Thank you, Tyler. It was a great trip and I truly enjoyed hiking and camping with you. The endless hiking stories around the fires never gets old! Let's do that Yellowstone trip next year.
I watched about 10 of your videos, and it always feels like I’m there with you as a friend would guide me through it. Thanks for such great experiences!
The gift that keeps on giving. The famous words of cousin Eddy, hahahaha! Great way to end your season, teaming up with a fellow subscriber. Nicely done 👍 love the photos at the end too.
Mr. GRAY; I give You all the credit in world! You make things look easy., When they are obviously hard, mysterious, scary and emotionally exhausting. I somewhat envy You. 👍🏼
I’m sorry you got lost. I have done that. It’s not fun. Nice recovery. I have hiked many of the park trails, most of my life. I’m 62, now. Beautiful vista views are there; but, the views of the forest, flora and fauna, the depth and magnitude of its rich growth, the smell, the wet, cool breath I get down by the cool water of each creek...that’s why I continue to go. I soak my feet. I try to identify as many plants as I see. I go quietly, looking for wildlife and sign. Thanks for sharing your adventure. I’m in Texas now and miss my mountains of East Tennessee. I wish you well.
Awesome video and I love the pictures at the end! Funny enough I was down there the exact same time with the family, it was busier than normal I think because of hurricane Michael, people came up to get away from that. But Friday was a beautiful day, the sky was so clear, which is unusual there. We had great views from Charlie's Bunion! A good weekend too end your backpacking season!
Hi John! Hope you enjoyed the 'binge'. Should be some good new videos coming in 2019, but all the plans aren't firmed up yet (depends a bit on how I do in various permit 'lotteries', but I'm planning to submit permit applications for the Wonderland Trail in Washington, the Enchantment Wilderness, a thru hike of the john Muir Trail, and a the Two Medicine area of Glacier).
Wonderful hike! I’m a TN boy so I’m biased I guess but I love the Smokies! I’m so glad Tyler invited you down and that you both shared this trip with us!
I love your mix of trail and camp activities. Makes for more interesting viewing. Also, your pre and post hike meals are spot on. You have a great attitude and even after being off trail a bit. Happy trails and will be looking forward to your next adventure.
What a great way to wake up to another David great hiking video! I cannot tell you how much my husband and I look forward to your videos! Headed to the Smokies next weekend to hike can’t wait! Thanks for the surprise!
Bonus video! Glad you got out again this season. I just hiked the Roan highlands section again this weekend. It was fantastic. Hope next season is as prolific and even more enjoyable. Thanks for sharing the videos. Take care.
Hi David, after watching your last video...I had a good feeling you were gonna do another. Love your videos, so well done and always a pleasure to watch. Nice surprise with this bonus trip, thanks guys...cheers!
Love all your videos. Thank you for sharing. We always seem to do a little bushwacking along the way. lol Heading down to Charles C Deam for the first time this weekend for our own adventure.
Thanks for sharing this great hike. Didn't expect you will release another video after the Glacier NP backpacking. I will try the Middle Prong Trail next week.
Love your videos David, keep them coming please!!! My girls and I have watched every one together. We're hiking Clingman's Dome in July. Thanks for the inspiration.
You’ve had some pretty interesting trips this year. All of them quite different and unique. Glad to see you had a bonus trip. Thanks for sharing!! As always, it was fun
You were in my neck of the woods! It’s funny because there are trails particularly on the North Carolina side where there are a ton of downed trees. It’s been a little while since I hiked Lynn Camp Prong but I was thinking, I don’t remember it being that brushy lol. Nice to see you made another trip to the Smokies, although like you, I’m also a huge fan of Glacier. 🙂
Good stuff David. Thanks for the work you did to take us along this season. I really enjoy your spirit. U take the ups and downs with equal grace. U are a great ambassador to the great outdoors.
Hi All. Looks like their having fun here! ha. I hope you all have a bottle of potassium in your back packs. A person, can sweat lots of potassium out of their bodies on hikes. Calf -leg cramps, are very painful. The scenery is pretty. Thanks for sharing David.
I am a person who loves waterfalls, so this hike was right up my alley. This video made me want to hike this trail, but I changed my mind when I saw you crawling around in this overgrown rhododendrons. Glad that was a mistake!! I will add this to the list of destinations I want to hit....thanks for the inspiration. I am with you about Gatlinburg, I love the cheesy place too. The brewery is fantastic & I think it's fun to watch the bluegrass band at Old Smoky Moonshine...their is usually an elderly gentleman mountain dancing along to the music! Cheers!
Hey David...Hubs and I were on our way home from our backpack adventure, here in AZ, when we got the notification of your bonus trip. We watched YOURS before we watched ours...your combo of video, awesome stills, and fun personality make your channel our backpacking FAVE!! We live near The Superstition Mountains, and hike them all year round, even in summer! It’s takes a lot of electrolyte powder, but you have the trails to yourself!! We also get that end-of-the-trail mixed bag...anxious for the shower/soft bed/cold beer, but sad that all of that pre-hike anticipation, planning, packing, repacking, weighing, rethinking, and then the adventure experience, as you say, is IN THE BOOKS!! It’s so funny...on our way home we always say, “Maybe we are TOO old for this?!?” Our muscles ache, shoulders cramping, heat exhaustion sometimes makes the ride home full of doubting thoughts about ever doing it again...and then we wake up and begin to plan/dream about our next adventure!! Are we CRAZY?!? This trip we tried our new Warbonnet hammocks. There are plenty of pine trees up at this elevation, the Reavis Ranch Trail, which intersects with the AZT. We used our under quilts, but had decided to cut weight and use a lighter bag, which was a mistake! We froze our tails off, which made a miserable night. We had checked the weather apps/reports well ahead of time, but it was significantly colder than reported. So, instead of staying two nights up there, and having our rest day, to day hike around the area, we packed it up and left. We struggle with two things...how to keep the weight down...and if we don’t do that, how to bear the pain in the shoulders as a result of it. We day hike two or three times a week, which can easily be anywhere from 9 to 11 miles each. Then we strap a pack on, and plan to do the same amount, and struggle to finish! We are both sixty-three, and have been hiking/packing for about two years, working up in miles and stamina each month. We enjoy it so much, and have invested a lot of time and money...even converted our Guest Room into The Adventure Room, to store our gear! Sooooo...we never hear you whine, or complain about the pain factor. Do you struggle with that? Do you try to keep your weight down, so it won’t hurt so much? Have you tried a hammock? We couldn’t remember seeing you use one. We also have a Big Agnes tent, and great zero degree bags, but in our quest to refine our packs, we tried the hammocks. Your style is so EZ to watch...it’s like a sweet rhythm of watching a trail friend. We drool over your pre-hike meals! Would you ever consider hiking the desert, like our area of the AZT? (This time of year we get to brag about being able to hike in T-shirts and shorts!) You could add it to your Winter Trip list, and extend the season. Thanks for the great vids, the frame able stills, and your contagious spirit, David. If you’re ever in the desert, let us know...we have GREAT breweries too, for pre-hike meals. 🍺🍔🌵🌞
Thank you so much for the kind feedback. To answer your questions, yes, I certainly suffer from the pain factor (I'm 57 so the knees, and everything else, have quite a bit of 'mileage' on them!) but through the power of editing I'm able to keep most of my whining out of the videos! :-) - I also take a lot of Advil on trips! To minimize the impact on my body, and the pain, I go to considerable lengths to keep my pack weight down to a minimum (25 lbs max or so on long trips), but then I turn around and add to my total weight all the camera gear I carry - 10+lbs. So I'm guessing with everything I'm at 35 lbs or more total on a longer trip, which is certainly not 'ultralight'. To further reduce my weight I've looked into a mirrorless camera that could do a great job of both videos and stills, and the technology is starting to get there for that (I'm looking at the Sony Alpha R3), but for now its just too much money. So I'll stick with my current (heavy) two camera solution. I do own a number of hammocks, but thus far I've never used one for an overnight trip. I actually gave my Warbonnet Blackbird to my son Christian, and he used it on this year's Wind River Range trip - he loved it! Christian is pretty much a 100% hammock person now. And finally, I would very much love to do some desert hiking, but just haven't pulled the trigger yet. Back in 2015 when I did the Sierra Nevada hike, my original plan was actually to combine that trip with a separate southern Utah desert hike in one of the National Parks in that area. I eventually decided it would be too much for one trip, but in preparation I did buy all the maps, some books, etc. so now all I have to do is 'pull the trigger' at some point. Honestly, I am a little apprehensive about doing a desert hike due to the typical shortage of water, but I wouldn't let that concern stop me (I'd just work on preparation and planning more in advance).
