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  1. #41

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    Quote Originally Posted by cspan View Post
    Moderate. The main risk involves slipping and falling. If you do, you are likely to get wet, dirty, and maybe bruised somewhere below the waist. Hopefully nothing more to your body like a twisted ankle. You may break a pole. But as best I remember, there's no risk of tumbling down the mountainside or going over a waterfall. Most of our group of a dozen or so made it fine; one got a wet foot and bruised rear end. There may have been a couple other stumbles but the risk is mostly in the likelihood (it IS tricky to cross), not the severity (you're not likely to die).
    Thanks, I should have asked you to begin with, didn't realize you have done this section.

    I'm mainly concerned with icy conditions. Although, this might be a better summer hike with good swimming opportunities.

  2. #42
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    I did it in warm weather, so I can't speak to icy conditions. Generally, I would think rock-hopping in icy conditions would be particularly difficult and inadvisable. But of course that would rule out a bit of nearly every CT hike.

  3. #43

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    Quote Originally Posted by cspan View Post
    I did it in warm weather, so I can't speak to icy conditions. Generally, I would think rock-hopping in icy conditions would be particularly difficult and inadvisable. But of course that would rule out a bit of nearly every CT hike.
    Thanks, it doesn't sound like it will be a problem. I was a little worried when the hike description used the word "treacherous" and saw the photo of the guy climbing up big rocks with water flowing down.

    What do you think about parking my car at Piney River picnic area and riding my bike to the Newby Branch picnic area? I'm not clear about which road is deeply rutted.

  4. #44
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    I didn't have any trouble with that crossing and I'm pretty sure the water tables were above average on that day. it's a pretty small creek.

    the Spider Den Campsite is one of my favorite sites on the CT. if you go during the warmer months, check out the bluffs above the campsite and see where site got it's name.

  5. #45

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    Quote Originally Posted by Ashepabst View Post
    I didn't have any trouble with that crossing and I'm pretty sure the water tables were above average on that day. it's a pretty small creek.

    the Spider Den Campsite is one of my favorite sites on the CT. if you go during the warmer months, check out the bluffs above the campsite and see where site got it's name.
    Thanks for the tip. It sounds like this would be a great out-and-back/overnight.

  6. #46
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ashepabst View Post
    I didn't have any trouble with that crossing and I'm pretty sure the water tables were above average on that day. it's a pretty small creek.

    the Spider Den Campsite is one of my favorite sites on the CT. if you go during the warmer months, check out the bluffs above the campsite and see where site got it's name.
    Do you know if Forrest Camp Rd (to Newby) has been re-graded or otherwise improved in the last 20 months? I was there in early spring 2016 and it was possibly the most deeply rutted road I've ever tried to straddle/traverse (though the CT website description implies Walden Mtn Rd is even worse!). I would only go on Forrest Camp again with a high-clearance vehicle, unless it has been re-graded.

  7. #47
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    sorry, I can't say. I used that trailhead 4-5 years ago. all I remember about it is the aggressive dogs that were waiting at my car on the hike out.

    I love that CT section --lots to see, end to end.

  8. #48
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    Rather than starting a new CT thread, I'm gonna go ahead and tag onto this one. A friend and myself are thinking about thru-hiking the CT section from Frozen Head State Park to Cove Lake State Park--a distance of about 48 miles.

    I've read all the info on the CT Conference website on this stretch of trail, but I'm curious for individual feedback on it. I know the stretch through FHSP to the Garden Spot is solid and the 31 miles from Smoky Creek to CLSP should be good (they hold a 50K race on that stretch every September so I'm assuming it's fairly maintained.. actually hoping to do that race next year). It's the roughly 10 miles from the Garden Spot to Smoky Creek that I can't find much info on.

    Any other feedback would be interesting. Like I said, I've already read all the info on the CT website.. just curious what others have to say.

  9. #49
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    I can only speak to the Lawson Mtn section, which I think is listed out of order on the cumberlandtrail.org website. Arch Mountain section is between FHSP and Lawson Mtn. Anyway I did Lawson recently and it wasn't bad, but leaf litter obscured the trail pretty well in some spots, blazing is missing in some spots too. I'm not sure much of it quite fits my definition of well-maintained, but I've seen worse, for sure. Lawson has some steep sections, and we came across about a dozen wild boars as we got near the downside of Lawson Mtn. Fortunately, they ran away. Oh, and at the very end, you have to cross the railroad tracks (actually follow them north for a little bit) and the entry to get up the steep hill to the northern trailhead is down there a bit. Couple switchbacks and you're at the top.

    The spur trail to the overlook is probably worth it. Super steep at the end, but it's a nice view.
    It's easy to lose the trail in the overgrown field around mile 5.5-5.6, but you'll find it again.
    Hope that helps.

  10. #50
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    I had noticed that the sections were out of order on the website as well.
    I've encountered boars in FHSP before--not the most fun experience but we came out of it alright. Mentioned it to a park ranger at the time (2 years ago now) and they mentioned they'd been tracking their movements.

    Do you perchance have any photos of the stretch?

  11. #51

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    Quote Originally Posted by fathergup View Post
    I had noticed that the sections were out of order on the website as well.
    I've encountered boars in FHSP before--not the most fun experience but we came out of it alright. Mentioned it to a park ranger at the time (2 years ago now) and they mentioned they'd been tracking their movements.

