I do a lot of hiking in the GSMs.
Here is my foot on top of a waterfall:
(fuck ankle support, I guess)
I did twenty miles the other day (Cooper Road and Rabbit Creek trails). It was a bit O_O because all the black bears have just come out of hibernation. Got to campsite and saw this:
The bears were nuts all day! Saw more than I ever have in my life. Any of y'all ever been approached by a bear?
― (b)admin (roxymuzak), Saturday, 16 May 2009 22:12 (6 months ago) Permalink
jesus christ are you serious?? you actually saw bears for real?? think i'd probably have a heart attack. did get pretty excited when we saw deer just a few feet away from us when hiking out at the marin headlands, but then i get excited about seeing squirrels.
― where we turn sweet dreams into remarkable realities (just1n3), Sunday, 17 May 2009 04:04 (6 months ago) Permalink
I saw a ton of bears, one ran right across my trail. Some more experienced hikers have told me not to worry about bears and that if a bear attacks you just whack it on the nose, as if you are punishing a child, and it will run from you, "probably". Shit like that makes me feel pretty amateur hour.
― (b)admin (roxymuzak), Sunday, 17 May 2009 04:06 (6 months ago) Permalink
what kind of bears, like how big? i got scared the first time i saw a sign warning about mountain lions, jordan couldn't understand till i explained to him that in nz the scariest animal you can encounter in the wild is a boar.
― where we turn sweet dreams into remarkable realities (just1n3), Sunday, 17 May 2009 04:12 (6 months ago) Permalink
i wld be afraid of a wild boar!
i used to be terrified of mountain lions but i never actually saw one.
― ricardos montalban (tehresa), Sunday, 17 May 2009 04:13 (6 months ago) Permalink
also: 20 mi sounds insane! the most i've ever done is probably 7, and i was pretty fucked afterwards.
― where we turn sweet dreams into remarkable realities (just1n3), Sunday, 17 May 2009 04:13 (6 months ago) Permalink
yeah but you don't really see them all that often xp
― where we turn sweet dreams into remarkable realities (just1n3), Sunday, 17 May 2009 04:14 (6 months ago) Permalink
the first time i saw a snake (it was about 7") while hiking was also freaky, but i managed to get photographed with it
― where we turn sweet dreams into remarkable realities (just1n3), Sunday, 17 May 2009 04:15 (6 months ago) Permalink
― (b)admin (roxymuzak), Sunday, May 17, 2009 12:06 AM (8 minutes ago)
what the fuuuck
― k3vin k., Sunday, 17 May 2009 04:16 (6 months ago) Permalink
Justine, they were black bears, like this one:
Although tbh one of them that day looked like this:
I saw some bear TRACKS that were scarier than any bear I've ever seen, though.
― (b)admin (roxymuzak), Sunday, 17 May 2009 04:18 (6 months ago) Permalink
See, bears don't want to fuck with you, though. If you make noise on the trail so that you don't sneak up on them, and if you don't mess with them, they're not a danger to you at all. People get really freaked out by bears but I think they've only killed maybe 2 people ever in the Smoky Mountains and one was an idiotic baby who was taunting it and its parents let it and the bear just swiped at it and it died. No one had ever been killed by a bear in the Smokies until 2000. IIRC that incident had something to do with a girl gathering blackberries and there was a bear inside the bush.
― (b)admin (roxymuzak), Sunday, 17 May 2009 04:20 (6 months ago) Permalink
They are mostly sweet, and want to leave you alone and be left alone, in my experience. This is why I don't bushwhack much during non-hibernation periods.
― (b)admin (roxymuzak), Sunday, 17 May 2009 04:21 (6 months ago) Permalink
so they're not huge, right? maybe the same height as an average person, standing up? tbh, that cub is too cute for words and i'd have to be restrained from attempting to pet it and consequently incurring the wrath of its mum
― where we turn sweet dreams into remarkable realities (just1n3), Sunday, 17 May 2009 04:21 (6 months ago) Permalink
when we went to the zoo last year we spent aaaaaaaages hanging out talking to 'ting ting' the sun bear
― where we turn sweet dreams into remarkable realities (just1n3), Sunday, 17 May 2009 04:22 (6 months ago) Permalink
I saw many deer while I was on the trail at night. I was under the impression that deer were diurnal, but I kept hearing all this rustling around between 10 and midnight. I'd flash my light over thinking it was a bear, and it'd be some beautiful deer just prancing through the forest.
