Thursday we will meet at 4PM at the SC parking lot where Hwy 76 hits the GA state line. It's about 30-45 min to the camping site. If it's occupied then we will head to the stream crossing up north and another 45 min drive to there. Assuming the first campsite is good we will do the stream crossing Friday morning. Then up north through GA on mostly gravel roads. Nothing hard but a beautiful area and most of the road is covered in grass. From there we will stop for lunch just shy of the Chattooga River.
Then decide if we just want to drive the next hr up Hwy 107 to Cullowhee and head into camp which is about 30-45 min putting us in camp around 3pm or head over the long way down hwy 11 to 176 and hit horse pasture. That would make for a long day. What we may end up doing is split up and do both. That way we are assured to get the campsite in Cullowhee. There is a stream at the Cullowhee spot.
For those that want to meet us Friday afternoon between 2-3. You can park at this gas station.
Wake up Saturday and head toward Hwy 215 and hit Courthouse Falls.
For those meeting us Sat between 11-12. Just follow it all the way back to the bridge and park.
It's a quarter mile hike to the falls but an awesome place to swim, hang out and clean up. Will take us 2 hrs to get to Courthouse Falls. From there we will head to Black Balsam and see how packed it is.
Those meeting Saturday 12:30-1:30 at Black Balsam.
Something tells me it's going to be crowed but with school back in it may not be so bad. We WILL camp in Black Balsam Saturday night. Then head out in the morning back home.
Food we have talked about doing pot luck Friday and Sat night with everyone planning on bringing something to cook for everyone. You're on your own for lunch. I'll work with Teddy on securing utensils for us to have as well see if the club can afford to do breakfast Friday and Saturday. I'll be bringing the big outdoor cooker, stove and griddle for anyone to use. I just don't see a need for everyone to bring a bunch of cooking stuff when we have that. And if we have more people coming than I expect I have another exact same cooker I can bring.
There is nothing really hard on this event. The stream crossing and the entrance to Cullowhee are probably the most difficult. Both can be done in a stock cruiser. Chuck did both as well as I in our stock unlocked cruisers Saturday. The stream crossing will be a toss up depending on how much rain we get. I don't foresee there being an issue. The biggest issue on this event is Black balsam. If you cherish your paint on your cruiser either park it in the parking lot and hitch a ride with someone out to camp or just don't go Saturday. You will get pin stripping on your cruiser. It's a given. The trail is cut about 4 inches to small. Your truck will be pushing sticks, branches and weeds out of the way through at least half the trail. As well there is a chance of body damage. I've traveled this trail in my stock unlocked 80 for 10 years now and never had an issue but there is the chance. They have had a lot of rain up there the last few weeks. If we go in as a few staggered groups we shouldn't have any issues. Beware there will be hikers on the trail who usually have no clue that what you are doing is legal. Every year we always get someone who voices their displeasure. Remember they have the right away. I try to pull over as far as I can to leave them room. Or wait for them to get out of the way safely. Always be respectful. Don't start a verbal fight even if they are the ones that started it. Simply state that the USFS opens the trail up to motorized vehicles 3 months out of the year. Also if you come up on horses. Pull over and shut your truck off and let them pass. I normally do this for hikers as well. Last thing they want to see is a stinky vehicle on their hike. Even with all these rules it will all be worth it once we get to the camping spot. It will be something you will never forget. The sunrises above the clouds are unbelievable. The sunsets over the Great Smokey Mountains are just as cool.
On this trip be prepared for any weather. We have a huge club canopy we will bring if there is a chance of rain. That being said have a tent or tarp that can keep the rain out. Bring cold weather clothes along with all the warm weather ones. You never know what the weather will be like on Black Balsam. It will be a good 15-20 degrees cooler than what it is like in Greenville. For example it was 91 in Greenville Sat. It was 84 on the Chattooga, was 78 in Cullowhee, and 75 at Black Balsam. Also bring your swim suit. The Chattooga and Courthouse falls are awesome swimming spots. As well the Chattooga is a great fishing spot.
All this being said anything can change. One breakdown can throw us all off schedule. I'll try to post to this thread if we run into problems. Or I'll try and leave a message on my phone. But we are in the sticks. Anything can happen.
These are the locations we will most likely be camping at. If you miss your meeting time or we do proceed to these points. If for some reason we are not there that is because someone else has taken our spot. In that case try to get in touch with us or find a nice camping spot nearby and enjoy the woods.
Roster (Name/Handle/# in Party/Arrival day):
1. Marshall: @Trollhole 1-3/Thurs
2. Jeff: @JToobe 2-3/Sat
3. Chad: @CP in SC 1-2/Thurs
4. Will: @Teddy 1 ?/Thurs
5. Gabe: @the gimpey one 3/Thurs
6. Chris: @ceby 1/Thurs
7. Rick: @BMThiker 1/Friday
8. Jeremy: @CharlestonG8R 1/Friday
9. Phil: @psbarger 2/Saturday
10. Eric: @forrest5000 1/Friday
11. Eric: @Land Speeder 1/Friday
12. Erik: @tnkayaker 1/Saturday
13. Mike Kirakades 1/Saturday
14. Connor Sweeney 1-2/Saturday
15.
28 T-shirts made up and will be available to buy this weekend. T's will be $15 and those who have given me their size on this thread will be guaranteed a shirt and the others will be up for sale!
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