Fall '07 Sipsey Bushwhack

“:-D

Walked right into that one!
last edited: 10/12/07 1:13:21 PM”

“wow!!!...thanks!!!!!”

“amazing!!”

“dang dayhiker - you have put on some weight - but then drinking Guinness will do that”

“my my....you have put on weight!!!”

“wow....YOU need to be scared if we think alike!!!”

“be afraid - be very afraid



I'm afraid we have been hanging around TT too long”

“toph - is this where the trailhead is located: http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?lat=34.23512&lon=-87.43469&s=25&size=l&u=4&datum=nad27&layer=DRG25”

“It would appear that I've aged about a decade too. At least my hairline is straight again though.”

“again?”

“Yes again, when I was about 15 my hairline was straight. Ever since then I've had a more and more pronounced widows peak hairline.”

“Actually, I've always had a widows peak. Here's a photo from when I was 10:



”

“LOL>..hahahahahahahahaaaaaaa!!!!”

“That's it...give or take a few yards.”

“I drove over and walked in today....and along the way I marked the trail with silver reflective tape....it matches the bark on the trees...no sign of it in the daylight, but at night it will mark the route in.

The Road goes from Gravel to Sand and passes thru a small clearcut before reaching a blowdown (Easily negotiated by bending low and flexing your knees - I did it with my pack on)...all in the first 1/2 mile...from there it narrrows a bit but is still wide enough for two hikers to walk side by side.....all the way down to the turn left to camp.

All the description to say this...If fat old outashape me can do this without breaking a sweat, anyone can (YOU TO Stovie!) Pack light and get yer buns out here...I'll carry your stuff out if it needs to be carried, and you can quite literally stroll this in 45 minutes.

I also cleared and marked a route around the deadfall on the road down into camp.

In the first photo there is a small (about 1 1/2") tree on the right...I marked it twice about three inches apart, like the double blazes you find on the AT at direction changes....from there you turn hard left and follow the road...Toph's right, about 100 yards.

Coming in from Double Springs, you turn North on 33, then left on Winston county 2, then 3.5 miles...Divinity posted that the trailhead is on the right just after two Chicken Houses (on the left), and it is.

I'm going to bring a one man cross cut saw and clear the route a little more, I should be in camp by dark or a little after on Thursday night.
last edited: 10/14/07 3:12:59 PM”

“I may come down on Thursday myself, see ya there.”

“bump”

“I was looking over a Cabela's catalog this weekend and say SuperTroll's 'enclosed cot/tent'. Wonder if he will pack that monster in? ;-)”

“I will be using my hammock as usual. The CHAIR I will pack in is prolly the extent of my luxuries.”

“I'm thinking of bringing a second hammock just to lounge around in - rig a slack rope to support your feet and its almost like sitting in a recliner”

“will do this trip, pack up and out on Sunday, then Fly to Washington DC on Monday, meetings on Tuesday/Wednesday....return Thursday, then paddle on Fri/Sat/Sun.....les' see now, that's two days work in between Two three day weekends of outdoor stuff...2 / 6; not a bad ratio if I say so myself......”

“Did I tell ya'll that I am bringing a newbie???

yeppers.... I love taking newbies...lol.....especially the fact that they see Sipsey for the first time.....and they fall in love with it....
last edited: 10/19/07 3:05:00 AM”

“theweather chanl calling for hi 70 lo 45 next weekend.

I'll be there Fri nite.”

“We'll be there Friday p.m. too.
I'll leave work at noon, and should arrive at the trailhead around five-ish.”

“gojo, watch out for a silver ford sport trac with hiking stickers doing about 90 about the same time.

we might have to stop at UAB to see a friend in the hospital”

“Is there currently a fire ban active in Alabama? I saw where there was one in June but I don't know if it ever got lifted.”

“OK the way I read it it looks OK for a campfire with reasonable precautions - is that the way ya'll read it too?”

“So a stikmon fire would probably be out of bounds then?”

“http://www.fs.fed.us/r8/alabama/law/documents/ForestWideTempFireOrder2007-00-10.doc

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
FOREST SERVICE
NATIONAL FORESTS IN Alabama

Order Number 2007-00-10

Emergency Fire and Fireworks Closure
OCCUPANCY AND USE


Pursuant to 36 CFR 261.50 (a) and (b) for the protection of the public and natural resources, the following acts are prohibited throughout the National Forests in Alabama. This closure order is effective from August 20, 2007 until September 30, 2007.

