FamilySherpa
Trail Wise!
Tangled up in Rhododendron
Posts: 1,791
|
Post by FamilySherpa on Oct 17, 2016 9:11:15 GMT -8
Spent saturday morning up at max patch. Hiked the perimeter trail, then up to the top, & down back to the parking area. We had stayed at Round Mtn campground the night before, so we were able to get up there (what we thought was) early, around 9:00. When we passed the pond and rounded the bend, the cars were already lined up alongside the road, but we managed to find a spot in the small parking area at the trailhead. A few random observations about max patch. Obviously this is leaf season so the crowds were quite heavy, but by the time we were leaving, shortly after noon, it was crazy busy. cars parked in every spot for nearly a half mile from the trailhead. Lots of people walking 4 abreast and not even batting an eye that you had moved into the brambles to let them pass. At one point in time, you weren't supposed to camp atop the bald itself. Not only were there tents everywhere, but there were smoldering fire pits at almost every group of tents. Lots of used toilet paper piles at the mowed edge ( ). I guess this is all somewhat of a surprise to me, as i'd never been up there for leaf season. I do recall that when i used to frequent the area in college (early 2000s) you'd hardly see anyone there. I have to wonder when this will become a fee area. The leaves were not quite at their peak yet, except at the very uppermost tree line. I'd say by next weekend it should look really nice at those elevations.
|
|
|
Post by Swerve on Oct 17, 2016 10:24:48 GMT -8
Nice pics...thanks for sharing
|
|
VAN
Trail Wise!
Posts: 133
|
Post by VAN on Oct 17, 2016 15:45:15 GMT -8
Nice thank you for sharing!
|
|
|
Post by rwtb123 on Oct 18, 2016 8:29:04 GMT -8
Thanks for enduring the crowds to bring us the pics!
|
|
|
Post by kevinumberger on Oct 18, 2016 10:27:28 GMT -8
" At one point in time, you weren't supposed to camp atop the bald itself"
yeah.....
the forest service went back and forth on this and then decided it was alright for people to camp up there......
and since its a short in----it tends to get traffic.......
the only time ive camped there (and i was in the woodsline right off the bald)----people were using wagons and wheelbarrows to cart their stuff to the top.....
|
|
|
Post by johntpenca on Oct 20, 2016 14:38:56 GMT -8
people were using wagons and wheelbarrows to cart their stuff to the top..... sad state of affairs.
|
|
FamilySherpa
Trail Wise!
Tangled up in Rhododendron
Posts: 1,791
|
Post by FamilySherpa on Oct 15, 2018 9:40:32 GMT -8
Was up at Max Patch over the weekend. There were 3 different volunteer groups doing incredibly hard work. AT conservancy, Carolina Mtn Club, & one other that I didnt catch the name of.
Cleaning up trash Closing off illegally made foot paths Closing off areas that were endangering the golden warbler population Breaking up some of the fire pits that have been made in bad areas Building a massive split rail fence system near the parking area
They have closed the old foot path that went straight to the top from the parking area, so now if you want to pull a wagon full of stuff up there, you have to take the long route to the left. Basically the only trails open now are the perimeter trail, and the AT that goes up and over. Really happy with this development.
Fantastic work they are doing up there. BIG Thank You to those groups.
|
|
|
Post by kevinumberger on Oct 15, 2018 12:15:25 GMT -8
They have closed the old foot path that went straight to the top from the parking area, so now if you want to pull a wagon full of stuff up there, you have to take the long route to the left. and that's one of the downfall's of max patch...........a fairly easy in, allows people to bring wagons full of stuff they think they'll need up there....
|
|