Birkhead Mountains NC Short Hang 2/26-27

[MacEntyre]

Nice pics, Shutterbug.

Had to chuckle at this one... Thing1 stretching her calves on a log upon our return.

[Fronkey]

That's awesome! Looks like a great time out there with family and friends.

Fronkey

[shutter_bug]

Nice pics, Shutterbug.

Had to chuckle at this one... Thing1 stretching her calves on a log upon our return.

I also like the setting sun that is right behind her... a sunbeam is resting on her shoulder!

[cooldays]

I was just looking at the pictures on flickr and got a pop up that looked like my security that showed i had 5 viruses....rated medium and high. It looked very official like a windows page that a security system might really have
I got suspicious when it wanted me to download the fix....
I am running my virus software and so far no viruses...makes me wonder if flickr is safe?
The current macafee scan was not showing i had any viruses or threats.

be careful....

[mtncmpr]

I never chimed in but I'd hope I would be able to make it at the last minute but it didn't work out. Thanks for posting the pics, etc... Looks like it was a great weekend to be there.

[mtncmpr]

Mac,

Do you know of anyone that may have GPS side-trails/way-points that are not on the "official" map that might be shared?

[obxh2o]

I was just looking at the pictures on flickr and got a pop up that looked like my security that showed i had 5 viruses....rated medium and high. It looked very official like a windows page that a security system might really have
I got suspicious when it wanted me to download the fix....
I am running my virus software and so far no viruses...makes me wonder if flickr is safe?
The current macafee scan was not showing i had any viruses or threats.

be careful....

Cool -- I was just looking at the pics on Flickr and did NOT get the fake virus warning. However, I did get a similar fake "5 virus security warning" from another site the other night. Like you, I initially thought it was real until it asked me to download the fix. Scary stuff...

BTW, good trip report and nice pics. Thanks!

[MacEntyre]

Do you know of anyone that may have GPS side-trails/way-points that are not on the "official" map that might be shared?

Nope... nobody bushwacks but me and local hunters, I guess. Bushwackin' is the only way to find them.

I tried carrying a GPS in the Birkheads once, and lost the signal so many times, I gave it up. That was in September, when the leaves had not fallen. Might work better in the winter. I'm sure you can get a signal up on the ridges, but that's not where you find the unmarked trails. Now I just carry a topo and mark what I find.

I bushwacked the very first time I went into the Birkheads, and found an old wagon road to follow. It's fun to discover the unmarked trails in the Birkheads.

For instance, I wanted to explore the NE corner of the wilderness area, where there are no marked trails at all. From the Tot Hill Farm parking lot, I followed the creek and bushwacked in. Found a trail on top of a ridge, followed it and found a huge old gold mine pit... but that trail went toward private land with permanent tree stands... bushwacked south and found an old homestead... went down and crossed the creek, and found an old wagon road on that side... a branch of it went up on top of Cedar Rock Mtn, and the main wagon road eventually connected to the Birkhead trail, via the east-west trail from Camp 7. Went back to follow the original trail the other way, and found that it looped around and disappeared just before it reached Camp 7 as well!

There's an area on the west side I want to explore some more, starting at Thornburg Farm. Want to help me check it out?

- MacEntyre

[L.D. Cakes]

There's an area on the west side I want to explore some more, starting at Thornburg Farm. Want to help me check it out?

- MacEntyre

I know I would! Love exploring!

[eflat7]

Nope... nobody bushwacks but me and local hunters, I guess. Bushwackin' is the only way to find them.

I tried carrying a GPS in the Birkheads once, and lost the signal so many times, I gave it up. That was in September, when the leaves had not fallen. Might work better in the winter. I'm sure you can get a signal up on the ridges, but that's not where you find the unmarked trails. Now I just carry a topo and mark what I find.

I bushwacked the very first time I went into the Birkheads, and found an old wagon road to follow. It's fun to discover the unmarked trails in the Birkheads.

For instance, I wanted to explore the NE corner of the wilderness area, where there are no marked trails at all. From the Tot Hill Farm parking lot, I followed the creek and bushwacked in. Found a trail on top of a ridge, followed it and found a huge old gold mine pit... but that trail went toward private land with permanent tree stands... bushwacked south and found an old homestead... went down and crossed the creek, and found an old wagon road on that side... a branch of it went up on top of Cedar Rock Mtn, and the main wagon road eventually connected to the Birkhead trail, via the east-west trail from Camp 7. Went back to follow the original trail the other way, and found that it looped around and disappeared just before it reached Camp 7 as well!

There's an area on the west side I want to explore some more, starting at Thornburg Farm. Want to help me check it out?

- MacEntyre

My gps actually worked really good this weekend. There again, with no leaves, it had a good view of the sky. We followed one of Mac's "unmarked routes" this weekend and was a little skeptical at first (sorry Mac) but ended up being an almost perfect day hike. At one point I got off the trail by about 1.5 miles, but my gps saved me. I almost didnt take it!

I want to warn anyone that thinks they want to go hiking with Mac before they get in over their head! He'll put a hurtin on ya. That man can put in some miles, and do it fast! Just ask lighter knot.