xpost yeah most of them are about person sized or smaller that I've seen, there are some fucking huge mamas out there though. The babies are embarrassingly cute, and tumble around in trees and try to get you to pet them so that their moms can kill you, it's terrible
― (b)admin (roxymuzak), Sunday, 17 May 2009 04:24 (6 months ago) Permalink
i don't like hiking but this thread title makes me really really happy
― first you get the monkey, then you get the power, then you get the women (hmmmm), Sunday, 17 May 2009 04:37 (6 months ago) Permalink
it was this or niggaz with altitude
― (b)admin (roxymuzak), Sunday, 17 May 2009 04:38 (6 months ago) Permalink
lol
― ricardos montalban (tehresa), Sunday, 17 May 2009 04:45 (6 months ago) Permalink
North Face backpack where I'm hold'n all the work at
― umma doomie (Curt1s Stephens), Sunday, 17 May 2009 04:48 (6 months ago) Permalink
haha the other day me and my hiking buddy were on a trail and we passed this huge lump of white animal hair and i was like "what could this possibly have come from?" i picked some up to inspect it, saying "haw, im disturbing this ecosystem." my buddy was like "yeah, and it's disturbing me"
i wish that could be our hiking club's motto somehow
― (b)admin (roxymuzak), Sunday, 17 May 2009 04:50 (6 months ago) Permalink
I can't wait to get this:
pretty much the most metal looking thing ever
― (b)admin (roxymuzak), Sunday, 17 May 2009 05:05 (6 months ago) Permalink
On my last hike I totally ran out of water! I was only a couple miles from the endpoint, though. Next time will take two of the above.
― (b)admin (roxymuzak), Sunday, 17 May 2009 05:07 (6 months ago) Permalink
That is pretty metal. How many ounces?
― Johnny Fever, Sunday, 17 May 2009 05:10 (6 months ago) Permalink
it's 33 oz
― (b)admin (roxymuzak), Sunday, 17 May 2009 05:12 (6 months ago) Permalink
am also considering the nalgene flask
― (b)admin (roxymuzak), Sunday, 17 May 2009 05:13 (6 months ago) Permalink
I ran outta water on a hike in Arizona once, a day into it (which meant a day's hike out in ridic heat w/o water). It was kinda scary at first but we found a big tree, all by its lonesome, and sure enough there was a little water hole next to it.
― SQUIRREL WITH A PEOPLE FACE (╓abies), Sunday, 17 May 2009 05:14 (6 months ago) Permalink
cute! tbh i passed lots of creek (the trail was called rabbit creek for pete's sake) but i'm to chickenshit to drink much out of creeks
― (b)admin (roxymuzak), Sunday, 17 May 2009 05:16 (6 months ago) Permalink
i got sigg bottle today but it is purple with pretty swirls because i like things that are purple.
― ricardos montalban (tehresa), Sunday, 17 May 2009 05:16 (6 months ago) Permalink
woah nalgene flask is neat!btw i was at eastern mountain sports and EVERYTHING is 20% off!
i know, i am crazy about that flask
― (b)admin (roxymuzak), Sunday, 17 May 2009 05:18 (6 months ago) Permalink
man, i wanna go hiking
― geekquel (latebloomer), Sunday, 17 May 2009 05:27 (6 months ago) Permalink
there are many great options nearby, lb!jones gap :D :D :Dused to do table rock a lot when i was a kiddie.
― ricardos montalban (tehresa), Sunday, 17 May 2009 05:28 (6 months ago) Permalink
also the dupont forest has really cool waterfalls.
― ricardos montalban (tehresa), Sunday, 17 May 2009 05:29 (6 months ago) Permalink
man i miss the smokies so much. i don't think i ever did the rabbit creek/abrams loop. out of cades cove, we used to go up to gregory bald a lot. and spence field, i love that hike. also did a lot of day-hiking up from the cosby side. and from newfound gap. (charlie's bunion!) you know the whole time i was there, i never hiked the chimneys. some things to do in the future.
these days all my hiking is urban. which is fine and i like it, but it's not the same. i really loved getting up, stocking up, driving out and spending the whole day walking. then a big dinner and beer somewhere. (if we went up out of townsend we'd stop by that mexican place in maryville on the way home. los something-or-other.)
― would you ask tom petty that? (tipsy mothra), Sunday, 17 May 2009 05:38 (6 months ago) Permalink
chimneys suck imo!!! 2 miles straight up a bunch of red clay mud and 2 miles straight back down where you just came from, and the view is great of course, but there are a lot of great views in the smokies. i dread going up there, you didn't miss anything
my favorite short hike is alum cave bluffs, nothing else like it
i'm waiting for azalea season to do gregory's bald! did andrew's bald and it was really miserable, but i picked a stupid time of year to do it.
