It has taken a few days to get this up, but it was deja vu, Thursday, for another snow adventure in the Cherokee National Forest (CNF). This wasn't the only reason because like my last time here plans changed, but this time the back-up hike was the one I was supposed to do in November...the Turkey Pen Cove-Middle Springs Ridge Trails Loop.
I didn't plan to start in Horse Creek Recreation Area, but next door at Old Forge Campground. I hiked out of here last May Day and camped here in September. My plan for the day was to take the Jennings Creek Trail for about a mile and go left on the Poplar Cove Trail. From here it was almost another mile, connecting with the Sarvis Cove Trail, where the hike begins. From here it was a steep 2.6 miles to Cold Springs Mountain and back.
The trail out of the campground cross Jennings Creek and on my past two visits crossing was no problem, but not today. Because of snowmelt, Jennings Creek was roaring and the crossing was high and as it turns out there was no way to cross without getting my feet wet. With it, in the 20s I didn't want that as it would have ended the hike anyway. So, what to do? I thought about driving an hour to Hot Springs, but that is a long drive. I then thought about Pete's Branch Falls, but it is the one I did as a backup in November. Plus there are some wide Creek crossing that might be just as troublesome as Jennings Creek. Then there is Squibb Creek and it's 15 Creek crossings one way...I thought better of that. However, there is it's neighboring trails, Turkey Pen Cove and Middle Spring Ridge, the loop I was supposed to do back before Thanksgiving. I had to abort this hike because of heavy snow bending rhododendrons down over the trail. This snow wasn't as heavy so I thought it was doable. Oh, I could always do Squibb Creek.
So, I started from the Horse Creek Trailhead, across the bridge into the Sampson Mountain Wilderness. After seeing the water flowing on Horse Creek I decided to head back to the car for my L.L. Bean leather boots. While my Salomon's are waterproof the L.L. Bean's are my winter boots. I have a love/hate relationship with them. They are warm and watertight, but they are heavy and I don't know if they are fully broken in ( I have owned them for six years).
So, I got across the first three creek crossings before reaching the start of the Turkey Pen Cove Trail. While there was some bend down it wasn't like last time and I passed where I got to before. On the way, I slipped and stepped in the water, up the laces. I did have some more rhododendrons to navigate, but I got through without getting too wet. As the trail moved up the ridge turning left away from Turkey Pen Cove the rhododendron gave way to hardwoods and eventually pines.
It is here at about 1.2 miles that it switchbacks up. That also means there are some wonderful views through this section, especially in winter. The higher I went the warmer it got and the less snow there was. Probably was this part of the trail was in full sunshine. When the trail straightens out for the final 0.3 miles it gets steep. It was a little shaded, so there was snow on the trail. A problem I had most of the hike was real evidence, it was icy, slick and hard going with the heavy, heavy boats. It was here where I want my Salomon's back!
After slogging uphill what seemed like forever the trail leveled off and I reached the junction with the Middle Springs Ridge Trail. Something different than two years ago was a new trail sign, which is always a plus. After lunch and some foot repair, I headed down the Middle Springs Ridge Trail. This is a trail I had done twice before and because of that I know it's steep. However, with snow and ice, it was steeper and the narrow spots seemed more so...I was very careful.
As I headed down I ran into tracks in the snow and it was obvious what they belonged too...a bear. It was a good size bear as its paws were as big as my hand. These tracks solved a mystery about some others I found earlier in the day. I had seen tracks in the snow and they were canine, but now I realized they were bear dogs (I had also seen trucks with dog boxes near Old Forge).
The trail finally flattened out as it reconnected with the Squibb Creek Trail which I headed back to the trailhead on. It was amazing how much snow had melted in the hours since I last past through here. It also had increased the water flow even more. Once again a change of plan led to more adventures in the CNF.
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