David Gray thanks for the reply! We actually got my pack weight down to 27.5, before water, which, as you know is sketchy out here, in the desert. We happened to know that the water source was underground and reliable for year-round, so we took less this time. Hubs is a photographer, as well, and tends to add the weight to his pack with tech gear. He struggled with which camera, and his Big Bertha would be like carrying a small child, so he opted for lighter. The drone (mavic pro) is the other temptation to added weight. We love the footage, but hate the battery packs and his added weight. Our other guilty weight pleasure is to have a great double IPA once we reach our destination! We tend to think of it as Trail Meds, to ease the pain. It seems to help during those last few miles to know you’ll wash the dust off of your throat with a cool (we ditch them in a cool stream) brew! That’s just trail magic HAH! Seriously tho...if you ever do “pull the trigger” and decide to visit our area, we could take you to our neck of the cactus...there is actually more beauty to the desert than people imagine. Hubs has gotten some awesome shots! Let me know how to give you our specifics, if you’re ever truly interested. Btw...loved the vids with Christian in them. Seems like a great kid...good job!
Hey David Gray...The last time I wrote to you, above, I was @@lisaavidhiker8530, but you've inspired us to "pull the trigger," as you say, and start our own U Tube channel. We only have 2 vids, and are experimenting with different equipment, but we jumped in with both feet, AND our poles! The offer still stands, if you're in the PHX area, and want 2 tour guides, we'd be glad to show you our back yard. I'd enjoy picking your brain, and any feedback you might have, since your channel has been such a glowing success! (Loved that comment by your daughter, too!) Can"t wait for your 2019 season to begin...btw, if you lived here, it's year-round, jus sayin'. Hope we can stay in touch...Lisa and Rick
Another great hike! I'm hiking 4 days 3 nights in the Linville Gorge Wilderness next weekend. Probably my last for this year as well. Always enjoy your posts. -Mike
Another great trip, David. I'll admit...I'm just a little jealous of how often you get out hiking. I'm surrounded by National Forest and live less than an hour from Glacier NP, yet I don't take advantage of it often enough. Shame on me! Thanks again for "bringing us along" for the hike.
awesome trip, glad you could get an extra hike in this season// crazy crawling in those rhododendrons, losing the trail mgiht do that to you hahha/ been there// lots of nice forest scenes love it thanks for taking us with you
I'm already looking forward to 2019 too! So many possibilities... so little vacation. I'll probably be able to do 4-6 trips like I did in 2018. I'd like to start the year off with another chunk on the AT, in an area/time of peak thru hikers. Perhaps even starting at Springer Mountain and heading north with the newbie thru-hiker 'herd' for 50 miles or so. I'll once again apply for a permit to do the Wonderland Trail in Washington, but my luck hasn't been good with that permit lottery so far. I'll certainly do a trip with my son in Colorado, likely in August and perhaps the Weminuche Wilderness. I've already been talking with Tyler about doing a Yellowstone trip - he has a ton of experience there which I'd like to take advantage of. After all the planning I did this year for a Pictured Rocks (Michigan) trip, it got me really excited to do that trip - I'd probably do it in September, when the leaves are getting peak color. Hmmm.... looks like I have the start of a 2019 agenda!
@@davidgrayin Yeah, Pictured Rocks is on my list too! I have plans to do Wonderland Trail in August, but we'll see how that goes. Are you really planning on doing all 90 miles in one trip?(!) Anyway, I'll be looking forward to next spring when the next video comes out - I feel like the backpacking season hasn't officially begun until the first David Gray video of the year is released!
Sorry about my season ending so soon. It's a combination of no vacation days remaining along with the much shorter days / longer nights. I don't really enjoy it as much into late fall/winter when you get confined to the tent for 12+ hours at night - makes me a little claustrophobic! I am planning to publish a video in a couple weeks on the ill-fated August Colorado trip with my son, Christian, and the dogs. We didn't do much backpacking because Christian was sick, but it was a good road trip with some really nice primitive car camping. I wasn't going to publish it but decided to do it for completeness of the 2018 season.
Thanks David for your wonderful 2018 backpacking season. Can't wait to see what you have planned for 2019. Just keep away from those blood sucking skeeters. I still have nightmares from those pesky flying hypodermic needles. You probably didn't see any on your GSMNP backoacking adventure and I bet that was a relief.
Lovely experience! And there are few things more frustrating than trying to start a fire when everything is wet! BTW, I sometimes buy ground Dunkin' Donuts coffee when it's on sale. Every time I brew any, I think of you, LOL!
I also live in Indiana, it's hard to find people that are into backpacking. It would be fun to hike around Lake Monroe sometime with you. Awesome videos by the way.
What!!? No winter backpacking trip with your new sleeping bag. Well...maybe I ought to get out there soon myself. Next week might be a good time in the lower elevations. Thanks again for the videos.
Well... I've never been in to winter backpacking, but now that you mention it...! The long time between my last hike of one season and my first hike of the next (typically 6+ months) has always been soooo depressing to me - I might just have to re-think my 'no winter backpacking' mindset, especially now that I have a warmer sleeping bag. We'll see!
@@davidgrayin well... missouri ozark trail (Taum Sauk section) is nice during the winter months. Not as dramatic as the places you go. But its home for me. It's a different vibe.
The 2019 season has now already begun - I returned from the first trip yesterday (Savage Gulf, TN), and I'm getting started on the editing now. I'll probably have it published in two weeks or so. I'll certainly be getting back to the Smokies, but not sure if I'll be able to squeeze it in this year - maybe a fall hike there when the leaves are at peak color.
I absolutely love the video David. I've never been to the Smokies but I plan on leaving tomorrow. What trail and where exactly did you camp at when you were there?
haha the rocking chairs in the music venue are a hoot! The Smokies are so beautiful!! I’m in Alabama and would go there a lot except they don’t allow dogs 😏. Such a bummer! My dog and I went to Cheaha yesterday. Not much water in the falls and streams but the weather was glorious 😊 We’ll start venturing to GA and NC and other parts of TN since we can’t do the Smokies.
I highly recommend Bankhead National Forest/Sipsey Wilderness in North Alabama if you haven't been there. I go there all the time and it's truly an amazing area that's not widely known. Canyons, natural shelters, and waterfalls galore. And dogs are welcome. :)
The Cheaha Wilderness was actually my original destination for my first hike of 2018, but I decided on the Red River Gorge at the last minute because it was so much closer, and I'd never published a video from there (and Miguel's Pizza was on my mind too!). But I do plan to do a hike in the Cheaha Wilderness in the near future.
That's actually very doable even in the cold months due to the very mild winters around here. Only been there on a day trip but plan on going back very soon. Keep me posted if you go. I'm right on the way (right off I-65) and only about 2.5 hours north of there.
That is really cool. If you stayed in that same site at camp 28 I hope you found it in good shape after our stay. That was a nice spot but I really prefer something a little more open (like camp 20 was) - those 'deep woods' spots like camp 28 seem a little confining and 'dark' to me, especially with the long nights of mid October.
