Post 900 Hike #66: Wolf Ridge, Gregory Bald, Long Hungry Ridge, 20-Mile, Wolf Ridge

This is the hike Cecil Rowe had planned for the last two Wednesdays that were not done due to weather concerns. Cecil picked me up at the Lakeside Market; John Kennerly and John Hutsenpiller were with him. At the entrance to Foothills Parkway off U.S. 321 we picked up BZ Lane; next stop was at the junction of the Parkway with the Dragon (i.e., U.S. 129). Ellie, Charlie, and Janetta were there; although Ellie had planned to go with us, she went with Charlie and Janetta on an AT, Lost Cove, & Lakeshore hike. (We sort have a rule that there should be a minimum of 3 on backcountry hikes. I had committed to Cecil when I thought that I’d be his 3rd, thinking that Bob was going with Charlie and Janetta. Although I would have most willingly gone on Charlie’s hike, at it conclusion someone would have to drive >20 miles out of their way to get me to my vehicle.)

At 08:20 we set out on our hike from the Twentymile Ranger Station on the 6.8 mi. Wolf Ridge Trail. Initially John H. and I led; however, as I usually endeavor to do on trails with a bit of gain (this one had 3,000+), went ahead. At 10:39 I had reached Parson Bald (~0.4 mi. from Wolf Ridge’s terminus with Gregory Bald). Although I never noted that my HR exceeded 142 (while Cecil was driving the Dragon its lowest was 58—I need to check it at a more relaxed rest), I had sweated a bit and was getting cold. I stayed there for 10 min. and then went to the Gregory Bald trailhead (arr:11:02). At this point I donned my old winter Gortex running jacket and put my extra pair of socks on my hands; it was cold (~37). When John H. arrived, he loaned me a vest that he was not using; I had expected a sunny day and it was not. I had had my aerobic workout and was ready to do remaining trails (mostly “downs”) at a leisurely pace.

The Gregory Bald 1.2 mi. section we were doing initially has a little bit of gain, then it's fairly level where the Azaleas bloom in late June, and then a bit of down. The picture shows my cohorts (John H., Cecil, John K., BZ)at the start of the 4.6 mi. Long Hungry Ridge Trail at 12:24(my pic. taken at Gregory Bald was even more foggier. BZ and I were leading when we came to a serious water crossing; while BZ was looking for a rock-hopping place the others arrived and I was almost ready to don my water shoes when BZ yelled that he had found a place to cross. I re-laced my boots. BZ crossed initially (I did not see him do it but it had to be quite a feat); he then assisted John K. and me, while John H. and Cecil chose to wade with water shoes. Remaining crossings were mild in comparison.

We then did the 2.6 mi. section of the Twentymile Trail; it is essentially an old road bed and it was from it that I took the two pictures of small water falls--the 2nd one was like a series of dams. Then it was the 0 .5 mi. section of Wolf Ridge (the one that we started on). We arrived at Cecil’s van at the Twentymile Ranger Station; I am not sure of the time. Then the long ride home; Cecil dropped me off at Lakeside Market ~17:45.