20 Days in a Blizzard

[Tipi Walter]

I gotta share 2018's last backpacking trip and it was a rough one when a winter snow event hit the mountains of North Carolina and I was lucky enough to be out in it.

The trip starts with a planned meetup with my backpacking buddy Hoppin John around Beech Gap on the BMT in TN.

All trip pics found here---

https://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/Backp...in-a-Blizzard/

Trip 194
November 27--December 16, 2018

HIGHLIGHTS
** WITH HOPPIN JOHN ON BOB BALD AT 12F
** NO BACKPACKERS SEEN IN 19 OUT OF 20 DAYS
** 64 HOUR RAINSTORM IN NAKED GROUND GAP WITH 60MPH WINDS
** DEEP CREEK TRAIL CLEARED BY SAWS/SCC
** 10F IN NAKED GROUND GAP ON DAY 10
** 7 DAYS ON BOB MOUNTAIN IN DECEMBER BLIZZARD
** TRAIL 54A(S) IS DESTROYED BY ICE
** CUTTING MY WAY TO SURVIVAL
** JEFFREY HELL/SOUTH FORK/FLATS MT AND OUT


TRAILS
Entrance at Beech Gap
Fodderstack Trail
54A(S) Up to Bob Bald
**Raven Camp on Bob(2)**
7 Mile Ridge East
**Landon Camp Naked Ground Gap(3)**
7 Mile Ridge to Haoe Peak
Haoe Lead Trail Down
**Haul Water Camp on Haoe Ridge**
Haoe Lead Trail Down
Deep Creek Trail Up
**Deep Creek Footbridge Camp**
Deep Creek Trail Up to Hangover Mt
**Clearcut Camp Hangover Mt**
7 Mile Ridge West
**Main Camp Naked Ground Gap**
7 Mile Ridge West to Bob Mt
**South Col Camp Bob Mt(6)**
54A(S) Down to Cold Gap
Fodderstack to Beech Gap
Skyway Roadwalk
Jeffrey Hell Trail Down to South Fork
**Camp 28 on South Fork Creek**
South Fork Trail Down
**Donner Camps on Citico Creek(2)**
South Fork Out
Citico Creek Roadwalk up to Beehouse Gap
Flats Mt Up
**Flats Pig Seep Cove Camp**
Flats Mt Up to Skyway
Skyway Roadwalk and OUT


Here's Hoppin John in 18F weather climbing the BMT up to Bob Bald---and it's a tough climb for me for two reasons---I'm in bare legs with shorts like an idiot---and my pack is about 90 lbs on a 3.5 mile trek with an elevation gain of 1,000 feet. John's pack is a Mystery Ranch G6000 and his Hilleberg tent is the red sack on the bottom.


We reach the top of Bob Bald at 5,300 feet and I go over to eyeball John's Hilleberg tent---the Kaitum tunnel. We spent two nights up on the Bald---and my Hilleberg tent is about 200 feet away a little higher on the bald.


It stays around 15F during the day on the Bob and it's pretty. By night it's about 10F or 12F---cold!




Hopping John is squared away in his Kaitum tent and we hang out eating an apple with cashew butter. Check out his Scarpa boots---more will come on this subject.


The morning of Day 3 dawns a little warmer at 15F and so I recon the Bob and see if Hoppin John is still alive. He is.


By about 9am I go to John's tent and watch him start packing up his gear. In the meantime I remove about 14 of his tent pegs stuck in the frozen ground.


Hoppin John is ready to leave the Bob and head West on Seven Mile Ridge and I'm getting ready to head East on the same ridge trail to Naked Ground Gap. I'm back to my solo trip.

[Tipi Walter]

And so after John leaves I return to my camp and load up and prepare to leave in cold weather. Pack of choice? McHale load hauler.


When you're pulling a long winter trip boys, don't bother with trail runners and sneakers and flip flops and sandals ---go with a good pair of full leather boots! These are Zamberlans.


Hoppin John is no idiot---he ascribes to the full leather winter boot advice too. His are Scarpas.


I leave the Bob on Seven Mile Ridge and reach Naked Ground Gap where I stop at the gap spring for water. It's still butt cold obviously.


