Third Annual July 4th Weekend at Panthertown Valley: Waterfalls, Vistas, Blueberries (and Bears?)

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Third Annual July 4th Weekend at Panthertown Valley: Waterfalls, Vistas, Blueberries (and Bears?)

The Basics:

Event Type:

Backpacking

Event Location:

Panthertown Valley, Nantahala National Forest, NC

Backpacking: Third Annual July 4th Weekend at Panthertown Valley: Waterfalls, Vistas, Blueberries (and Bears?)

Date(s) & Time:

Sat, Jul 2 2016 9:00 am >> Mon, Jul 4 2016 4:00 pm (Carpool Departure: 9:00 am *log in for location*)

Registration Opens:

Mon, Jun 6 2016 8:00 pm

Registration Cut Off:

Thu, Jun 30 2016 9:00 pm

Event Duration:

2 Days 7 Hours

Difficulty Rating:

D3: Moderate

Distance:

3.5 Miles

Pace:

Moderate

Trip Leader(s):

Mark
Aaron

Email Trip Leader(s)
You must be logged in to get the Trip Leader contact information.

Member Cost:

None

Participant Info:

Who's Invited:

Members Only, 21 And Older Only

Maximum Group Size:

Minimum Group Size:

Number Registered So Far:

14 / 0 (To see who's signed up, log in to the Member Area)

Are Dogs Permitted:

Yes

Itinerary:

What better way to celebrate our country's birthday than with a backcountry trip to one of our beautiful National Forests. It's also Laura's birthday and this will be her 3rd annual trip to one of her favorite places. Known as “the Yosemite of the East,” Panthertown Valley offers many miles of trails and footpaths to waterfalls, gorges, rocky overlooks, and deep forests.

This will be a relaxing 2 night (or 3 night - see below) backpacking weekend to explore the natural beauty of this area. On Saturday, we will pack in and select a suitable campsite. Once we set up camp, your trip leaders plan to hike to many of the scenic overlooks and waterfalls. You are free to play all day on your own or hang with the group, or do some hard-core exploring up rivers with your TLs. After dark, we may take a night hike to find a spot to lie on our backs for some stargazing... and of course enjoy a Mark and Aaron style campfire. ;-)

For those who wish to talk to the trees and experience a more relaxing weekend, you are free to read, nap, do yoga, or whatever makes you happy. Last year, we found a huge patch of ripe blueberries on Little Green. You may want to bring a blueberry bucket in case we find some this year.

Note; There are bears in Panthertown Valley. Everyone MUST bring their own bear bag and 40 foot line to hang your food.

If you choose to explore the wilds of Panthertown Valley on your own, please bring your own map and GPS and let the trip leader know your destination and estimated return time to camp. Trail maps and descriptions are available at this and other websites: http://panthertown.org/panthertown-valley/ http://www.stayandplayinthesmokies.com/lib/file/manager/pdf-download-library/pvmap.pdf

On July 4th, we will break camp and plan to be back at the cars by 1 PM for our return to Atlanta.

Note: We may provide a secondary carpool option for folks who are able to leave Friday afternoon to go up and spend a little extra time, as well as secure a prime campsite.

Note2: This is a D3 backpacking trip with a relatively short distance to our campsite. Don't be fooled by the difficulty rating - there will be some steep inclines and significant elevation gain on the return trip. The trip leaders will contact you if you do not have a history of D3 (or above) backpacking events or D5 hiking events with the AOC.

Note 1) There are bears in Panthertown Valley. Everyone MUST bring their own bear bag and 40 foot line to hang your food.

Required Items to Bring:

Food for two and half days: three lunches, two dinners, two breakfasts. More food, if you plan to come the extra day. It's only 1.75 miles to the car if you need to leave extra food in vehicle.

Bear canister or Dry Bag and Rope to hang food - everyone MUST have their own rope. Knot lessons will be provided if necessary.

Sturdy hiking shoes/boots and extra socks

Essential Backpacking gear for summer:

Backpack and small day pack

Tent or hammock

Headlamp/flashlight

Stove

2 liters of water (Water source available)

Water filter (or prearrange to share)

Rain gear/poncho

Toiletries (must be kept in bear bag at night or when you leave camp)

Bug spray and Sunscreen

Trash bag for wet clothes, garbage, etc.

Clean clothes and deodorant for the ride home (these can be left in vehicle)

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

Sleeping bag or whatever you like to sleep on for summer camping

Water shoes (highly recommended)

Whistle and First Aid kit

Bathing suit and/or quick dry clothing

Camp/Sven saw

Towel

Soap - it's 3 or 4 days... be kind to your fellow campers. ;-)

Hat

Camp chair for relaxing

Hiking poles

Panthertown Valley Trail map and compass or GPS.

Trail snacks

How to Get There:

Event Directions:

To be given at carpool

Carpool to Event Distance (round trip):

240Mile(s)

Carpool Departure Time:

9:00 am

Carpool Location:

Carpool Directions:

Carpool Cost:

Estimated cost per vehicle for this event is $96.00 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:

2 friendly trail dogs with nice manners are welcome on this trip.

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

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