AT Section Hiking: Tesnatee Gap To Neel Gap (also Wildcat Mtn. & Hog Pen Gap)

My first attempt to finish the AT section.

Finally this is my blog on completing my first section of the Appalachian Trail (AT). As anyone knows that follows this blog I told the story of my previous attempt to compete this section, but was foiled by the Snow Miser as I documented on a previous blog. So, on Friday after getting the ok from a number of weather sources (here is my new favorite called Mountain Weather Forecasts) I decided to head out.

Springer Mountain.

First for those who may not know what a section hike is let me elaborate. Most people are probably familiar with an AT Thru-Hike. For those who are not it is when
you complete the 2,185 mile trail from Springer Mountain here in Georgia to Mount Katahdin in Maine. You can go either south to north (like most people do) or vise-verse and a person who does this is a thru-hiker. There is another way one can complete the AT and that is in sections. While the Appalachian Trail Conservancy gives the name 2000 miler to anyone who completes the trail if you do it in parts they are still considered a section hiker.

Neel Gap section start.

There are many ways to section hike. One way I had somebody tell me about Friday was that they met a guy who had hiked from Katahdin to Damascus last year and had started this year from Springer and was going to Damascus to finish the trail. One of the most popular ways is to do it by state and finally you can do it in parts and this is what I did. In the AT Guides for each area the trail is split into sections. While I can’t go into all of these in the Georgia/North Carolina edition of the guide one of these is from Neel Gap to Tesnatee Gap and that is the section I wanted to complete.

While this section covers 6.5 miles, actually, with this hike I would be completing a piece of the AT from Bird Gap (south of Blood Mountain) to Hog Pen Gap which covers 11 miles. Anyway, I decided to start the day at Tesnatee Gap and I will say while not like that day in February (where it was zero wind chili) it was still chilly this morning. One reason might be it was about 8:15 am when I got to the trailhead.

Cowrock in the June fog.

One of the things that stood out on my way up was the difference  in the AT headed up to Cowrock Mountain for my last time here back in June (2013). Then it was flush with green and blanketed in by

Clear day at Cowrock.

fog. Like most mountains in North Georgia the switchbacks on the trail helps that the accent. I am going to write another blog about the differences between times I hiked this stretch in early summer versus early spring, but the difference was stark. Back on the trail, the one-mile path up Cowrock Mountain is a decent climb as you ascend 700-feet. While not near as hard as Blood Mountain or as I was to find out later Levelland Mountain, it is a nice aerobic stretch.

Barred owl.

It was around this time when something cool happened. As I hiked up the AT I spotted a large bird fly past, I knew immediately it was an owl. While I got a decent look, but I am not sure which kind, but I pretty sure it was a barred owl. Anyway, it was really cool.

Eventually I made to the rocky open area of the magnificent vista of Cowrock Mountain. When I was here in June it was covered in clouds, but on this day the view was spectacular. To the southwest one can see Tray Mountain and Wildcat Mountain and to the south and southeast Yonah and Horsetrough Mountains. This is a wonderful place to stop and have lunch, take a break or just sit back and take in why I for one love being on the trail, for spots like this. Something I discovered on this trip was to the right of the main outcrop on the other side of the big rock is a great view including Blood Mountain. Just remember this is one of those winter, early spring views.

Looking south at Cowrock Mtn.

Morning fog in the mountains.

Looking back toward Tray Mtn.

Blood & Slaughters Mountains.

Well, I thought my next stop was over a mile way at Wolf Laurel Top, but on the way about ¼ mile from Cowrock I discovered another outcrop that, because of the fog and leaf cover, I missed in June. I come to discover that it is called Green Cliff Top and it is another fabulous vista. This south-to-southeast view gave great looks at Springer, Black and Big Cedar Mountains. Out in the distance I spotted Stone and Sawnee Mountains and to the left of Sawnee I just could make out…if you guessed Atlanta that is the right answer. Oh, and it would not be the last time on this day that I would see the Chocolate City. Oh, once again there was a nice view of Blood Mountain and also my final destination Levelland Mountain.

Sawnee Mtn & Atlanta from Green Cliff Top.

Stone Mountain.

Black & Big Cedar Mountains.

Levelland, Blood & Slaughter Mountains.

Horsetrough Mountain.

Hikers on the AT.

At this point I would be remised not to mention that this day I was on the AT, thru-hiking season was in full swing. I can’t really say how many hikers I passed (since I was headed south on the trail), but it looked at one point like a hiker highway. I did play my annual game of who I thought would make it to Katahdin and who wouldn’t. There was one guy I met from Habersham County who was thru-hiking the AT solo, he knew the North Georgia Mountains and looked like someone who might make it. I will say I ran into others that I was surprised made it past Neel Gap.

