2019 Sipsey Wilderness Short Hike Report

**Grey Mouse** · 01-19-2019, 13:05

This trip turned out to be a "not as expected" trip. The weather was supposed to be a light rain for three hours on saturday and a cold saturday night (28°F). We left the Pensacola area at 6am and headed to the Sipsey Wilderness located inside the Bankhead National Forest in northwest Alabama. We arrived shortly after 1pm at the Thompson Trail Head after taking an unpaved and very bump dirt road with serious elevation changes at the end. The last weather report before loosing signal had been upgraded to warmer nights and lots of rain. Great.

We left the vehicles and traveled down the 206 trail headed for the needles eye and ship rock area for the evening. The company consisted of myself, my wife, my friend Greg and his daughter Shelby, and our buddy Jeremy. Patrick and his girlfriend Carol couldn't make this trip due to illness. We passed several respectable campsites along the way and by 3pm or so it was evident that the rain was not going to hold out and neither was my wife's complaining (she's really not a hiker lol). At the 1.75 mile mark I made the command decision to stop and camp due to water access and the impending weather. Also, the girls do not like to hike at night and/or in the rain. My wife had been up for over 12hrs and driven six of those. Her "apparent mood" was very "audible" by this point. Also, since this was my wife's third trip and Shelby's second trip Greg and I knew the amount of work ahead of us to get them set up. We did not realize it until later but we had set up on the 206 short cut trail by mistake as it was only marked with reflective tabs for night navigation.

Shelby
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Greg
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Jeremy
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The wife and I
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We did not realize what was in store for us on this weekend lol. We had everything set up by dark and began cooking food just after dark. I dislike doing this because we are in blackbear country and although rarely seen here it's just not a good practice in general for me IMO. About thirty minutes after we set up the rain started. We are used to the eastern side of Sipsey with it's high wild magnolia and hemlock trees that disperse the rain well. This area was a barren wasteland by comparison with it's oak trees so the rain actually felt like rain lol.

Shelby's Hammock and Tarp Set Up-BCUSA 10x12' Silnylon Tarp, Grand Trunk Hammock, Costco quilts, and Snugpak cocoon
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Jeremy's Set Up- Amazon tarp, Grand Trunk Hammock, Costco quilts, and Snugpak cocoon
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Greg's Set Up-Big Agnus Fly Creek UL2 Tent, Rei 1.5 Inflatable Pad, and Paria Thermodown 0°F sleeping bag
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Wife's Set Up- UGQ Hanger 12 with end pole mods and 2QZQ Grizz Beak, SLD 11' Trail Lair, HG 20°F Incubator, and Wilderness Logistics 15°F TQ
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My Set Up-UGQ Hanger 12 with end pole mods and 2QZQ Grizz Beak, SLD 11' Trail Lair, LL 0°F Carolina Reaper UG, and LL 0°F Ghost Pepper TQ
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It didn't take long to start realizing what we had left behind at home. Greg forgot toilet paper at home so I gave him some before leaving. He left that in the truck lol. Jeremy left his cooking utensils although they were later found with his stoves wind screen (a week later) inside of his pack, and I forgot saturday breakfast and some coffee because I had to stop packing and run over to help my dad for a few.

The weather...it didn't stop raining until sunday morning. We did have a small fire since that was how Jeremy cooked his steaks. Yes I said steaks lol.It was a light rain and dropped down to 35°F on friday night and raised to a whopping 47°F on saturday night. We intended to test my wife's gear this weekend. My wife went to bed before me and was shivering when the temp hit 47°F. Being unfamiliar with quilts in general and cold didn't help with her responses when I asked what was the issue so that I could remedy it. "I'm just freezing" doesn't cut it lol. I made the mistake of telling her to lay in my hammock to warm up while I tested hers and figured it out. She was asleep in five minutes and remained there until sunday morning dubbing the quilts "The evil Brown Monster" that sucked her in and wouldn't let go

The problem with her set up was the lack of a draw cord or snaps at the head of the top quilt. It was allowing all of the warm air to escape. This compiled with it's narrow (simply not a wide version) width kept her from tucking it in around her due to her "size"

I was never "toasty warm" on top but I didn't freeze either. Btw I'm a cold sleeper on blood thinners so that may have a lot to do with it. I would have tested this gear at home but the weather in Florida has been too warm.

While Greg's tent (bought used with unknown mileage) did not show any evidence of leakage he did have a good amount (about one cup) of water under his pad on sunday morning. He had originally thought that the ground was flat enough but later learned that it wasn't. Jeremy ended up somehow tearing his hammock (from sitting in it wrong) enough that it may not be repairable. I'm guilty of doing that myself in the past with a Snugpak hammock. Also, Jeremy's tarp began leaking at the center of the ridge seam saturday night.

All in all we had a pleasant weekend. We base camped and that allowed Greg, Shelby, and Jeremy to leave and explore while I watched the campsite and my sleeping wife (snug as a bug). As you can tell we are more of a backpacker style at this time and slowly moving into the hiking aspect as we learn what works, condition ourselves (I lost 62lbs last year), and progress into lighter and better gear.

