Black Mtn Crest Trail & Big Butt(kikker) fall trip

“hounddog, it'd be cool if you go! it'd be good to see you again.”

“amadeus0720 said he is going down Thursday night from DC and could give anyone a ride.”

“yep, downside is that it looks pretty unlikely that I'd be able to leave until after work Friday :o(”

“Looks like my piano schedule is pretty much set now. Yay! I will be able to leave by 6:30 on Thursday. I also may cancel my last lesson so we could leave a little earlier. What time do yall get off work?”

“that sucks Y2. Will you be making a Saturday arival at Mt. Mitchell?”

“Probably, lots going on right now though. Could be some changes afoot.”

“Changes afoot? Could that be a good thing?”

“Who knows - only time can tell.”

“too lazy to look back through the posts.....would you be coming up thursday or friday?”

“i'm not sure yet, but i may not be able to leave richmond until friday morning. that would put me in the night hike group with yam and pennsy. fortunately, i love hiking at night without my headlamp.”

“a bunch of us could just meet up for the night hike in, maybe.”

“a night hike.. there's an idea.. although, I've never done that before (except for the time when I got lost looking for a latrine without my flashlight - but that's another story!). I'm up for anything! It'd be great to meet up with a group before heading in.”

“Quitting time for me is 3:30. By the time I drive home, shower, load my gear, & head out, I could be there by 6:30. That's perfect.”

“hey yam...i want to make it thursday, but it most likely would be friday for me too. yeah, we all could meet and hike it at night together. shoot, if I am not the only one, I will hike in at night, but I wanna know for sure that I am not the only one.

I hiked solo in between 2 prisions at night before, and let me tell you...I wasn't feeling to brave. LOL”

“well it sounds as if a night hike group is forming... awesome! we'll have to work out the details of when/where to meet and go from there - count me in... but since i've never hiked at night before, i don't think you'd want me to lead ;) being "blind" would be an understatement.”

“Whoohoo! I got my map in the mail yesterday! It's so big I kinda got lost:) Its nice to see where we will be!

I couldnt find potato knob or hallback mtn. I'm wondering if there is a section of the map that is missing....”

“Potato Knob and Mt. Hallback are both on the main spine of the Blacks. Hall back is just south of Mitchell and Potato Knob is above where NC 128 junctions with the Blue Ridge Parkway.”

“So where do I get this map again?”

“http://www.cradleofforestry.com/store//c2.html

it is $4 and is the South Toe River Ivy Cane Gap map I think. I am hoping mine will arrive today.”

“where is my map I wonder”

“i ordered one as well... i don't think the have the most sophisticated checkout system, so it might take awhile :)”

“only 50 degrees up on Mt. Mitchell today.”

“sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeet.”

“that's the high. lol Going to be cold come October.”

“Well, that just means we'll all have to snuggle up to keep warm and get to know each other real well! :)”

“get that fluffy down out the closet.”

“so it will be a little cool, what is freaking you guys out??”

“lol, once you've walked up celo, then over to the gap, then you'l know Ewker. ;o)”

“wow they got that thing fixxed. For the longest time it was down. I hope it is cold. I want some good brisk fall weather on this trip.”

“Y2, can't be any worse than Mt Rogers has been the last 2 yrs.”

“I think it can be Ewker. It's a much harder trip to the top as well.”

“I thought I bought the map and it didn't go through, so I purchased another one today and this time it should go through. I should have the map in a few days. This map is better than the ones that I have and that is why I haven't sent anyone copies yet. The maps that I have are old and out of date compared to the new one. It seems like everyone bought the map. If anyone still needs one, please let me know and I will make you a copy. Hopefully will have it by Monday or Tuesday of next week.”

“we'll be 1000 feet higher on this trip and not that much further south.”

“I wouldn't mind a little snow.”

“Snow would be cool :o)”

“Can I go?”

“join in MarkO and bring JO.”

“Y2, which way did you go up Mt Rogers last yr. I did the AT route to the top or bail out point ...lol”

“well that's true, I went up the side path with Pennsy, Yam and Walkingdude. It was shorter than the AT path by a good distance.”

“This trip sounds great and I'm angling to come along. I missed it in July.”

“if you can't do the whole thing, there are places to join in at or jump off at.”

“Take a flyin' leap?”

“I want it to snow!!! Snow on the pretty foliage would make for some awesome pics!”

“Fall/winter weather can't get here fast enough!! I can't wait.

oooooooooo snow. That would be even sweeter!!!”

“Yeah, careful what you wish for, girls.”

“because it might make us happy?? ; )”

“It might make you slide off a dang cliff...>8^O”

“those scramble would be pretty interesting in snow and ice.”

“marko...
stop being so dark(o)!

(i know i can't choose, but i'd love to skip the ice and just have nice fresh snow piled on the sides of the trail--there, of course, will prolly be neither!)”