Appalachian Trail Backpacking
Trip Scheduled

From: "Martin, Mike" <MMartin@tombarrow.com>
Date: Fri, 1 Apr 2005 12:31:12 -0500
To: <tjchristian@mindspring.com>
Subject: Appalachian Trail Backpacking Trip

Trent,

The trip will be the weekend of May 13th, 14th, and 15th.

As planned now we will leave after the boys get out of school on Friday the
13th and drive to Dicks Creek Gap in north Georgia. The road trip will take
about 3 hours with stopping for some fast food. Once we arrive at Dicks
Creek Gap we'll hit the trail heading north. There is a camping area about
1.2 miles in where we'll spend Friday night.

Saturday we will continue north, crossing Buzzard Knob (about 850 feet in
elevation gain), and then continue on for a total of 10.5 miles, most of it
uphill. After about 7.5 miles we'll cross into North Carolina and continue
up and on to our stop at Muskrat Creek shelter where we'll spend the night.
The last 6 miles on Saturday will have an elevation gain of over 1,400 feet.
Just over half a mile from our camp there is a high open cliff with a view
out over Shooting Creek Valley and the remains of an old airplane crash
which we might want to visit if time and energy permits.

Sunday we'll continue north starting out downhill, but alas, we'll have to
go back up to our trips highest point of 4,800 feet on Yellow Mtn. After
another mile or so downhill we'll wind up at Deep Creek gap in North
Carolina where our trip will end.

The total distance will be 15.6 miles. We'll start out at an elevation of
2,675 feet and pass thru 4,800 feet, which is over a 2,100 foot climb
without counting all the ups and downs in-between.

It will be a challenge and there are no early exits. Once we get started we
have to finish or stay in the woods. The area is remote and we will have to
be careful to avoid injury and wild animals. However, it should be a
rewarding hike with great views, lots of spring flowers, and a great deal of
personal satisfaction when we're done.

We'll discuss details as it gets closer but we will need some adults to tag
along and we may want to have someone meet us at the end so we don't have to
shuffle cars Friday night.

Please forward this to the troop as a sort of "commercial" so they know what
we're planning.

Thanks!

Mike