Trip report -

“Why are you reading this? Get up and go! The trails are calling you.

Mt. le Conte/Rich Mtn. - I did Icewater Spring – Mt le Conte – Icewater Spring shelters hooking up with Katibug and her group. http://www.thebackpacker.com/trailtalk/thread.php?id=24186&q=nav&age=-1
Then I did the Rich Mtn. Loop. Went up the Crooked Arm Ridge Trail with its’ slope of 670 feet per mile. Have not experienced so many switchbacks since Mt. Fuji. Stayed at CS#6 and got pretty bit up sleeping under a tarp. Used up almost a full bottle of Chigarid on the bites. Moved on to Rich Mtn. CS#5. It needs some tent pads or something to replace the 8-man shelter that the park destroyed. Located in a gully, there is no place safe from running water in case of rain. While eating lunch there, I experienced more bug bites. So I decided to hike out. The relatively steep trail seemed to be twice the length indicated on the map because of many rocks. And after reaching Cades Cove bottom area, there remained about 1.3 mi. of ups and downs to the trailhead.


Spence Field - After two nights at Look Rock CG (Abrams Creek C.G. was full), I headed up Anthony Creek Trail toward Spence Field. The trail seemed more difficult then I experienced previously. Maybe there were more exposed rocks. The trail receives heavy horse traffic. It can’t be that I’m aging. Made it to CS#9. It became dark early. The sun was behind trees and a mountain before 6 p.m. So I retired under my tarp by 8 p.m. This campsite was on a slope, also. I recalled that on a previous trip I was able to locate a good spot for my tent easily. It was fortunate, too, because it rained buckets that night. A group arrived about midnight during the heaviest downpour. They searched all over for a decent site, gave up, and continued uptrail.

It was about 8:15 p.m. when I opened my eyes and saw a bear about 20 to 25 feet away. It was checking the area where I ate supper. I sat up and yelled at it and it ran away. I did not sleep too well after that. I expected the bear to return. At 2 a.m. I started seeing lightning. The storm arrived at 3 a.m. with lots of rain, lightning and thunder. “What the hell am I doing out here at the age of 71?” I thought. Obviously, I don’t know how to set a tarp to keep myself dry against a blowing rain. I curled myself into a small ball under the center of the tarp until the rain slowed about 4 a.m. I did not get too wet. After making a flashlight check for the bear, I stretched out. At 5 a.m. something bounced off my head. I turned on a light and saw a mouse running away. Finally, it started to get light and I fell asleep. At 9:30 I got moving, ate a light breakfast, downed 9 pills (mostly vitamins), and headed back under the tarp as a light rain started. The rain quit and I broke camp. I thought about how much I wanted to get to Spence Field and enjoy some of the pin cherries there. Then I thought about the steepness of the remaining trail and how muddy it would be. I looked up at the small portion of sky visible above my head and saw nothing but threatening clouds. The hell with the pin cherries I decided. By the time I arrive up there, I’ll be too tired to eat them. So downhill I moved.

(some excitement, but out of library computer time.)

Next came three park rangers heavily armed. “I’m innocent!” I proclaimed. They had posted one sign stating that Russell Field Shelter was closed due to bear activity. They were on their way to to try and “nail” the bear. One of them only told me that the bear had chased some people back into the shelter. Later, someone else told me that the bear had hurt someone. Who knows?

Well, it was a long hike for me on mostly loose rocks. I made it out and went to Abrams C.G. where I enjoyed a picnic supper. Then it was on to the Fontana Dam for a hot shower followed by a good night’s sleep in the Fontana Hilton Shelter. It rained most of the night.”

“Glad to hear from you Nowslimmer!

Keep up the report!”

“Ummm, I'd like to NS, but there's this silly little work thing I seem to get caught up in.

Glad you had a good trip though.”

“You, sir, are my inspiration. I just hope I can get out of the bed to use the bathroom when I am 71.”

“Hear, hear! I feel the same way.”

“Good to hear you're safe and sound, NS. Sounds like a nice trip. we will be up in the Catskills next week. Like Geo, they keep throwing this work thing at us too...”

“great report”

“Cool trip report. Reading about the mouse gave me the hee-bee-gee-bees even more than the bear. Sounds like you made a good choice about foregoing the cherries. When did you go to tarping it?”

“Keep on hikin, U Ole dog! LOL”

“Slimmer you RULE!!!!!!!


Keep blazing trail dude!!!!

8D”

“Alright Nowslimmer... I'm going...

great report!”

“I hope I can just walk when I'm 71!

Best to you nowslimmer!

Love the reports.”

“Geeze!! nowslimmer glad you're okay.Great trip report though.Keep on hiking man.. :~ )”

“nice report...good to hear from you.”