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Post by Deleted on Jun 18, 2017 3:29:35 GMT -8
Trail head parking area is closed.......shut off by a dozed pile of dirt.....
The fires of last year has caused a significant impact to the area, as damaged trees continue to fall.....
I went in on horse back yesterday.....left the chainsaw in the truck.....but had a handsaw and nippers......spent a fair amount of time clearing the trail.....
Parts are still green and beautiful.....but what used to be a very heavily used area has almost no hikers.....I saw zero tents....and only passed one solo hiker, who, like us, only went in a mile or so........we made it in about 5 miles......just past where the Hickory creek trail turns north after crossing the Conasagua river.
I thought the damage was 3 ridges east....but it appears the Western section also suffered greatly.....
The Cherokee outside and to the west, i.e. Sumac Creek, has also burned....seem to be in pockets.....but, still, it's not going to be the same for some time.....
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Post by rwtb123 on Jun 18, 2017 11:55:47 GMT -8
Like hurricanes,fires in Fl. only cost in human terms which is unfortunate but a net positive to plant,animal and habitat diversity.From ranger reports, I understand the same was the case for the recent fire in the southern district of the Shenandoah NP.So I suspect similar for the the recent fires in the southern Appalachians. I get use to seeing fire charred pines and saw palmetto hiking in Fl.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 18, 2017 14:25:38 GMT -8
Illegal in there, aren't they? I believe they are.....I'm going to check further on that.....as there appears to be some stuff that's been cut by a chainsaw.....not knowing if it's legal is the biggest reason I didn't take it....but, with the amount of debris across the trail, a chainsaw would make things a lot quicker... Yes, I went in on the west side....took Mill Creek Road out of Cohutta Springs to West Cowpen....there's a sign on the dozed pile saying park at the intersection..... Tdale....there's still pockets of non burned forest....and the campsites along Hickory creek, and the two along the river are still fine.....Most of the fire damage is on the south side of the trail and the trail seemed to act as a fire break....(just like it was supposed to be)......the rhododendrons are blooming pretty good right now...but with the dead trees, you could clear the trail today and have to do it again tomorrow..... Your right about this being a beautiful stroll.....according to my logs, last time I was in that part of the forest was Oct 29th, 2015 and it was in full fall glory.... If you wait till cooler weather I'll go with you.....
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Post by kevinumberger on Jun 19, 2017 5:58:16 GMT -8
It's a wilderness area so in theory the use of chainsaws is illegal...
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Post by Deleted on Jun 19, 2017 15:22:48 GMT -8
In theory?
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Post by Deleted on Jun 20, 2017 3:18:57 GMT -8
Actually, there's a provision in the Cherokee fire management plan that allows authorization for the use of chainsaws.....
My guess is authorization is probably very hard to get.....although I think I'll call and see what they have to say about it....
No problems in the national forest from what I've read, just in the wilderness areas....
Why the Cohutta wilderness is covered in the Cherokee fire management plan is also a mystery.....as the Cherokee ends at the state line....doesn't it?
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Post by Deleted on Jun 21, 2017 2:05:34 GMT -8
Yes, but the Cohutta's are in the Chattahoochee.....not the Cherokee....
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Post by kevinumberger on Jun 21, 2017 10:54:39 GMT -8
yeah.........the theory of "its only illegal if you get caught"............
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Post by kevinumberger on Jun 21, 2017 10:55:41 GMT -8
Actually, there's a provision in the Cherokee fire management plan that allows authorization for the use of chainsaws..... i think thats only when the fire is active and not for cleanup... i could be wrong on that though... would you have a link to the cherokee fire management plan?
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Post by tipiwalter on Jun 21, 2017 12:04:47 GMT -8
I just pulled an 18 day backpacking trip into the Citico/Slickrock and part of it was on the Deep Creek trail falling off the east side of Hangover Mt. I made it about 2 miles down from the Hangover and hit a whole mountain side completely devastated by landslides and rockslides and collapsed burned up rhodo. The trail ceased to exist. Suffice it to say I pulled a Reach Around---a rare hiking technique whereby the Trail is gone and you turn around and backtrack.
All this damage was from the wildfires of November 2016. I haven't been back in the Cohutta yet to survey its damage.
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Post by kevinumberger on Jun 21, 2017 12:39:17 GMT -8
whoa------i really dug hiking down deep creek trail......
wonder if there will be a reroute.......
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Post by Deleted on Jun 21, 2017 15:28:48 GMT -8
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Post by Deleted on Jun 23, 2017 12:01:17 GMT -8
yeah.........the theory of "its only illegal if you get caught"............ It's probably highly unlikely to get caught.....but it's the feds.....and I'm fairly certain the punishment wouldn't fit the crime.
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Post by tipiwalter on Sept 24, 2017 18:20:01 GMT -8
I just spent 20 days backpacking the Cohut and saw the same Ranger twice, and his name is Kevin. The first time I saw him was on the Jacks trail by the Rough Ridge trail jct, where I camped. The second time I saw him (the next weekend) he was around Jacks River Falls giving out citations to illegal campers and alcohol use etc. I've never seen him anywhere else, and certainly none on the Big Frog side.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 25, 2017 9:19:43 GMT -8
Wonder what that costs? The tickets I mean...
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