New Year's in Sipsey

“Noticed several SE TT'rs looking for something to do over New Year's so here's your chance. I'm going regardless but you are all welcome to join...
last edited: 12/27/05 6:01:57 PM”

“Date Hi/Low Precip%
Dec 29 49°/30° 10%
Dec 30 61°/46° 20%
Dec 31 56°/40° 20%
Jan 1 62°/55° 20%”

“I can go Thur and Fri. Let me know where ya want to camp. I'll be there.”

“I assume you've probably been there before...any preferences on where you would like to go? I've wanted to go off trail and explore West Bee Canyon for awhile now but we could probably do that in 1 day. There are several nice campsites to choose from if we opted to do that. Checking out the falls on Caney Creek could be nice too but since I've never been in that area, I can't comment on campsite options there. I'm open to suggestion.”

“I have never been to West Bee Br., so I would like to try that area. The map I have doesn't show any trails around the Caney Ck area. My map has the gps coor for all the Borden Ck, Upper Sipsey and Bee Branches. I could meet you at the trailhead at Thompson Ck early on Thursday morn, just let me know what time. I will be coming in from the north (probably from Wren and the Warrior Trading Post) so what would be my best route to get there. BTW I have a 4WD Blazer.”

“I would like to join y'all.Please post the times and schedule.Hope to see you tomorrow.”

“Ok. Let's plan to meet at Thompson TH around 9:00 AM. We'll take the White Oak route into West Bee stopping to make camp at a nice off trail spot dayhiker showed me. After that, we'll bushwhack to the head of West Bee. If we have enough daylight, maybe we can try to find a way out of the canyon and over to East Bee. We'll discuss plans for day 2 once we get there...sound ok?”

“toph - I did the West Bee to East Bee and back to camp loop in half a day including a long stop at the head of West Bee. In hindsight I would probably go up one side of West Bee and come back out on the other side of West Bee. I went up the east side of the branch last time. There were lots of rock features on that far side.

The campsite is maybe 1 mile or so from the TH. You should have camp made by 11 at the latest and still have about 5 hrs of daylight.”

“"In hindsight I would probably go up one side of West Bee and come back out on the other side of West Bee"

Not sure I understand. You mean you wouldn't try to go to East Bee from West again but rather just explore both sides of West Bee in and out?”

“Yes. Doing the loop you suggest is a great trip. I've been in East Bee tons of times but West Bee isn't a typical trip so I wish I had fully explored it while I was there instead.”

“Does anyone know how to reach StoveStomper? Last he posted to the Quick Overnighter thread, he was heading to Savage Gulf this afternoon and it doesn't look like anyone will be there.”

“I have his cell and will call now.”

“I'm sitting on my butt drinking coffee and wasteing time on TT.

Toying with throwing all my gear together and hauling butt up toward Sipsey tonight, getting a room nearby, and meeting y'all at 9am at Thompson Creek trailhead.”

“Talking with dayhiker right now.”

“Getting a room? What? Ya goin' soft on us?”

“Tell dayhiker I said hi!”

“Hey Nigal. You need to hit Sipsey in March with us if you're work will allow.”

“Only if Buddha goes too and he lets me wear his visor.”

“Thanks dh...we'll probably do that. We could always do East Bee on day 2 if anyone wants to go.”

““Getting a room? What? Ya goin' soft on us?”
Nigal
11:02:27 AM
12/28/05

Damn straight. LOL
I like to repack my pack and start off with a clean shower.”

“Well, and then there's that. If you've got folks that haven't been then the loop makes lots of sense. If it's all folks that are familar with the area then you might want to explore West Bee in detail.

N - I'd pick both of you up at the airport but we'd have to put a backpack between you to keep from killing each other.”

“I like to start off with a disorganized pack and crusty butt.

Birch and I stayed in a state park here in Ohio once and dayhiked around. We had 8" of snow, the temps rose and it rained all Friday night and Saturday morning. The drive into the park crossed a little creek ford. The rangers came to our camp and told us they couldn't make us leave but once the water got so high we were stuck in the campgrounds. We deedeemowed and went to a hotel. Foiled again! LOL!”

“"N - I'd pick both of you up at the airport but we'd have to put a backpack between you to keep from killing each other.”

That's cool. I'd just sit on my side in my "W is the Messiah" t shirt flickin' boogers at him or holding my finger 1/4" from his face saying, "I'm not touching you. I'm not touching you. I'm not touching you. I'm not touching you.".”

“How many nights y'all talking about???
Thur & Friday?

Weird weather, low of about 35 Friday morning and about 55 Sat morning.
last edited: 12/28/05 11:21:28 AM”

“OK, I've decided I NEED to join y'all but it will be late tomorrow night before I get there.

Y'all gonna be camped on top the waterfall soon after going down from the ridgetop of the bluff between WhiteOak Hollow and West Bee Branch??? Dayhiker's 'secret' camp?

I'll come in after dark. Y'all leave a glowstick or something at the turn off from the trail to camp please. I'll replace the glowstick for whoever is nice enought to leave it. I do know the way from white oak to West Bee branch, just not where the turn off is.

I'll email toph and karo my cell number in a minute or two.

Any of y'all got a FSR radio walkietalkie?
Channel one will be the one I use if y'all have any.”

