Note: These comments include an account of our actual experience along with suggestions on how to improve the trek. Please do not misinterpret the criticisms. This was a spectacular outing. I gladly look forward to the opportunity to repeat the trek. Also I would like to offer a heartfelt thanks and sincere praise for Rob Stone and the staff at Camp Sidney Dew. In my view their support for this trek and their programs in general exemplify the spirit of scouting. What more can I say? See below.

Our crew was made up of three scouts and two leaders from Troop 136 of Baton Rouge, Louisiana and two scouts and one leader from Troop 69 of Dalton, Georgia. The Louisiana scouts were Captain Kirk, Spock, and Rambo. Their leaders were Rocky and Rainman (aka Pathfinder). The Georgia scouts were Maco and Wildcat. Their leader was Bones. All of the Louisiana group except Rambo were Philmont veterans. The Georgia group had a Philmont trek scheduled for 2001.

Our adventure began at Camp Sidney Dew on Monday 7/5/99. We spent the morning with the Cope class on some team building exercises. We spent the afternoon packing, sorting some crew gear, and dividing up the food. On Tuesday morning we set out for the Standing Indian Loop of the AT. The trail is off of Hwy 64, south of Franklin, NC. The Wayah Ranger District office in Franklin is easy to find, and they can surely provide accurate directions to the trail head. Their number is 704-524-6441. Although we left camp before reveille in the morning, we didn't reach the trail head until around noon, because we got mixed up a couple of times on the roads.

We started on the Kimsey Creek Trail at just about 12:30 pm from the parking lot of the Standing Indian campground and Information center, expecting to eat a late lunch (around 2:00 pm) on the trail. The Kimsey Creek Trail is very scenic and watery. We had debated the need for good hiking boots before we left Louisiana. That is because two of the boys had outgrown their Philmont boots, and the purchase of good hiking boots seemed a big investment for a 3 day hike. Anyway the boys were able to borrow and improvise (thinner socks) to resolve the boot issue before we left home. This was important, because the Kimsey Creek trail has a lot of water, as the name implies. Expect to get wet feet, if you don't have waterproof boots. Period. Also there were enough rocky stretches on the trek to suggest to me that hiking without good boots might have created some sore foot problems as well.

I don't remember precisely where we ate lunch. It was somewhere near where the KC trail joins the AT. All along Kimsey Creek the Rhododendrons were in bloom. There were lots of ferns as well. It was really scenic, and the temperature was quite pleasant. It was dark, too. The naturally thick canopy of the forest played a part in that, and it was overcast during much of our hike. As a result a lot of my pictures didn't come out well. In the future I will plan to bring a film that is rated for poor lighting.

We had intended to spend the night at the Standing Indian shelter, which is a little beyond the KC/AT juncture. This would have been a hike of about 5 miles. That shelter has short trail leading to the highway. We reached it about 4:30 in the afternoon. It was already crowded with a very large church group and some other hikers. We might have found a campsite in the vicinity, but we decided to press on to Standing Indian Mountain instead. We first restocked our water supply in the creek near the shelter and even carried some extra water in a collapsible water container, in case we didn't reach another source before stopping for the night.

The elevation at Standing Indian Campground is around 3500 feet. At the Standing Indian shelter it is around 4500 feet. Standing Indian mountain is around 5500 feet. Any way you look at it, that's an elevation gain of 2000 feet. The last 500 foot climb consists of a number of consecutive switchbacks. That is where we separated into two groups. Pathfinder and Rambo were feeling the effects of the steep grade on their calves and ankles. Rocky hung back with them. The rest of the group reached the top of the mountain at around 5:30 pm. The behinders reached it about 30-45 minutes later. Most of the scouts wanted to camp on top of the mountain. The danger from the rain did not seem all that great, and the fatigue from the hike made the decision easy. We spent the night on top of the mountain. We enjoyed a supper of canned chicken and Cajun rice, seasoned with Tony Chachere's Cajun seasoning. Campsite and dinner preparation left virtually no leisure time. Also there were a lot of black flies that seem to latch onto your socks and bite you around the sock line. We hung a bear bag (50 tries by Rocky, 2 by Rambo) and hit the tents soon thereafter.

