Fri, May 25 2012 - GA LOOP Duncan Ridge Trail + Appalachian Trail (55miles in 3 days) (View Original Event Details)
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Itenerary is as follows...
2.5 days, 55 miles, 28 hours of hiking, 15,000 feet elevation ascent, 6 cans of chicken, 4 small bags of carrots, 4 grapfruits, 6 bagels, 5 cans of soup, 4 cliff bars, 1 Bimpie 12" sub, 12 liters of water and still not enough food!
Friday night set up camp at Woody Gap for early morning start. Meet other backpackers also circumnavigaiting the GA Loop, but some heading to North Carolina as well. The night is clear and windless, no need for sleeping bag since the weather is so temperate.
Saturday morning break camp by 6:30 am, and head north with intended destination of somewhere north of Coosa Bald on the Duncan Ridge Trail. Stop at Wolfpen Gap to wait for the chance of encountering other fellow AOC dayhikers but no luck. Able to catch a nap and read here for 1 hour. Continue north to Mulky Gap where friendly Georgia Utlrarunning and Trailrunning Socity (GUTS) members offer rations. Three angels in running apparal is what they are. Continued to Sarvis Gap where a comfortable campground is discovered. Hiked till 7:30 pm and then set up camp there.
Sunday morning break camp at 7:00 am with the intention of going to Sassafras Mountain. Awake to strong wind sounds, however there is not much moving on the ground. The air is still quite mild in temperature. Stop at Tooni Gap to refresh by the stream by washing and watering up. The large creek is tonic. Wildlife sitings have been minimal and unexciting with the exception of about a half dozen deer. Once again set up camp about 8:00 pm to watch the sunset through the trees on top of Sassafras. This has to be one of the best spots on the trail.
Monday morning rise and shine at 6:30 am. Completely out of food, hunger has become an issue, feeling inauspicious. Trying to calculate how far and how much time it would take to get to the remaining 6 grapefruits I have setting in the truck. Approximately 10 miles to go and this task is still not complete. Mindset is different today, experiencing hunger, a little more suffering than normal. Finally make it back to the Woody Gap Trailhead and all is well. With aplomb the task is complete. Next year maybe we try it in two days! :)
Commonly forgotten items when backpacking... plastic bags, campsite shoes, fire starter, small spade, rope to hang food with, antiseptic wipes, campfire chair, insect repellent, multiple hankerchiefs, gaters, sunscreen(also good for chaffing)
Second year completing this trip with AOC. Next year hopefully more will join us!
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