~~~~Fiery Gizzard Trip~~~~

“I-am-OM
You can camp in Chattanooga. There's not really anywhere to camp right in that area except backcountry places.

Gojo
You need to try to get to the FG parking before dark. The Fanger at the Trail Head may not let you go in if it's too late. Also, You need to take the Dog Hole trail back to Raven Point Campsite. The FG trail through is rocky and hard to follow at night. The Dog Hole trail is easy to follow.”

“walkindude, is there a limited number of permits for the campsites? Do we need to call and reserve them?”

“No need to reserve spots baume66, as you fill in little free permits yourself instead of getting them from a Ranger.

SuperTroll take note!! What WD means is that the Rangers at Savage Guls are gungho dudes and absolutely DO NOT allow backpacking at night. And if the FG Rangers and regulations are the same as Savage's, you need to either get there early or VERY late!

WD I'll know something this weekend about a sitter for my lil one .... I know that one'a my Gramma's cannot do it, and the other one is what ya might call "fickle". It's accurate to say that I'm highly concerned!”

“Two Parts:

Part I:
Nekked, I know the prohibition about night hiking, and it's a valid one, even the level ground has more exposed rocks and roots per meter than most anywhere else I've hiked...add the edge of the Gorge and you have a really dangerous night hike, even with lights. As you face the gate at the trailhead, there is a gravel road that travels to the west outside the boundry. It goes 1/2 mile or so to the gate to the CCC campsite, so if you need to, fill out the permit, then hike down the road to the site to camp.

Part II:
I can relate to naked ape's situation, turns out the weekend of the 28/29 is the birth date of my hiking companions son...a 10 year old. I've been trying to talk him into hiking for his birthday, with little success. I may cancel to stay with them if I don't win him over.

Just thought that I should tell you all up front, I know I'll get trashed for it anyway, just didn't want to "Not Show Up" and face the fire on TT for it.”

“Hehe, "Guls" is Espanol for Gulf, don'tchaknow?

Thanx ST, although I knows about the CCC campsite, my rathers are to hike in anyways. LOL, ask summa ppl here who attended Savage and RRG Return.”

“Holy Whazoo! My pack weighs 50 pounds with food and water! Granted my tent weighs 9 pounds but dang! I need to invest in lighter gear cuz I just don't want to give up the luxuries.

Oh! and that doesn't include a stove and fuel because I'm not going to fly those in. Hey, WD, what kind of weight is that going to add? Good thing I have shoulders of steel. :o)”

“OOOoooohhh. I got beat up by a 50+ pound pack earlier this year. Last trip it was around 45 though and mmuuuccchhhhh nicer.”

“Sunshine if your pack weighs 50 pounds it weighs too much. You're packing water for Fiery Gizzard? WD isn't water readily available?

My pack at Savage Gulf was 42 lbs. after the trip,, and I know it could have been lighter! And in the spring a pack should be lighter still.”

“DAMN GIRL!
You are packing too heavy. I told you to ditch the tent and I'd loan you my Cobra. There is water close by at SG and we can get water at FG just a little bit before we reach camp. I figure my pack to weigh about 25-30 pounds for all three days.
What are you carrying?”

“Well, I did order that Kelty Clark tent that Radagast pointed out. We'll see if it gets here in time. It's only 3#1oz.

Backpack
Tent 9#
Sleeping bag 3#4oz.
Thermarest Ultralite Long
Chair Kit
Dromedary Bag 5 oz.(4L - I'll dump the water)
Nalgene Bottle (filled)
Gortex Shell
Rain Pants
Aqua Shoes
Socks & Liners (1 pair each)
Shorts & Baseball Cap
Pot, cup and spoon
Knife
Food
Emergency Kit
Ditty Bag
Mini Mag
Duct Tape
Trowel
Bug Spray
Sunscreen
Whistle
Rope f/hanging food (necessary?)


Since it's not bear country, do I need to hang my food bag. Maybe I could lose the rope. Other wise, I really don't want to go without any of these things.”

“Just bring about 15 feet of string to use for food hanging. You don't need no rope.