Great video Dave. I’ll I was worried when I seen you crawling on the trail, I did that loop couple years back and that DID NOT look familiar lol, close call. Learn valuable lessons every trip. Happy Trails👍
Yes, new lesson to self... if I find myself crawling, it's time to check the GPS... or map... or at least reflect on whether I'm on any type of trail! I was watching that section of the video with my wife, and she said 'you REALLY thought that was a trail?!'. Duh. Classic lesson in being able to convince yourself that you're where you're supposed to be... when you clearly are not.
Always love to see your hikes. You must get to Black Balsam area in Pisgah Forest. To me it's better than the Smokies. Always scrape the fire pits down to rock or clay before you start a fire. The moisture in the old ashes get hot and rise. That is what kills your fire in wet areas. Waiting for the next adventure.
I've always wanted to hike in the Pisgah NF. Bought the maps many years ago. I'll certainly check out the Black Balsam area - always looking for new destinations! Thank you for the suggestion, and for the fire tips (seems I certainly need them! :-)
In Shining Rock Wilderness you are not supposed to have a fire, no fires at all on a bald and bear canister required. But no regs like the Smokies on camp spots. Using FS road 816 as a reference, near Hwy 215 crossing on the Blue Ridge Parkway, balds are to the east. Sam Knob, the creeks and water falls are to the west. Many loops are possible without spotting a car. We go every August and it's usually 60 to 70 in the daytime. It was 50 in the morning. Way better than the 90 plus stuff we left in Alabama.
Thanks Dave...always a pleasure...we just passed through there a few days ago...just driving though...colors were kinda disappointing. Ya had me worried there around 50:00.
Another great video and finishing off near my neck of the woods. Maybe you’ll make it to north Georgia sometime in the future. Just remember the Cohutta Wilderness Area. I know you’ve contemplated it before but I’m just trying to keep it in the forefront. 2018 was a great season to watch and I am grateful that you allowed us to come along. I love finding those old cemeteries. Interesting to go through and read when possible. Interesting history. Hope you have a safe and warm winter and I look forward to an exciting 2019. Now you have all winter to plan! Thanks for a season of great content. By the way where’s that Dunkin’ Donuts sponsorship? If anyone deserves it you do.
I will definitely be thinking about something in Georgia or Alabama. As you know I've looked into hikes there, but just haven't pulled the trigger yet. A number of people here are starting to plant the thought in my head of doing some more hikes, including winter hikes. Hmmm... I hadn't really thought of it, and winter hikes had never appealed to me before, but the long down time between seasons (6+ months) has always been really depressing. Now that I have a warmer sleeping bag I'm actually thinking of doing some off-season/winter stuff down south somewhere - Georgia/Alabama would be perfect. We'll see!
Seems like you don't live too far from Shawnee National Forest in southern IL. Some incredible sights down there, and not that crowded. I spend a fair bit of time down there, and always find something new.
I have looked into the Shawnee National Forest in Illinois, and I would very much like to get there sometime soon. Do you have any suggestions on good 'first time' backpacking trips there? Ideally a 2-3 day loop but I'm open for any ideas.
@@davidgrayin As far as full blown 2-3 day trips, I'm not super familiar. We live about 35 min from much of the forest (but its over a million acres spanning all across southern IL), so most of our trips are day hikes. The River to River trail runs from one side to the other. I bet there's a way to build a loop between that and many of the other trails in the forest. A couple weeks ago I walked 7 or 8 miles in the Lusk Creek Wilderness area. Beautiful. I can send pics of other places if you're interested, or if you decide you'd need a ride, hit me up. It would be a good excuse to get back down there.
Hello David. I finished my “gsmnp900miler” (I’ve hiked every trail in the Smokies) on the 27th my final trail was Lynn Camp. It was wet and cold up on Miry Ridge. I’ll post that video in the next few days. But check out my other Smokies videos on my channel. Next time you sneak in let me know and I’ll give some tips on some hidden gems here in the Smokies. Best to you sir. Happy Trails.
I would love to see a video on the garmin Inreach mini you used this past season. I know you haven’t been known for reviews but would love to hear your thoughts on the mini and why you chose it over the explorer plus. One or the other will be my next big backpacking purchase going into this season. I’m tore between the two and the opinion of the man that inspired me to get into this passion called backpacking was you. Thank You!
Funny you should mention that. I actually did a gear review video of the Garmin InReach not long after I bought it (June 2018), but I never published it. To really be a complete video I thought it was important to capture some footage of the InReach 'in action' in the field, but I kept forgetting to capture some video of me using it 'in action'! Oops. Other than the in-field footage the gear review video is basically finished - I still may publish it this year once I get some trips in and get some video of the InReach in the field. Regarding my thoughts on the InReach Mini vs. InReach SE+ vs. Explorer+, I would certainly pick the InReach Mini every time based on the fact it weighs half as much as either the SE+ and Explorer+, is much smaller, lower cost, (at least lower than Explorer+... I've seen the SE+ actually cheaper than the Mini) and has every feature I want. But, admittedly, I never seriously explored either the SE+ or Explorer+ so perhaps there are some features they have that would have, or should have, interested me more. I have no interest in the GPS capability of the Explorer+ so I doubt I would have spent much time looking at it, but the SE+ has some power saving features that might have been interesting (which the Mini doesn't have), but most/all of those involved power saving while in camp, and I turn mine off when in camp except if I'm using it to actually send a message so I'm not sure that would have bought me anything. I have zero regrets about purchasing the Mini and it performed flawlessly for me during the four trips I took it on in 2018.
Hi David, I'd be grateful to know whether you have a Flickr account or similar where we could find your photos? I always greatly enjoy the "slide show" endings to your videos, and it would be great to see some more of these. Also, may I ask if you ever use a compact camera for convenience, or are you wedded to full-frame DLR photography? I hope you are looking forward to the new hiking season :-)
Another great video, man. I was excited when I saw this pop up on my feed. One of these days I’d like to meet up and do a trip together. I live in NW Ohio so I don’t think we’re too far apart.
David, I live in E Tn and wanted to recommend the Savage Gulf Wilderness area near Dunlap, Tn if you havent already been there. Savage is 15,000 acres and is part of the South Cumberland State Parks system. It is a wilderness area so you can take your dogs. The trails are super scenic with great views of the gulf, many waterfalls and unique rock formations. There are plenty of back country sites as well. The trails are quite rugged, but well worth it. Anyhoo, if you havent been there, you should put it on your list. Happy Trails.
Stephanie, that's why I hike there. I rarely go to the Smokies though they are less than 20 miles from me. Savage is beautiful as is Laurel Snow Wilderness area near Dayton. I always hike with my dogs and have discovered so many cool places because of that.
I havent been there but would like to go. A new place that just opened is Pogue Creek Canyon State Natural Area near Jamestown Tn. I cant wait to go there it looks amazing! There are supposed to be some really cool arch formations. Dogs also allowed. There is a couple of RUclips vids on it.
I've never done a video on how I started backpacking, but I really haven't been doing it that long - started getting gear in 2009, and took my first trip in the fall of 2010 (Peninsula Trail in Indiana). But I've been interested in backpacking almost my entire life. The short version of how it started is that my grandparents lived in Monroe, NY - very close to the Appalachian Trail. When we visited them we would often get to the AT to do a short day hike. I recall in the early 70's meeting up with some thru hikers. We talked to them for quite a while, and I found their stories fascinating. The idea of hiking 2000+ miles over many months seemed like an incredible adventure to me, and it still does! The 'seed' was planted.
@@davidgrayin That's a great story. I was wondering if you have thought of hiking a long trail. I love the west coast, particularly the PNW so the PCT would be my first choice. You would certainly get a lot of support from viewers if you choose to do that. Thanks for answering!
