POst 900 Hike #91: AT, Dry Sluice, Grassy Branch, Sweat Heifer, & AT (13.6 mi.)

Today’s hike was the AT East from Newfound Gap (1.7, 1.0, 1.7), Dry Sluice 1.3, Grassy Branch 2.5, Sweat Heifer 3.7, and AT 1.7. This is a hike that Doug Jerger had requested; my e-mail announcement of this Alternate Hike drew Debra Barton, David Smith, and Cecil Rowe.

In two vehicles we left Food Lion at 07;50, David Smith (I just added him to our hiker e-mail list ~one month ago) wanted to drive since he was not sure that he was returning to Food Lion; Cecil road with him. Doug drove with Debra and me as passengers.

We arrived at Newfound Gap at 09:15; at 09:18 we were on the AT. We completed the 1.7 mi. section at 09:48; in the 1.0 mi. section we took a few pictures and completed it at 10:24 (pic #1: NC with US 441 visible).



The 1.7 mi. section began shortly after the Icewater Springs shelter; it was here that we were expecting, and we found, considerable ice on the trail. (In the pic the "white stuff" is thick ice; with the slope I doubt that even Stabilicers would have been too helpful and we did a few detours).



Because David had never been to Charie’s Bunyon, we took a sojourn there. In front of the "buyon" from left to right are Doug, David, Cecil, and Debra.



We then did Dry Sluice followed by lunch. Grassy Branch was the next trail; it, like Dry Sluice, had a short section that totally slid down the slope. On Sweat Heifer I pushed in the first couple of miles of a 3.7 mi. trail (with 2700’ gain); however, I only got my HR to 144. Although the remainder of the trail was basically up, it was interspersed with level areas so I decided that I had had my aerobic workout. (Debra, and Doug joined me in this endeavor.)

We met numerous young people (e.g., in their 20’s) working on Sweat Heiffer trail (they were paid from the stimulus funds). We marveled at the exceptional work that they were doing; these steps just represent a fraction of what they had done. In talking with them we learned that locust is the wood of choice for steps; however, if it is not available, they use spruce.



After hunkering down we waited for the rest of our group. The temperature had dropped ~20 degrees. After getting back on the AT I stopped to dig out my heavier gloves from my daypack, when I caught up with my group I evidently was a little careless in stepping down and slipped on ice and did a quick tumble. I was extremely lucky that breaking one hiking stick was the only penalty (fortunately I had no residuals the next morning).

Believe we arrived at vehicles at Newfound Gap ~16:30; I arrived home at 18:15. I was most pleased with today's hike for I added several new pictures on "trail ice" and and one on rime frost for my presentation at Wilderness Wildlife Week in Pigeon Forge on January 11 (title of latter is X-C Skiing and Hiking in Snow in the GSMNP.