Firming up campout plans

[Coffee]

Maybe somebody addressed this issue and I just missed it...What's the 'official' parking/hiking scheme if GHSP is closed? I know there's other trailheads near there (Elk Garden, The Scales), but will they be accessible? They're also quite a bit further away if memory serves, so they might require adjusting timetables and some group activity plans...

Don't get me wrong - I'm generally a pretty spontaneous person. But when there might be feet of snow on the ground and/or subzero temps, spontanaeity tends to give way to caution

I'm with you on the spontanaeous thing. Besides the cold, we are trying to orginize 10-15 people coming from different places across the country to meet in one place. This place is probibly not going to be a trailhead, but a shelter or area along the trail. Planning is good.

I think by Thrusday morning we could say for sure we are going to be able to park at this trail head and take this trail to a certain spot.

[slowhike]

in message # 61, i made a suggestion for a plan b in case GHSP closes the trail heads in the park, but in message # 68 jeff said "firm plans" concerning using wise shelter. so i don't want to contradict.
wise shelter would be as good a place as any to camp, my only concern is not knowing how the park rangers would be about us going ahead & parking in the park & using the trails if they have put up a notice. we'll see what jeff has to say. maybe we could talk to the rangers by phone this week as we see what the weather conditions are more likely to be.
another thought is that it is aprox 1000' elevation gain from the park entrance to the parking area nearest wise shelter. if the roads are icy, that's a lot of up-hill for that distance on the road.
but as best i can remember, it's a much less steep drive around to the north side (trail head suggested in message # 61) by hwy 16 & hwy 603.
according to what jeff & others say, we can check into this further.
who knows.... the roads & trails may not be that bad anyway.
for a description of how to get to wise shelter, see message #79. ...tim

[Just Jeff]

Tim, I just meant firm plans for the primary location b/c that was still being discussed. I didn't mean to stop any discussion of backup plans...sorry if you were put off by that.

Having a backup location would certainly be a good idea. Let's ask the folks who know the area (like you) to discuss options for a more accessible meeting place for bad weather, then as a group we'll come to a firm decision later in the week.

[slowhike]

Tim, I just meant firm plans for the primary location b/c that was still being discussed. I didn't mean to stop any discussion of backup plans...sorry if you were put off by that.

Having a backup location would certainly be a good idea. Let's ask the folks who know the area (like you) to discuss options for a more accessible meeting place for bad weather, then as a group we'll come to a firm decision later in the week.

sounds good.
i wasn't put off<g>, i just didn't want to be workin agin our organizer.
if anyone wants to look at the map & check out the trail i was talking about in message #61 & think about that or another back-up location, see the little town of trout dale north of GHSP. you'll see 603 starts there. go west on 603.
after fox creek trail head (AT) & before gringstone campground you'll see that the lewis fork trail & the cliffside trail follow the lewis fork creek for a ways.
it's an easy trail until cliffside leaves the creek & starts up pine mt.
but along that creek was suggested by a friend who used to live in damascus va, & has spent a lot of time on the mt rogers trails, because it would be a short hike in (similar to the hike in to wise shelter) with a creek & the wind protection of a mountain on both sides.
but i don't know how much parking there would be at the cliffside/lewis fork trail heads.
there is more parking at the fox creek trail head.
but we can find out about that if someone doesn't come up w/ a better option for a plan b.

[Ewker]

Jeff, you have to watch out for Tim. He is one of those that like to slip in and take over

[slowhike]

Jeff, you have to watch out for Tim. He is one of those that like to slip in and take over

yep... i try to cause problems every once in a while
...just to keep everyone on thier toes<g>.

[slowhike]

ewker... i wonder if your friend refrigerator is more familiar w/ the trail i mentioned or other protected sites w/ fairly clean forests that a bunch of hammockers could hang out at? something that would be reasonably easy to drive to if the roads are bad.

[Doctari]

ALLRIGHT, I CAN GO, I CAN GO, YIPPIE I CAN TOTALLY GO

The bosses (Both the Wife & my employer) have said I can go.

So, what do I need to bring to the group dinner? Hot dogs: big red smokies are my favorites. Or buns, or chili, or whatever.


I'm not excited, much!


Doctari.

[The Breeze]

ALLRIGHT, I CAN GO, I CAN GO, YIPPIE I CAN TOTALLY GO

The bosses (Both the Wife & my employer) have said I can go.

So, what do I need to bring to the group dinner? Hot dogs: big red smokies are my favorites. Or buns, or chili, or whatever.


I'm not excited, much!


Doctari.

no I sence none nope none hehehehe.

[slowhike]

ALLRIGHT, I CAN GO, I CAN GO, YIPPIE I CAN TOTALLY GO

The bosses (Both the Wife & my employer) have said I can go.

So, what do I need to bring to the group dinner? Hot dogs: big red smokies are my favorites. Or buns, or chili, or whatever.


I'm not excited, much!


Doctari.

i know what cha mean. i'm excited too! <g>