“I'm in for at least 2 nights, Thur/Fri and I could easily be convinced to pull Sat too.

Yes, that's the site. The trail after you cross 205 was pretty difficult to follow a few weeks ago because of blowdowns and leafoff...just an fyi. As I recall, after you make the turnoff, you'll go up and over the hill and then follow that drainage down until you reach the waterfall and camp. I'll leave the glowstick for ya at the turnoff and bring my walkie talkie as well. What time do you think you might get to the TH?”

“It's about 400 miles one way for me.
I should get to the trailhead before dark as long as I drag my butt out of bed tonight and get on the road early.
I hope to be on the road by 8 at least and at the trailhead by 4, I hope.”

“Wow, didn't realize it was quite that far. We'll try to have a nice roaring fire waiting on you. Have a safe trip...”

“As you hike along the trail there are 3 waterfalls on the right side before you drop into West Bee. About 30 yards before the 3rd falls is where you leave the trail. THere is a rock outcropping about 15' long by 4' tall that's maybe 5-10' higher than the trail elevation. This is the exit point.”

“That before or after you climb down to the 'bathtub hole' in the stream?”

“http://community.webshots.com/photo/285305209/285360292KmXkot
Top of ridge between White Oak and West Bee Branch.

http://community.webshots.com/photo/285364745/285364745BMzqUO
heading down to West Bee Branch

http://community.webshots.com/photo/285368233/285368233rYyuUz
along the way, 'bathtub' at base

http://community.webshots.com/photo/285371384/285371384ddjdGg
Nice bathtub”

“Hmm, don't recall that one. Is that the fall directly at the rift you go through in the rock that drops you down into West Bee? In other words, is that the nasty place where you have to slide on your butt?

You pretty much leave the trail at the last possible place where you can and still be able to cross the stream to your right and head uphill.”

“Yeah, I think that's it.”

“Before you get to the bathtub SS...”

“There is a rope there now to help with the slide down (and climb back up). Lots of downed trees in that area...”

“I'll be there, but I'm not sliding on my butt!

Toph, what is the best route for me to get to the trailhead at TH??? I will be coming in from I-65 at the Hartselle exit.”

“Hmm...I believe there is a way to hit it from the north but I've never in that way. I would probably just take Hwy 36 from Hartselle and then take a left on Hwy 33. Take the right on CR 6/Cranal Rd, follow it until it dead ends and take a right. I believe you can just follow the signs to Thompson from there.”

“Or you could just meet me at the Sipsey Rec Area on Cranal about 8:30 and drop a vehicle in case we decide to hike 209 on Friday...
last edited: 12/28/05 3:04:42 PM”

“Ok I see that route, I was just thinking of a more direct way to get there from the north. We might do that, let me see if my old neighbor wants to tag along. He can't hike too far or too rough a path. If he doesn't go, I'm up for doing 209 to the Sipsey picnic area. Let ya know after a while.”

“karo - regarless of which plan yall do you're going to get a much better picture of Sipsey than what you saw in Feb. I'm envious.”

“In terms of your neighbor, exploring West Bee will be a MUCH tougher hike than anything 209 has to offer...no trail to the head of West Bee that I know of. It will be all bushwhacking, rock hopping, scrambling over deadfall, etc”

“Good point toph - all of this will be much toughter than what karo saw in Feb. Just an fyi.”

“use Privacy Codes...Channel One with which code?...like one maybe? Channel one with code one?

Debating...May hike in for the Day...maybe a night...The Canoe/Kayak club I hang with will have a few peeps at Brushy Lake Sat & Sun...May try and hit BOTH this trip and the Brushy Lake Campout...”

“My FSR doesn't have codes.
It's an elCheapo.”

“Then we will have to use Channel one code zero to pick up SS. I have ready and charged up. Just packed up and have a few little things to add to my pack.
Toph I believe I will meet you at the Sipsey picnic area and leave a vehicle. That sounds like a great hike out on Friday (209). I have been invited to supper on Friday night at the state line. Can't miss out on that!”

“I am thinking about goung down 206 to the junction with 209 and then back north on West Bee Branch. How far would that be and is it even passable??? I just sent SS and Toph e-mails and definitely will meet Toph at 8:30 am at the Sipsey picnic area under the bridge on Hwy 60. We can make our plans in from there I guess. I just don't want to bushwhack in a full pack even if it is just under 20 lbs!”

“By going that route, you would be looking at turning a 2 mile hike to camp into an ~8 mile hike. Figuring out where to go once you reach Bee Branch to make it to camp could be tricky as well, especially the last half mile. Do you have a GPS?

I hadn't actually considered hiking totally out on Friday but maybe camping along 209 somewhere. We'll work it where you can get out if you need to.”

“No Problemo, just pondering. I may just go the way you suggested and then back out the same way. I will meet you at the picnic area in the morn at 8:30 anyway. We can decide for sure then. Or I can follow you to Thompson Ck.TH. BTW you have mail, and yes I have a GPS. Do you have any coor. you could send?
last edited: 12/28/05 8:35:29 PM”

“All packed up and ready the hit the road tomorrow.
Just need to water up and throw my pack in the car and zoom.”

“Cool...have a safe trip SS.”