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Post by jnk556 on Oct 13, 2014 17:40:48 GMT -5
Ok, so far the weather looks like this weekends hike there will be a go, problem is, it's calling for up to a inch of rain before then, and that doesn't make me excited about the Laurel Fork crossings. Anyways, we were planning on Myhykers loop, the 14mi one, of course it has the 2 crossings. My question is, would it be possible to hike down Slabcamp run, instead of going down to Bearwallow, and pick up the Laurel Fork Trail back to the buck run trail, and not have to cross the creek?? I mean if we do the loop listed on the site, once we hike all that way, and end up on the Laurel Fork trail, in order to get out, we will have to cross the creek, and if the water is up, I don't want to be forced into crossing if I think it is too high.
I just want to plan for the worst here. I've not been down in to Laurel Fork itself, so i don't know the stream, or the crossings. I don't wanna have to wade waist deep swift water. Knee deep is fine, I mean we'll be crossing on our day hiking out, so if we get a little wet, no big deal, we'll dry, and have a hot shower that night. Just don't want to get into something dangerous.
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MRHyker
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Post by MRHyker on Oct 13, 2014 21:33:03 GMT -5
You would still have to cross the fork 2X. You could hike down the Buck Run Tr, more or less doing the loop in reverse. There is a campsite on the west side of the Fork. If it is too high to cross you can spend the night there and call it a trip, retracing your steps the next morning. That makes the second day long if you continue on, unless you push through to the junction with Bearwallow whewre there is more camping.
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Post by jnk556 on Oct 14, 2014 17:34:35 GMT -5
Alright, no biggie, I'll just have to check the stream levels before I leave on Thursday. We're starting our hike Friday, and we'll be crossing Saturday morning, so I guess we'll hope for the best. All else fails if it is too dangerous, we'll have to backtrack back out, and call it quits.
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Post by arfcomhkr on Oct 28, 2014 22:40:38 GMT -5
I just got back from my cabin after this trip. (No computer there).
Wasn't a bad hike and we were lucky the river wasn't up. The crossings were cold, but not all that bad. The only really bad spot was where the trail was blown out against the river.
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vdeal
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Post by vdeal on Oct 29, 2014 7:35:11 GMT -5
Still one of my favorite trips and I haven't been there in years. Nice to know its still protected. Need to get my hiking buddy down there next spring.
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Post by arfcomhkr on Oct 29, 2014 7:50:20 GMT -5
We spooked up a mature Bald Eagle along the river just before the first ford. That was about it for wildlife except for a deer or two.
No snakes or bears.
BTW, the map is fine, but this part of the trail notes is confusing.
" Turn left (upstream) and cross Bearwallow Run where you will find yet another small site. Immediately turn left as if you were going to follow the run and walk up through the remnants of a grassy road and watch out for a footpath on the right. It is buried in a thicket but it is there and marked by a very faint blaze on a tree. Turn here and again find yourself on a wide trail that parallels a Rhododendron thicket along the Fork. There are a couple of small campsites nestled in it.
Continue upstream. In about 0.6 miles pass a huge campsite on the left."
Should be downstream, I think.
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MRHyker
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Post by MRHyker on Oct 29, 2014 10:30:34 GMT -5
We spooked up a mature Bald Eagle along the river just before the first ford. That was about it for wildlife except for a deer or two. No snakes or bears. BTW, the map is fine, but this part of the trail notes is confusing. " Turn left (upstream) and cross Bearwallow Run where you will find yet another small site. Immediately turn left as if you were going to follow the run and walk up through the remnants of a grassy road and watch out for a footpath on the right. It is buried in a thicket but it is there and marked by a very faint blaze on a tree. Turn here and again find yourself on a wide trail that parallels a Rhododendron thicket along the Fork. There are a couple of small campsites nestled in it. Continue upstream. In about 0.6 miles pass a huge campsite on the left." Should be downstream, I think. You are correct. These are things I need to be told about so I can correct them. It's hard keeping track of 3000+ trail miles and over 300 hikes. I'll update the site. |
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vdeal
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Post by vdeal on Oct 29, 2014 10:46:35 GMT -5
We spooked up a mature Bald Eagle along the river just before the first ford. That was about it for wildlife except for a deer or two. No snakes or bears. When we we're there we lost track of the number of squirrels but that was on the ridge east of Laurel Fork - can't remember the trail right now. Also, when we were swimming in Laurel Fork we were literally bumping into trout - never saw the likes. |
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MRHyker
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Post by MRHyker on Oct 29, 2014 10:48:52 GMT -5
I made the correction.
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Post by jnk556 on Oct 29, 2014 18:03:02 GMT -5
We spooked up a mature Bald Eagle along the river just before the first ford. That was about it for wildlife except for a deer or two. No snakes or bears. When we we're there we lost track of the number of squirrels but that was on the ridge east of Laurel Fork - can't remember the trail right now. Also, when we were swimming in Laurel Fork we were literally bumping into trout - never saw the likes. I never really looked too close, but I didn't see jack in the creek when i was filtering water. Then again the creek was kinda up and flowing too. The eagle sighting was enough for the whole trip, it was really something else, first i had ever seen in the wild. |
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Post by arfcomhkr on Oct 31, 2014 11:18:06 GMT -5
I clicked on the web page for that hike and it still shows as upstream. It's possible the old page is still cached on my machine though. I didn't try clearing the cache. |
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Post by Admin on Oct 31, 2014 11:37:25 GMT -5
Shoot. There are 2 "upstreams". I just fixed the 2nd one. Thanks.
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Post by Admin on Oct 31, 2014 11:45:24 GMT -5
Try again. You might have to control/refresh.
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