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Post by tipiwalter on Dec 17, 2015 13:26:14 GMT -8
Trip 170 November 27--December 13 2015 Citico Creek Wilderness Tennessee To see all the pics go here--- tipiwalter.smugmug.com/Backpack-2015-Trips-161/Three-Citico-Nuts/This Trip Report is a backpacking report and NOT a dayhiking done-in-a-day report---with the main highlight being a 75 hour rainstorm along North Fork Citico Creek.  I run into my backpacking buddy Patman preparing to cross North Fork Creek at crossing #7. This was before the long rainstorm turning all creeks into raging rivers.  Here's the North Fork after 3 days of rain and so I sit put and hunker in my tent until the water goes down for the necessary crossings.  Later in the trip I run into these backpackers on Bob Mt at 5,300 feet.  My warm December trip ends in Beech Gap on the Benton MacKaye trail. |
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Post by rwtb123 on Dec 17, 2015 14:39:20 GMT -8
Beautiful area. That's what the southern appalachians are all about.Thanks for sharing...
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RedDoug
Trail Wise!
Trail active, stand back.....
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Post by RedDoug on Dec 18, 2015 14:38:43 GMT -8
I just looked at 192 photos of a place I have never been too. Impressive landscapes.
Thanks for the tour.
-RD
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mk
Trail Wise!
North Texas
Posts: 1,217 
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Post by mk on Dec 18, 2015 15:51:43 GMT -8
Nice ending to a lovely trip  Especially liked the stream pics. One question: why did you give up merino and go to capilene? Wait - another question: what kind of tent do you use? |
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Post by tipiwalter on Dec 18, 2015 16:19:34 GMT -8
RedDoug: I tend to overdo it when it comes to taking photos, but heck, that's what Smugmug is for.
And to MK: I've been using merino for many years to replace old duofold and polypropylene but recently decided to try the "newfangled" capilene layers and was glad I did. Cap is lighter than wool, dries faster when moist with sweat and/or rain, as warm or warmer, and offers a much better system under load when actually backpacking. I.e. it doesn't sweat out as much and when it does it dries much faster.
Plus, the thermal weight capilene hoody is very nice as the zip neck hoody really adds alot of warmth in camp or on the trail.
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mk
Trail Wise!
North Texas
Posts: 1,217
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Post by mk on Dec 18, 2015 17:11:31 GMT -8
Thanks, Tipi. I can't wear wool myself (except socks), but usually you hear about people ditching the capilene for merino, not the other way around. Good to know that it works so well.
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RedDoug
Trail Wise!
Trail active, stand back.....
Posts: 634
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Post by RedDoug on Dec 18, 2015 17:50:03 GMT -8
Duofold used to stink terrible after a few days. Does capilene? I know wool doesn't.
The stink factor is always a very serious consideration.
tipi, where do you live- is Citico like in your back yard?
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Post by tipiwalter on Dec 18, 2015 18:57:15 GMT -8
I've used merino for years, mainly Icebreaker brand, but decided to return to a capilene midlayer with a polartex fleece outer (along with my usual goose down "extreme" outer parka/pants for winter). Capilene outperforms merino in my opinion.
And RedDoug---I live right at the base of the TN mountains near Tellico Plains. It's 19 miles from my house to the entrance to the Bald River wilderness, which connects to the Citico and Slickrock and the Snowbirds etc.
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RedDoug
Trail Wise!
Trail active, stand back.....
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Post by RedDoug on Dec 18, 2015 20:02:06 GMT -8
I live right at the base of the TN mountains near Tellico Plains. It's 19 miles from my house to the entrance to the Bald River wilderness, which connects to the Citico and Slickrock and the Snowbirds etc Location, location, location. Its one of the reasons I live in AZ. But I see you have it, too. So how close to AT are you? |
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Post by tipiwalter on Dec 19, 2015 7:15:48 GMT -8
So how close to AT are you? I once did a trip from Citico wilderness by following wilderness trails to Slickrock Creek which connected me to an old 9 mile trail called the Yellow Creek Mt Trail which joined the AT above Fontana in Walker Gap. Plus, if you get on the Benton Mackaye trail where I live it goes south thru Cohutta wilderness and connects to Springer Mt and the AT. |
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RedDoug
Trail Wise!
Trail active, stand back.....
Posts: 634
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Post by RedDoug on Dec 19, 2015 9:59:25 GMT -8
So tipi, have you hiked the AT?
Your avatar looks so SE US.
How far from your place to Springer Mt.?
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Post by tipiwalter on Dec 19, 2015 10:48:46 GMT -8
My avatar is above Huntfish Falls in Pisgah NF and near Lost Cove Creek. I highly recommend backpacking this area, called the Wilson Creek backcountry in North Carolina. The Mountains to Sea trail runs thru it and includes Upper Creek, Harper and North Harper Creek, Gragg Prong, Raider Camp Creek and Lost Cove Creek. A fantastic place and my old stomping grounds from the early 1980's.
I did the AT back in the mid 1980's and Shenandoah NP twice in '84 and I return to parts of the AT when I want to spend 3 weeks in the Mt Rogers area, another favorite place. I keep off the AT now unless I need it to tie into other trails as I don't like the AT shelter system all that much.
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Especially liked the stream pics. One question: why did you give up merino and go to capilene? Wait - another question: what kind of tent do you use?