― (b)admin (roxymuzak), Sunday, 17 May 2009 05:41 (6 months ago) Permalink
oh man there is nothing better than finishing a huuuuge hike and just chowing down on the way back through townsend at the heart and kettle or something
― (b)admin (roxymuzak), Sunday, 17 May 2009 05:42 (6 months ago) Permalink
*hearth
saw three of these peeking out from a tree and was just like "do not want to be eaten by the inevitable mom" and ran through a trail junction
― (b)admin (roxymuzak), Sunday, 17 May 2009 05:44 (6 months ago) Permalink
yeah you want the azaleas in bloom for sure.
the contours of the chimneys is why i never did it. once i got out there i wanted something more immersive than that, i guess. i love the rhythms of a nice long hike.
― would you ask tom petty that? (tipsy mothra), Sunday, 17 May 2009 05:45 (6 months ago) Permalink
i think cucumber gap is the best short, completely easy hike
also love house mountain in south knoxville, so cool that a hike like that is just right there
― (b)admin (roxymuzak), Sunday, 17 May 2009 05:46 (6 months ago) Permalink
hahaha, i must hike this!!!!
http://www.localhikes.com/Hikes/Haw_Ridge_3840.asp
― (b)admin (roxymuzak), Sunday, 17 May 2009 05:49 (6 months ago) Permalink
house mountain is more northeast than south, isn't it? out rutledge pike? but yeah that's a nice near one. that's where i saw a whole flock of wild turkeys try to take flight. they made it up into the lower branches of the nearest tree.
i did some hikes around oak ridge, don't remember if it included HAW ridge.
also good: frozen head.
― would you ask tom petty that? (tipsy mothra), Sunday, 17 May 2009 05:54 (6 months ago) Permalink
Haw, I totally meant East Knoxville
― (b)admin (roxymuzak), Sunday, 17 May 2009 05:56 (6 months ago) Permalink
― ricardos montalban (tehresa), Sunday, 17 May 2009 05:57 (6 months ago) Permalink
and big south fork! site of my bachelor party. granted there was less hiking than drinking and whatnot involved there. but there's some great hikes too. east tenn. is really A+ for hiking.
― would you ask tom petty that? (tipsy mothra), Sunday, 17 May 2009 05:57 (6 months ago) Permalink
hahaha
i wish i had a pic of the sign at abrams falls
"four people have died here! please do not be next"xpost
― (b)admin (roxymuzak), Sunday, 17 May 2009 06:04 (6 months ago) Permalink
20 miles in one day? that's some serious hiking. what kind of elevation gain?
there's a million place to hike in the East, and it's good to get out there in the fresh air (smokies haw) and go up and down and such, but there's not a lot that's as interesting as most of the stuff in the other half of the country. i gotta start doing some stuff here though in preparation for out there.
― "the whale saw her" (gabbneb), Sunday, 17 May 2009 06:09 (6 months ago) Permalink
in hawaii there were massive warning signs about swimming in waterfalls and getting caught in riptides and swept out to sea. it was scary but also kind of gnarly and awesome.
― ricardos montalban (tehresa), Sunday, 17 May 2009 06:13 (6 months ago) Permalink
we've been out to the marin headlands a few times this year (san francisco), i like it because it's all open hills, beautiful views of the ocean, and this totally weird-ass old military stuff (like forts and stuff).
― where we turn sweet dreams into remarkable realities (just1n3), Sunday, 17 May 2009 06:13 (6 months ago) Permalink
re that nalgene drink bottle: nalgene is responsible for making a lot of the equipment involved in animal testing (battery cages, immobilisers, restraints etc), fyi.
― where we turn sweet dreams into remarkable realities (just1n3), Sunday, 17 May 2009 06:15 (6 months ago) Permalink
Sounds scary. I am glad you're OK and yeah, that pic is beautiful.
― bear say hi to me (ENBB), Friday, 6 November 2009 21:58 (2 weeks ago) Permalink
Holy shit that looks awesome but ugh cold and dehydrated not so good.
― quincie, Friday, 6 November 2009 22:49 (2 weeks ago) Permalink
awesome, em!
i'm doing little si tomorrow morning. only a short hike, but at least i am going somewhere!
― tehresa, Saturday, 7 November 2009 00:00 (2 weeks ago) Permalink
beautiful. in tn i hiked ramsay cascades in gsmnp on a midweek 95deg/95%humid day with my pops and some family. very few people that day, fantastic falls at the top.
― bitter about emo (Hunt3r), Saturday, 7 November 2009 00:13 (2 weeks ago) Permalink
ive never been to ramsay cascades, amazingly.
