Mammoth Cave in November

“Okay, the trip will be in November. I would like to go one of the first 2 weekends (November 5-6 or November 12-13).

Tell me, if interested, what weekend works for you.

As I have in the past, I plan to drive down from Chicago on Friday and camp at the headquarters campground. I believe you can have up to 8 people per site so all are welcome Friday night as well.”

“I won't do a full commit but will be down as a maybe. I have both weekends open as of right now so either is fine.

As close as I live to this place I have never been. Guess it is time
last edited: 7/28/05 10:09:23 AM”

“Sounds good!”

“I'll put myself in as a maybe. I might have something the first weekend, but don't plan around me.”

“ohhhh, I would be nice to return to Mammoth Cave and backpack there. hmmmm.... First weekend you mentioned could be a post b-day celebration for me... IF I get there, hahhhaa”

“lizs is gonna backpack..I have to show up now”

“Sweet! Come on Lizs! We can carpool!”

“I'm gonna join the trip, currently I am off the second weekend in Nov...but if I switch to first shift which is my plan then I could end up having the other weekend off, so just plan it and if I can be there I will!”

“Straight up! It is looking like it will be the first weekend now anyways.”

“Oh Ewker, you have seen me backpack... I think... LOL! (or at least in the vicinity of my backpack, right?? LOL)

Yeah, carpooling would be good.... cool-oh-mundo, WK, long as I drive to Chi-town and then YOU drive. LOL! Or I could take Amtrak in, but well, I forget when it gets in from La Crosse/Milwaukee.

of course, I am only a "maybe" so far.... hehehee”

“Right Lizs. As it draws near, we can figure it out. I am open to anything.”

“Don't let your wife hear that, WK!!

>8-O

heheheehahahhaa!!!”

“I might be able to make this trip. I don't know yet.”

“I would like to join you guys on this one, but will just be a maybe right up to the time most likely.”

“im in!

that will be a really great time of year to go. weather will be mild, leaves will be changing. good time to head to rrg, too”

“I didn't know you could backpack in the Mammoth Cave area. Of course the last time I was there was about 40 years ago :-)”

“NICE!

I love all the attention this trip is gathering!

Treebait, it will be cool to meet ya!

Crash, That is what I was thinking. We were there last September and it was fricking 90 degrees! I thought November would be safe.

Tru Dat Bill! They have a bunch of great back country trails!
last edited: 7/28/05 10:49:43 PM”

“hey woodzie, you ought to go on this trip.”

“WK, do you have more info on the trails?

And maybe the Hoosier trip too?
last edited: 7/28/05 10:53:01 PM”

“Actually, what is posted below is the route I plan on hiking (unless someone has a better suggestion) You can find these trails on the attached map.

http://data2.itc.nps.gov/parks/maca/ppMaps/MACAmap1%2Epdf

I am thinking about taking the Good Srrings Loop north to the Collie Ridge Trail. Next, taking (I think) the Buffalo Loop over to the McCoy Hollow Trail and camping at McCoy Hollow on Saturday night. This will make for at least a 10 mile day. The ground is pretty flat, no major elevation.

The hike out Sunday will be back out on the McCoy Hollow Trail to either the Collie Ridge or the Good Springs Loop Trail and back to Good Spring Church.

Let me know if this answers the basics.

As for Hoosier, it is a fairly simple trip. The hike on Saturday will be no more than 9 miles on flat ground. The hike out will be about 7 miles with a series of switchbacks toward the end. Nothing to difficult. Please find a map of Charles Deam below and feel free to send me an e-mail with an other questions.

Charles Deam
http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/hoosier/images/maps/trail_maps/deam_wilderness_backpage.pdf

backpakn2@sbcglobal.net
last edited: 7/28/05 11:00:05 PM”

“Cool! Thank you!”

“No problem dude! Hope you can make one or both of these.”

“set a date WK =)”

“I'll certainly give some thought to doing this trip. It will all depend on my school schedule, though. I'll know by the end of August if I will have Fridays free or not.”

“I want to go but I might need a ride:P if I cant get mike interested.”

“I thought I did Ewker. It id the first weekend in November. Let me check.”

“ok you did, earlier it was 11-5 to 11-13...lol”

“Earlier is said Thursday, too. LOL! Ya better reread that trip post, WK. lol... I think ya just posted the one from last time... and that's where some dates are wrong.”

“WK, I see you booked a campsite for Friday night. How many can stay there and what is the cost?
I haven't decided if I will drive up Friday evening or leave early Sat morning. (only 1.5 hrs away) What time do you expect to break camp sat morning for the ferry ride to the trail.”

“Ha! I see WK has it totally updated. Anyhoo, WK, that's why I had written about leaving Thursday, I see it in the original post.”

“Dates: 11/5 - 11/6/05
Trip Organizer: Wounded Knee
Location: Mammoth Cave National National Park

That is straight from the trip thingy.

