This trip was supposed to happen on January 15 but the covid bug bit me on the butt so I had to take 83 days off in house arrest mode and finally on March 3rd I was able to load up the gear and get out. This trip happens in Citico and Slickrock wilderness in TN and NC. And I got to see one good blizzard with cold snap.

TRIP 216
March 3-21, 2022

HIGHLIGHTS
** DAVY HAYNES ON BMT CONNECTOR
** BRYAN DELAY'S SON PASSES OVER BOB BALD
** TWO BACKPACKERS ON SEVEN MILE RIDGE PULLING HAOE LEAD/DEEP CREEK LOOP
** HELLISH WINDSTORM AT WATAUGA CAMP ON 5,000 FEET
** MASSIVE RAINSTORM ON SLICKROCK CREEK DAY 7
** TWO BACKPACKERS FROM MARS HILL NC ON SLICKROCK CREEK DAY 8
** DAY 10 BLIZZARD AT 8F IN CROW HORSE CAMP
** PAVANNE FOR A DEAD THUMB DAY 12
** WORST TRAIL IN CITICO: THE HELL SLOG ON ROCKY FLATS
** MATT AND HIS AR-15 ON CITICO CREEK
** GREG MILLER'S CRANBERRIES IN IRON CAMP
** TOM'S CRANBERRIES IN IRON CAMP AND COLD GAP
** ROB BUSH PASSES THRU COLD GAP DAY 18.

TRAILS
Entrance at Beech Gap
Fodderstack Ridge Trail aka BMT Heading North
**Cold Spring Gap""
Trail 149 Heading North
**Dean Camp**
Trail 149 Backtrack South to Barrel Gap
BMT Connector up to Snow Camp
Trail 54A(N) to Bob Bald
**East Fir Tree Grove aka Marion Camp**
Seven Mile Ridge Heading East into Naked Ground Gap
**Watauga Camp**
Seven Mile Ridge to Hangover Mt
**Airjet Camp on Hangover Mt**
Hangover Lead South Trail Down to Big Fat Gap
Big Fat Gap Trail Down to Slickrock Creek Crossing 12
**Little West Camp**(2)
Slickrock Creek Trail Downstream
**Crossing 11/Big Stack Jct Camp**
Big Stack Trail Up to Crowder Camp
**Crow Horse Camp**(2)
Fodderstack Ridge Trail Heading South to Mill Gap
Mill Branch Down
**Quillen Camp**
Mill Branch Trail Down Heading West
Rocky Flats Trail Up
**Chimney Camp**
Rocky Flats Finish to Warden's Field
South Fork Trail to Citico Creek
**Donner Camp**(2)
South Fork Trail Upstream
**Iron Camp**(2)
South Fork Trail Up to Cold Gap
**Cold Gap**(2)
BMT South to Beech Gap and OUT.

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Little Mitten and Zoe Dog and I drive thru Tellico Plains and up into the TN mountains and stop in Beech Gap on the BMT where I get dropped off with my obscene 110 lb McHale pack.

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My first night is two miles in at Cold Spring Gap on the Benton MacKaye trail aka Fodderstack Ridge trail aka Seven Mile Ridge trail. Tent of choice is Hilleberg Keron at 8 lbs 10 ozs. A Great solo tent for the duration.

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It's lunch time in Cold Gap---another reason my pack is so heavy.

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Day 2 and it's time to leave Cold Gap and take Trail 149 another 2+ miles to a favorite CS next to North Fork Creek. The big blue bulging stuff sack is my down vest and down parka with down mittens all stuffed inside---I bring the usual full winter kit and glad I do.

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On Day 3 I leave my 149 CS and climb all the way to Bob Bald with a gain of about 2,400 feet in about 5-6 miles, a real workout with real world pack weight. Along the way I run into Davy Haynes from Alabama pulling a simple 2 night loop.

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Once I reach Bob Bald I run into Bryan DeLay's son Nathan who is bailing out of the wind---too windy for him---but just right for me.

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I take a long reststop on Bob Bald but the wind drives me to set up the tent and hunker in.