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.

Savage Gulf South Rim 6.25.19

We are the greatest chapter of the TTA.  No doubt about it.  We had twenty people for this wonderful hike at Savage Gulf.  The distance was about 4.7 miles and for the most part I would rate it as easy.  The hike lasted about 3.5 hours.  The weather fully cooperated for a very nice day.  We moseyed along the trail only stopping briefly for a look or two at the map and for the occasional drink.  Most of the overlooks were pretty well obscured by trees, but you could still get a good idea of the beauty of this area.  We did see a copperhead and it is quite possible some of the hikers stepped right over it without seeing the snake!  Very good camouflage.  We were quite tired by the end of the hike as we did not stop for a snack break although I spotted a couple hikers munching along the way.  Now comes the difficult part for me.  We stopped after the hike at, lets see now, it was either Dalton, Dayton or Dunlap.  I'm going for Dunlap at the Dunlap Restaurant.  I seem to regularly get this wrong.  We've eaten there before and everyone was always satisfied.  If you would like to see some pictures, maps, and 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....
How do you tell the difference between a black bear and a grizzly bear?
When you see the bear, climb a tree.  If it climbs up the tree and kills you it is a black bear.  If it knocks the tree down and kills you its a grizzly bear.

Greeter Falls 6.22.19

 Again, thanks to weather apps on our phones, we were able to get a great hike in even after watching the weather forecasts the day before. The forecasts predicted the weather most likely would not be conducive for a hike.  So four local hikers headed for South Cumberland State Park and the Greeter Falls trail head.  We were to meet up with two hikers from outside our club, but because I failed to take into consideration the time-change, we arrived an hour before our scheduled meet.  Because the weather was still iffy, I opted to head out when we arrived, rather than wait.  I tried to phone the hikers we were to meet up with, but was unsuccessful. We departed on the Greeter Falls portion of the hike around 9:45 local time under cloudy skies but pleasant temperatures.  About 1/8th mile into the hike, I slipped and fell on a slippery wet root while descending to Greeter Falls.  I hyper-extended my knee (which just happened to be the knee I try so hard to baby on a hike).  The fall was very painful, but thanks to Tammy's supply of ibuprofen and my determination to continue, I was able to finish the hike. We continued down to Greeter Falls and Boardtree Falls.  The falls were running quite nicely do to recent rains.  On the ascent out of the falls area, I walked past a copperhead on the trail.  Tammy who was behind me spotted it, and John flicked him off the trail with his pole.  John later wondered that by tossing him off the trail and down the embankment, if he might be tossing the critter down on other hikers who were hiking below at the falls.  They would have thought it was raining snakes.  Shortly thereafter, it began to rain.  It rained lightly for a mile or two but with no downpour or thunder and lightening.
  Approximately 1.7 miles in, we arrived at the Alum Gap Campsite and the Stone Door Loop trail.  We went along the BCR side of the trail heading for Stone Door.  We heard rumbling from a storm system north of us, but it stayed north of us.  We visited about four decent overlooks on the way to Stone Door. The hike was great because the overlooks provided a great view of the valley we were above.  The temperature remained pleasant but humid.  The rim side of the loop allowed for occasional breezes to cool us down.  Shortly before 2pm we arrived at Stone Door, the halfway point on the loop.  The views from the overlook were spectacular.  Tammy, Betsy and John went down through the Stone Door.  I opted out in order to prevent aggravating my sore knee. We continued on to the Ranger Station and  Laurel Falls.  From Stone Door and for the remainder of the hike, it was a bit more arduous because of the rising temperature and humidity.  We lost the breezes the rim trail provided.  We continued to the Greeter Falls trail head parking lot.  On our ascent to the parking lot, that is where we encountered our second copperhead.  He darted in front of me as we went up the stairs to the lot.  It was about 5:30 when we exited the trail.
  So, all in all, it was and excellent 10.7 mile hike – 3 wonderful running water falls, a half dozen spectacular overlooks and 2 copperheads (and a partridge in a pear tree).  The Greeter Falls section was moderate, and the Stone Door Loop was easy.  As a side note – my knee recovered from the fall with no apparent damage.
If you would like to see a bunch of really nice photos, click here.  If you are trying to view the photos through the TTA website and having trouble, please go directly to the blog at www.sdctta.blogspot.com.  Google Chrome is the preferred browser. 

Collegedale 6.18.19

There were 10 people that were willing to take on the weather no matter what it was going to do  Well we were really lucky and never got wet.  I didn't take the route that I planned because they had closed it off because they are making a gravity bike trail up there.  So we started up from the main Trailhead.  We went up big Red to get a little exercise going up hill.  We went  up to the top of White Oak Mountain.  Half way down we took a short cut down on an unmarked trail.  It was steep but pretty easy.  actually, I was kid of lost because I wasn't on the trail I wanted to be on.  When we finally got down to where I wanted to be, they had all but one trail open so we went that way.  Then we came to an intersection where we had choices of going a little further or taking the shortest.  It did start to rain, although we were under a good canopy from the trees.  It was very light rain and we didn't get wet, but we only walked about 3 1/2 miles. Easy walk.  Of course it was followed by a good lunch at City Cafe. 
If you would like to see a few pictures of this hike, 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.  Google Chrome is the preferred browser.