Also keep in mind that we will be doing two 1- nighters. You can leave some gear in the truck and re-pack when we get to the other location.
Dumping the water and using a smaller tent should help tremendously.”

“Looking good so far.”

“You guys are gonna have sooo much fun! How I wish we could join ya'll! I can't wait to hear about it.”

“Yeah Joy, You and Hyperpacker need to come and hike in my neck of the woods sometime. One day I do plan to get up to Michigan.”

“Sunshine-

wow, that's a bear of a pack! I am far from lightweight myself, but consider...
in a group, you can share emergency supplies to omit redundancies. Same goes for bear bag. No sense having dupes unless ya have to. (throw it all in walkindudes pack - think of it as a handicap, like at the racetrack! lol)
That tent of yours is what's really painful. The clark sounds like a great investment!
oh yeah...wrap some duct tape around your Nalgene, instead of bringing a roll, and have you tried putting the sunsreen and bug spray into smaller(lighter) weekend-sized containers?

Not to add more weight, but I would bring 2 pairs of socks too. Just my opinion.

Have a blast! Sounds like a great crew!! >:D”

“Wow! Amy is as smart as she looks!”

“I just weighed my pack (loaded for all 3 days) and I'm at 30 pounds with Food & water.”

“30 pounds for 3 days including food and water!?!
what are ya doing, pumping helium into that thang?!? wow!

Good job, Dude! You should have no problem whatsoever carrying an extra 10 or 20 pounds for your handicap.
;o)”

“Yeah Amy, and that's with my SLR camera (Metal body), Tripod, & extra film.
I need to repack my pack too. It's kinda saggin in places. Choke up on the ole compression straps.”

“Hallaylouyaaa!! Praise 'at big Man in the sky!! Gramma pulled thru to let Daddy hit the woods!

Sunshine ya gotta drop some things hun! Drop the duct tape, trowel, rainpants if you have quick-dry shorts, and really strip your emergency kit. Use your smaller or borrow WD's tent , and I don't see a stove on your list so that's good, you will not need one whatsoever. I don't see a H2O filtering system, and that's good too. Weigh your pack with only a quart of water in your Nalgene bottle, for that'd be all you'll need to carry at one time (be sure to camel up as much as you can in the mornings!). DO add another pair of socks and liners to your list tho, like dear AmyG said.

Great weight WD, I should be at about 30-32 lbs with 68oz of H2O for Thurs thru Sun.

Oh yeah Sunshine, if you can borrow a very small summer bag, or even a bag liner, that'd cut you down 2 lbs and a good many c.i.'s. A 40* bag will be plenty for SE Tennessee this weekend, that's what I'll have if it gets here in time. Hmmm, with that summer bag I'll be at 28-30 lbs for 4 days.

WD I hope to give you CP a call tonight, but all is quite swellllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll :)”

“GOOD TO HEAR IT APE!!!

I'm just bringing a fleece blanket. No need for a real bag. We got the windows open at the house now and it's comfrotable.”

“I think I'll take AmyG backpacking and all my problems will be solved. Thanks for all the tips, Lady! I sure hope we get to hike together one day.

Well, I'm taking a lot of the advice given. As far as the socks go, that was an extra pair of socks and liners. I wasn't counting clothes I'd be wearing. Would you still take another pair?

I'll ditch the rain pants but I'm wearing jeans. They don't dry fast but I can wear my shorts if the jeans get wet.

I am bringing a purifier but WD is lending me a stove because I don't want to take mine on the plane.

I only have the one sleeping bag and I sleep cold so a blanket wouldn't be enough. I will someday get a lighter bag.

I'll weigh it again after I get my new tent. Let's hope it arrives in time.


Naked, Sooo glad to hear you can make it!!”

“If no monkey wrenches pop up in the next two days (IF ...), it looks like I'll make it! Couple questions:

I'll be arriving late Thursday night. Someone mentioned the rangers won't let you hike at night to the Fiery Gizzard CCC campsite but I don't see a ranger station on the map in that area. So how will the rangers know (or be able to stop you)?