Another great hikeumentary, David! Thanks for posting. Love the smokies and hope to head there very soon for a 1-2 nighter. Also, fortunately living in North Alabama, we don’t have winters to really slow us down from winter hiking in our area, so we really don’t have an ‘off’ season. You and Tyler blazing a new trail for a couple of hours reminded me of how Lewis and Clark probably felt. Without an iPhone . Ha. How’d you like that Zpack 20 degree bag?
Yeah, that 'off trail' stint really made you think about all those early explorers traipsing around in woods like that without the benefit of maintained trails. It was really quite exhausting! Made me understand why they liked to use the rivers whenever possible. The new Zpacks bag was awesome, but it didn't get cold enough to give it a true test. I wasn't planning to take it on this hike but when I realized it was a full 4 ounces lighter than my old Montbell 30-deg bag it was a no-brainer, The Zpacks is very well made and comfortable - really liked it.
Glad you like the new bag. Just invested in an Enlightened Equipment 20 degree quilt. Never used a quilt but after some research and with how I sleep I’m hoping it will be a good fit. We’ll see.
The video camera I used for this trip is the Canon Vixia G40. Not 4G - it's 'only' 1080p 60fps capable, but it can still capture some high quality video. As 4G becomes more available to all, I've been exploring 4G options for a year+ now, but just haven't pulled the trigger because I want to come up with a single solution for handling both stills and video (think mirrorless DSLR) and until recently there wasn't really anything out there that was up to the task (to my standards and needs, anyway). I'd had my eye on the Sony aR3 but the $5000 price tag for the body and lens I wanted kept me away. Recently someone here pointed me to the Nikon Z6, which seems about perfect for my needs plus allows me to use the arsenal of 'glass' (a.k.a. lenses) I currently own. I'm hoping the current ~$2700 price tag for the body, Z-series lens, and lens adapter I would need comes down a bit as the holidays are over and the popularity of the Z6 starts to simmer down a bit. I'm hoping you're able to make it to GSMNP for some hiking this year - it's a special place!
The InReach Mini was a little disappointing on this trip. On the three previous trips I'd used it on the InReach Mini had been 100% perfect - every message sent and received as expected, and with minimal lag time (couple of minutes at most, which is what I would expect for a satellite-based system). On this trip I experienced some sent/received messages taking a LONG time (as in many hours). I think in the end all the messages did get sent and received, but the lag time was concerning because if it had been a true emergency situation such lag times could really be a problem. I'm not exactly sure what happened - I suspect it might have been the heavy tree canopy - but I do plan to do some research on it to figure out if it was something I was doing wrong.
This is awesome!! How many miles was this trip! Just wondering because I’m planning to do one more backpacking trip now in November. Thanks in advance!
Tyler planned the trip so I wasn't entirely sure, but in taking a quick look at the GSMNP trail map just now it looks like the trip was 22.7 miles total, not including the 2 hour off-trail 'day hike' we did to start day #2 (which was absolutely exhausting, by the way). If we hadn't mucked up the start of day #2 it would have been a perfect, leisurely 3 day hike.
Dude where do you live that backpacking season ends in October? It’s barely gotten cool enough for my first trip since spring here in north central Alabama. Great video and dig your attitude. Blessings!
Yes, I get it. It's actually not so much the time of year or the temperature that ends my season - it's a shortage of vacation days! I still have to worry about that 'day job' to pay my bills so there is only so much time I can take for backpacking. Plus, the family needs some attention now and then too! I was able to get in six backpacking trips this year which is the most I've ever been able to do in a 'season'. I'm working on the video from my August Colorado trip with my son and the dogs - it didn't go anything like we'd planned, and there wasn't much actual backpacking, but I still think it was a good trip and worth putting a short video together for completeness of the 2018 'agenda' - should have it published in a couple weeks.
David Gray I definitely understand the “real job” thing as I have one of those as well. Also, no criticism intended as i certainly don’t get in half dozen trips a year normally myself. Thanks for the reply, and maybe I’ll see you sometime in Alabama.
Great stuff as always David! If you plan to do any Colorado trips or Utah desert in the future let me know. I create backpacking videos as well, and your content has inspired me. Despite your 2018 season being unpredictable, it led to awesome experiences none-the less. Cheers, and safe trails!
You had the GAIA app on your phone and didn’t bother checking it until you had gone off trail for an hour, to the point you were literally crawling underneath brush? Wow.
You should try the Old Settlers Trail Dave..... It's backed up because of Pigeon Forge and Sevierville.. lol... The only thing that's stayed the same is that Shoney's you walked by, it's been there since 1978 when I started going there.......
I hadn't heard of the Old Settlers Trail, but after seeing your comment I checked it out online. That looks like a great trail, especially since I love history, and it appears there is a lot of history along the OST. Gives me a reason to go back! Thank you for the suggestion. I'll need to stop in that Shoney's the next time I'm there.
@@davidgrayin so where was that motel you stay at? I used to stay at the Grand Prix Motel just around the bend from the Happy Hiker there at the last light before you enter the park. I think that's Ski Mnt Rd... For a REAL treat stay at the Glenstone Lodge Inn, (for prolonged stays!, lol...) they have a pool with a waterfall! Dude, its nice..... You guys need one of those EOG's "Fire Bellows" I did a video on! Plus, I can be Smokey The Bear's worst night nightmare at times, LOL.... Yeah, I don't need a alot if reasons to got back there, lol... I love it there!.. Hey 2hrs bushwacking I'll take over a transmission going out of my buddy's new car, lol.. I like watch your videos on the 55" Hitachi, you have your cheese spread, I have my Bourbon and Coke, rough week and working tomorrow too! LOL... All together, nice job on the hike brother... Mark..
The hotel is the Microtel Inn and Suites on the 'Historic Natural Trail' about 100 years east of 'the strip' (Parkway = US441). Basically turn left where the Ripleys Believe it or Not and Ole Smoke Moonshine place is. I like it for not only the location, but the price seems to be a lot cheaper than most places in Gatlinburg (usually less than $100, though there price seems to vary by day of week and time of year). But I'll definately check our the Glenstone Lodge Inn - I'm looking for something different for my next visits to GSMNP. I will certainly check out the EOG Fire Bellow - looks great! And yeah, I'd take that 2 hours of bushwhacking over bad car problems any day - that is my worst fear on these trips (getting stranded at some remote trailhead, yech!).
I've always wanted to give hammock camping a try, and I actually bought a Warbonnet Blackbird a few years back. But I just never pulled the trigger on using it on an actual trip (it's gotten a lot of mileage in my yard!). I suppose some of that is because I would want to try out the hammock with a local overnight trip prior to using it on a longer, western trip, but every time I do a local hike I always take the dogs - and a hammock is a bit of a problem with two dogs along. I finally just sort of gave up on it, and finally gave the Blackbird to Christian this year. You can see him using it on the Wind River Range trip in June. He loves it!
Thanks for letting me tag along David! A very memorable trip for me and I'm looking forward to some more in the future. Excellent video as usual man.
Thank you, Tyler. It was a great trip and I truly enjoyed hiking and camping with you. The endless hiking stories around the fires never gets old! Let's do that Yellowstone trip next year.
You don't have to convince me my friend! Yellowstone 2019 here we come!
I watched about 10 of your videos, and it always feels like I’m there with you as a friend would guide me through it. Thanks for such great experiences!
This has been entertaining to watch especially when you guys got lost. Beautiful trail!
What an unexpected surprise. As always, thanks for putting in the effort to take us along. Great trip!
The gift that keeps on giving. The famous words of cousin Eddy, hahahaha! Great way to end your season, teaming up with a fellow subscriber. Nicely done 👍 love the photos at the end too.
