Old AT in the Smokies - Off trail adventure

[Smile]

Dino and SGT, I'll put out a call on our horse list for NC and see what we can do for you. Rubberbandman is originally from Qualla, and we have many friends in that area. Will get back to you asap.

Could you PM me the best access point for parking and staging horses to the area you request?

Sounds like this hike was great adventure for all.

[SGT Rock]

I could PM you with that. But I can also list it here too since I have to go in and clean out about 500 PMs from my box LOL.

Twentymile Ranger station is the best place for foot access and horse access at this point. It is horse trail for 2.5 miles from there up to Campsite 95 which is also a horse camp site. I belive we can use that as the initial base camp and offload site for horses if we can work that out. The route past 95 is old road, but I don't think it will support horses at this point do to some erroded side hill. Where I would like to establish a work camp is up around Dalton Gap, or maybe down the old AT a piece to Dalton Ridge where there is a large flat area and water is within 0.2 miles.

[Frolicking Dinosaurs]

Does anyone know when the original crossing at 129 was last used? I know some Dinos that are way older than me that may remember where it crossed and the route it took....

Smile, thank you for finding out about the horses on the NC side. My friends all said that 311 tight curves in 11 miles - a pretty apt description of the section of Hwy 129 known as the Dragon - was not an acceptable road for hauling horses. They also worried that the 'crotch rockets' darting around the slow-moving trailer would spook the horses. The road is mostly used for performance motor cycles and touring cars to pleasure ride, but it also cuts off about 50 to 60 miles of driving for us to get to Twentymile ranger station from the Maryville TN area

[SGT Rock]

According to everything I can find, the AT was re-routed away from there in 1948. I don't think it was kept open after that for a man-way. So as best as I can tell 1948 was the last official use. The back country ranger said that poachers come in that way a bit though - though he didn't list that exact route. I think that there is a better couple of ways to come in the park from the west end for the poachers - but they wouldn't be the best solution for the BMT to cross in on.

[ki0eh]

I've used llamas to pack in a whole pile of trail signs and sundry to go with them like concrete. Although due to unique circumstances and lack of future need I'm not planning to use them again, maybe it's a possibility for your situation if some llama fancier is nearby?

[generoll]

seems there were llamas over by Mountain Momas last time I drove by, FWIW.

[Two Speed]

Hey Sgt, just for planning purposes do you have any idea about when this trip might happen? Not looking for specific dates, just a rough estimate so I can make sure I've got some time blocked out.

[SGT Rock]

Wow, that is a great question to which I don't have a good answer. My best guess is this:

Jim puts the proposal together for the GSMNP back country guys - I think this part is going to require some deal cutting over another issue. I think that it will also end up requiring a trip with the ranger that supervises the back country for that area.

Next we have to go out and mark the section and do some preliminary cutting. I imagine that will have to wait until part 1 is done.

Once that is all done then we can really plan how to get a team up there. I would like to do it when it isn't that hot.

The real hard part to judge is how many hoops the park makes us go through. NEPA regulations could stall this for years, or we could be doing it next month for all I know. My preference though would be next fall when the leaves are down and the brush is back so the terrain is easier to see.

[Hikerhead]

Count me in! I'd love to see other trails in this section, as well as help in blazing new ones.

Thanks John. All are welcome and more hands means easier work for everyone.

[Two Speed]

. . . Next we have to go out and mark the section and do some preliminary cutting. I imagine that will have to wait until part 1 is done. . .

Had a feeling that might be the case. Let me know if I can help. Have machete, will travel.

. . . My preference though would be next fall when the leaves are down and the brush is back so the terrain is easier to see.

Sounds like the sage voice of experience to me.

[Hikerhead]

Here's a link to my pics of this hike. Check out the Harmonica's around the Campfire movie and turn your sound up.

http://good-times.webshots.com/album/561507276MtKvkJ

[ed bell]

I would like to do it when it isn't that hot.

Well, you have my full backing on that proposal. I get enough of the summer, and then some, every summer. Any more Easy Company Maintenance trips on tap for your section?

[ed bell]

Here's a link to my pics of this hike. Check out the Harmonica's around the Campfire movie and turn your sound up.

http://good-times.webshots.com/album/561507276MtKvkJ

Nice pictures/video of your weekend. Thanks for the link.

[Two Speed]

Here's a link to my pics of this hike. Check out the Harmonica's around the Campfire movie and turn your sound up.

http://good-times.webshots.com/album/561507276MtKvkJ

Most excellent. Gonna have to spend some time smoking that over. Of course one of the fun things is speculating if the trail/road work is part of the original AT alignment or another road or trail through the area.

[Two Speed]

According to everything I can find, the AT was re-routed away from there in 1948.

Random thought: any idea if this was the route Earl Schaffer (SP?) followed?

[Hikerhead]

Pretty sure he did. Rock knows more about it.

[Frolicking Dinosaurs]

Were you fellows able to find any of the old blazes? Are there any old USGS benchmarks along the old route to help find it?

That area was criss-crossed with roads to small mountain settlements. My former father-in-law was from the mountains (his family was moved out to the now lost community of Calderwood make room for the park). He took me hiking several times and showed me several old passages thru the mountains - routes I've never seen on any map.

[Two Speed]

FD, I don't think the USGS benchmarks would have much correlation to the original AT route. That said, part of the problem could very well be that original trail may have taken advantage of some of those old roads. The tough part would be figuring out which old road. Next problem would be finding trees that survived and still bore discernable markings from that period. Best part of 60 years have come and gone since then.

[Hikerhead]

Not a single mark. No paint, no ax blaze, no old metal signs. There should be a benchmark on the high ridge climbing straight up above Dalton's Gap. We looked for it for just a minute without any luck. We crossed one old road in a hollow before climbing back up to the power line.

[Two Speed]

Hikerhead, do you know if that benchmark was actually on the old route? If so it might be possible to recover it if it's important.