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

“The trip is now less than 2 months away and official planning is commencing. I know this trip is the same weekend as TC4, but if you want to do some serious backpacking that weekend, here is your trip. Fall will be in full effect and Asheville, NC is famous for it's fall colors. Alot of the hike will be more than a mile above sea level so we will get to see fall in various stages and the tops of the mountains are capped in Spruce and Fir so it should be colorful to say the least. This trip is a buttkicker and very strenuous. It will start at Bolens Creek, climb to Celo Knob (3300 feet in 3.5 miles) and from there it is 5 miles to Deep Gap where we will camp and crosses jagged peaks and a knife edge ridge and it is a virtual bushwhack. Day 2 we will continue south on the Crest Trail to Mt. Mitchell. From Mt. Mitchell we will take the Old Mitchell Trail to Mt. Hallback and then Bushwhack to Mt. Gibbs, Clingmans Pk and Potato Knob. On Potato Knob we will take the Mountains to Sea Trail to Blackstock Knob and then camp below Blackstock Knob. Day 3 we will continue on the MTS trail to Balsam Gap and then yes, we will hike to the Big Butts on the Big Butt Trail. There is Big Butt and Little Big Butt. We will take the Big Butt Trail to Cane Rive Gap where cars will be waiting for us. It is a three day two night back pack over 28 miles. There are many jump on points and jump off points. Elevation gain and loss will be more than 10,000 feet. This is a peakbaggers special. Many peaks of the South Beyond 6000 can be bagged on this trip including the two highest peaks east of the Mississippi River and several others in the top ten.The views all along the route are awesome, provided we are not socked in. The weather could be beautiful or it could be terrible. It could easily snow. It can change in a matter of minutes. It will surely be fun though. The Black Mountain Crest Trail has been regarded as the hardest trail in the east. Everyone is welcome to sign up. With that said, it is a very difficult trail and each day will be around 8-10 miles of hiking with lots of steep climbs and descents which are not easy with full packs.”

“ENS, I put myself down for a maybe now. I'll just have to meet up w/ you guys Saturday a.m.
I want to see Little Big Butt. : )”

“I just sent you an email. Sorry it took so long to respond. I'm the worst at responding to email timely.”

“I'm so there! Yam, you better come, you biatch!”

“Little Big Butt should be a site to see. Blalock has hiked the Big Butt trail and said that the views from the Big Butts of the Black Mountain Range are amazing. I can't imagine how amazing it will be in the fall. I better stock up on camera memory.”

“I am going try and get Sir Mixalot to make a special appearance when we reach Big Butt. Maybe he can do an impromptu concert for us. If not, we will let Lumberzack fill in.”

“he cannot lie.”

“Lumberzack, you still thinking of coming down to NC?”

“Water could be an issue on 2nd day. 2 Socks an I camped on Walker Knob @ Balsam Gap and there was 2 good sources, no where on MTS trail for H20. With the time change, day light may be an issue also. I am going up Thursday and could cache some H20.”

“this hike should be before daylights saving time. When is daylight savings time, I thought it was the last weekend in October. We'll have to fill up extra at Mt. Mitchell just in case.”

“daylight savings time is on 10/31/04 so we should be good.

Blalock -How many miles is it from Mitchell to where you camped near Balsam Gap?”

“I am going up Thursday and could cache some H20."
Blalock
05:44:40 PM
08/23/04

that's a good idea”

“Close to 10 miles. I did'nt do the Potato Knob part of the MTS , 2Scocks knew a "Private" trail from Gibbes to Blackstock .”

“I am still debating if I should go on this trip or the TC4. Sort of lean towards this one...”

“Hmmmm. That might be kinda far for day II if we camp where you camped. That would give us 15 miles on day II. Will have to look at the maps. Were there places that looked like decent camping spots between Potato and Blackstock. I'll email some people to find out if there is anyplace to get water in that area. I am thinking about getting a hammock for this trip.”

“gemini, you need to come on this trip. The Crest trail just would not be the same with out you.”

