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UlightBandit 
ROAR!!!
Group: Members
Posts: 2394
Joined: Jun. 2008
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Posted on: Nov. 20 2012, 1:44 pm |
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Headed for Tellico Plains saturday morning and stopped for some sandwiches at Tellico Grains. We arrived at pheasant fields around noon and parked at the picnic area. There was one hunter in the parking lot with his son, eating lunch, but suprisingly nobody else. Even the bald river parking area only had a couple of photographers gearing up.
We had decided to do sycamore creek, because we were familiar with the area, & knew it was an easy hike that would be especially friendly to me since I'm now the family sherpa & carry a 65 lb pack with all our gear and clothes. Plus, this trip wasn't about churning out the miles, or seeing vistas, or bushwacking to a remote spot...this was about getting Crosby back out into nature, which he really enjoys.
Beautiful day for a hike. Not a cloud in the sky.
Ms Bandit headin up the trail with Crosby on her back. Dogs in tow.
Crosby wanted to try walking a little, so we stopped at the first campsite, to let him try to "ike"...which didn't last long.
Our campsite for the night, right beside the creek.
We had a good fire that night. Plenty of limbs laying around to help keep us warm. I don't think the site had been used in several months. The next morning we did a little bit of fishing....also known as "see fishy". Then we headed back down the trail and stopped at the fish rearing pools so Crosby could wave bye to what seemed like every fish in there.
Good trip, all in all, but I can't wait until he can walk on his own a little bit.
Here are some other shots I took...
Tired Pup
Whigg Ridge trailhead....looks treacherous. Anyone done this one?
I love this cabin. I wonder who owns it? Noboddy is ever there.
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| Post Number: 2
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magicmomma
Wildest Flower in Tennessee
Group: Members
Posts: 2005
Joined: Sep. 2008
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Posted on: Nov. 20 2012, 2:07 pm |
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Thank you so much for sharing your trip through your photos and report. Your little boy is precious! I love those chubby cheeks and those eyes! You did good! Little Ulight is adorable. That dog looks wore out in the photo. Pack Packing is hard! :-D
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| Post Number: 3
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ashepabst
Group: Members
Posts: 1006
Joined: Jul. 2008
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Posted on: Nov. 20 2012, 3:13 pm |
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dang dude, you got a whole backpackin family. well done, sir.
did you happen to notice what was scratched into that rock at the Whigg Ridge Trailhead?
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| Post Number: 4
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VAN
Group: Members
Posts: 3176
Joined: Nov. 2006
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Posted on: Nov. 20 2012, 3:27 pm |
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You are my hero! I can't wait until my newest squish is a few more weeks old so we can get out on a family hike. My daughter is almost 3 and she can finally walk now without much assistance. A hiking pack of her own is on my holiday gift list for her.
I love that area that you hiked in, I've only seen it by car but I'm itching to get back outside.
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"Long you live and high you fly. And smiles you'll give and tears you'll cry. And all you touch and all you see, is all your life will ever be." -Pink Floyd
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| Post Number: 5
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kevinumberger
Group: Members
Posts: 3633
Joined: Dec. 2005
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Posted on: Nov. 20 2012, 6:38 pm |
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Gald you and the little feller and the pup had a good time.....
It was a beautiful weekend to get out.......
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| Post Number: 6
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UlightBandit
ROAR!!!
Group: Members
Posts: 2394
Joined: Jun. 2008
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Posted on: Nov. 21 2012, 9:04 am |
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MM: Thank you. Glad you enjoyed our little report.
Ashepabst: Funny you should mention the rock. I didn't notice that anything had been written on it until I started looking in my pictures.
VAN: if you guys are ever back in the area, that trip is very do-able with small kids. I would even go as far as saying you could push a jogging stroller to the first campsite.
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| Post Number: 7
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Tipi Walter
Group: Members
Posts: 294
Joined: Jan. 2007
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Posted on: Nov. 22 2012, 8:24 am |
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Thanks for the Sycamore trip report. It's a great trail but a mini nutbuster if taken all the way to the top of Whiggs Meadow at 5,000 feet. That's 7 miles with a 3,000 foot climb, all on the Sycamore Creek trail which is also the Benton Mackaye trail. There are 5 switchbacks (with a fantastic campsite beyond the 3rd switchback) and the last haul is up the old Whiggs Meadow gravel road.
Here are some of my pics of the trail and the camps---
Here is the first big campsite on the right when ascending. I call it, duh, Sycamore Creek Camp.
There are two of these nice trailposts on the Sycamore trail and behind the 2nd one there is a fantastic tentsite I call Hobo Camp.
Here's the "secret" campsite behind the trailpost and it's right next to the upper reaches of the loud and pleasant Sycamore Creek.
In fact, here's the upper Sycamore right next to the tentsite for easy access to water. Hobo Camp is one of my favorite camps if you like to sleep next to the sound of rushing water.
The ultimate goal of Sycamore trail is here at Whiggs Meadow with 5,500 foot Haw Mountain in the background.
Here's a view of the Whigg from atop Haw Mountain, a great little sidetrail if you feel brave and want to bushwack and camp in some tough wind conditions.
There's also a "secret" pond on top of the Whigg and it's right over the other side of the bald and a great place to swim if you don't mind silt. In this pic the pond is frozen solid.
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http://trailjournals.com/TipiWalter11
http://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/
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| Post Number: 8
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UlightBandit
ROAR!!!
Group: Members
Posts: 2394
Joined: Jun. 2008
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Posted on: Nov. 26 2012, 1:35 pm |
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Hey Tipi Walter!
Yep, i've been to all those places, except Haw Mtn....its on my list though.
Every time I pass by the little path that goes up to it from Mud Gap trail, I am tempted to start bushwacking.
Is there a decent tent site up there?
I don't really think the site behind the "2nd post" is too secret. Its in most of the guide books, and I've hiked up there twice from pheasant fields only to find tents already there. Do you know about the little hidden site about 100 yds before the first signpost? Its the one pictured in my report. Rarely gets any use, but there is a dead oak tree standing beside it that is going to do some serious damage when it comes down.
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| Post Number: 9
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wornoutboots
Group: Members
Posts: 454
Joined: Jun. 2010
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Posted on: Nov. 27 2012, 4:20 pm |
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Great Report & Pics!! Thanks Guys!! +1 On getting the fam out!! Congratz on the Great Adventure!!!
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Take time to watch the trees dance with the wind......then join in
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| Post Number: 10
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smokehiker
Group: Members
Posts: 188
Joined: Feb. 2002
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Posted on: Nov. 27 2012, 5:58 pm |
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UlightBandit & Tipi Walter
Thanks for the posts. Pics are great!
My daughter started (on my back) when she was 6 mos.
She's almost 25 & she still loves to hike!
Nutin' like it!
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| Post Number: 11
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Tipi Walter
Group: Members
Posts: 294
Joined: Jan. 2007
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Posted on: Nov. 27 2012, 8:58 pm |
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UlightBandit---
The side trail up to Haw Mt from the Whigg side is fairly easy except for the final 100 feet but then you pop out in an open bald as below.
Here's the campsite atop the Haw. It's a great winter destination but it can get rough with the wind.
This was taken on an earlier trip when a serious wind storm hit and my Hilleberg nearly collapsed but the 16 stakes held it together.
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http://trailjournals.com/TipiWalter11
http://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/
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