Watching this has my hiking feet itching to go. It is so hot here right now, I'm waiting on fall and then camping and hiking here I come.😀
Mr. GRAY;
I give You all the credit in world!
You make things look easy.,
When they are obviously hard, mysterious, scary and emotionally exhausting.
I somewhat envy You.
👍🏼
Good video... so happy you left the part in where you guys got off trail!
A great surprise! I really enjoy your videos and this has made my day!
Always a pleasure to get a new video from you. The crawling/bushwhacking must've been rough. Much appreciated, David!
I’m sorry you got lost. I have done that. It’s not fun. Nice recovery. I have hiked many of the park trails, most of my life. I’m 62, now. Beautiful vista views are there; but, the views of the forest, flora and fauna, the depth and magnitude of its rich growth, the smell, the wet, cool breath I get down by the cool water of each creek...that’s why I continue to go. I soak my feet. I try to identify as many plants as I see. I go quietly, looking for wildlife and sign. Thanks for sharing your adventure. I’m in Texas now and miss my mountains of East Tennessee. I wish you well.
Awesome video and I love the pictures at the end! Funny enough I was down there the exact same time with the family, it was busier than normal I think because of hurricane Michael, people came up to get away from that. But Friday was a beautiful day, the sky was so clear, which is unusual there. We had great views from Charlie's Bunion! A good weekend too end your backpacking season!
Great video David! Today is the day I'm going to binge watch your channel while at work. Looking forward to the upcoming vids on your channel.
Hi John! Hope you enjoyed the 'binge'. Should be some good new videos coming in 2019, but all the plans aren't firmed up yet (depends a bit on how I do in various permit 'lotteries', but I'm planning to submit permit applications for the Wonderland Trail in Washington, the Enchantment Wilderness, a thru hike of the john Muir Trail, and a the Two Medicine area of Glacier).
Can't wait for the first trip video of 2019. Also, looks like your channel is almost at 1,000,000 views. Nice!!
Another great hike. I always enjoy your travels. Thanks for letting me come along.
Been there and done it. Sorry you missed your trail, that sucks! Welcome to the Smokies!
Wonderful hike! I’m a TN boy so I’m biased I guess but I love the Smokies! I’m so glad Tyler invited you down and that you both shared this trip with us!
Seeing is believing, just awesome. Looking forward to the next one.
You look like one of the Quaid brothers, the actors. I forget which one. Great video, love the Smokies!
Great video thanks for taking me along.
I love your mix of trail and camp activities. Makes for more interesting viewing. Also, your pre and post hike meals are spot on. You have a great attitude and even after being off trail a bit. Happy trails and will be looking forward to your next adventure.
What a great way to wake up to another David great hiking video! I cannot tell you how much my husband and I look forward to your videos! Headed to the Smokies next weekend to hike can’t wait! Thanks for the surprise!
Only way I’m going to see this beautiful country..thanks David..from the UK.
I'm jealous. I was there a week prior. 1st week of October. It was in mid 80's and humid. Made for tough hiking. Great video as always!
Bonus video! Glad you got out again this season. I just hiked the Roan highlands section again this weekend. It was fantastic. Hope next season is as prolific and even more enjoyable. Thanks for sharing the videos. Take care.
Hi David, after watching your last video...I had a good feeling you were gonna do another. Love your videos, so well done and always a pleasure to watch. Nice surprise with this bonus trip, thanks guys...cheers!
Wonderful adventure...little bushwhacking in there, ey? Nice job getting through that, thanks for sharing the hike and the gorgeous photos with us!
I am spending Covid19 daze watching others hike...a lot. Great video and the stills at the end are awesome.
Love all your videos. Thank you for sharing. We always seem to do a little bushwacking along the way. lol Heading down to Charles C Deam for the first time this weekend for our own adventure.
Amazing video. Love the "smokies"! Thank you for sharing your trip.
I hit the 👍before watching. You know its going to be a good show. Thanks for sharing David
Thanks for sharing this great hike. Didn't expect you will release another video after the Glacier NP backpacking. I will try the Middle Prong Trail next week.
Love your videos David, keep them coming please!!! My girls and I have watched every one together. We're hiking Clingman's Dome in July. Thanks for the inspiration.
Used your videos to plan our Gatlinburg trip this past summer. It was a blast !
Thank you for posting the video, they really help working third shift go by
You’ve had some pretty interesting trips this year. All of them quite different and unique. Glad to see you had a bonus trip. Thanks for sharing!! As always, it was fun
You were in my neck of the woods! It’s funny because there are trails particularly on the North Carolina side where there are a ton of downed trees. It’s been a little while since I hiked Lynn Camp Prong but I was thinking, I don’t remember it being that brushy lol. Nice to see you made another trip to the Smokies, although like you, I’m also a huge fan of Glacier. 🙂
Good stuff David. Thanks for the work you did to take us along this season.
I really enjoy your spirit. U take the ups and downs with equal grace. U are a great ambassador to the great outdoors.
Hi All. Looks like their having fun here! ha. I hope you all have a bottle of potassium in your back packs. A person, can sweat lots of potassium out of their bodies on hikes. Calf -leg cramps, are very painful. The scenery is pretty. Thanks for sharing David.
You've inspired me to take a hike in 2019!
I am a person who loves waterfalls, so this hike was right up my alley. This video made me want to hike this trail, but I changed my mind when I saw you crawling around in this overgrown rhododendrons. Glad that was a mistake!! I will add this to the list of destinations I want to hit....thanks for the inspiration. I am with you about Gatlinburg, I love the cheesy place too. The brewery is fantastic & I think it's fun to watch the bluegrass band at Old Smoky Moonshine...their is usually an elderly gentleman mountain dancing along to the music! Cheers!
Hey David...Hubs and I were on our way home from our backpack adventure, here in AZ, when we got the notification of your bonus trip. We watched YOURS before we watched ours...your combo of video, awesome stills, and fun personality make your channel our backpacking FAVE!! We live near The Superstition Mountains, and hike them all year round, even in summer! It’s takes a lot of electrolyte powder, but you have the trails to yourself!! We also get that end-of-the-trail mixed bag...anxious for the shower/soft bed/cold beer, but sad that all of that pre-hike anticipation, planning, packing, repacking, weighing, rethinking, and then the adventure experience, as you say, is IN THE BOOKS!!
It’s so funny...on our way home we always say, “Maybe we are TOO old for this?!?” Our muscles ache, shoulders cramping, heat exhaustion sometimes makes the ride home full of doubting thoughts about ever doing it again...and then we wake up and begin to plan/dream about our next adventure!! Are we CRAZY?!?
This trip we tried our new Warbonnet hammocks. There are plenty of pine trees up at this elevation, the Reavis Ranch Trail, which intersects with the AZT. We used our under quilts, but had decided to cut weight and use a lighter bag, which was a mistake! We froze our tails off, which made a miserable night. We had checked the weather apps/reports well ahead of time, but it was significantly colder than reported. So, instead of staying two nights up there, and having our rest day, to day hike around the area, we packed it up and left.
We struggle with two things...how to keep the weight down...and if we don’t do that, how to bear the pain in the shoulders as a result of it. We day hike two or three times a week, which can easily be anywhere from 9 to 11 miles each. Then we strap a pack on, and plan to do the same amount, and struggle to finish! We are both sixty-three, and have been hiking/packing for about two years, working up in miles and stamina each month. We enjoy it so much, and have invested a lot of time and money...even converted our Guest Room into The Adventure Room, to store our gear!
Sooooo...we never hear you whine, or complain about the pain factor. Do you struggle with that? Do you try to keep your weight down, so it won’t hurt so much? Have you tried a hammock? We couldn’t remember seeing you use one. We also have a Big Agnes tent, and great zero degree bags, but in our quest to refine our packs, we tried the hammocks.