“I'm pretty sure I'll be there.”

“I could easily be convinced to do this instead of TC4, i just gotta arrange for some kid care. hmmm, lemme call the mother.”

“Roam, when this trip is done, we'll have a few sixers under our belts. I guess we'll add 4 more.”

“To Mitchell from Deep Gap + 10 miles is too much, hiking is one thing, torture is another and this trail is torture enough.”

“yeah, we'll have camp at the 10 mile mark on day II. Somewhere between Potato Knob and Blackstock.”

“I am in as a maybe. What are the dates for this trip.”

“october 15th through the 17th”

“my knees have finally stopped hurting when I run or otherwise stress them after the July 4 hike.

By Oct, they might be ready to do it all over again!”

“yeah that is definitely a knee jerker. Especially coming down.”

“are you and JO still interested in going on this trip?”

“Just realized that Oct 15 is a friday and its also a big do-or-die deadline in my office. I might be meeting yall at Mt. Mitchell parking lot on Sat. not sure yet and may not know until the 10th or so. it'll just depend.”

“I hate deadlines”

“what map(s) do i need to get to see this hike?”

“There's a Toe River map that the NFS puts out that will take you from Celo Knob (and it's approach) to just S. of Mt. Mitchell.

Not sure about the remainder.

ENS?”

“email me Baume with your mailing address and I'd be happy to make you copies of the maps that I have and mail them to you. My email address is rdanner1k @ yahoo . com .”

“ENS - I'll be your best friend if you mail those to me too! :)

Pretty please....with sugar on top???”

“just snail me some pancakes from the Pancake Pantry or some dinner from Callypso.”

“Mmmmmmmmm. Calypso. Yummy.”

“ENS, I will take one of those maps also.

embear, I agree on calypso.

ENS, you might be better off to scan them and let us print them out. That is how I got the maps for baume's Mt Rogers trip 2 yrs ago”

“hey em-bop-a-lou-ah, will you share your map w/ me?”

“Once you get to Mitchell it's a cakewalk to Cain River Gap, there is actually a trail !!! I would suggest that everyone bring an extra Nalgine or two for Sat. We could restock @ Balsam Gap on the way out Sun. am.”

“Celo , Mt.Mitchell, Monteat”

“We can stock up on water at Mt. Mitchell too.”

“Roam, the map I have shows all the trail we will be doing. It does not show topo though. Gemini has the best map. I wonder if she will share. Gemini :)

Everyone else - I'll email you maps. I'll have to get them scanned at Kinkos. I am also going to call the black mtn campground, where Gemini bought her map and see if they will mail me one in exchange for a check.”

“it's not a bushwack to from Hallback to Potato Knob?”

“ENS, you said the trip is Oct 15 (Friday) to Oct 17 (Sunday), on the trips page you have it to Oct 18 (Monday). I for one can't miss a Friday and a Monday, Hoping it is a typo on trips page.”

“EnS - you're doing this again.... I remember you craking out of the car with me at that gas station!!!!! - oh wtf, why not.”

“It's going to be a friday, saturday and sunday hike. I'll need Monday to drive back to DC. There is a jump on point Satruday morning at Mt. Mitchell and you would still get more than half of the hike in. You would miss the Crest Trail, but the hike would still be awesome. Hope you can make it.”

“lol Y2. Yeah I remember us practically crawling into KFC on the way back.. Thank god for buffets. Yeah, I want to see this place in the fall. I think the Crest Trail is my favorate. Hope you can make it Y2.”

“you still going to be in DC area then? or you moved already?”

“Another possibility for those who can't make it to the trailhead on Friday morning is hiking up the Colbert's Ridge trail to Deep Gap friday night and camping with us. I heard it is a fairly easy trail and that way you would still get 4 miles of the Crest trail from Deep Gap to Mt. Mitchell. The Colbert's Ridge Trail starts at Carolina Hemlocks Campground.”

“yeah, I'll still be in DC at that time. Need a ride?”

“yes please :o)”

“So what time Friday morning do you plan to hook up?”