Easter weekend backpacking trip

Over the Easter weekend we headed off the ol' familiar and much beloved Hunt Fish Falls. As I was describing our pending outing to my intern (his idea of a good spring break is a solo backpacking trip in the Smokies), I had one of those middle-age moments when I realized that I've been coming to Hunt Fish Falls for 40 years.

We reached the trailhead about 3 PM on Good Friday and descended into the forest. Rain was forecast for later in the day so we booked down the trail and set up camp. The crossing rocks had washed away so we had to wade across the creek to the campsite. Here's some photos from our first day, pre-rain: 

Looking up the creek from the crossing, eh, fording place.

Taken from the same spot as the above photo, only looking downstream.  Note Edwin on the rock...

Up on the same rock. Tina looks downriver. Note all the fresh buds on the trees.

Somebody's idea of fun was to melt this liquor bottle in the fire.

Fresh greenery on top of the rock with the creek rushing below.

The campsite. Edwin's pitching the rain shelter.

We piled up the firewood. We started the fire around 6 or so, and it burned brightly until the heavy rain settled in around 9:30, when we retreated to our tents.

Fresh buds near the campsite.

The rain that started Friday evening continued, off and on, for about 30 hours. During the heavier rain we'd hunker under the rain tarp, but during most of the day Saturday the rain was light enough that basic rain gear kept me relatively dry. We hiked up to Timber Ridge above the campsite during the day, enjoying a 3 hour hike in a light rain. The cloud cover really brought the greens out, so the whole place was lush and verdant. I've heard it said that the Appalachian forests are, in some ways, akin to a temperate rain forest, and it certainly had that feel on Saturday. Here's some photos from that day.

Budding lily, getting ready to bloom.

Grandfather Mountain from the Timber Ridge trail.

Moss and running cedar on the moist forest floor.

Mossy, mossy rock.

Crested Dwarf Iris by the trailside.

Another Crested Dwarf Iris.

After 30 hours of intermittent rain, the sun came out Sunday morning and we were able to dry out our tents before heading up the trail. That gave us time to pull out the cameras during the lovely morning light.

Creek beside the campsite.

Dew covered creekside grass

Looking upstream from the campsite.

A lone PBR awaits a thirsty camper. We did not bring the PBR.

Water. Running downstream.

Campsite from an island in the stream.

Autumnal Photo Project: Backpacking at Lost Cove Creek

Last weekend was delightfully warm and pleasant for late October in Appalachia. Most of the leaves are gone off the trees and a winter front was heading our way, packing a potentially potent wallop thanks to Hurricane Sandy. It was a seasonal cusp of sorts, and a perfect time to head out into the Pisgah National Forest with a backpack on. My friend Edwin and I headed out to Lost Cove Creek and camped near an old favorite site, Hunt Fish Falls, that's been documented on this blog before (the photo in the header is Hunt Fish Falls proper). Here's some photos from our trip: 

Hiking in through a characteristic rhododendron tunnel, so common in this neck of the woods.

Looking upstream from the big rock overlooking the falls.  That's Tina Louise on the leash.

Tina keeps an eye on the creek near our campsite.

Waning fall leaves clinging on the big rock overhanging the creek.

We hiked in on Friday afternoon and made camp. Saturday we hiked upstream, crossing the creek six times in the process.  We then took the trail up to Timber Ridge, then hiked along the ridge and back to our campsite near Hunt Fish Falls, a total hike of about 8 miles or so. 

A pool upstream from the campsite.

A narrow section of Lost Cove Creek.

This tree was rooted on a small rock outcrop over the pool.

Another view of the tree on the outcrop.

On the trail upstream.

Heading up the switchbacks to Timber Ridge.

Red and brown and green and gray.

On Timber Ridge heading back to the campsite.

This scary label was affixed to this tree near  our campsite. It's the only one we saw like this. Did I mention this was the weekend just before Halloween?

Cocktail hour back at camp after our hike.

cameras: Olympus E-PM1 and 14-45mm lens, Panasonic ZS15

Hunt Fish Falls, October 2010

I  spent last weekend backpacking to Hunt Fish Falls, on Lost Cove Creek in the Pisgah National Forest in North Carolina.  I've been hiking and camping at Hunt Fish Falls for over 35 years - a number that reveals not only my relative age, but also how much I love this area. (Indeed, the header photo for this blog was taken at Hunt Fish Falls several years ago.)

The waterfalls and pool at Hunt Fish Falls.

We packed in on Friday afternoon, made camp at our favorite creek side campsite, and stayed until Sunday. The weather was perfect - sunny and warm in the day, dropping to the mid-30s on Friday night and the 40s on Saturday night. A full moon illuminated the nocturnal scene.

Our cheerful camping cohort waving from atop a rock.

Lost Cove Creek pours over two small falls at Hunt Fish, then gathers in a large pool. Surrounding by rocks, the pool is a natural place to hang out. In the summer we'd be swimming, but even though it was a pleasant 60+ degrees, the water was probably in the mid-40s.  Here's a few photos from poolside:

Silver and gold.  A leaf swirling in the eddies.

Small leaf dams form where the pool drains downstream.

The water was amazingly clear, as this photo of a floating leaf and its shadow indicate.

Even though it was cold, some wading was in order. I think I can still feel my feet at this point, but they became quite numb rather quickly.  Bracing!

Our stuff on the lower rocks.

Heading back to the upstream campsite after a poolside afternoon.

On Saturday we spent our time hiking upstream and downstream, enjoying the lovely fall day. Random photos from those treks appear below:

Trail side mushrooms? Or just fun guys?

Looking up from the creek. The sky was brilliantly clear and blue.

Fall colors and bright greens.

Maple in transition.

Our campsite, upstream from the big pool, is an old favorite, and is well used.  Consequently, little firewood is available nearby. We trekked upstream about a quarter mile and brought back a big pile of wood and had a merry ole fire on Saturday night. The younger members of our cohort had a great time playing in the creek, finding crawdads, and falling in. We rigged up a drying rack for the wet pants.

Warming backsides. Drying pants. Having fun.

The view upstream from the creek crossing.

Lost Cove Creek in early autumn splendor.

This trip included breaking in some new gear. I replaced my aging (20+ years old) backpack, sleeping bag, and water filter, and it really made a difference.  My sleeping bags is much lighter and warmer than the old bag, the backpack has much better suspension and a better design, and the new water filter was a great improvement over the my old unit, which had died.

One of my little efforts during such trips is to find solace in the moment.  Noting the trees, rocks, and sky as you take each step, surrendering to the ever-present sound of running water while clearing your mind, and relishing the simple tasks of preparing food, washing your bowls,  making and tending the fire. Steven Altschuler has a fine book about trail side Zen called The Mindful Hiker, which I highly recommend.

One of these mindful tasks is filtering water, a process that involves slowly pumping the filter and filling the bottles, which I did several times each day. I sat in this spot to filter: