This past weekend was my second backpack of the year, this time to the edge of the Shining Rock Wilderness in the shadow of Sam Knob. Once again I went out with the Harvey Broome Group (HBG) of the Sierra Club, led again by Will. I have day hiked and also backpack here last August on another of Will's outings, but this is the first time in the area around Sam Knob.
Ever since my first visit to the area I wanted to hike up to Sam Knob...but more on that later. I met up with the group in Waynesville, as I was the only one not coming from the Knoxville area. So, we headed up to the Flat Laurel Creek Trailhead and the hike to the area where we would camp.
Unlike the recent Mount Rogers backpack, we didn't have a set campsite, so we were hiking to an area and then find a site. One of the highlights, on the way, we passed three waterfalls The first was Bubbling Spring Branch Falls, then Wildcat Falls and the third, Cascade of Flat Laurel Creek, was popular with swimmers. After a break for lunch, we reached the Sam Knob Trail junction.
We started to hear thunder, so we decided to camp in a wooded area. While it took a few minutes to find a site for 10 people we did, but it was on both sides of the trail. That thunder we heard was an omen, the skies darkened and around dinner time the storm rolled through (luckily I had got my tent up before the rain came). Even under a tarp Will set up I still got damp & cold. I had a toque and gloves...in July!
While I decided to hike to Sam Knob Sunday morning a group headed up before the storm, but it wasn't long before the rain and thunder forced them back. However, after the storm passed it cleared and was a nice evening, including a campfire Chuck built.
On Sunday, there was a morning hike to Sam Knob, breaking down camp and heading back the way we came in. We finished the day at Bocelli's Italian Eatery in Waynesville.
Once again, even with the storms and everything I had was wet, it was another excellent overnight backpack with the HBG.
No comments:
Post a Comment