RATtreks

The Monkeyhead Rocks (Sill Branch Overlook) 3-19-2010

After several days off to recuperate from our last trip (to Buckeye Falls), the day before the official start of Spring found us going back to the Monkeyhead rocks aka: The Sill Branch Overlook. I had not been back there since our first expedition back in April of 2009 when we experienced the grueling ‘meatgrinder‘ ridge when my stealth pack was temporarily lost. We did not have much time to explore that day so we took this day to do just that.

It was the first sunny, hot, day in quite  sometime and it felt good although being exposed out on the rock cliffs was like being baked in an oven. My son Tyler, Bol’Dar, and I  got our usual late start around 1:30 pm that afternoon and it only took about an hour or so to make it up the somewhat hidden trail to the crest of the ridge where the turn off to the rocks lies among the growth and destruction that is found there. It`s basically a bush-wack traverse over to where the rocks reside. We came out to the place we had found before where we rested briefly enjoying the views looking over the entire North and South forks of the Sill Branch valley (and beyond), the ‘volcano‘ and Sampson mountain, before deciding to make our way further to check out the rest of the rock  formations that continue like a vein bulging  out the side of the ridge.

The Monkeyhead Rocks (Sill Branch Overlook) (file photo)

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The Elusive Buckeye falls – 3-6-2010

Elusive ? Yes, elusive. Why, you ask ? Due to their remote location, lack of any real trail, plus many obstacles to negotiate, not to mention the absence of accurate directions which are not readily available, that many are unable to find (or they lack the physical ability to actually make the 7+ mile round trip that feels like 14 ! ) to get to these colossal falls. It is also dangerous and not a recommended trip for the average waterfall visitor. The route is not marked and there are no signs. Personally,  I am thankful that they are so elusive and hard to find and that the route is so strenuous as I consider it a sacred place and wish for only those who think of it in that manner to visit there so it will hopefully receive the appreciation and protection it deserves in hopes that it will remain the tranquil, quiescent, unpolluted place it is now.

Buckeye Falls

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