Archive for January, 2019

Work Trip on the Appalachian Trail – 6 – 29 – 2018

Cutting the annual growth along my section of the AT came a little later in the year than usual due to circumstances beyond my control. Add in an unusually warm and wet season and you get jungle type growth, some of which were taller than I am ! Suspecting this would be the case I decided to use a weedeater rather than the normal ‘sling blade’ method that we usually do. I like to use a weedeater every so many years anyway to give it a ‘good haircut’ and this was a good year to do that. Like anytime I go to the mountains I like to get an early as possible start and this trip would be no exception. My son Tyler and I started before daylight getting everything ready and packed into the Jeep so that as soon as our old friend Tommy ‘Bol’Dar’ Warden arrived we could depart on our quest.

Packing the Jeep at first light under a nice full moon
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Posted on 9 January '19 by , under RATtreks. No Comments.

Wolf Creek Falls and Paint Mtn. – 6 – 14-2018

Our next adventure would take us (my son Tyler Tarpley and I) to one of my favorites, the beautiful Wolf Creek Falls. Located in Cocke County near the TN / NC border not far from Hot Springs, NC., there are basically 3 or actually 4 different ways to get to them. The most known route is a long drive past Max Patch Mtn. on a very bumpy, backwoods, gravel road. Fairly high clearance would be a plus for this route. This will get you within less than half mile easy walking of the falls. Another variation (and shorter drive if you are coming from the TN side) is to drive in from Del Rio, TN., on the road that goes to the primitive Round Mtn. Campground as it intersects with the before mentioned route.

Wolf Creek Falls
Wolf Creek Falls (photo by Tyler Tarpley)
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Posted on 5 January '19 by , under RATtreks. No Comments.