Well, it was on to Wolf Laurel Top, which is a decent but not too hard of a climb, but once again just as I was making my way up I discovered another rock outcrop I missed in June this time looking
north with one of the best views I have found of Brasstown Bald. Once I got to Wolf Laurel Top I discovered that there were actually two outcrops that offered wonderful vistas of Cowrock, Yonah and Horsetrough Mountains.as I have already mentioned, there was no view from here in June from the fog. At the second outcrop I met a group of thru and day hikers. It was fun to trade stories, one guy was from Chicago, and I got to talk a little about one of my other passions, the reigning, defending Stanley Cup Champion, Blackhawks!

The observation deck of Brasstown Bald from north outcrop.

Cowrock Mountain from second outcrop.

The vista from second outcrop.

The third & main outcrop at Wolf Laurel Top.

Looking south at Wolf Laurel Top.

Trail at Rock Springs Top.

Swaim Gap & Levelland Mtn.

When I was here nine months ago it was at this point that I turned around to head back, but on this day I had an additional two miles to reach my objective of finishing this section.  So, on I went descending slightly before going uphill and started the approach to Rock Spring Top. The trail skirts the west side of the mountain and the mountain has no outcrops, but there is a blue blaze to the spring that gives the mountain its name.

 So, it was back down the trail to Swaim Gap and with that the journey up Levelland Mountain. I will say that the mountain looked imposing as I approached it. I will say while the conditions were far more extreme on my February hike up the northside of Levelland, on the actually mountain, the southside up was much harder. Thankfully the trail was switchback, but I will say that it about got the best of me, but I had been hiking at a good clip and didn’t stop a lot. However, about 2/3 the way up I did take a quick brake as there was an outcrop which included another view of good old Sawnee Mountain and Atlanta. To be truthful this vista is better than the one at the open area on Levelland Mountain.

Sawnee Mtn. & Atlanta from Levelland Mtn.

Vista on the trail up Levelland Mtn.

After struggling up the mountain I crested a hill and there was my objective the rocky open face just below the summit. It was here that I decided in late February the best course of action was to head back and after going up the southside, with as harsh as the weather was that day; it would have been a slog back up. Standing there on the rock face I must say that after the cold of my previous trip that I felt a good about getting here and finally completing this section of the AT (for the rest of this section hike see my blog on the February trip from here to Neel Gap).

My destination!

At the rock outcrop in February.

Back at the same outcrop in March.

After enjoying my victory it was time to head back up north on the AT, like so many of the thru-hikers who past me earlier in the day. I will admit the trip back was a little tougher, after all the miles I logged. However, after stops again at Wolf Laurel and Green Cliff Tops it was on to Cowrock Mountain. It was about this time I started to notice that some clouds had begun to roll in and making it slightly hazier than earlier in the day.

Cowrock Mtn. from Wolf Laurel Top.

The mountain ridge of Brasstown Bald.

Green Cliff Top.

Wildcat Mtn. from Cowrock.

Yonah Mtn. from Cowrock.

So after a break at Cowrock it was back to Tesnatee Gap and the end of the section part of the hike, but I still had some trail to cover.  Before I get to that one of the cool things at Tesnatee Gap besides the AT it is also the start of the Logan Turnpike Trail. The trail is on the site of an old road which use to come over the mountain and was official closed in 1925 after US 19 opened through Neel Gap. Four-wheel-drive vehicles used the road until it was barricaded by the Forest Service in 1981.

Tesnatee Gap end of the section.

Logan Turnpike Trail.

Anyway, it was time to head up Wildcat Mountain on the AT. I had been on this part of the trail in late May with Deb. It was here that we were told about a rattlesnake on the trail that ended our hiking day prematurely. Luckily while a little steep, the switchbacks on the trail help and before long one comes to some rock outcrops about halfway. This spot gives great year round views of the Town Creek Gorge. Back in May Deb and I spotted a helicopter flying up the gorge on this day it was Atlanta that I would see.

Towns Creek Gorge.

Helicopter in the gorge back in late May (2013).

Atlanta & Sawnee Mtn.

As I headed toward Hog Pen Gap I had one more detour and that was to rock summit of Wildcat Mountain. The trail to here is actually the one that goes 1.2 miles to Whitley Gap Shelter. But, before you get there one first must top Wildcat Mountain. It is a really cool blue blazed trail because you first must traverse a tunnel of Rhododendron & Mountain Laurel. From my previous visit in June I knew there was two outcrops one on the way up the trail and the summit area of the mountain. However, I found a third one before these two, which had a good view of Cowrock Mountain.

First outcrop looking at Cowrock Mtn. outcrop.

Second outcrop vista.

Peeking over the top of Cowrock is Blood Mtn.

 

Dukes Creek Falls.

I would hit all three and even with the skies starting to cloud up the view was still great. All that was left was the one-mile trek down the trail and back on the AT to Hog Pen Gap. I will admit Hog Pen is one of my favorite gaps on the AT and it is my hiking rabbit Pete’s pick too. The parking is nice and like Woody Gap it has one of those cool AT marker stones. So, that was my day on the AT and I finished my first section of the trail. However, my day wasn’t over as it was on to DukesCreek Falls, but that is a blog for later.

Pete & the AT marker stone.