BirdShooter
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BirdShooterKeymasterThe redemption form is working but sends an error message after you fill out the form. I hope to fix this soon, but if you put a request through and don’t hear from me within 48 hours, send an email via the “feedback” tab. I hope to fix this soon.
BirdShooterKeymasterI’m with you on that. Dude slaps a grizzly bear in the face – can’t be surprised about the outcome there.
BirdShooterKeymasterBrandon,
As far as a 3-5 day trip in March …. hmmm… let me think for a minute. That time of year, the weather can do anything in GA/NC/SC/VA – probably where you want to target. It can be 80 or 10 degrees on the high ridges of the Appalachians. It can be beautiful, or rain, or snow. You’ll need to watch the weather carefully, but here’s a few suggestions:
1. The A.T. – there’s a section in Southwest Virginia (near the TN border) that is the best backpacking in the Southeast. Yes, it is heavily used by hikers and horseback riders, but it is just amazing. You could probably find a good 4-5 day route along the A.T. that traverses this area. It is by far one of my most favorite places in the South:
https://n2backpacking.com/my_hikes/virginia/ATVA2%208_93D.htm
https://n2backpacking.com/my_hikes/virginia/scales%203_94D.htmTrail Traffic – Heavy; Scenery – Awesome
2. The Foothills Trail – the Gorges section A4-A8 is the best section. It’s not heavily used, but you will probably see some people near the trailheads. It’s lower in elevation so not as dramatic as the Smokies. You could easily hike the Gorges section in 4-5 days.
https://n2backpacking.com/long_trails/fht/fht_main.htm
Trail Traffic – Low to Moderate; Scenery – Good
3. The Chattooga River Trail – It’s pretty heavily used but there are some nice campsites along the river. It’s pretty low in elevation. You could do the entire trail in that time frame.
https://n2backpacking.com/long_trails/crt/crt_main.htm
Trail Traffic – Moderate to Heavy; Scenery – Good
4. The Bartram Trail – I’d do the last 40 miles that end at Cheoah Bald which is really pretty. The Bartram Trail is pretty lonely in this area, but rugged and not always well marked. It’s also a lot higher in elevation that the Foothills and Chattooga River Trails which may be a plus for you. Follow the link below and email the author of the Bartram Trail guides. He can give you a lot of details on it.
https://n2backpacking.com/long_trails/bt/bt_main.htm
Trail Traffic – Low; Scenery – Good to Very Good
5. The Benton MacKaye Trail – It starts at Springer Mountain (So. Terminus of the A.T.) and criss-crosses the A.T. some but is relatively unused and it’s pretty cool. I’d hike north for 4-5 days and see how far you can get.
https://n2backpacking.com/long_trails/bmt/bmt_main.htm
Trail Traffic – Low; Scenery – Good
March is a nice month to hike in this area, but it can be chilly if a front pushes into the Southeast. I don’t think you need to go to Florida. Just do hikes in the lower elevations (ie. Chattooga River) if the temperature drops. The ridges over 5000′ can get pretty windy/cold, so be prepared for that if you hike above 4000 feet where it could easily snow in March. You could also have 80-90 degree weather – you never know. Have fun and let us know how it goes.
Best Wishes,
BirdShooter
BirdShooterKeymasterIf you tried to send an email via https://n2backpacking.com in the last few months – I didn’t get it. Last week, I discovered that all email was flowing in to a black hole. Sorry for the inconvenience, and I didn’t blow you off. The issue has since been fixed.
February 18, 2008 at 7:12 pm in reply to: Man Sought In Connection With Missing Hiker Near Blood Mountain, Georgia #11663BirdShooterKeymasterHere are links to a bunch of articles on the case from a Blue Ridge newspaper:
BirdShooterKeymasterThe Forest Service has closed some of the campsites near the suspension bridge due to overuse and abuse. There are still some nice sites in the area, but the one marked on the TOPO map for the Toccoa River hike may no longer be available.
BirdShooterKeymasterI moved a copy of this trip report to the Toccoa River hike, since it might help other hikers that are interested in this walk. Thanks for the update.
BirdShooterKeymasterPhotos, maps, etc. on the Foothills Trail:
BirdShooterKeymasterSWEET scenery. Makes me want to grab the pack and head to Alaska.
BirdShooterKeymasterWent to the movie last night. The vibe is much more dramatic than the book, but it stayed true to Krakauer’s work. Overally, I thought Sean Penn did a good job telling the story.
October 16, 2007 at 6:16 am in reply to: How do you feel about hikers and backpackers that take their dogs on the Trail? #11478BirdShooterKeymasterThere is no place where my dog is happier than on the trail. I see no reason they shouldn’t be able to enjoy the wilderness as much as I do.
BirdShooterKeymasterRegistration is currently working, kicks out a welcome email, but goes to a white screen after you hit “register”. Hope to fix this soon.
BirdShooterKeymasterVery practical and very suitable. The Gorges section of the Foothills Trail is really remote, though. It’s a 40 mile stretch with no real bailout options. I’d say your fine to take your dog, and the trail is not particularly difficult but somewhere like the Appalachian Trail there is more room for error since it’s more heavily traveled. If you go, make sure to get this guidebook on the Foothills Trail:
BirdShooterKeymasterRegistration is down again due to sync issues with the server. I’ll work on it tomorrow.
BirdShooterKeymasterI have a Garmin Rino as well. The GPS works well, but the walkie-talkie function seems below average given the price. It’s still nice to carry one device over two, but it’s not particularly lightweight.
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