I've been wanting to do a loop hike of the new and old BMT in Joyce Kilmer/Slickrock Creek Wilderness but wasn't successful. I really needed one more day. I started at Beech Gap on Monday afternoon and hiked up to Naked Ground. It's a great place to camp. There were storms that night with a lot of rain and wind gusts up to 40 mph. The next morning, I started hiking North and took a side trail to the Hangover where I had coffee and breakfast. It was amazing. The clouds looked like ocean waves. On the way up from Naked Ground, I met another BMTA member and trail maintainer named Taz(?).

The trail down from the Hangover was wet, muddy, steep, and slippery. I fell several times and had to slide on my arse down boulders that were too big and slippery to walk on. I did it all with a smile on my face and thought it was super fun. Once I hit another challenging (for me) section of the BMT, Yellowhammer trail, the smile faded. That trail was really hard and wore me out. I rolled an ankle three times, fell quite a few times, and wish I'd brought a SPOT, just in case. It's gone on my list of trails I will never hike again by myself...it's the only one on the list :). Nichols Cove was fun, there's a sweet little cemetery, but the trail was difficult to follow with all the fallen leaves. I got off trail once in this area and ended up bushwhacking and backtracking.

By this time, I was so far behind schedule for completing the loop that I had to abandon the idea. I decided to hike down to Slickrock Creek then back up to the old BMT at Big Stack Gap and cut off the miles around Farr Gap.

I headed down Ike Branch trail, 0.5 miles of hell trying to get through blowdowns. After the rough day I'd already had, I went into a dark place.

Finally, I got to Slickrock Creek but wanted to make some more miles so ventured across and tried to follow Slickrock Creek trail. I lost the trail and it was 6:30 pm, so turned around and forded the creek again back to a campsite. I was so exhausted, I crawled into my tent, ate cold food, studied my maps, and read Of Moose and Men.

The next morning, I was up early, packed and waiting for enough light to follow the trail. While I was waiting, I heard a bizarre sound that I think might have been a Vixen. It sounded like a woman screaming and at first scared the crap out of me. I finally headed out for the 3 miles and 11 fords of Slickrock Creek. I have no experience with fording and it was scary as all get out. The water was about 2-3 inches above my knees. It took 3 hours for me to hike 3 miles and I decided that I missed the turn off to Big Stack Gap trail but finally came to it. It was a moment of triumph to know that I had done it and wasn't lost.

On a normal day, Big Stack Gap trail might not be so difficult but my muscles were screaming after the previous day. The trail climbs 1200(?)...1500(?) feet in 1.7 miles. Again, I was super slow and was happy to hit the old BMT at Big Stack Gap.

Hiking the old BMT was a tremendous relief. The trail is easy to follow in that area without the steepness and roughness of the new section. I wondered if rerouting to avoid fording Slickrock Creek is worth it. I decided it depends on what kind of experience a hiker wants and urge anyone who plans to hike the BMT to compare both and make a decision that is right (and safe) for them.

This is the route. Beech Gap on the lower left hand side to Yellowhammer Gap, over to trail 42, down to Wildcat Falls, up Big Stack Gap trail (139), to the old BMT (Fodderstack trail).

I don't mind thread drift here but it would be a cool thread on it's own.

I think what made this a tough trip is that I strung together too many challenging (for me) trails. I've hiked on trails similar to Yellowhammer trail and the trail from the Hangover to Big Fat Gap, but the wet trail conditions made it seem worse. My perception will probably change after the soreness is gone from my legs and the bruises have faded.

It's funny, doing the extra miles around Farr Gap probably would have been easier. But I'm glad I had the experience and will be a better hiker because of it. After fording the creek over and over, I was a lot more confident about my capabilities. I broke one of my hiking poles in half coming down from the Hangover so I used a sturdy stick for 3 points of contact on the fords.

FYI, Trail 42, Slickrock Creek trail, that starts between Naked Ground and Saddle Tree Gap and descends down to Slickrock Creek is the trail known as the Nutbuster. Supposedly, it's one of the hardest trails in the Southeast. One day I'll try it. I did the lower section, it's the upper section that's supposed to be difficult.

I still have Georgia, Yellowhammer Gap to Fontana, and most of the Smokies to do. I'm not sure which section I'll do next.

One of the nice things about the BMT is not having to hide in your tent to change clothes. It's liberating actually.

At Naked Ground there is a picture frame view. I positioned my tent to watch the sun rise the next morning...right under a tree that could have come down in the wind. It was foggy the next morning so no view.

Thanks for the moral support and encouragement y'all! I feel good about how things turned out. I learned some new lessons, gained some confidence, and got to hike some new trails.

Sometimes I think hiking is similar to giving birth. The pain is quickly forgotten and the joyful experience remains forever.