Will the Friday hike start at Alum Gap campsite or at the Stone Door Ranger Station? I may head on there instead of FG. But how do you get to the Alum Gap camp from I-49 and is the trail easy to follow at night if you're unfamiliar with it?

Yobear aren't you hiking in somewhere Thursday night?”

“I mean, I-24 (and U.S. 41).”

“Steve,
If you come in Thursday night, Just go on to the Stone Door Ranger Station. Baume 66 will be there too (campsite next to the parking area). Friday morning The rest of us we cruise in and from there we'll go down Big Creek Gulf and up to Alum Gap campsite. Saturday morning we'll head out the Laurel trail. It will be just us there. We're meeting N Ape, Jerbear, & Cow Patty at the Visitors Center.
The thing about getting to FG or SG after dark is the the Rangers house is right next to the parking lot.

So just keep in mind:
Friday night- Alum Gap - SG
Saturday night- Buzzard Point - FG

Hope you can make it Bro!”

“Buzzard Point? Is that code?

Steve Hiker, just like walkindude said for me, Thursday night at the Stone Door parking campsite. I should be there sometime before dark. May sleep in the back of the truck if it's allowed.

Still looking good on the weather front.”

“Uh Sunshine hun, IXNAY ON THE EANSJAY!!!!!!!!!!!”

“yeah, babe. lose the pants.”

“HAHAHAHA”

“My tent arrived and I've set it up. Looks good.

I've got a lighter bag meeting me at the Gizzard. Thanks Cow Patty!

I'm ditching all denim. I'm taking *warm up* pants and light weight shorts. I'm leaving behind my gortex shell and bringing a water resistant windbreaker.

I'm bringing my purifier and will pump water for anyone willing to share their stove with me. :o)

I'll let you know what my new pack weight is tomorrow.

I'm too excited!!”

“SS, from what it sounded like to me ya might not have a bag on it's way! Did you e CP and SAY FOR HER TO BUY IT????? If not, it didn't get done hun. Concerned for ya is all, not a Mr Nosey here, hehe.

LOL @ WD!”

“Not to worry, Nekkid! I think we have Sunshine covered! hehe.”

“I'll be on the road in 24 hrs. and it is still looking good. Getting a little warmer though.”

“Sunshine you must be buzzing with excitment today! Have FUN and enjoy your weekend off! You deserve it! :^)”

“wow, it would be a shame if sunny were sleepin'bagless and one of you kind fellas had to share...
heheheh

Have a blast, you guys! Go get 'em, Sunshine!
:o)”

“I'm so excited, I'm bubbling over. Let's just hope I don't explode. ;o)

Weighed in just under 35# ! Everything is packed and ready to go, including my kids. :o)

Thanks, Joy! I think I deserve it, too.

AmyG, Now there's a thought! ;o)”

“9 hours until lift off.”

“I'm ready to hit the trail myself!”

“8D”

“Nigal
Why are you so happy?”

“T - 7 and counting.”

“Steve Hiker, if you do come to the Stone Door Thursday night I will be in the Dodge Dakota, Maroon and Gray with Maroon Cap, Colorado plates. Anyone who gets there for that matter.”

“Yeehaw!!!”

“3”

“Too bad the weather's going to be so lousy this weekend for you guys. Have a great time!”

“I just have to get the kids to school and day care and I'm outa here!

:oD”

“40 lbs. with 3 litres of water and food for lunch today thru lunch on Sunday. I should be around 35 by the time I hit the trail. See everyone there.”

“godspeed to you all on the road!~”

“I think we got everybody's schedual worked out on where everybody will be & when so I recon Cockroach, Sunshine, & I will hook up and head straight to SG. Baume66 & Steve Hiker will be there. We'll meet everybody else Saturday morning at South Cumberland Visitors Center at 10:00 am CENTERAL TIME.
I-am-OM, If you got enough light, Hike on back to Alum Gap. If we ain't in camp, We'll be back soon.(prolly on a day hike to Greeter Falls). We'll hang a ECT sign in camp so you'll know it's us. Hope to see you there.”