Board Creek 7.13.19

Saturday three of us left the Durham Street meeting place for an approximately 7 mile hike from Board Camp Creek @ Hiway 111 (on the Cumberland Trail) to the Soddy Gulf Park. It was a pleasant hike ( trending downhill) on a very nice morning. Most of the hike paralleled  Board Camp Creek (until we reached the Soddy Gulf  area). The temperatures were nice most of the way - only getting a little warm during the last hour of the hike

The trail condition was good. This was the first time I had been on the upper portion of Board Camp Creek in a few years and I was pleasantly surprised at its good condition.

I would rate this hike as moderate.

If you would like to see some nice pictures taken by the hikers, click here.  If you are trying to view the pictures through the TTA website and having problems, please go directly to the Blog at www.sdctta.blogspot.com

Raccoon Mtn. 7.9.19

Let me start off by saying I goofed!  I forgot to get a group picture of the 14 warm weather hikers we had on this hike.  It really wasn't too warm as we were on the top of Raccoon Mtn. under the canopy.  We completed this 3.6 mile easy hike in about 2.5 hours and since I was the hike leader, I kept the pace slow.  The trail was a loop, beginning and ending in the Laurel Pt. parking lot.  If you look at the pictures, you will see some very nice raccoon paw prints in the sand.  There is also a nice picture of a Northern Red Racer snake.  I have an interest in Herpetology but always miss seeing the good stuff?  Dang!  I would have loved to have grabbed this critter and examine it more closely.  What good is a herpetologist who never sees anything.
If you would like to see some pictures, maps and an altitude graph, click here.  If you are trying to view the pictures through the TTA website and having trouble, please go directly to the Blog at www.sdctta.blogspot.com  Google Chrome is the preferred browser.
This weeks joke. 
A Priest, a rabbi, and a pastor go out hiking one day.  They come across a beautiful clear pond and decide to go skinny-dipping.  After cooling off, they relax on a large flat rock before putting their clothes back on.  However, a group of day-hikers comes strolling up.  Fearful that these people might be members of one of congregations, the pastor and the priest cover their privates and rush into the underbrush.  The rabbi follows them, but moves more slowly because he covers his face with his hands.
Once they are safely concealed, the priest and the pastor ask the rabbi, "why did you cover your face instead of your privates?"  The rabbi responded, "what part of your body would your congregation recognize?"

Laurel-Snow 7.6.19

Today (Saturday) we had 6 hikers participate in the hike to Laurel Falls and return from the Laurel -Snow Trailhead. To this we added a side trip to the Bryan Overlook (above and west of Laurel Falls).

The trees and bushes in the area were lush. The waterfalls and streams were still running very well (which is very good for this time of year). There were many hikers on the trail and sunbathers on the Richland Creek gravel bars. All in all it was a very enjoyable hike in a beautiful area.

We hiked about 7 miles and I'd rate the hike as moderately strenuous. When we finished the hike at about 2:30 pm the temperature was 94 degrees and we were all feeling really good and warm.

If you would like to see some nice pictures of this hike, click here.  Thanks to all who sent in pictures, it is really appreciated.  If you are trying to view the pictures through the TTA website, and having trouble, please go directly to the Blog at www.sdctta.blogspot.com.  Google Chrome is the preferred browser.  

Lookout Mtn. Craven's House Loop 7.2.19

Today's hike was a bit of a sticky wicket.  By this I mean it was hot.  Luckily our dauntless hike leader planned the worst part of the hike for the beginning.  I would rate the short 2.3 mile hike as easy/moderate.  At the beginning we hike steadily uphill to the Bluff Trail.  Once there, on a few more "ups" were in our path and then the trail lead steadily but gradually downhill.  There were 15 hikers that showed up today despite the heat.  At a split in the trail several hikers elected to go up to park visitor center which was a completed after a whole bunch of stairs.  At one point on the trail some trees had fallen and we had to do some crawling and climbing to stay on the trail.  Following the hike everyone had a very nice lunch at Mojo Burrito.  If you would like to see some pictures, altitude graph and map, taken along the way on this 2.5 hour hike, click here.  If you are trying to view the photos using the TTA website and having problems, please go directly to the Blog at www.sdctta.blogspot.com.  Google Chrome is the preferred browser.
This weeks joke...  The Colorado State Dept. of Fish and Wildlife is advising hikers, hunters, fishermen and golfers to take extra precautions and be on the alert for bears while in the State.  They advise people to wear noise-producing devices such as little bells on their clothing to alert but not startle the bears unexpectedly.  They also advise you to carry pepper spray in case of an encounter with a bear.  It is also a good idea to watch for signs of bear activity.  People should be able to recognize the difference between black bear and grizzly bear droppings.  Black bear droppings are smaller and contain berries and possibly squirrel fur.  Grizzly bear droppings have bells in them and smell like pepper spray.

Buggy Top Cave 6.29.19

 Saturday's hike to Buggytop Cave was a quite enjoyable hike despite the relatively warm temps and high humidity.  Five of our group met at the Soddy Daisy parking lot and proceeded to the Buggytop trail head.  The trailhead off of Hwy 56 isn't well marked, but we eventually found it.  We met up with another hiker from the local area and embarked on our trek.  The first half mile of the hike was an approximately 250 foot climb on a fairly steep, muddy, and rocky trail.  The remainder of the hike to Buggytop Cave was a 921 foot descent over a muddy and rocky trail.  The last 100 yard descent to the cave was the most treacherous.  The trail at that point could use a hand cable to assist the descent.  The cave was worth the effort it took to get there.  There were several local hikers already getting ready to enter the cave.  They said it was quite a distance to get through the cave.  Several hikers we met later said it was a short distance.  After we had our snacks and despite the differences of opinion on the distance, we decided to go back to where the trail splits and go to Peter Cave via the top trail.  Three of us proceeded to Peter Cave and three waited at the trail split.  Again we got mixed information from local hikers we met on the trail.  Some said it was about a mile to cave and some said it was a short distance.  It turned out to be about a 12 minute hike to Peter Cave.   We passed an additional cave and nice overlook enroute to Peter Cave.  Had we hiked through Buggytop Cave, we would have come out at Peter Cave - maybe next time.  We returned to the split and we all began the ascent out.  The hike out was a lot more arduous due to the temperature and humidity rise.  We exited the trail around 2 pm.  I would rate this hike strenuous and maybe better hiked during cooler weather (prior to the Nov 1 closing). 
If you would like to see some nice pictures of this hike including a trail map, click here.  If you are trying to view the pictures through the TTA website and having trouble, please go directly to the website at www.sdctta.blogspot.com.