Things we learned:
1) Rain splashing will get your quilts. An UQP is on our list and has been for some time
2) Elevating our packs onto debris upside down and covering them with the covers kept them dry
3) Storm mode needs to be lower on the tarps
4) Never let your wife sleep in your quilts. Now I will have to happily buy a new set

5) Site selection is critical with a tent.
6) A wet lighter is useless for a stove but an MSR Piezo device will work even if left out all weekend in the rain (I carry both)
7) The Sea To Summit Alpha 1.9L pot, 8" Alpha pan, and MSR Windpro 2 is a great combo for two people (pots and pan were newly tested)
8) The Grizz Beaks performed as intended and definitely helped keep the wind and rain out

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The babbling brook next to the head of my hammock

**Groundskeeper** · 01-19-2019, 14:34

The important things are you got out, had a good time and learned some things. Nice report.

**TrailSlug** · 01-19-2019, 14:37

Great trip report. That "end" of the Sipsey can be muddy and nearly always wet it seems. Throw in some rain and that creek can rise several feet overnight. I tried to go to the Thompson trail head two weeks ago when we had the one non-raining weekend in over two months and the parking was non existent and I had to walk over a mile to get down to the bridge. I've never seen this many people in the Sipsey in my life but considering it was the prettiest day we'd had in over 2 months it shouldn't have surprised me. That road down to Thompson bridge can almost require 4 wheel drive in the winter months as it ruts so badly. Hopefully the wife didn't have too bad of a time that she doesn't want to return. I took my wife to this trail one March and it was so overgrown she refuses to go back to the Sipsey with me

**Grey Mouse** · 01-19-2019, 15:57

Originally Posted by Elmer003

The important things are you got out, had a good time and learned some things. Nice report.

I agree and thank you. It's my first report.

**Grey Mouse** · 01-19-2019, 16:14

I researched as best that I could about the Thompson trail head and nothing that I read said anything about the conditions of that road. My wife wasn't happy about taking her new car down it lol. She complained mostly because she has sciatica issues, takes medication for severe nerve pan in her right leg, and is just generally out of shape. Her pack weighed 21lbs and we are trying to get it lower but she likes to pack bulky, fluffy, girly things. She loves Sipsey but I don't know if I can get her to Linville gorge next year for a 15 mile hike. We were supposed to go there this year but needed additional/better gear. We cancelled our Sipsey trip last winter due to rain and that contributed to why she didn't want to be out in it. She likes to worry.

We generally hike less than two miles due to my health. Hiking with a not so good heart (seven heart attacks, triple bypass, heart disease,and a stent), along with a bum left shoulder (over 70% loss of movement) and collar bone, two bad knees, one bad testicle, stage three kidney disease, bullet fragments in my right ankle, and shrapnel in my right knee sort of limits my activity level. I was borderline diabetic but beat that rap by loosing weight

. My pack weighed 31lbs because I carry the stove, fuel, pots/pans, etc. We base camp often times so the young-ins (30-40yr olds) can perform day hikes while we rest.

Patrick and Carol (the two who didn't make it) are nurses. They help keep my wife from worrying about me too much. Me...I'd rather keel over on a trail looking over god's country than in a bed anywhere

Wait a sec...if I could trade the wife in for a pair of 20 year old gals....that may not hold true...

**stevebo** · 01-19-2019, 17:40

Thanks for the report---especially for being so honest about what didnt go so well! i totally respect that--we've all had trips where lots of things dont go well! This truly is an addiction, -even when a trip goes south, we cant wait to do it again!

**Grey Mouse** · 01-19-2019, 18:14

My pleasure stevebo. It's always gone so well but this time it just didn't but we didn't suffer one bit. Greg and I are very experienced woodsmen and planned for failure. We just didn't expect it to happen on this trip lol. We've already started planning the next trip and hopefully will have Pat, Carol, a co-worker from the wife's job, and another couple joining us next time. We met a fellow HF member who told us of The Walls Of Jericho on the fall trip. We hope to do that soon also.

Shelby found this rock. She of course left it there
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**xMagnolia** · 01-19-2019, 22:14

I’m sorry the weather didn’t cooperate. The Sipsey is one of my very favorite places, but it’s always nicer when you’re not slipping and sliding in the mud.
Thanks for sharing your trip and pictures.

Charlotte

**Grey Mouse** · 01-22-2019, 10:41

Additional pictures

Greg's Tent
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Shelby in my hammock chair
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Rock in a tree
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**BillyBob58** · 01-22-2019, 22:42

Hey, great report and pics! I have had a couple of Sipsey trips that were similar to what you report, LOL! If youlook back in the archives, you will see some of the early F Sipsey hangs I believe in Feb and Oct 09. Rain and snow on one, tons of rain on the other. There was some slipping and sliding in the mud that took place, and at least one leaky tarp! Y'all sound like a fun group, I hope to meet you on the trails some day.

I hope you don't mind, but I quoted your post about your wife's quilt difficulties - mainly with drafts around the neck- over in the "Draft collar on TQ" thread. It seemed related to the discussion over there.