― e\m/ily (roxymuzak), Saturday, 7 November 2009 00:16 (2 weeks ago) Permalink
did you plan to camp there, or was it an emergency thing because it got too dark to finish the hike?
― I Endorse He-Horse (ytth), Saturday, 7 November 2009 00:32 (2 weeks ago) Permalink
no, we planned to camp further up actually (on Mount LeConte!), but it got too dark to go up the really rocky parts. we had no idea how cold it would be.
― e\m/ily (roxymuzak), Saturday, 7 November 2009 00:45 (2 weeks ago) Permalink
the weirdly memorable thing about our hike to ramsay cascades was that it was maybe a coupla days after all of the rhododendrons had dropped their blossoms. it seemed like the we walked half the way on this runner of flowers.
― bitter about emo (Hunt3r), Saturday, 7 November 2009 05:41 (2 weeks ago) Permalink
any hiking in the rain tips? i suppose i'll take a dry shirt or something in a plastic bag inside my pack?is this going to be a terrible disaster? i don't think rain is avoidable at all tomorrow, but i have lots of layers...
― tehresa, Saturday, 7 November 2009 08:06 (2 weeks ago) Permalink
take lots of clean socks in a ziploc! you will love yourself. and wear a poncho over your pack
― e\m/ily (roxymuzak), Saturday, 7 November 2009 21:09 (2 weeks ago) Permalink
ended up not going at all bc of thunderstorms :(rain i can deal with but lightning is ehhhhh.i'm a wimp.
― tehresa, Saturday, 7 November 2009 22:57 (2 weeks ago) Permalink
no you are smart
― TGAAPQ (Mr. Que), Sunday, 8 November 2009 00:26 (1 week ago) Permalink
thanks, mr. que. feeling kinda frustrated at not getting any mountains. i went back to bed at 6:15 and when i got up again the weather was really nice (here) so i don't know, maybe i freaked out for nothing :(
― tehresa, Sunday, 8 November 2009 00:41 (1 week ago) Permalink
haha i was trying to post "no, you are just smart" to this thread 100x and it wouldnt let me
― e\m/ily (roxymuzak), Sunday, 8 November 2009 01:18 (1 week ago) Permalink
we sound so retarded here, blame hypothermia, but here is the bear i met
― e\m/ily (roxymuzak), Monday, 9 November 2009 13:05 (1 week ago) Permalink
lol @ me saying its just like a dog
― e\m/ily (roxymuzak), Monday, 9 November 2009 13:06 (1 week ago) Permalink
haha awesome. what is he eating anyways?
― George Mucus (ledge), Monday, 9 November 2009 13:15 (1 week ago) Permalink
omg!
― bear say hi to me (ENBB), Monday, 9 November 2009 14:09 (1 week ago) Permalink
justine was watching that video this morning, and i thought it was from the "oh shit a bear" thread - eg: two people with a digital camera get mauled by bear, etc. knowing that it was roxy and friend doing the filming, i'm glad that's not the case.
― I Endorse He-Horse (ytth), Tuesday, 10 November 2009 02:32 (1 week ago) Permalink
i think he might be foraging for bugs
― e\m/ily (roxymuzak), Friday, 13 November 2009 01:33 (1 week ago) Permalink
video captures the wtf-ness of wildlife encounters really well, so great
― bitter about emo (Hunt3r), Friday, 13 November 2009 04:53 (1 week ago) Permalink
were you really that close or was the camera zoomed in?
― tehresa, Friday, 13 November 2009 06:30 (1 week ago) Permalink
It was zoomed in, but we were quite close. I could not have reached out and touched him, but I could have taken one step and done so.
― e\m/ily (roxymuzak), Friday, 13 November 2009 21:15 (1 week ago) Permalink
damn. i would not do that. dont wanna end up like chimp lady
― bitter about emo (Hunt3r), Friday, 13 November 2009 21:41 (1 week ago) Permalink
planning a toadtrip next week from knoxville to nyc and considering hiking the highest mountains in each state on the way there and back -- kind of a cool idea imo
― e\m/ily (roxymuzak), Sunday, 15 November 2009 03:46 (6 days ago) Permalink
imHo
awesome idea!
― tehresa, Sunday, 15 November 2009 03:50 (6 days ago) Permalink
even new york?????
― harbl, Sunday, 15 November 2009 03:50 (6 days ago) Permalink
mount marcy? child's play
― e\m/ily (roxymuzak), Sunday, 15 November 2009 04:27 (6 days ago) Permalink
will u do mitchell?
