ECT- Mount Rogers Area, VA- Nov. 15-17

“If I can get off Thursday, I'm thinking of 1 or 2 routes:

(thurs) Mt Rogers Headquarters to Trimpi Shelter - 10.6 miles
(fri) Trimpi Shelter to Old Orchard - 14.2 miles

or...

(thurs) South Fork River, rte 670 to Racoon Branch Shelter - 5.1 miles
(fri) RB Shelter to Old Orchard - 11.7

The routes would be determined by what time I can get there. Anybody familiar with these shelters, such as water etc, and the parking at 670?

Evergreen - I'll certainly keep the dayhike option open, but I'd really like to hit the AT from Rogers Hdqtrs if I can. I'll know for sure only Wednesday what I can do.”

“i see sr 670 and i see racoon branch shelter...but i do not see south fork river trail...could it be the jagged one on my map with switchbacks coming up from 670?

i have the natl. geographic Mt Rogers trails illustrated map 786

Pennsy Hiker....do you have a different one?”

“there is room for one or two cars to park where the AT crosses 670. the first part of that hike is uphill, but nothing terrible. the trimpi shelter is a nice stone shelter with wooden bunks to lay on and a fire place. there is a creek that runs near there, a little bit further down the hill. it is about 1/10th mile off the AT. we hiked through here last march, starting at 670 and ending in damascus. we never went down to the racoon branch shelter. it was about 2/10 mile off the AT if i remember correctly. we started at 670 and hiked over to the hurricane camp ground the first day(about 10 miles). the hurricane campground is about 1/2 mile off the AT by a side trail. we started at noon and were there by 4:30. this included a side trip to the trimpi shelter and another break or two. the hurricane campground was closed then but we set up camp at one of the sites near the creek. nice place. nobody around there when the campground is closed. it is also on a side trail off the AT. the next day we left around 8:00 and hiked up over iron mountain and then on to the old orchard shelter. we were there by 2:00. it was a miserable day (rain, snow and sleet) so we stayed at the old orchard shelter for the night where we had some protection. i don't recall much water between hurricane campground and 603, mostly because you are going over iron mountain. if it were me, i would break it as evenly as possible into two sections. it certainly is doable with one night.”

“om, that is the slabtown trail you are looking at. it is the old route for the AT. it goes from 670 to the trimpi shelter.”

“also, there is a foot bridge across the south fork of the holston at 670.”

“What Baume 66 said.

And a thru-hiker who stayed at Raccoon Br. shelter said it is a breezy, leaky place if the weather is foul.”

“i about got my fruit dehydrated for this trip. apples with cinnamon sprinkled on them, kiwi, fresh pineapple and banana chips. tomorrow the venison jerky will be going in. it is marinating right now.”

“OK, now lest do some weather dancin! Heyyyheyy hye! (dancin round my table)”

“I am so pumped for this trip!!!!


8)”

“the venison jerky is done, more apples and bananas dehydrating now. these apples and bananas are the best i have ever made/had. i don't know why, but they have the best flavor ever. must be the time of year or something. got enough pineapple, not enough kiwi fruit. those little suckers are tasty but they don't go very far where quanity is concerned. 4 kiwi fill one tray, fill a snack size zip-loc.”

“You would have to bring up food now.. I just came home from the dentist where I had a wisdom tooth yanked. I can't feel a thing and can't eat for hours. *sigh*

Anywho, thanks for the info on the shelters and parking. I now have some excellent options if I get there on Thurs. One way or another, I'll see y'all Friday night!”

“I just saw the forecast for Damascus . Subtracting 10 degrees for altitude it looks like rain/snow and highs in the 30s with lows in the 20s. Does this mean Spam will be able to go after all? Just wondering.”

“I am going to bring my 25 deg bag and some warm clothes I think that will be good enough.

I am so pumped for this trip!!!!

8)”

“Say Hi to Wilburn Ridge and Mt. Rogers for me.”

“I will!

8)”

“As Mike Brady once said........something just came up

really thou, I am going to miss this gathering, I so much wanted to meet all of you but it is going to have to wait. Perhaps the likes of Walkindude and Pennsy can tell you funny stories about me and you all can have a good laugh. I hope you all have a great time and I will try to get together with ya's on the next trip.

