03/03/2022
Backpacking to Walnut Bottoms
Rahli and Silas Poland, Isaac White, Vickie Hood and Michael Hood.
We went last Friday afternoon after work. The ranger said there was tree blocking the trail and that there had been so much rain, it might be dangerous. I have been there scores of times and there has always been a way to get around downed trees and the banks are so high, it is hard to understand how there could be any danger. We went with the plan to turn around if anything looked bad. We came to the tree and easily got around it. The last 1/3 of the trip was in the dark but everyone had headlamps and I had extra batteries. It was a beautiful night hike and not spooky at all but was all uphill. We set up tents in the dark and ate dinner. We slept in and all was well except Vickie froze all night and didn’t tell me. My air mattress had a hole in it. Luckily Vickie’s was big enough for 1 and ½ and my down jacket worked well for my other half. Silas didn’t bring a coat but Vickie and I had several extras. Rahli and Silas didn’t have ponchos but I had brough 2 extra which we didn’t need since it didn’t rain. The campground was 5.5 miles from the trailhead and was full of massive hemlocks that had been immunized to keep the woolly adelgid from killing them. The trees all had their little white blaze indicating they had been freshly immunized last year. We breakfasted and broke camp and explored a bit then hiked out in the sunshine. Later Sunday Vicki and I went to REI where I bought her the warmest sleeping bag they had!
Affiliated Organizations
Parrottsville cub scout pack 497
Parrottsville Ruritan Club our sponsor
Michael Hood
Cataloochee District GSMC
