Photo hike in Sipsey

“I know, I almost wish I wasn't going family camping that weekend. Grrrrr.”

“I still haven't made my flight or hotel reservations for the trip to Virginia I'm stuck with. I still have to go though.”

“I hope I can make it. I probably won't know until that week depending how my hip feels. Maybe HOI & Walkabout can carry me around.”

“dayhiker, you look a little sick to me. I don't think you should spread that around ;)”

“You know, I might be picking up the walking pneumonia that my kids have, now that you mention it.”

“Rocking Pneumonia & The Boogie Woogie Flu? ;-)”

“Something like that. I was going to take Reece to Cheaha tonight. He has a bit of a cough, but that's really it. The lows here are maybe 65 now, so barely cooler than most houses. The wifey still gave me the veto. How dare I take our dear, little one into the woods at night where it's so dank, dark, and wet!!!! Heck, in the tent it'll be about the same environment as his room, temp wise.”

“dayhiker, I know who will win that discussion”

“You gotta pick your battles, so I said, "Ma'am, yes ma'am."

We are all going for some short dayhikes and sightseeing on Sat. We're going to try for some foliage and maybe some waterfalls. Little River is the likely candidate.”

“I've never used a digital camera before, other than looking at one, someone else had with them. I have been taking photo's for a good while. I'm really big on places that are over looked. Sipsey sounds like such a place. I have had my photo's at shows and someone ask me, "where did you take that". I tell them, and the response is, "well I've been there and I didn't see that". Most people do not get out of sight of the car. A friend of mine that is a ranger, tells me most come through the gate plunk down their money and in an hour or so , come back through the gate." Not much to see here" as he watch's the car go out of sight.”

“As Bama said, you can go here over a lifetime and stiff discover things. You're going to get to hear lots of local lore around the campfire on Saturday night.”

“Speaking of plunking down money, I think the only place at the Sipsey where you have to pay to park is the recreation area. Of course, this is where most of you will need to park.

Have a nice day!”

“Sipsey was my first backpacking trip......so wonderful and magical......so refreshing and renewing.......I never camped as a kid.....always wanted to......and I was in awe when I went.....Bama...are you thinking of the worts that grow by the waterfalls??.....I read that they only grow one other place in the whole world..and that is a part of China......I love Hemlocks...they are lacey and beautiful.......the big tree is a Yellow Poplar...an awesome site to see......when you first aproach the canyon, it looks like the rest of the trees...but as you go down it gets bigger...and bigger...and BIGGER......you have to just touch it...It is so majestic......amazing that no one has cut it down.......and a blessing for all to see....one of the neatest thing for me is to take someone who has never been there before.......I took one of my friends and we crawled down the bank to the two huge rocks in the river...( right below the big recessed bluff on 200)...and we ate lunch...it was a warm and sunny fall day.....we layed back and the leaves were falling on us from the trees like snowflakes........it was an awesome.. magical time.....I LOVE Sipsey....”

“This sounds like one of those places. Those places, that one has to feel, not looked at. One can only take photographs of these places, until you learn to hold and feel these places. Can one create a work of Art.”

“I found out my new camera will be here next Tuesday...woohoo

now it looks like Sipsey may be out. I have been invitied to go on a possible bping trip to Vrgin falls with an attractive lady.

If the trip to VF's happens you know where i will be going :)”

“Ewker - Pu**y Whipped! ;-)”

“Arky,come on down .I am sure HOI and I will hang around the camp site and may even do a little sawing.Be glad to assist you in getting around.Hike in will be no problem and I will be glad to carry your pack or anything else you might need help with.Hope to see you there”

“Arky, that offer goes for me as well. I've been wanting to meet another fellow Southerner.”

“I took my first backpacking trip here also, since then I have grown very passionate about this place called Sipsey. After a stressful day at work I’ll go into one of the many canyons here In the Sipsey and clear my head before going home, I find it almost spiritual. This is a very special place...”

“Y'all need to go to Sipsey in the winter when the temps are below freezing....and the waterfalls are froze.....it is awesome then too.....a whole new look.....

BUT...I think one of my fav times is camping on Borden creek in the winter time, and seeing river otters....they swam right up in front of us and grabbed something to eat, rolled over onto their backs and ate and just looked at us....afterwards they swam back upstream.....