Pete”

“That sucks!

I hope we can meet another time!

8)”

“yeah, we were just looking at the weather forcast. snow is good! sorry about your tooth pennsy, hope it gets to feeling better.”

“sorry to hear that sirpete, hope to meet you soon.”

“we will Mike I can assure you of that! I'm not just here because I like to type!

Hope to meet you soon too Baume”

“The toofer should be fine tomorrow. Thanks baume.

Sorry you can't make it Pete. I'll spread some good cheer about you though. I PROMISE not to mention the road navigation this past weekend. ;o)”

“sweet!

25 degrees and freezing rain!”

“YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

8)”

“i can dig it!”

“#&%!$! I may have to work, some dude got a disciplinary hearing scheduled for friday at 2:00. I may get out of it, if they don't intend to fire him (repeat offenses)”

“Bring it!!!!!

So what kind of miles are you people wanting to do?I think me and evergreen are going to do about 20 miles or so.

I think we can talk about it at the shelter Friday Night ya know what I mean!!!

I am so looking forward to meeting all you cool katz this is going to be one pimp trip!

8D”

“How is the cell phone reception out there, maybe I can do a confrence call.”

“It is gonna be pimp mike!”

“rad aghast.....you got snow and ice tires on that motor? :)”

“Major Bummage that you'll miss the trip Sirpete.

Buddha Bear
I know how that stuff goes. All last week we were in Contract Negociations. We got a pretty good package to vote on tommorrow morning.”

“YES HIKE ON!!!!!!!!

8)”

“i started packing tonight. looks like i'm going to need my bigger pack to carry all this firewood.”

“You don't need to put that firewood in your pack baume66, just throw it in your car trunk and unload when you get to the campsite.”

“Now I know why I haven't seen you post too much recently dude..... negotiations take up some time, no?”

“That plus I've been doing the music thing alot lately.”

“Wish I could join you guys, sounds like it's gonna be a great trip! Have to work. :( Hope to see some of you very soon.”

“I am all packed and ready to go!I can't wait to hit the AT again and meet all you cool katz on the trail.This is going to be one great backpacking adventure and I am so pumped for it.

See you all on Friday at the Shelter.

I am leaveing Thursday at 3 am Chicago time and I should get to Evergreens at 3 pm.

8)”

“Dew to an overbearing work load, I'm not going to be able to make it this weekend. We got hit with five days worth of work to get done in 3 days. I'll be working OT on Saturday too. If we had about 150 less windows to do, I could probably get out of it.
Looks like the weather is gonna be fun this weekend too. I'll miss hiking with yall again and meeting new people but there's gonna be other trips. Lift a Nalgene bottle up for me this weekend!”

“I wish you could go!

8)”

“Yeah.
Be glad you don't work where I do Mike. Sometimes ya never know when a Saturday gets scheduled.”

“anyone from the nashville area going on this trip, walkindude was going to ride with me but since he is out I would like to find a ride or have someone ride with me...Stovestomper are you coming through Nashville.”

“Sorry I can't make it Ewker.”

“that's ok walkindude. I know how work can screw up a good weekend.
BTW have fun making those windows”

“let carry in some firewood for fri nights fire. I am leavin early tommorrow so I should be at the th by 2pm.Drive a red jeep with ohio plates.”

“Not going to make this one.
I'm still sore from my stent removal.
I was really looking forward to meeting a lot of TTers.”

“back to top, anyone from the Knoxville area going on this trip. Since I have to pass through I might as well offer a ride.
I am planning on leaving Friday morning and getting there Friday afternoon.”

“who else is bailing? the weather looks nasty and boy is already complainig. if we don't tag along baume could get an earlier start and would be packing a lot less comfort gear for us. hmmmm...what to do?”

“anyone have an updated forecast”

“weather. looks like i might be there by 2:00 also jerbear. we could hike up together. i need help with the firewood anyway.”

“the weather forecast has been changing all day there. you can check the forcast for trout dale, va also. the two differed a bit this morning and both are in the area we will be hiking.”