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  1. #1
    New Member fixin2b1's Avatar
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    Two nights at Frozen Head with my Clark NX-250

    Last spring, I took a little trip to Frozen Head State Park near Harriman, TN. I began my hike mid afternoon on the Spicewood Branch trail with my first night's destination being Tub Springs Campsite. Spicewood Branch is 2.5 miles long and all of it is up hill! At the end, the trail intersects with the Chimneytop Trail for a little over a mile to the campsite. Frozen Head is an awesome place to test your stamina! There are some very challenging routes to get to the top of the mountain. For your effort, you are rewarded with a lookout tower with views all the way to the Smoky Mountains on a clear day.

    The temps were in the 50's, so it was perfect weather! I set up my NX-250, and the rest of my site and was just beginning to think that I'd have the whole camp to myself when I heard voices coming up the trail. It turned out to be a man and his wife, followed by two young girls and a young boy. I guess this guy was old school because they all had external frame packs that were at least a foot over their heads. They were pleasant enough and the kids were very well behaved. After dinner, I never heard them again.

    For dinner, I had mountain stew by coleman... not very good! I piddled around camp for a while and went to bed early. The first nights sleep was awesome! I never got cold with the temps dropping to the 40's.

    On Saturday, I woke up to find the other campers packed up and ready to go. I got up after they left and had breakfast and decided to hike the half mile up to the lookout tower. As I neared the top, I realized that it was going to be a wasted trip. The clouds were blowing over the mountain and there was no visability. There was a guy at the campsite who looked like a middle aged boyscout. He had pulled two of the cooking platforms together and had set up his tent on them, about four feet off the ground.

    I returned to my campsite, packed up and headed down the South Old Mac Trail. My route was to take the Judge Branch Trail to my night's campsite. The trail was down hill with a few ups thrown in for good measure. Most of the views were blocked by leaves and all of the new spring growth, but I enjoyed the hike. I was reluctant to leave the top of the mountain, but needed a short hike out on Sunday. I chose a campsite near the stream and had a nice afternoon complete with a nap! Just before dark, a bunch of guys strolled into camp. The campsites are pretty spread out, so there was a good bit of distance between me and them. The night passed by with me relaxing by the fire and having another great nights sleep in my Clark.

    The next morning, I had a liesurely breakfast, packed up and headed home. Another sucessful weekend out there!


    http://youtu.be/jdY1N-31R-0

  2. #2
    Senior Member born2roam's Avatar
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    Watching it now, but for the lazy ones



    And the ones behind IT barriers and all...

    Title: Frozen Head with my Clark NX-250 Spring 2012
    By: John Bracey

    Thanks for sharing buddy...

    Grtz Johan
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  3. #3
    Senior Member Roche's Avatar
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    Frozen Head is a nice little park; been there several times. But I think the kids' favorite thing about FH is the nearby Sonic.

    You need to come to the Savage Gulf hang next month - we need to check out your NX-250.

  4. #4
    Senior Member Ewker's Avatar
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    Isn't that the fire tower that overlooks the now closed Brushy Mountain State Prison?
    'Classic.' A book which people praise and don't read.” ― Mark Twain

    Who cares about showers, gourmet food, using flush toilets. Just keep on walking and being away from it all.

    There are times that the only way you can do something is to do it alone.

  5. #5
    New Member fixin2b1's Avatar
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    There is a prison near the park but I don't know if is closed. I don't think know if you can see the prison from the tower. The only times that I have been up there, the visability was zero.
    I had read that there was cell phone service throughout the park because of the prison.

    Roche,
    I am planning on making that trip! Are ground dwellers allowed to come along?

    Born2roam,
    How did you post the youtube and not just the url? Thanks for making it easier for people to see!

  6. #6
    Senior Member Roche's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by fixin2b1 View Post
    Roche,
    I am planning on making that trip! Are ground dwellers allowed to come along?
    Yes they are as I'll be one of them if SWMBO (pronounced 'tra-fik) comes along.

  7. #7
    Senior Member Rain Man's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by fixin2b1 View Post
    There is a prison near the park but I don't know if is closed. I don't think know if you can see the prison from the tower. The only times that I have been up there, the visibility was zero.
    My recollection is that you can see the prison (when leaves are off the trees) from the Chimney Top Trail, but not from the Tower itself, but I'm happy to stand corrected if my memory is wrong.

    Here's a link to a photo album from my Frozen Head trip a year ago--
    Frozen Head SP circuit hike photos.

    We went up the Chimney Top Trail, slept at the Tower, then hiked down via the Byrd Mtn. Trail and via the Cumberland Trail connector from Ross Gap (?).

    Frozen Head is a jewel and I plan to go back and finish all the trails there. I have yet to do either of the Mac trails. Nor I have done the extremely rugged North Bird Mtn. Trail.

    THANKS for sharing your trip with us!

    Rain Man

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    "You can stand tall without standing on someone. You can be a victor without having victims." --Harriet Woods

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