The funniest thing at Sipsey = when my ex mooned my son....my son and another young man were uphill from us and rolled a HUGE rock down the hill...it came crashing down and just missed our tents......I said Moon them...and he did...and it grossed the boys out...it was great..LOL...( nothing better than grossing out your kids.....woooohooooo)”

“Ewker - Pu**y Whipped! ;-)”
GreasyGrimyGopherGutsStomper
8:16:19 PM
10/29/04

and which trip would you go on? =)



Where we are camping at this time sounds like the place we camped the first time I went to Sipsey. Problem is at night you can't see where to cross the river at. We went way on past that and had to turn around and come back, eventually we found it but then we couldn't find the game trail.

It might help it someone can leave out some glow sticks to know where to cross the river and where the game trail is.
last edited: 10/30/04 10:49:42 AM”

“Thanks guys. I'll see if I can make it.”

“I'll leave a trail of cookie crumbs!!!!

:)”

“Now that I can follow!”

“Ewker, The forest service has put a trail marker at the creek crossing you can’t miss it; you will follow 209 across the creek. Once across the creek make sure you follow the Sipsey River west, and not Borden creek. If no one objects I could mark the game trail with orange tape for you… I also have the gps coordinates for the parking area, the creek crossing, and the campsite if that would help…”

“slowroller, I don't use a GPS so the coordinates wouldn't help. I don't have a map of Sipsey either. Is one even available?

I may look online to see if there is something I can download.”

“Ewker,I made a map to the campsite,mabe this will help http://community.webshots.com/scripts/editPhotos.fcgi?action=showMyPhoto&albumID=208157720&photoID=208159650&security=rRrNlh”

“ditto”

“sorry, try this one http://community.webshots.com/photo/208157720/208159650rRrNlh”

“At the top of the picture,click normal size and it will show up a lot better... that is if the dang thing is workin...lol”

“ARKY, come on down you can leave your stuff at my house if you need to. ALA and I will be coming in sometime friday night. We can bring it in. It ain't a bad hike. The trip up the hill may be a little rough with bad hip. But I know of another way up if you need to. Its longer but flatter. The hill ain't bad. Near the top at the tree is kinda some long steps. Heck there will be enough of us there we can carry you up if need be.
Heavy packs wont be a problem its close to the parking lot. I'm thinking of bar-b-que rabbit for supper sat night, so I'll probally even bring in my dutch oven. Last time we were there we had bear gumbo. Day hiker made so peach colber. As many of you know I eat well when hikin, heck I eat well all the time.

It shows too!!!

BAMA”

“Hoi.

I'm guessing your coming in early. If you want to park at the campground and need a shuttle to some other location. Give me a call I'll ferry you around.

Anyone needing to get in touch with me can beep me at 584-4957 2:00pm till midnight for a quicker response as I only wear the thing at work.

BAMA”

“I am home in the good ol U.S. and I may make this trip yet. When is everyone planning to show up? If I come, it would most likely be that I'd show up Fri afternoon. I am watching the weather and also, I wonder hoe the leaves are looking.”

“Hey Bama
I'll be come in Friday night. Is the parking lot by the bridge fairly safe to leave my truck. I'm not sure what time I'll be able to leave Friday, but I plan to drive starght through. Will make it there 12 to 1:00 am.”

“When I put a date on this I was shooting for peak leave color. The actual date changes from year to year. It is in peak right now. We won't miss it by much. Thedive in on 33 will have sever nice views. Also the place we are caming is near a old groth draw that will be in color. West of us is another old growth canyon. Its called Buck Rough. Its called that for a reason. Its thick but lots of old growth. Also the borden creek trail will not be far away. There are a lolt of nice places along it also. We were planning on taking pictures and I thought the colors woould add to the final result. Now lets talk about some contest rules. Some suggestions are as follows.

1) each person summit 24 photos of their choosing to be judged by other TT members.
2) pictures must be posted by 11/12/04
3) each judges votes for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place pictures.
4) each 1st place gets 10 points, 2nd place gets 7 points, 3rd place 4 points.
5) most points overall wins
6) any medium or format.
7) voting is over on 11/19/04 midnight TT time
8) we need an official score keeper.
9) each judge ( tt member ) can only vote once. Multiple screennames not allowed.
10) contestants can't vote.
11) As this was gonna be a learning experiance for everone the winner must tell how the photos were taken.

These rules are only suggestions. Thoughts and comments? prizes?