1. Building, maintaining, attending, using a fire or campfire (wood or charcoal), or stove fire. 36 CFR 261.52(a)

Exemptions to this prohibition are fires that are built at a developed recreation area within the designated fire rings. Additionally, the use of gas or liquid fuel type stoves or backpacking stoves will be allowed.

2. Violating any state law concerning burning or fires which are implemented for the purpose of preventing or restricting the spread of fires. 36 CFR 261.52(k)

3. Possessing, discharging or using any kind of firework or other pyrotechnic device.
36 CFR 261.52(f)


Pursuant to 36 CFR 261.50(e), the following persons are exempt from this Order:

1) Persons with a permit specifically authorizing the otherwise prohibited act or
omission.

2) Any Federal, State, or local officer, or member of an organized rescue or fire fighting force, in the performance of an official duty.



Prepared at Montgomery, Alabama this 20th day of August 2007.




Miera B. Crawford
Forest Supervisor
National Forests in Alabama


STILL TRYING TO SEE IF IT HAS BEEN RENEWED....BACK IN A FEW.....
last edited: 10/23/07 5:42:56 AM”

“HOI, I do know that I65 seems to be the breakline on the fire issue. I'm east of 65 and the fire ban has been lifted here for a couple of months. I don't know the particulars of the west side of the state.”

“Bankhead National Forrest phone number:

205-489-5111

The young lady there said that the "No Campfire Order" is still in effect and she sees little to no chance that it will be lifted before this weekend (I think it will be after this rain...we gotta wait and see. I live 50 miles directly west of the trailhead, and It was raining all night where I live, with the rain moving west to east, so I know Bankhead has been getting the rain.)

Then again, maybe not....

http://radar.weather.gov/radar.php?rid=BMX&product=NTP&overlay=11101111&loop=yes

looks like the BNF got about 0.3 inches....
last edited: 10/23/07 5:59:17 AM”

“Yall are going to have the perfect weekend. Rain mid week before the trip with nice temps (mid 70's and mid 50's) and sunshine. The waterfalls might actually be decent.”

“Don't call the damn Rangers at Sipsey. It will freak them out.”

“Yes, what's needed is for a dozen different people to call and say they're having a beer party and bonfire. Wait, we've been there and done that.”

“heck after the first maintenance trip to the Sipsey I don't think I would ever call the Rangers at Double Springs”

“picking up trash on the road not the type of wilderness experience you're looking for?”

“it was annonymoose.....

Question: "Is there a continuing Ban on Campfires in Bankhead NF?"

Answer: "Yes"

Question: "Is there any chance it will be lifted due to the current Rain?"

Answer: "No, we have not had even 1 inch of rain since the ban took effect...."

Reply: Ok thanks (Click).


Now I can't speak for any follow on calls someone else might make......”

“that's a big 10-4 dayhiker”

““gojo, watch out for a silver ford sport trac with hiking stickers doing about 90 about the same time.

we might have to stop at UAB to see a friend in the hospital”
OPIE
11:34:12 PM
10/22/07

I hope Mrs Opie does the map and compass thing for y'all this trip, once y'all get to the trailhead. ;-)
Don't want y'all to get lost again.”

“So there!...NO gettin lost...sheesh...dang wannabe hikers gettin' LOST all the Time!

"LostBoy"”

“After that last trip I'm not making any jokes about people getting lost. I think that experience aged me 5 years.”

“yeah that could have turned out a whole lot worse than it did”

“Dang, I almost forgot about that, dayhiker and HOI.
OPIE and Mrs Opie getting lost was funny, not so with that other guy.”

“Boo!!!!”

“I have been AWOL....anything I should know???”

“I was just wondering if y'all were still going, Div?
I plan on it. :-)”

“I think my "newbie" is going to bail....BUT...I don't want her to be miserable.....I told her no campfire....”

“Glad your going Stovie.....I am going to Phantom of the Opera Thursday and will hike in Fri afternoon.....I'm excited!!!!....”