I get back from a Feb/March 2021 backpacking trip into the NC and TN mountains---where I see over 70 backpackers including three main groups.

The trails I backpacked---

Seven Mile Ridge (Beech Gap to Naked Ground Gap)
Naked Ground Trail Down.
Stratton Ridge Trail Up.
Fodderstack Ridge Trail Heading North.
Mill Branch Trail Down.
Rocky Flats Trail to Citico Creek.
North Fork Trail Up.
Trail 149 South to Cold Gap
South Fork Trail Down to Citico Creek.
Grassy Branch Trail Up and OUT.

All trip pics can be seen here---


https://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/Backp...0-Backpackers/

Trip 210 (9)-XL.jpg

My trip begins at Beech Gap on the Benton MacKaye trail at the TN/NC state line. Pack of choice is a McHale loaded with over a 100 lbs of winter gear including microspikes and snow shovel (remember it's March---Blizzard of '93. My first day is a tough nut hump of 3.5 miles with a gain of 1,000 feet.

Trip 210 (13)-XL.jpg

The only snow I see for the entire trip is on the north side of Bob Bald---and I'm loving my Zamberlan Evo Lite GTX boots.

Trip 210 (23)-XL.jpg

Day 2 becomes a zero day on Bob Bald in a 28 hour nonstop cold Feb rainstorm but by Day 3 I'm ready to head East on Seven Mile Ridge---the trail which runs from Beech Gap to Hangover Mt. This is a pretty rock on the ridge.

Trip 210 (60)-XL.jpg

The first of three large backpacking groups I see happens on Day 3 when this group comes up the Nutbuster trail into Naked Ground Gap---and I'm camped nearby. It's a group called "3 Of 7" led by ex-Navy SEAL Chadd Wright.

Trip 210 (53)-XL.jpg

Trip leaders with Chadd Wright on left. He has a website and blog describing the purpose of his group. Google him up, boys.

Chadd20Cover20RGB.jpg

Trip 210 (67)-XL.jpg

Chadd swings by the tent and he asks me "What's your most important piece of gear?" I should've pointed to my Willing Heart to Be Outdoors but instead I lifted up my down sleeping bag---the ticket price to winter backpacking. We talked about Mystery Ranch---my old packs---and he said that's the same pack he used in the SEALs. I asked him what's the heaviest load he ever had to carry (including body armor etc)---"300 lbs" he said. My 100 lb load is ultralight.