BAMA”

“I did something I don't normally do and that was to check the forecast. If it holds it will be nice. High's upper 50's to low 60's...Lows upper 30's to mid 40's”

“Sorry FLM I didn't address your question. I have been leaving vehicles there for years and have never had a problem. There are actually two parking lots the first one is the one we will be parking at its before the river. There is another bridge you can drive across with another parking lot. I have left cars in both with no problem. I should be there by dark friday. I will be in either a blue ford 150 4x4 or a green Aveo. It all depends on if I am able to get off work. I may be as late as 3:00 am. Sat morning, But its looking more like friday evening. In the first parking lot is a map showing the layout near the trailhead. If your coming through Moulton on 33 there is a Trading post at the juction of 33 and 36. They have maps there also.You need to follow trail 209. It starts at the map in the parking lot. There is a flat rock crossing a drainage, cross that and under the bride. There will be a monument on your right after going under the bridge. You will see a bluff shelter with a small stream on your right.the trail will split. one carries you along the river bank and the other along the rocks. They both come out near the crossing of borden creek. Another trail 200 will lead off to the right. Cross Borden creek and continue on 209 there are two horseshoe canyons to your right about halfway to the falls. There are trails leading into and right back out of the canyons. They are both short. quickest way is to stay with the river trail. There is also a muskeedine vine with some of the best tasteing berries along this trail but don't tell anyone. When this trail goes just around the right of a tree look over ahead. Don't eat em all!! Keep the river on your left and you can't miss the falls.the trail will turn sharply to the right just before the falls. You can hear them from here. Now turn around and go back to the game trail that will go up the hill to your left. At top of ridge follow the ridge to the left into camp. The best way to decribe it would be to walk back from the falls and look for the first place to get on top of the ridge. If your coming in after dark and come to a big campsite in the middle of the trail that is borden creek. shine a light across and you will see the river actually goes strait with borden coming in from a right angle. Just remember the river does not make a sharp right hand turn. If anyone is concerned about going in after dark let me know and I will make plans to either go in wilh you or come back to meet you. I can be reached by beeper at 584-4957 2:00pm to midnight. Most cell phones don't work in the area so call before getting there. Anyone needing my home phone number can beep me and I'll give it out. I just hate to put it out here. I'll also have a frs radio on channel 1 monitoring for anyone coming in.

BAMA”

“Thanks Bama
The directions are good, Having backpacked in the back county most my life, if I don't find it that night. I'll drop my pack and camp were she hints the dirt. The rules for the contest sound fine. I don't know weather I will take part or not. It may be a month or so before I print what I shoot here. I can't wait to see this place.”

“Hey, I definitely plan to come up Friday afternoon. I nbeed some time in the woods bad. I had debated spending the weekend with my wife, but she is cool with it. Sure hope it cools off!”

“It looks like I'm back in. I talked to my boss about how Baltimore/Virginia was a good conference to go to, but I've worked everyother weekend for the past month and have averaged over 65 billable hours per week for 2 months. Heck, I averaged over 40 even after I got back from a weeks vacation. Anyway, he said not to worry about it. I should be at the parking lot by 2:30 and will hike in with my son. We'll probably be at camp by 3:30. See yall there.”

“dayhiker, glad to see you going make it

since we are only dayhiking to take pics I may bring a steak and a potato in for Sat nights dinner
last edited: 11/01/04 3:11:17 PM”

“I'm going to have to think about supper too. Reece will be a snap. PB&J or Grilled Cheese! I'll do pancakes both mornings. That's our usual thing anyway. Each weekend I cook breakfast and we always have pancakes. I might bring a beer or two, but that'll be it. I don't want to even risk the hint of impairment with him and those bluffs.

Weather: abc3340.com is the most reliable local weather. It's looking great, btw.”

“Dayhiker
It's great that you and your son can make it. It looks to be a great weekend. Started packing today,Loaded all my film I'm pretty much ready. Does anybody shoot 6x6,645,6x9 ect.? I have a few rolls of 120.”

“Dayhiker I\'m glad you and your son will be able to make the trip, should be a blast... I\'m looking forward to meeting everyone. I am thinking about going in Thursday evening; guess I\'ll be solo for the night unless I run into HOI...”

“me and miss opie should be back on for this trip...”

“are you still on babe? if so message me.”

“hey bama..a few questions, i'm in jackson and don't have my map with me..how far is it to the falls coming from the river/bee branch junction along the river trail??

Also how is the undergrowth/green foliage..is it getting pretty easy to bushwack??..whats the nearest campsite to the falls besides the big one?”

“The water level for Sipsey River is 3.35 at Grayson (Mim's.....down stream a bit...) which means it is very low....unless it rains, it will be very shallow at the Sipsey River/Borden Creek fork.....wooohooo!!!!!”

“OPIE - I don't have my map with me either, but it's probably 9-10 miles from Thompson. If you want a hike, but not quite that much you could come in or whichever 201 or 202 is the southern of the two trails, cross the river, and come in on 209. That's maybe 5. Again, guessing at mileage.”