The next morning we broke camp, took a few pictures in the hazy light, and hit the trail. We hiked a couple of miles of very rocky downhill trail to Beech Gap, where we ate a breakfast of oatmeal, grits, beef jerky, and granola bars, and restocked our water supplies. Then we moved on. Two miles further, at Carter Gap, we found a brand new, and, from the looks of it, little used shelter. With a full day's hike from the trail head, either of these points might have been a good place to camp for the night. The forest was especially pretty in the area of Carter Gap.

About 3.5 miles past Carter Gap we reached Betty Creek Gap, where we stopped for a lunch of cheese and crackers, jerky, granola, gorp, and/or whatever. Once again we restocked our water supplies. Betty Creek was very inviting, and several in our group took the time to soak tired, aching feet a little downstream from where we were filling the water bottles. We got back on the trail around 3:00. Before long we had separated into groups again. This time Pathfinder and I alone made up the behind group.

Having climbed Standing Indian Mountain turned out to be a blessing in disguise. About a mile beyond Betty Creek Gap one encounters Big Butt. The ascent amounts to about 500 feet over one-half mile. There is a road that runs around the bottom of Big Butt. The trail crosses the road. Pathfinder and I briefly discussed hiking the road, but it looked to be considerably longer than the trail, so we plodded on. My impression of Big Butt is that it is steep in places and even features a stair and a ladder in a couple of places. Also it runs along a high ridge. I'm a person who is afraid of heights. (Yes, I know that's unusual for a flying squirrel.) For that reason, I tend to avoid looking over the edge of a steep mountainside. Hey, the trail's plenty wide enough. Just watch where you are going. Anyway, Spock commented sometime later about just how sharp the drop-off was. I hadn't noticed.

About three quarters of the way up Big Butt we encountered our first serious rainfall. Actually it began to pour. I understood why Pathfinder was also called Rainman. We were just passing a little cove on the side of Big Butt, and we decided to duck in there for a few minutes to avoid having to put on rain gear. We were probably there fifteen minutes, when a lone hiker wearing a poncho over his backpack came along from the direction in which we were headed. He was shaking his head and muttering incoherently. We asked about the trail ahead. He said it was treacherous, adding his surprise that such a stretch of trail existed on the AT. He asked us how far it was to Carter Gap. We estimated four miles. It was already about four thirty. We wondered if he would really hike another four miles that day, in that rain. Based on his comments we decided to wait out the rain. There was no need to push it and risk danger on a wet trail, on the edge of a steep mountain. After thirty minutes the rain abruptly stopped, and we ventured on with only light protection, my rain jacket, his disposable poncho. We quickly came to the stairway and ladder. Whereas earlier I was in the habit of offering Rainman encouragement that the trail was leveling off, this time I could only say "brace yourself." Actually it wasn't all that bad. We made it up the trail to the top ridge in a short time and then proceeded down again to the next challenge, Albert Mountain. Along the way we collected Rambo, who had managed to fall behind the forward group before the rain storm hit. He had waited out the rain also. Rambo had been wearing ace bandages on his ankles since the day before. Although he is a lineman for his high school football team, and had been working out all summer, he had problems hiking the steep trails with a heavy backpack. Ditto for Rainman, who had only recently taught the Hiking merit badge, finishing with a twenty mile hike in May. I'm glad we caught up to Rambo, and that he did not proceed on alone. I'm also glad that we stuck to the trail. If we hadn't, we might have missed him, and that would have caused some uneasy moments at the very least. One important lesson that the trek taught me was the importance of strategy in the case of separation, but I'll say more about that later.