Your style is so EZ to watch...it’s like a sweet rhythm of watching a trail friend. We drool over your pre-hike meals! Would you ever consider hiking the desert, like our area of the AZT? (This time of year we get to brag about being able to hike in T-shirts and shorts!) You could add it to your Winter Trip list, and extend the season.
Thanks for the great vids, the frame able stills, and your contagious spirit, David. If you’re ever in the desert, let us know...we have GREAT breweries too, for pre-hike meals. 🍺🍔🌵🌞
Thank you so much for the kind feedback. To answer your questions, yes, I certainly suffer from the pain factor (I'm 57 so the knees, and everything else, have quite a bit of 'mileage' on them!) but through the power of editing I'm able to keep most of my whining out of the videos! :-) - I also take a lot of Advil on trips! To minimize the impact on my body, and the pain, I go to considerable lengths to keep my pack weight down to a minimum (25 lbs max or so on long trips), but then I turn around and add to my total weight all the camera gear I carry - 10+lbs. So I'm guessing with everything I'm at 35 lbs or more total on a longer trip, which is certainly not 'ultralight'. To further reduce my weight I've looked into a mirrorless camera that could do a great job of both videos and stills, and the technology is starting to get there for that (I'm looking at the Sony Alpha R3), but for now its just too much money. So I'll stick with my current (heavy) two camera solution. I do own a number of hammocks, but thus far I've never used one for an overnight trip. I actually gave my Warbonnet Blackbird to my son Christian, and he used it on this year's Wind River Range trip - he loved it! Christian is pretty much a 100% hammock person now. And finally, I would very much love to do some desert hiking, but just haven't pulled the trigger yet. Back in 2015 when I did the Sierra Nevada hike, my original plan was actually to combine that trip with a separate southern Utah desert hike in one of the National Parks in that area. I eventually decided it would be too much for one trip, but in preparation I did buy all the maps, some books, etc. so now all I have to do is 'pull the trigger' at some point. Honestly, I am a little apprehensive about doing a desert hike due to the typical shortage of water, but I wouldn't let that concern stop me (I'd just work on preparation and planning more in advance).
David Gray thanks for the reply! We actually got my pack weight down to 27.5, before water, which, as you know is sketchy out here, in the desert. We happened to know that the water source was underground and reliable for year-round, so we took less this time. Hubs is a photographer, as well, and tends to add the weight to his pack with tech gear. He struggled with which camera, and his Big Bertha would be like carrying a small child, so he opted for lighter. The drone (mavic pro) is the other temptation to added weight. We love the footage, but hate the battery packs and his added weight. Our other guilty weight pleasure is to have a great double IPA once we reach our destination! We tend to think of it as Trail Meds, to ease the pain. It seems to help during those last few miles to know you’ll wash the dust off of your throat with a cool (we ditch them in a cool stream) brew! That’s just trail magic HAH! Seriously tho...if you ever do “pull the trigger” and decide to visit our area, we could take you to our neck of the cactus...there is actually more beauty to the desert than people imagine. Hubs has gotten some awesome shots! Let me know how to give you our specifics, if you’re ever truly interested. Btw...loved the vids with Christian in them. Seems like a great kid...good job!
Hey David Gray...The last time I wrote to you, above, I was @@lisaavidhiker8530, but you've inspired us to "pull the trigger," as you say, and start our own U Tube channel. We only have 2 vids, and are experimenting with different equipment, but we jumped in with both feet, AND our poles! The offer still stands, if you're in the PHX area, and want 2 tour guides, we'd be glad to show you our back yard. I'd enjoy picking your brain, and any feedback you might have, since your channel has been such a glowing success! (Loved that comment by your daughter, too!) Can"t wait for your 2019 season to begin...btw, if you lived here, it's year-round, jus sayin'. Hope we can stay in touch...Lisa and Rick
Another great hike! I'm hiking 4 days 3 nights in the Linville Gorge Wilderness next weekend. Probably my last for this year as well. Always enjoy your posts. -Mike
OMG I had to laugh seeing them in the wrong trail LOL 😂
But winter hiking is so delightful you're getting closer
Love that area, just got back from there, have never been backpacking on a long trip like that but i think you have convinced me to do some.
The 2018 hiking adventures were awesome! Thank You!
Another great trip, David. I'll admit...I'm just a little jealous of how often you get out hiking. I'm surrounded by National Forest and live less than an hour from Glacier NP, yet I don't take advantage of it often enough. Shame on me! Thanks again for "bringing us along" for the hike.
awesome trip, glad you could get an extra hike in this season// crazy crawling in those rhododendrons, losing the trail mgiht do that to you hahha/ been there// lots of nice forest scenes love it thanks for taking us with you
Thanks for a great season David! I look forward to what you'll be doing in 2019!
I'm already looking forward to 2019 too! So many possibilities... so little vacation. I'll probably be able to do 4-6 trips like I did in 2018. I'd like to start the year off with another chunk on the AT, in an area/time of peak thru hikers. Perhaps even starting at Springer Mountain and heading north with the newbie thru-hiker 'herd' for 50 miles or so. I'll once again apply for a permit to do the Wonderland Trail in Washington, but my luck hasn't been good with that permit lottery so far. I'll certainly do a trip with my son in Colorado, likely in August and perhaps the Weminuche Wilderness. I've already been talking with Tyler about doing a Yellowstone trip - he has a ton of experience there which I'd like to take advantage of. After all the planning I did this year for a Pictured Rocks (Michigan) trip, it got me really excited to do that trip - I'd probably do it in September, when the leaves are getting peak color. Hmmm.... looks like I have the start of a 2019 agenda!
@@davidgrayin Yeah, Pictured Rocks is on my list too! I have plans to do Wonderland Trail in August, but we'll see how that goes. Are you really planning on doing all 90 miles in one trip?(!) Anyway, I'll be looking forward to next spring when the next video comes out - I feel like the backpacking season hasn't officially begun until the first David Gray video of the year is released!
This is solidifying my decision to make the Smokies my next AT section! Beautiful scenery, even when lost.
One of my favorite RUclips channels. Thanks for posting great content. Can’t wait to see next year’s!
Excellent video of the GSM Park! Thank you.
Middle Prong Trail, one of my favorites!!!! There is a place by the creek, close to the old Cadillac that I like to set up my hammock.
Thanks for putting this trip together. Another great adventure!
Nice trip! Looking forward to 2019.
Another awesome, inspiring video. Thank you David!!
sad to see you ending your hiking this earily in the yr. love your videos
Sorry about my season ending so soon. It's a combination of no vacation days remaining along with the much shorter days / longer nights. I don't really enjoy it as much into late fall/winter when you get confined to the tent for 12+ hours at night - makes me a little claustrophobic! I am planning to publish a video in a couple weeks on the ill-fated August Colorado trip with my son, Christian, and the dogs. We didn't do much backpacking because Christian was sick, but it was a good road trip with some really nice primitive car camping. I wasn't going to publish it but decided to do it for completeness of the 2018 season.
Thanks David for your wonderful 2018 backpacking season. Can't wait to see what you have planned for 2019. Just keep away from those blood sucking skeeters. I still have nightmares from those pesky flying hypodermic needles. You probably didn't see any on your GSMNP backoacking adventure and I bet that was a relief.
Lovely experience! And there are few things more frustrating than trying to start a fire when everything is wet! BTW, I sometimes buy ground Dunkin' Donuts coffee when it's on sale. Every
time I brew any, I think of you, LOL!
I also live in Indiana, it's hard to find people that are into backpacking. It would be fun to hike around Lake Monroe sometime with you. Awesome videos by the way.
What!!? No winter backpacking trip with your new sleeping bag. Well...maybe I ought to get out there soon myself. Next week might be a good time in the lower elevations. Thanks again for the videos.
