Archive for April, 2016

The Lonesome Pine Cliffs (Rich Mtn) – 3-5-2016

The Rich Mountains chain stretches between the Nolichucky River all the way to where it joins the Bald Mountains chain at Big Butt where the Appalachian Trail is near Coldspring Mountain. The highest point on the Rich Mountain chain is Wilson Knob which is 4,590 feet and it loses elevation down to about 2,200 feet before it reaches the river. There are some very good views along the highest points and if you know where to go there are also a few nice cliffs that hide along its sides. One of the largest and most prominent cliffs is one that not many people even know about and, even if they have seen it from other mountains nearby, would not know how to get to them. On this adventure my friend Bol’Dar and I would visit this cliff system that we have assiduously named the Lonesome Pine Cliffs. This is in part to there being one very small pine tree growing all by itself near the high point of the cliffs which has been there for quite a few years now. There are no real trails to these cliffs but, only hidden ninja routes of old which we relived once again on this journey as we chose one of the steeper and most difficult routes to get there. This would bring us out at the base of the cliffs where we would have to climb its entire length in order to reach the summit.

cliffs

The Lonesome Pine Cliffs

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Posted on 23 April '16 by , under RATtreks. No Comments.

Spivey Gap Falls – 2-18-2016

Due to my good friend Bol’Dar not being able to attend on my last trip to Spivey Gap Falls, it was decided that we would go there for this next adventure. My son Tyler also came along as he too had not ever seen them but, was with me when we discovered a new, unnamed falls over on the other side of the mountain not far from this location. I had been informed sometime back about some downed trees directly on the falls so we took some small pack saws and loppers in case there was something we could do to improve the situation. It was a sunny yet, chilly morning and we did find some snow and rime ice in these higher elevations. It was not deep and was actually enjoyable except for the slush the sun was causing to fall from the trees overhead ! There is no marked trail for these falls and they are not listed and I hope they stay that way for their own protection. We began the hike through the enchanted old growth Hemlock forest where there are actually a few survivors from the pine bark beetles that ravaged this area some years ago.

falls

Spivey Gap Falls

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Posted on 5 April '16 by , under RATtreks. No Comments.