When we reached the base of Albert Mountain, we couldn't believe what we saw. The trail up the mountain is less of a hike than it is a climb. There are really no switchbacks. The trail blazes are painted on the rocks. But it's deceptive. The elevation change is only about 100 feet. So it's strenuous, but it's not that long. And there are no steep drop offs to the side. It's just up and over. At this point we stopped to consider the alternatives. Pathfinder and Rambo were in no condition to scale Albert Mountain. Pathfinder immediately recognized that the road we had encountered earlier touched the trail again at the foot of Albert Mountain and followed the base around to the other side. This was the route of choice for him and Rambo. On the other hand we considered what the location of the forward group might be. They could be at the top or just on the other side of the top, and they could be waiting for us. If we went around the base and missed them, they would not know our whereabouts. They might descend the steep mountain and look for us back down the trail leading to Big Butt. We didn't want to let this happen. I felt capable of making the climb and wanted very much to do so. It was decided that I would go over, and they would go around, and that way we couldn't possibly miss the forward group. Later that evening there was discussion about the wisdom of going up the mountain alone. My choice was challenged. In retrospect, here's what I still think about it. Coming down that steep decline was decidedly more hazardous than going up, because the fall would be greater, and there was a risk of tumbling. Going up you are already leaning close to the rock, so you will not fall but only slip down, and there is no risk of tumbling unless you deliberately lean back away from the rocks, which required a lot of effort. In any case there was no place that you would fall off the mountain. Lastly, there is no question but that my whereabouts were known to at least a part of the group and my exact location could be narrowed down to a limited stretch of the trail. I believe that it is vitally important to avoid the risk of missing the other party, when your group splits up on the trail. As I mentioned already, that might have happened earlier, if Pathfinder and I had opted for an alternative path at the bottom of Big Butt. We would have missed Rambo. I'm sure that the other party allowed him to lag, because they figured we were right behind. These items should be addressed by the entire group, in advance, using the map to study alternative routes. Returning with the full group adds a lot to the satisfaction of a great outdoors adventure.

When I reached the top of Albert Mountain I took a couple of pictures. Although the mountain peaks in the distance were quite scenic, it was still very cloudy. There is a watch tower at the top. I climbed up one flight of steps before I remembered that I am afraid of heights, so I climbed back down white knuckled. I continued down the trail and found the descent to be as mild and gradual as the ascent was difficult and steep. When I reached the bottom I walked over to the road and found Pathfinder and Rambo just making their way back to the trail. Since neither of us had encountered the forward group, we proceeded to the next checkpoint, Big Spring Shelter, where we figured the group would camp for the night. It was at least 6:30 pm when we reached the shelter. The forward group had already pitched their tents. We hurriedly did the same and then set about fixing a hard-earned dinner of macaroni and cheese with vienna sausages. Bones had made friends with some hikers who were already in the shelter and was tapping into a wellspring of trail experience and wisdom. One couple were husband and wife school teachers from Boston who had been hiking the trail southward during summers for about six years. They would finish the trail this summer. Two guys were hiking together. It sounded like they were really speed merchants. The shelter wasn't as crowded as the Standing Indian shelter had been, but we still weren't up to sleeping next to total strangers. It was dark when we finished eating. We cleaned up, raised the bear bags, and hit the sack. On Wednesday we had hiked about 13 miles including climbs up Big Butt and Albert Mountain. If we had stopped at Standing Indian shelter on Tuesday, then all of our climbs would have been concentrated into one day. That would have killed us in my opinion. Ideally, with a full first day of hiking, the group could camp at the Carter Gap Shelter, or somewhere between there and SIM, leaving room on the second day for some exploration of Albert Mountain. On a clear night, it's probably a great place for stargazing.

On the third day we got up around 6:30 am. Most of the hikers had already left the shelter. By the time we got packed and ready to hit the trail, we were the last ones there. I got sore at Pathfinder, because I thought he lost the stuff sack for my tent. When we dumped our gear we found it in my own back pack. Unfortunately nerves can get worn on the trail, too, and that should be guarded against. We took a few pictures and then said our goodbyes to Big Spring Shelter. We left some cans of vienna sausages that we hadn't opened, for unknown hikers that might appreciate some extra protein and fat. We hiked northwest until we reached the Long Branch Trail, which left the AT and led back to the Standing Indian Campground, where we ate a quick breakfast of oatmeal and granola bars. Pathfinder pointed out that we had a choice of trails. One traveled along Blackwell Ridge and offered potential for scenic overlooks and the prospect of yet another climb. The second descended along alongside the creek and offered a serene and tranquil exit from the mountain trail. We took the creek. Although this trail, too, was a beauty to behold, the prospect of a shower and people food suddenly began to seem appealing, especially after two frantic days of hiking. We reached the campground around lunchtime. In all we had been on the trail just 48 hours! My inspection of the topo map put our trek at just 22 miles. But who's counting?

