Post 900 Hike #84: Cataloochee Valley

Arrived at Cracker Barrel 15-20 min. prior to our meet-up time of 07:00. Several different Cataloochee area hikes were to be undertaken; two vehicles left for the Cataloochee Valley and two other vehicles left from another meet-up at Cove Creek Gap (the most Eastern point in Cataloochee) and Polls Gap. The first picture was taken by Dick Ledyard of those who rode with him just prior to our start on Fork Ridge at 09:05, from L-R are Carol Anderson, Steve Edwards, Joy Kelly, Dave Anderson.



I had chosen to hike with Steve to help him close in on his 900. Because Steve (a young man and a very strong hiker) and I were doing an 18+ mi. hike, we took off at a fairly good pace and completed the 3.2 mi. section of Fork Ridge at 10:15. Then it was N on Caldwell Fork (0.5), then Boogerman (3.9) and Caldwell Fork to the road (0.8); on the trail I estimated our pace was ~3.5 mph (unfortunately my notes are not clear). Then it was Caldwell Fork to Rough Fork (6.3); just prior to Hemphill Bald we met Dick and Joy going the opposite direction. Since Steve’s and my hike was ~4 mi. longer, we wanted to see them prior to stopping for lunch. Carol was waiting for us at the Hemphill Bald trail junction; we stopped longer for lunch than we should have (I took time to change my socks and repack my bag—think I doodled too much).

Carol, Steve, and I then did the last section of Caldwell Fork (~750’ gain in 1.75 mi.); I pushed a little and Carol stayed right with me (Steve did a sojourn to see the big poplars). As most of our trails for the day, there were exceptionally muddy stretches since most are used extensively by horseback riders. Then it was Rough Fork (~2,000’ of down in its first 1.5 mi. section—this I did slowly); then the trail was very level in the last 1.4 mi. to Cataloochee road. The last picture is of the idyllic Woody Place; it is one of the few structures left standing in the GSMNP. It started out as a one-room cabin in the mid 1800s; it was enlarged periodically with the last additions added between 1901 and 1910.



We arrived at Dick’s van at 16:20; he, Joy, and Dave had finished a little earlier than we had anticipated. As per usual Dick had cold sodas for us; this really hit the spot. We arrived back at the Cracker Barrel at ~1800.