I get set up in Naked Ground Gap on Day 3 and the temps warm up just enough to rain and so I pull two zero days here to account for a 64 hour rainstorm during which a call for "80mph winds in the mountains" comes over my little weather radio. This spot gets hit with 60mph gusts. Carry a 4 season tent, boys.


Finally by Day 6 the storm is over and the sun is out so I leave NG Gap and pull four hill climbs to Haoe Peak and tool down the Haoe Lead Trail to this spot where the Jenkins Meadow trail veers off. My goal is to stay on Haoe Lead and pull the Deep Creek loop back up to the ridge on Hangover Mt.


Along the Haoe Lead trail I run into this wide rock wash where it's easy to lose the trail so I place a little red ribbon to mark the route.

[Tipi Walter]

After I finish Haoe Lead trail I jct with Deep Creek trail and head up to this big rock for a reststop. It's one of my favorite spots.


After several miles on the Deep Creek trail I stop by its first lower crossing and take a break. This pic shows my pack---red bottom sack is my Hilleberg tent---purple sack is my down parka and down pants---left green is my Solar ccf pad. Right blue is my Trail Pro inflatable pad. Back yellow pocket holds my tent poles/stakes and rain jacket and extra food (carried about 45 lbs of food and fuel on this trip).


I reach the Deep Creek footbridge and by the morning of Day 8 I'm caught in another cold snap with a brief snow event. Day 8 is tough because I have to pull the Deep Creek nut on a 2,000 foot climb to Hangover Mt.


I leave Deep Creek Footbridge Camp and start up and cross this highest creek crossing as the trail gets very steep.


After 4 hours of hard climbing I reach the top end of the Deep Creek trail here by its trailpost. Check out my excellent Mt Hardwear Nilas down mittens.


It's another cold night in the mountains and this is in the Clearcut Camps atop Hangover Mt at 5,000 feet.


By Day 9 it's time to leave Hangover Mt and take the ridge trail up and over Haoe Peak to spend another night in Naked Ground Gap. The trail is treacherous in the snow with several rock ledge obstacles.

[Tipi Walter]

I reach the top of Haoe Peak---where my Haoe Lead/Deep Creek loop began---and get ready for the rock ledges dropping down off this Peak. My Arcteryx rain jacket saved my butt on this trip---along with my OR Foray rain pants.


I reach Naked Ground Gap again but this time it's not raining for 64 hours and instead it's very cold with 10F nighttime temps. On the morning of Day 10 I get up and hang out my Puma -15F rated bag to dry. Always hang out your bags boys!!


I hear about a big snowstorm coming to the NC mountains on my radio so I decide to the best place to Make My Stand---and hunker in. It's on Bob Bald in the protection of the trees---a place I call the South Col Camps. It turns out I'll be stuck here for 7 days---due to an ice storm which destroys my trail off the mountain. But that comes on Day 13-16.


On the morning of Day 12---December 8---the storm really starts to hit and so I go out and clean off the tent and tighten up the guylines.


The challenge is to go out every 2 hours thru the night and clean off the tent. Glad I brought my 8 lb 10 oz Hilleberg Keron.


By Day 13 an ice storm hits my mountain and causes all area trails to disappear in collapsed snowdowns and ice downs---the trails cannot be hiked!


Here's just a tiny portion of the trail off my mountain---further along it's MUCH WORSE. The green rhodo tunnel collapses onto the trail stopping all movement.

[Tipi Walter]

The storm is not done with me yet as a little more snow falls on the night of Day 14.


By Day 14 the ice collapses all the small trees and I'm not going anywhere. Another zero day.


Welcome to Day 14 in the snow. Might as well hunker in and get comfy.


By Day 16 I get off the Bob---mainly because I spent Days 14 and 15 cutting my way off the mountain with my folding saw and pruners. By Day 16 I had enough of the trail cleared to get out. I call it Cutting My Way to Survival.


Amazingly, once I leave the Bob and drop down the Tennessee side there's very little snow and no tree damage. The big storm was therefore mostly a North Carolina event. After 5 miles of hiking I reach this trailhead to the Jeffrey Hell trail on the Citico wilderness side and hike 3 miles down it to South Fork Creek where I cross and set up camp. A pretty long day.


After 7 days on the Bob I want to hike and use my nice pack so I start down the South Fork trail and prepare for its major creek crossing but first take a pic by the creek.