We spent little time at the campground, using the facilities and getting something cold to drink, then we loaded the cars and headed off to the last part of our adventure, rafting on the Nantahala River. Before we left the area, however, we stopped off at the nearest Burger King and loaded up on french fries and burgers, and all the refillable, ice laden colas we could suck down. Next we visited the ranger station for the area and bought some trail patches. Then we drove to Bryson City to meet our outfitter for the rafting trip. The folks at Appalachian Rivers Outfitters were real friendly. They let us use their showers and told us where to look for a campground or a free campsite, if we wanted to save the camping fees. That turned out to be useful information, because the cheapest campground we could find wanted no less than $8 per head. That seemed unreasonable, so we opted for a free campsite between the highway and the railroad tracks. That had its own down side, because the highway traffic included a lot of trucks that made a lot of noise at night. On top of that the country was on alert about a railway serial killer, but that was over in the southwest. Still most of us slept with one eye and both ears open. There seemed to be a steady stream of campers arriving near our spot all through the night. Before we actually camped for the night, we headed into Bryson City for pizza. Everyone left full and satisfied. The next morning we arrived early at the outfitter, ate a cold breakfast, and got an early start on the river. Wildcat's dad had driven up that morning, so he could join us for the river trip. That brought our number to nine. One guide would bring our number to ten, five per raft. Since he had previous experience steering a raft, Captain Kirk was drafted to be our driver. That was a particularly good choice, because the Captain knew how to find all the hot spots in the river. He played it like a fiddle. He taught us how to spin the raft like a top, so that we would put on a little show every time we passed under a bridge, and more than once we got a standing ovation from the sightseers above. The raft trip lasted about 2-3 hours. Since our group was in one raft and the Georgia group was in the other, we traded cameras and took pictures of each other's groups. It was a nice, cool, sunny day, so we got some really good shots. When it was over we were ferried back to the outfitter, where we got showered and dried and then we packed up for the drive back to Sidney Dew. Before leaving the area we stopped at the shops across from the Nantahala Outdoor Center for some souvenir hunting and found some interesting things. I don't remember what we did about lunch. We got back on the road and arrived back at Sidney Dew just before a supper of hot dogs and hamburgers. It doesn't get any better than that. The program for the last night of camp was a big campfire with awards. Our group was introduced by our trail names as the high adventure/AT-trek group. Afterwards we were treated to one of the most spectacular OA tap out ceremonies that I have ever witnessed. The last night in camp was a peaceful one. The next day would be pretty busy, as we had to check out of camp and head back home. It was a lot of fun and experience packed into one short week.

Recommendations for Improving the Trek

I have four recommendations for the trek. First, I would recommend camping at the Standing Indian campground the night before starting the trek. That would give the crew ample time to purchase and study the topo maps and discuss options and strategies for the hike. We were really pressed for time, and couldn't fully appreciate what we were doing or what we might do. We just hit the trail and started marching. Also, hitting the trail a half day earlier will leave more time for side hikes, and better divide the distances.

Second, I would recommend hiking at least to Beech Gap, or even Carter Gap on day one. you could lunch at the SI shelter or on top of the mountain. This would leave more leisure time for the second day, which will be taxing enough. The Big Spring shelter is still a good place to spend the second night. With the timing proposed, a group should reach it well within daylight hours. This would offer more opportunity to explore Albert mountain from less steep side, especially for those who don't make it up the steep side.

My third recommendation would be to spend the last night again in the Standing Indian Campground. The free campsites near Bryson City amount to busy, annoying roadsides. We could have gotten cleaned and rested near the trail head and made an early start the next morning. The trip from the trail to the river is short, and the outfitters appear to be very easygoing and flexible.

My last recommendation is this. If you ever have an opportunity to take this trek, do it. You won't be disappointed. Thanks again to Rob, Bones, and everyone else who contributed to this memorable activity.

Yours in Scouting,