    Do you perchance have any photos of the stretch?
    What other sections have you hiked? TZ and I have teamed up on this trail...it’s impossible to hike without a shuttle buddy. And I’ve gained a good friend.

  12. #52
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    Quote Originally Posted by fathergup View Post
    Do you perchance have any photos of the stretch?
    Try this link:
    http://www.*************************...571#post123571

    my buddy Bo Peep posted my photos over there. I added some commentary with post #115.

  13. #53
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    something really weird happened with that link. Is linking to a different AT forum verboten? Well anyway, if you copy the link location to a browser address field, and put in appalachian trail cafe dot net where the asterisks are, without spaces, etc., and it should take you there.

    Fair warning, I got some NSFW google search results when I just pasted the URL with asterisks and hit search. I'm not sure why it did this but I suspect it was no accident.

  14. #54
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    Quote Originally Posted by Traffic Jam View Post
    What other sections have you hiked? TZ and I have teamed up on this trail...it’s impossible to hike without a shuttle buddy. And I’ve gained a good friend.
    I've done most of the CT around Chattanooga (ran StumpJump 50K this past year), Laurel-Snow, most of the Obed section, the Frozen Head section (including N. Bird Mountain, for what its worth), and part of the stretch from Cove Lake to Lafollette.

  15. #55

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    Quote Originally Posted by fathergup View Post
    Do you perchance have any photos of the stretch?
    I've hiked all the CT and have posted various photo albums of all my hikes on it. They're on the Nashville Backpacker meetup.com site, if you're interested. Give a shout if you have trouble finding a particular hike album.
    [I]ye shall not pollute the land wherein ye are: ... Defile not therefore the land which ye shall inhabit....[/I]. Numbers 35

    [url]www.MeetUp.com/NashvilleBackpacker[/url]

    .

  16. #56

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    HELP!

    If anyone hikes the 11.7 mile Eagle Bluff section, please be on the lookout for my prescription glasses in a camo, microfiber glasses pouch. Probably lost between mile 3.6 and 8.8 on one of the rock formations (as I had to crawl several times.).

    (Wow, what a hike.)


    Thanks!

  17. #57
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    Quote Originally Posted by fathergup View Post
    Rather than starting a new CT thread, I'm gonna go ahead and tag onto this one. A friend and myself are thinking about thru-hiking the CT section from Frozen Head State Park to Cove Lake State Park--a distance of about 48 miles.

    I've read all the info on the CT Conference website on this stretch of trail, but I'm curious for individual feedback on it. I know the stretch through FHSP to the Garden Spot is solid and the 31 miles from Smoky Creek to CLSP should be good (they hold a 50K race on that stretch every September so I'm assuming it's fairly maintained.. actually hoping to do that race next year). It's the roughly 10 miles from the Garden Spot to Smoky Creek that I can't find much info on.

    Any other feedback would be interesting. Like I said, I've already read all the info on the CT website.. just curious what others have to say.
    fathergup, did you ever do the stretch you mentioned? I'm interested in feedback on the Arch Mtn section and the Anderson/Cross Mtns section.

    FWIW, TJ and I did Eagle Bluff section yesterday, and it was something else. Equal parts rewarding and challenging.

    Some tips regarding the challenges:

    Water - bring at least 3L of water in warm weather. There's little to no filterable water from MM 2.7 to the end. We did find a trickle of a stream at MM 8.8, but I had already been rationing my water by then and was under-hydrated.

    Brush - it's quite overgrown along several stretches. If you can stand to wear long pants in the heat, you'll get fewer scratches from prickly plants. If it's not tick-infested, I'd be surprised.

    "Trail" - it really does, at times, run along a relatively narrow, rocky spine, with steep drop offs. You don't have to be a Wallenda to hike it, but you may have a few "they have got to be kidding - the trail goes THERE?" moments.

    T-storms - we didn't experience any, but this is a ridge hike, so it's wise to get off the spine if t-storms develop, as is so often the case during warmer month afternoons. With steep drop-offs on either side of the ridge, it's sometimes not easy to quickly head to lower ground, depending on where you are.

    Rewards:
    Waterfalls near southern end
    Devil's Racetrack - great views of Caryville & Powell Valley area.
    Eagle Bluff is a very nice spot. There's what looks like a private home being built up there, with a gated driveway and so forth, but there's a public access easement to the overlook just on the north side of that gated driveway. There are other great views along the way as well.
    Rock walls impressive.
    Some of the trail goes out on a wall 50-150 ft over the forest floor. A bit scary but awe-inspiring.
    Animals spotted: 5 turtles, 2 red newts, 2 hawks, 1 black snake, 1 turkey, 1 yellowjacket, 1167 mosquitoes, 1008 gnats. Also, fresh scat, possibly from a bear.

  18. #58
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    P.S.

    it WAS decently well-blazed. The CT hike description appears to have been written in 2011, and we believe some blazes have been added since then in areas that were described as having no blazes as of 2011. However, there are several sections where the blazes may only be uni-directional. You're going along a fairly faint trail, and want some confirmation that you're still on the right path, not seeing any blazes ahead. Look behind you - more often than not, you'll see a blaze going in the opposite direction, from the way you just came. So it's an indirect confirmation that you're still going the right way (or at least, had been). [We hiked south to north.]

  19. #59
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    thanks for adding your notes here.

  20. #60

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    Looking for a good description of the campsite at Alley Ford at mile 2.4 (11.7) of the Obed section. Photos a plus. Thanks.

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