Springer Mountain to Little Skeenah Creek - Benton MacKaye Trail

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Springer Mountain to Little Skeenah Creek - Benton MacKaye Trail

The Basics:

Event Type:

Explorer

Event Location:

Benton MacKaye Trail Sections 1 and 2

Date(s) & Time:

Sat, Oct 11 2008 8:00 am >> N/A (Carpool Departure: 8:00 am *log in for location*)

Registration Opens:

Mon, Sep 8 2008 9:00 pm

Registration Cut Off:

Tue, Oct 7 2008 11:55 am

Event Duration:

Two Days, One Night

Difficulty Rating:

D5: Difficult

Trip Leader(s):

Scott Sanders

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Member Cost:

None

Participant Info:

Who's Invited:

Members Only, 21 And Older Only

Maximum Group Size:

Minimum Group Size:

Number Registered So Far:

9 / 0 (To see who's signed up, log in to the Member Area)

Are Dogs Permitted:

Itinerary:

Total Backpacking Mileage - 18.3 (with mountains) We'll be meeting at Mansell Road park and ride. We will then drive to FS 42/Springer, and shuttle cars to the end point. We'll probably need three cars for the shuttle. The approach hike will start at Crosstrails parking area 0.9 miles from Springer Mountain and ascend to Springer. For most of the first six miles we'll follow the Benton MacKaye Trail (BMT) and hike down hill towards the Three Forks area. At Three Forks, we'll continue on section 2 the BMT with some elevation gains. Depending on how everyone feels, we'll most likely camp at the unnamed gap at the head of Mill Creek (9.5 miles total). There is supposed to be water at this gap. This will leave 8.8 Miles for Sunday. Sunday we'll break camp and finish by following the BMT over the suspension bridge on the Toccoa River, take a swim if we have time at the river, and continue to the end of section 2 at Ga 60 and Little Skeenah Creek.

Required Items to Bring:
Tent, food, pack, stove, food, clothes, etc. Come prepared to be "self sufficient". I'll bring a water filter, but it would be good if a few more people could bring a filter - just in case. Check the AOC link for suggested backpacking gear for additional gear ideas.

Recommended Items to Bring:
Use our Event Checklists to make sure you have everything you need.

How to Get There:

Event Directions:

Mansell Road to Ga 400 north, we take a bunch of "country" roads and end up at FS 42 near Springer. From Springer, we'll drop cars at Ga 60, come back and start the hike. After we get to the end, we'll reverse the shuttle to Sp;ringer/FS 42 and return home. Directions are complicated and can be printed when finalized from http://groundedgraphics.com/backpacker-magazine/benton-mackay1-2.php

Carpool to Event Distance (round trip):

90Mile(s)

Carpool Departure Time:

8:00 am

Carpool Location:

Carpool Directions:

Carpool Cost:

Estimated cost per vehicle for this event is $36.00 using a reimbursement rate guideline of $0.400 per mile. The total amount should be divided by the number of people in the vehicle, including the driver. This is a guideline, not a rule, for drivers but the cost should not be higher unless there are extenuating circumstances.

Notes:

PACE - slow. Think 1.5 MPH average. If you still feel like you need a workout, you can run extra miles when everyone arrives in camp. I hike long miles, but I am not going to rush or leave anyone behind. There will be time for taking photos, if you don't linger too long. Think "light weight" when packing - you should be under 40 pounds on total weight. Day one is a long, tough D5+ day and Day two is a D4 day. I rated this as D5 overall. We'll be stopping at all trail intersections, and road crossings to "collect" the group as we hike and not get stretched out too much (for safety reasons) This is NOT A BEGINNER trip. If you have questions, sign up and email me. I reserve the right to remove anyone who I feel might not be up to the challenge.

* We encourage all members to follow our Etiquette Guidelines while participating in AOC events.

Cost Includes:

Cancellation/Partial Attendance: Please review the AOC cancellation policy.
*Note: NA