Well... I've never been in to winter backpacking, but now that you mention it...! The long time between my last hike of one season and my first hike of the next (typically 6+ months) has always been soooo depressing to me - I might just have to re-think my 'no winter backpacking' mindset, especially now that I have a warmer sleeping bag. We'll see!
@@davidgrayin well... missouri ozark trail (Taum Sauk section) is nice during the winter months. Not as dramatic as the places you go. But its home for me. It's a different vibe.
David! Love this video! When does the 2019 season kick off? Can’t wait for you to come back to the smokies!!!!
The 2019 season has now already begun - I returned from the first trip yesterday (Savage Gulf, TN), and I'm getting started on the editing now. I'll probably have it published in two weeks or so. I'll certainly be getting back to the Smokies, but not sure if I'll be able to squeeze it in this year - maybe a fall hike there when the leaves are at peak color.
Another awesome video!! Here's to 2019!!
I absolutely love the video David. I've never been to the Smokies but I plan on leaving tomorrow. What trail and where exactly did you camp at when you were there?
haha the rocking chairs in the music venue are a hoot!
The Smokies are so beautiful!! I’m in Alabama and would go there a lot except they don’t allow dogs 😏. Such a bummer!
My dog and I went to Cheaha yesterday. Not much water in the falls and streams but the weather was glorious 😊
We’ll start venturing to GA and NC and other parts of TN since we can’t do the Smokies.
I highly recommend Bankhead National Forest/Sipsey Wilderness in North Alabama if you haven't been there. I go there all the time and it's truly an amazing area that's not widely known. Canyons, natural shelters, and waterfalls galore. And dogs are welcome. :)
The Cheaha Wilderness was actually my original destination for my first hike of 2018, but I decided on the Red River Gorge at the last minute because it was so much closer, and I'd never published a video from there (and Miguel's Pizza was on my mind too!). But I do plan to do a hike in the Cheaha Wilderness in the near future.
That's actually very doable even in the cold months due to the very mild winters around here. Only been there on a day trip but plan on going back very soon. Keep me posted if you go. I'm right on the way (right off I-65) and only about 2.5 hours north of there.
Great video and thank you for sharing it. Have a great rest of 2018! God bless.
Love getting that ole David Gray surprise notification!!!!!! Love the vids keep it up david
Nice. I was at camp site 28 on 10/14/2018. Great trip. Nice video.
That is really cool. If you stayed in that same site at camp 28 I hope you found it in good shape after our stay. That was a nice spot but I really prefer something a little more open (like camp 20 was) - those 'deep woods' spots like camp 28 seem a little confining and 'dark' to me, especially with the long nights of mid October.
Great video, thank you David.
Great video Dave. I’ll I was worried when I seen you crawling on the trail, I did that loop couple years back and that DID NOT look familiar lol, close call. Learn valuable lessons every trip. Happy Trails👍
Yes, new lesson to self... if I find myself crawling, it's time to check the GPS... or map... or at least reflect on whether I'm on any type of trail! I was watching that section of the video with my wife, and she said 'you REALLY thought that was a trail?!'. Duh. Classic lesson in being able to convince yourself that you're where you're supposed to be... when you clearly are not.
Always love to see your hikes. You must get to Black Balsam area in Pisgah Forest. To me it's better than the Smokies.
Always scrape the fire pits down to rock or clay before you start a fire. The moisture in the old ashes get hot and rise. That is what kills your fire in wet areas.
Waiting for the next adventure.
I've always wanted to hike in the Pisgah NF. Bought the maps many years ago. I'll certainly check out the Black Balsam area - always looking for new destinations! Thank you for the suggestion, and for the fire tips (seems I certainly need them! :-)
In Shining Rock Wilderness you are not supposed to have a fire, no fires at all on a bald and bear canister required. But no regs like the Smokies on camp spots. Using FS road 816 as a reference, near Hwy 215 crossing on the Blue Ridge Parkway, balds are to the east. Sam Knob, the creeks and water falls are to the west. Many loops are possible without spotting a car. We go every August and it's usually 60 to 70 in the daytime. It was 50 in the morning. Way better than the 90 plus stuff we left in Alabama.
Thanks Dave...always a pleasure...we just passed through there a few days ago...just driving though...colors were kinda disappointing. Ya had me worried there around 50:00.
Another great video and finishing off near my neck of the woods. Maybe you’ll make it to north Georgia sometime in the future. Just remember the Cohutta Wilderness Area. I know you’ve contemplated it before but I’m just trying to keep it in the forefront. 2018 was a great season to watch and I am grateful that you allowed us to come along. I love finding those old cemeteries. Interesting to go through and read when possible. Interesting history. Hope you have a safe and warm winter and I look forward to an exciting 2019. Now you have all winter to plan! Thanks for a season of great content. By the way where’s that Dunkin’ Donuts sponsorship? If anyone deserves it you do.
I will definitely be thinking about something in Georgia or Alabama. As you know I've looked into hikes there, but just haven't pulled the trigger yet. A number of people here are starting to plant the thought in my head of doing some more hikes, including winter hikes. Hmmm... I hadn't really thought of it, and winter hikes had never appealed to me before, but the long down time between seasons (6+ months) has always been really depressing. Now that I have a warmer sleeping bag I'm actually thinking of doing some off-season/winter stuff down south somewhere - Georgia/Alabama would be perfect. We'll see!
i like your videos sir keep them coming
Seems like you don't live too far from Shawnee National Forest in southern IL. Some incredible sights down there, and not that crowded. I spend a fair bit of time down there, and always find something new.
I have looked into the Shawnee National Forest in Illinois, and I would very much like to get there sometime soon. Do you have any suggestions on good 'first time' backpacking trips there? Ideally a 2-3 day loop but I'm open for any ideas.
@@davidgrayin As far as full blown 2-3 day trips, I'm not super familiar. We live about 35 min from much of the forest (but its over a million acres spanning all across southern IL), so most of our trips are day hikes. The River to River trail runs from one side to the other. I bet there's a way to build a loop between that and many of the other trails in the forest. A couple weeks ago I walked 7 or 8 miles in the Lusk Creek Wilderness area. Beautiful. I can send pics of other places if you're interested, or if you decide you'd need a ride, hit me up. It would be a good excuse to get back down there.
Hello David. I finished my “gsmnp900miler” (I’ve hiked every trail in the Smokies) on the 27th my final trail was Lynn Camp. It was wet and cold up on Miry Ridge. I’ll post that video in the next few days. But check out my other Smokies videos on my channel. Next time you sneak in let me know and I’ll give some tips on some hidden gems here in the Smokies. Best to you sir. Happy Trails.
I would love to see a video on the garmin Inreach mini you used this past season. I know you haven’t been known for reviews but would love to hear your thoughts on the mini and why you chose it over the explorer plus. One or the other will be my next big backpacking purchase going into this season. I’m tore between the two and the opinion of the man that inspired me to get into this passion called backpacking was you. Thank You!
Funny you should mention that. I actually did a gear review video of the Garmin InReach not long after I bought it (June 2018), but I never published it. To really be a complete video I thought it was important to capture some footage of the InReach 'in action' in the field, but I kept forgetting to capture some video of me using it 'in action'! Oops. Other than the in-field footage the gear review video is basically finished - I still may publish it this year once I get some trips in and get some video of the InReach in the field. Regarding my thoughts on the InReach Mini vs. InReach SE+ vs. Explorer+, I would certainly pick the InReach Mini every time based on the fact it weighs half as much as either the SE+ and Explorer+, is much smaller, lower cost, (at least lower than Explorer+... I've seen the SE+ actually cheaper than the Mini) and has every feature I want. But, admittedly, I never seriously explored either the SE+ or Explorer+ so perhaps there are some features they have that would have, or should have, interested me more. I have no interest in the GPS capability of the Explorer+ so I doubt I would have spent much time looking at it, but the SE+ has some power saving features that might have been interesting (which the Mini doesn't have), but most/all of those involved power saving while in camp, and I turn mine off when in camp except if I'm using it to actually send a message so I'm not sure that would have bought me anything. I have zero regrets about purchasing the Mini and it performed flawlessly for me during the four trips I took it on in 2018.
