Tales From The Wood Booger: The First 2022 CNF Snow Adventure At Margarette Falls

Sunday, January 23, 2022

The First 2022 CNF Snow Adventure At Margarette Falls

For those who a familiar with this blog, you will know this Wood Booger likes winter and more than that loves snow. With the nice snow event last Sunday plus finally being healthy I wanted to get out and enjoy the snow. Since there was snow close by I decided, on Tuesday, to go to Margarette Falls.

Snow in St. Clair: Monday (T) & Tuesday (B)

Besides having snow I had a choice of going up the Bullen Hollow Trail or going to the falls. Another reason I decided to stay close and go into the Cherokee National Forest (CNF) was road conditions and I ran into examples of why on the way to the trailhead on Shelton Mission Road. Once there I started up the trail and ran into a lot of rhododendrons bent over by snow. I have been here before with snow and had never seen them on this part of the trail. That meant there was no way I could get through the rhododendron tunnels of the Bullen Hollow Trail.

Roads had ice

I am going to say that the beauty of these snowy trails is why I love doing these. On this day instead of green surrounding the rocky cliffs or Mid-Point Falls, today they were white. Another thing about winter is you can see Cathedral Rock in all its glory.

Mid-Point Falls

The Fan

The Shute

Cathedral Rock

As for Margarette Falls, the 60-foot cascade is beautiful with a winter coat. Since I was testing my new boots I did cross the creek to go up for another angle of the falls, but I didn't go all the way up because of the snow bent rhododendrons. Oh, and I didn't go up the trail that one takes to Baliey Falls it is steep and I still had one place to go.

I had discovered an old path in the Appalachian Trail first edition guide I recently acquired the Spruce Thicket Trail. One end starts at Jones Meadow, but the other branches off the Phillips Hollow Trail. Since it was too far up where I had researched where it started I crossed over to look and low and behold I think I found it. I might try to hike it, but I would want to start at Jones Meadow.