Sat, Apr 30 2011 - Backpacking Lost Cove in the Smokies (View Original Event Details) Trip Leader(s): Michael Johnson, Bob Bunner Participants: Bob Bunner, Michael Johnson, Ashley C, Scott, Laura, Michelle Spence, Dave Fergemann, Marissa M

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Write Up:
We had a great adventure to one of the unique backpacking campsites at Lost Cove.  Our group began our trip after crossing Fontana Dam.  Under sunny skies, we made our way up Shuckstack Ridge.  At the top, we braved the rickety firetower and enjoyed tremendous views of Fontana Lake and the surrounding mountains.  Really gorgeous!  After lunch, we made our way down a steep descent to the aptly named Lost Cove.  A few years ago, there was a river that surrounded our campsite.  But after the drought, there is now a lake that borders the meadow as it twists its way back to Fontana Lake.  We took turns jumping in the lake and then drying off by laying on the most convenient rock while enjoying the sun.  We had a few teenage visitors, all boys, who appeared particularly interested in our female members on the trip.  This led us to take a side trip to another portion of the lake, where we could swim and enjoy the area without being watched.  That night, we had an informal cookoff that Michael Johnson won hands down with his chicken cashew recipe that was wonderfully accented by the taste of cranberries.  As dusk approached, Michael and Dave made a great fire that warmed us up as the temperature fell in the evening.  Around 10:00 pm, we made another trip to the uninhabited portion of the lake to enjoy the stars.  Ashley befriended a rather pathetic looking tree that Mike informed us will bear fruit.  I'm sure many parts of the tree are edible, but none of us seemed eager to try it.  On Sunday, we woke up to mostly sunny skies.  Marissa intrigued us all as she drew a sketch where two creeks came together just below our campsite.  Michael, Dave and Marissa made another trip to the lake for the swim.  Dave's teeth our still chattering from that morning swim.  The hike out is a rolling up and down as we made it past old cars and a wild boar trap that confirmed what Ashley had been telling us all along, Lost Cove was really a Lost City.  One of these days, archeologists will probably tell us who actually live here, but for now, these people remain a mystery.  After we finished our hike, everyone was pretty famished, so most of us drove to NOC in Wesser for lunch on the Nantahala.  We continued to tell stories about this past weekend and other past vents while quaffing our thirst with some of the best microbrews North Carolina has to offer.  Thank you to everyone for making this a terrific event.

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