Woodzie - The trip is scheduled for Saturday and Sunday. Friday camping is optional.

Nicole - I may have lizs with me but we may be able to squeeze you in. I don't know what her plans are yet. She may be taking the train in and I will pick her up at the station.

Don't know yet though.”

“Okay,

Yes, I will (haves not booked yet, but will today) be staying at the main campground on Friday. You are allowed 8 people per site. We have never had a problem with too many people on these sites so I am not worried about filling up.

Don't worry about the cost. I have to come because I don't want to start driving at 1 am Saturday morning to make the arrival time.

We will meet at the visitors center at 9 AM because we have to give our license plate numbers and our trip plans because we hae to obtain a permit to camp on the back country sites. Once we know everyone is accounted for, we will all procede over the ferry (one car at a time) and drive the the trail head. This puts us at the trail head anywhere from 9:30 to 10:00.”

“The campground stops taking reservations on October 31, but it will remain open through the month of November. The sites at that point are on a first come, first serve basis. The ranger I just spoke with said I will have no problem getting a site.

Also, she said that the green river ferry is not presently operating due to the lack of rain. This will add some time to our dive to the trail head, but we can still get there.

The site I have proposed to stay at Saturday is close enough to the Green river so we will not have any trouble with water (assuming the entire river doesn't dry up)

The is another route we can take as well if need be where we will be camping near a small lake. This loop is more milage.”

“hell we can ford the river =)”

“WK, just put one of these on your Jeep

http://www.rocky-road.com/jeepsnork.html
last edited: 8/09/05 12:43:48 PM”

“Probably Ewker! I have seen Jeeps with these modifications. If I was into offroad travel, I probably would too!”

“might wanna rethink this trip ;)...just saw a preview for this movie called The Cave...the preview said it was in the worlds largest cave complex...i thought that was mamouth but i couldn't find anything about mamouth on their site

http://www.sonypictures.com/movies/thecave/”

“contains "intense creature violence"

yea, there was a film crew the last time i was there”

“LOOK! Here is one of the monsters!

http://community.webshots.com/photo/164679084/180660712VyiKRB”

“I have National Geographic TOPO mapping software that includes Mammoth. Just looking at it now. Think I routed the trails right.

Yes, it would be 10.19 miles. I ran an elevation profile and it runs for a total gain of 998 feet to a loss of 1,142 feet for a net loss of 144 ft. (more info than ya wanted right?)

It drops to around 400 ft. 3 miles in (looks to be where Wet Prong and Dry Prong go into Buffalo Creek). The high point occurs around 6 miles in, about 850 ft., right close to the Sand Springs Cemetery BOO!

I'll have to try to post this topo map. It's cool. :-) LOL! I **LOVE** MAPS!!
last edited: 8/12/05 12:18:56 AM”

“Birch and I are going to make our best effort to go on this one. Neither of us has been to Mammoth since we were little and it looks like a great group. We're in pending a babysitter (which usually isn't a problem).
We plan on leaving here around 4pm Friday which means we'd get to Cave city around 11pm. =)”

“Is this a good place to visit in November? I have only been here in the summer.”

“Sweet! Birch and Sass. I hope you guys can make it. We will have the fire ready for you and the beer cold.

It should be pitts. I was there at the end of last September at it was 90 degrees. That was a hike into hell! The averages for the beginning of November work out to be like low 60's during the day and 40's at night. Perfect if you ask me.

Let's hope that stays true.”

“Getting out with good people is perfect no matter the weather! As long as a flood isn't washing us away it'll be a blast. I'm really excited about this trip.

I'm having a hard time getting the maps to open on the nps site. Anyone else? They open and the page stays white.”

“Sass, It opens for me. Try the link

http://data2.itc.nps.gov/parks/maca/ppMaps/MACAmap1%2Epdf”

“It still stays white. =( Oh well. I've got enough time I'll call or write for a paper copy.

It's probably this six year old, very tired computer.
last edited: 8/17/05 10:59:04 AM”

“If you call Sass, the map they send is worthless. You almost have to buy one. I'll try e-mailing you the Adobe file of the map.”

“Sas: My wife's computer does this as well with PDF files. I have her right-click on the link and select "save as" then save the PDF on her desktop. Then double-click on the file from the desktop and it should open. I haven't had time to sort this out but she seems content with the workaround... for now!
last edited: 8/17/05 11:27:10 AM”

“Thanks for the suggestion Pitts. I was able to save it to My Documents. When I opened the file it was the same white page, lol. So then I right clicked and selected print. I was hopeful when the printer started working until it spit out a white page with the url for the map on the bottom. Maybe if I restart the cranky old computer it'll reset something and forget it doesn't like this file.”

“Ha! Sorry for the bum tip, Sassafras. Hopefully the PDF you are emailed will work. I can also send it to you if you wish. You may have to re-install Acrobat Reader. What a pain in the neck!”