― tehresa, Sunday, 15 November 2009 04:38 (6 days ago) Permalink
http://www.carolinamtnclub.com/SB6K/SB6K%20Index.html
The South Beyond 6000 is an organized program to encourage hikers to climb the 40 peaks over 6000 feet in the Southern Appalachians. The privilege of belonging is earned and can only be shared among those who have pushed onward and upward on foot to the tops of these peaks. The Tennessee Eastman Hiking and Canoeing Club started this program after they had studied similar concepts used in the White Mountains of New Hampshire and the Adirondack Mountains in New York.
you should get in on this imo
― tehresa, Sunday, 15 November 2009 04:42 (6 days ago) Permalink
i will have done 12 of those by the end of this year iirc!!
― e\m/ily (roxymuzak), Sunday, 15 November 2009 04:47 (6 days ago) Permalink
2. Climb all 40 peaks by routes involving hiking at least 5 miles with an ascent of at least 500 feet. In many cases, roads come close to the summits, and the return trip may be made by auto. However, where descent by trail is specified, return trip must be made on foot.
weak sauce
― tehresa, Sunday, 15 November 2009 04:49 (6 days ago) Permalink
so that's why clingman's dome isn't included
― e\m/ily (roxymuzak), Sunday, 15 November 2009 04:51 (6 days ago) Permalink
i might hike in shendandoah too/instead
― e\m/ily (roxymuzak), Sunday, 15 November 2009 04:55 (6 days ago) Permalink
it feels misleading tho - thinkin like 40 hikes to 6000+ ft when the min requirement is 500 ft ascent?! i know you can't start at sea level all the time, but...
― tehresa, Sunday, 15 November 2009 04:57 (6 days ago) Permalink
yeah its incred rare iirc
― e\m/ily (roxymuzak), Sunday, 15 November 2009 04:58 (6 days ago) Permalink
well yeah, my point was that the requirement should be more stringent than 500 ft of climb.
― tehresa, Sunday, 15 November 2009 05:00 (6 days ago) Permalink
i know i might be spoiled by the smokies, but fuck shenandoah natl park form what i can tell, kinda? what kind of nat'l park has as it's main attraction a DRIVE
― e\m/ily (roxymuzak), Sunday, 15 November 2009 05:01 (6 days ago) Permalink
xpost i think it should just be the 40 peaks period, its weird to have any other requirement imo. if it is going to be the highest/most difficult elevation gains that's a whole other ball of wax
― e\m/ily (roxymuzak), Sunday, 15 November 2009 05:02 (6 days ago) Permalink
i just think that the actual hiking to the summit should count for something.
i mean, the hill i live on goes from almost sea level to 390 ft in like, a mile... i would not consider that a hike if i added an extra 110 ft and 4 miles?
― tehresa, Sunday, 15 November 2009 05:19 (6 days ago) Permalink
4 miles???
― e\m/ily (roxymuzak), Sunday, 15 November 2009 05:21 (6 days ago) Permalink
min requirement is 5 miles and 500 ft... which is... nothing?
― tehresa, Sunday, 15 November 2009 05:23 (6 days ago) Permalink
― e\m/ily (roxymuzak), Saturday, November 14, 2009 11:27 PM (Yesterday)
it's not that hard but i think it's like 6 hours from nyc is all. kind of out of your way prob
― harbl, Sunday, 15 November 2009 13:35 (6 days ago) Permalink
Douchechill. I might just do VA's highest because it has miniature ponies on it and is beautimous, and then some Shenandoah stuff.
― e\m/ily (roxymuzak), Sunday, 15 November 2009 21:07 (6 days ago) Permalink
I'm also sleeping outside on the way up and back every night <3<3<3
― e\m/ily (roxymuzak), Sunday, 15 November 2009 21:08 (6 days ago) Permalink
did a nice hike with justine yesterday to the top of pine mtn in marin county. really nice views of mt. tam, the bay, richmond bridge, and even mt. diablo (where we were last weekend). i have a cell phone pic of justine climbing on top of the summit marker, but i can't upload it to the computer, because i'm dumb and she wouldn't let me post it anyway.
― I Endorse He-Horse (ytth), Monday, 16 November 2009 02:42 (5 days ago) Permalink
xposted to wdyll but
― e\m/ily (roxymuzak), Monday, 16 November 2009 02:44 (5 days ago) Permalink
xp i would kill you, since i look like a pudding in my hiking clothes
― DAN P3RRY MAD AT GRANDMA (just1n3), Monday, 16 November 2009 02:45 (5 days ago) Permalink
aw, i bet you look great, justine! post it here not to wdyll and you're safe!
― tehresa, Monday, 16 November 2009 19:33 (5 days ago) Permalink