Question about the Virginia Triple Crown
Sept 15, 2014 20:45:54 GMT -5
Post by phill on Sept 15, 2014 20:45:54 GMT -5
Hello,
I'm Phill and I'm from Ky. I've done a bunch of overnight backpack trips here and thousands of miles of hiking in the Ohio Valley Area. I really have been preparing to do a multiple-night backpack trip. I know it requires much keener planning(as I can't take food that will spoil after a day), and am fully prepared research and equipment wise.
Anyways, I'm planning on taking a few days vacation from work in early October to try my first hand at a longer trip. I was already planning to start on a 4 day trip around 30 miles, with the last day basically being a short hike out(less than 5 miles) and so that I can drive home. I was aiming for around 30 miles(give or take 5) and wanted to go do a section of the AT. After some research on Dragon's Tooth and Tinker Cliffs I came across your 'Virginia Triple Crown' hike, which seems to be a perfect fit for what I'm looking for. Personally I tend to do a lot of random side trips(Hey! What's that? Let's go see!), so doing just under 30 miles in that amount of time gives me some breathing room.
So here are my questions:
1 - The Topo map shows that a lot of this is actually following a ridge line. Are there side/spur trails that people can go explore on? I really like the adventure of going down something without really knowing where it leads. Everything in life can't be planned and mapped and logged, ya know?
2 - Campsites - It seems like some people on the AT stay in huts. I've never stayed in one...I was planning on tent camping the whole time. I know the smokies is the most visited park in the US and this isn't far off....are campsites are hard to come by? I am totally OK with bushwhacking into the woods a bit a creating my own area...but I saw that the powers that be really do not want you to make a new campsite/fire pit. I am accustomed to doing this backpacking if I need too.
Any suggestions on routes, etc would be appreciated.
I'm Phill and I'm from Ky. I've done a bunch of overnight backpack trips here and thousands of miles of hiking in the Ohio Valley Area. I really have been preparing to do a multiple-night backpack trip. I know it requires much keener planning(as I can't take food that will spoil after a day), and am fully prepared research and equipment wise.
Anyways, I'm planning on taking a few days vacation from work in early October to try my first hand at a longer trip. I was already planning to start on a 4 day trip around 30 miles, with the last day basically being a short hike out(less than 5 miles) and so that I can drive home. I was aiming for around 30 miles(give or take 5) and wanted to go do a section of the AT. After some research on Dragon's Tooth and Tinker Cliffs I came across your 'Virginia Triple Crown' hike, which seems to be a perfect fit for what I'm looking for. Personally I tend to do a lot of random side trips(Hey! What's that? Let's go see!), so doing just under 30 miles in that amount of time gives me some breathing room.
So here are my questions:
1 - The Topo map shows that a lot of this is actually following a ridge line. Are there side/spur trails that people can go explore on? I really like the adventure of going down something without really knowing where it leads. Everything in life can't be planned and mapped and logged, ya know?
2 - Campsites - It seems like some people on the AT stay in huts. I've never stayed in one...I was planning on tent camping the whole time. I know the smokies is the most visited park in the US and this isn't far off....are campsites are hard to come by? I am totally OK with bushwhacking into the woods a bit a creating my own area...but I saw that the powers that be really do not want you to make a new campsite/fire pit. I am accustomed to doing this backpacking if I need too.
Any suggestions on routes, etc would be appreciated.