area.

    We were finishing up a 5 day loop in the GSMNP. Our last night of the trip was Monday 10/26 and we were staying at Backcountry Campsite 113 (Birch Springs Gap) on the...
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    Stilllife, it shouldn't be much cooler at 49 than...

    Stilllife, it shouldn't be much cooler at 49 than in Bryson City. Rule of thumb is that you lose about 3 degrees F per 1000ft. Bryson City is at 1750ft. Campsite 49 is at 3060ft. Rough guess is...
  20. Thread: FYI, Fire Ban

    by madgoat
    Replies
    16
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    4,127

    Please report back on the water level on the...

    Please report back on the water level on the Eagle Creek Trail. I'm just curious what it's like in drought conditions. The two times I have done Eagle Creek, I was wading through fast water up to...
  21. For a community of people who talk of quitting...

    For a community of people who talk of quitting their jobs to pursue their dream of hiking the trail, it seems silly of us to worry too much about somebody who decided they didn't like their job...
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    12,870

    Yes, I meant 68. Sorry for the confusion. Not...

    Yes, I meant 68. Sorry for the confusion. Not sure how I mixed that up.
  23. Replies
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    12,870

    Yeah, that 21.5 mile day would be a bear. If you...

    Yeah, that 21.5 mile day would be a bear. If you could figure out a way to carry enough padding, perhaps you could stay in a shelter that night instead of at 49.

    Good luck. I hope you are able...
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    For reference: ...

    For reference: https://www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/upload/GSMNP-Map_JUNE14-complete4-2.pdf

    Here is an option for doing the GSMNP northbound and staying at backcountry campsites where you can...
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    Wow, I have passed that spur trail a handful of...

    Wow, I have passed that spur trail a handful of times and never knew what it was. Next time!
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