After crossing the South Fork I stop on the North Fork footbridge and take this pic of the North Fork top right and the South Fork bottom merging to become Citico Creek.

[Tipi Walter]

The South Fork trail dumps me out in this campsite next to Citico Creek where I spend a zero day in a cold rain and then on Day 19 I'm ready to finish the South Fork and climb to Beehouse Gap and end the trip by hiking the 6.2 Flats Mt trail out to my pickup point.


After a long wet day of backpacking I end up at the top trailhead to Flats Mt where I meet my ride out to end the trip. Great trip!

[Tipi Walter]

Here's a pic of the Flats Mt trail---a neato place---

[BIG TIGER]

Super hike Tipi. I've had my McHale for 16 years. What is your sleeping pad of choice? Always look forward to your hikes. Planning one for Panthertown in January. Can't wait. Ron

[TNhiker]

yeah.....that rock wash on the haoe can be a little tricky........

[Leo L.]

Amazing, Walter.
Thanks for sharing!

[Venchka]

Using 20-20 hindsight, if you had dropped down into Tennessee before the winter storm hit you would have missed all of the “FUN”?
Your old stomping grounds in Watauga and Ashe Counties got most of the snow.
Great trip report. I always learn something new from your trips in the mountains. I doubt that I would enjoy the stream crossings.
Wayne

[TwoSpirits]

I've really been looking forward to this trip report! Great stuff.

But I have to wonder -- how on earth do you stuff that Puma? I have a Sequoia and it is heaven to sleep in but hell to pack!

[Tipi Walter]

Super hike Tipi. I've had my McHale for 16 years. What is your sleeping pad of choice? Always look forward to your hikes. Planning one for Panthertown in January. Can't wait. Ron

I use a two pad system for winter---a Thermy Trail Pro large for comfort and a backup Solar ccf pad for added warmth when needed. Total Rvalue with both pads is 7.5R. Panthertown Valley looks pretty cool with several interesting trails.

[Tipi Walter]

Using 20-20 hindsight, if you had dropped down into Tennessee before the winter storm hit you would have missed all of the “FUN”?
Your old stomping grounds in Watauga and Ashe Counties got most of the snow.
Great trip report. I always learn something new from your trips in the mountains. I doubt that I would enjoy the stream crossings.
Wayne

For some reason I wanted a bellyful of "fun" and stayed put on the highest ground I could find. Mistake? Yes and no. No because I had many days left to enjoy the storm and plenty of food and fuel. Yes because I wanted to pack and move every day and the ice storm stopped this mvt.

[Tipi Walter]

I've really been looking forward to this trip report! Great stuff.

But I have to wonder -- how on earth do you stuff that Puma? I have a Sequoia and it is heaven to sleep in but hell to pack!

I use a sea to summit 35 liter stuff sack with eVent on the bottom and it works great. Excess air can be squeezed out and it fits easily in the bottom of my pack. The secret for a subzero down bag is to make sure you use a large size stuff sack. 35 liters works well for subzero rated down bags.

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[MuddyWaters]

Awesome. Was waiting for this report too.

[LittleRock]

Awesome! Though I'd never do it myself (7 days hunkering down in a snowstorm is a bit much), I always love seeing your winter trip reports.

And I agree, boots are great for winter/snow hiking! The rest of the year, not so much.

[martinb]

Figured you were out enjoying this one.This little gem must be fun covered in ice.



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The buffer that used to be at the "south col" must have been sorely missed with those kind of storms coming in. I was pretty surprised at how much they removed. Here's some shots from my summer trip.

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[Tipi Walter]

Martinb---You really know that area!

Your first pic shows the hill coming off Haoe Peak and how difficult it is to backpack down in snow and ice with an 80 lb pack.

One time it was so bad I had to do it with a "bung abseil"---scooting down my butt on the icy rocks.

Your last three pics show the damage the mowers did last year when they bushhogged the Bob and opened up the South Col Camps which were once fairly hidden.


Here's some of the wreckage.


My tent on the Bob and showing the damage.


This is the other South Col Camp the mower destroyed---it's gone now and under a bunch of deadfall.


Here's another pic of that nice spot.

[zelph]

Awesome photos, thank you!