Hi David, I'd be grateful to know whether you have a Flickr account or similar where we could find your photos? I always greatly enjoy the "slide show" endings to your videos, and it would be great to see some more of these. Also, may I ask if you ever use a compact camera for convenience, or are you wedded to full-frame DLR photography? I hope you are looking forward to the new hiking season :-)
Dave , you need to get a Tilley hat. They are great for hiking and everything else.
Tilley Airflow all the way--well, except maybe in the rain...
Was hoping for another vid!!! ❤️👍🏻
Another great video, man. I was excited when I saw this pop up on my feed. One of these days I’d like to meet up and do a trip together. I live in NW Ohio so I don’t think we’re too far apart.
David, I live in E Tn and wanted to recommend the Savage Gulf Wilderness area near Dunlap, Tn if you havent already been there. Savage is 15,000 acres and is part of the South Cumberland State Parks system. It is a wilderness area so you can take your dogs. The trails are super scenic with great views of the gulf, many waterfalls and unique rock formations. There are plenty of back country sites as well. The trails are quite rugged, but well worth it. Anyhoo, if you havent been there, you should put it on your list. Happy Trails.
Kate Long thank you!! That sounds great!
I’ll go there coz, as wonderful as the Smokies are, I can’t go there and leave my dog behind
Kate Long another place I want to go is Sheltowee Trace! it looks awesome!
Stephanie, that's why I hike there. I rarely go to the Smokies though they are less than 20 miles from me. Savage is beautiful as is Laurel Snow Wilderness area near Dayton. I always hike with my dogs and have discovered so many cool places because of that.
I havent been there but would like to go. A new place that just opened is Pogue Creek Canyon State Natural Area near Jamestown Tn. I cant wait to go there it looks amazing! There are supposed to be some really cool arch formations. Dogs also allowed. There is a couple of RUclips vids on it.
Kate Long exactly! it’s fun to find the lesser known places 😊
Nice! Bonus video!
What a treat! Have you ever done a video on how you got into backpacking? Thank you David!
I've never done a video on how I started backpacking, but I really haven't been doing it that long - started getting gear in 2009, and took my first trip in the fall of 2010 (Peninsula Trail in Indiana). But I've been interested in backpacking almost my entire life. The short version of how it started is that my grandparents lived in Monroe, NY - very close to the Appalachian Trail. When we visited them we would often get to the AT to do a short day hike. I recall in the early 70's meeting up with some thru hikers. We talked to them for quite a while, and I found their stories fascinating. The idea of hiking 2000+ miles over many months seemed like an incredible adventure to me, and it still does! The 'seed' was planted.
@@davidgrayin That's a great story. I was wondering if you have thought of hiking a long trail. I love the west coast, particularly the PNW so the PCT would be my first choice. You would certainly get a lot of support from viewers if you choose to do that. Thanks for answering!
Another great hikeumentary, David! Thanks for posting. Love the smokies and hope to head there very soon for a 1-2 nighter. Also, fortunately living in North Alabama, we don’t have winters to really slow us down from winter hiking in our area, so we really don’t have an ‘off’ season. You and Tyler blazing a new trail for a couple of hours reminded me of how Lewis and Clark probably felt. Without an iPhone . Ha. How’d you like that Zpack 20 degree bag?
Yeah, that 'off trail' stint really made you think about all those early explorers traipsing around in woods like that without the benefit of maintained trails. It was really quite exhausting! Made me understand why they liked to use the rivers whenever possible. The new Zpacks bag was awesome, but it didn't get cold enough to give it a true test. I wasn't planning to take it on this hike but when I realized it was a full 4 ounces lighter than my old Montbell 30-deg bag it was a no-brainer, The Zpacks is very well made and comfortable - really liked it.
Glad you like the new bag. Just invested in an Enlightened Equipment 20 degree quilt. Never used a quilt but after some research and with how I sleep I’m hoping it will be a good fit. We’ll see.
Awesome camera David. 4G? Hoping to make it there this spring or summer or this fall. Thanks for the video.
The video camera I used for this trip is the Canon Vixia G40. Not 4G - it's 'only' 1080p 60fps capable, but it can still capture some high quality video. As 4G becomes more available to all, I've been exploring 4G options for a year+ now, but just haven't pulled the trigger because I want to come up with a single solution for handling both stills and video (think mirrorless DSLR) and until recently there wasn't really anything out there that was up to the task (to my standards and needs, anyway). I'd had my eye on the Sony aR3 but the $5000 price tag for the body and lens I wanted kept me away. Recently someone here pointed me to the Nikon Z6, which seems about perfect for my needs plus allows me to use the arsenal of 'glass' (a.k.a. lenses) I currently own. I'm hoping the current ~$2700 price tag for the body, Z-series lens, and lens adapter I would need comes down a bit as the holidays are over and the popularity of the Z6 starts to simmer down a bit. I'm hoping you're able to make it to GSMNP for some hiking this year - it's a special place!
My 6 year old daughter is officially obsessed with your videos and I've officially lost my computer....
Awww.... I'd say I feel really bad about that, but I have to admit it put a smile on my face! I hope you get your computer back. :-)
Welcome back to the southeast & GSMNP! This was a nice bonus feature to your ‘18 season. Any additional thoughts on how well the InReach Mini worked?
The InReach Mini was a little disappointing on this trip. On the three previous trips I'd used it on the InReach Mini had been 100% perfect - every message sent and received as expected, and with minimal lag time (couple of minutes at most, which is what I would expect for a satellite-based system). On this trip I experienced some sent/received messages taking a LONG time (as in many hours). I think in the end all the messages did get sent and received, but the lag time was concerning because if it had been a true emergency situation such lag times could really be a problem. I'm not exactly sure what happened - I suspect it might have been the heavy tree canopy - but I do plan to do some research on it to figure out if it was something I was doing wrong.
Another great trip!
This is awesome!! How many miles was this trip! Just wondering because I’m planning to do one more backpacking trip now in November. Thanks in advance!
Tyler planned the trip so I wasn't entirely sure, but in taking a quick look at the GSMNP trail map just now it looks like the trip was 22.7 miles total, not including the 2 hour off-trail 'day hike' we did to start day #2 (which was absolutely exhausting, by the way). If we hadn't mucked up the start of day #2 it would have been a perfect, leisurely 3 day hike.
Dude where do you live that backpacking season ends in October? It’s barely gotten cool enough for my first trip since spring here in north central Alabama. Great video and dig your attitude. Blessings!
Yes, I get it. It's actually not so much the time of year or the temperature that ends my season - it's a shortage of vacation days! I still have to worry about that 'day job' to pay my bills so there is only so much time I can take for backpacking. Plus, the family needs some attention now and then too! I was able to get in six backpacking trips this year which is the most I've ever been able to do in a 'season'. I'm working on the video from my August Colorado trip with my son and the dogs - it didn't go anything like we'd planned, and there wasn't much actual backpacking, but I still think it was a good trip and worth putting a short video together for completeness of the 2018 'agenda' - should have it published in a couple weeks.
David Gray I definitely understand the “real job” thing as I have one of those as well. Also, no criticism intended as i certainly don’t get in half dozen trips a year normally myself. Thanks for the reply, and maybe I’ll see you sometime in Alabama.
Great stuff as always David! If you plan to do any Colorado trips or Utah desert in the future let me know. I create backpacking videos as well, and your content has inspired me. Despite your 2018 season being unpredictable, it led to awesome experiences none-the less. Cheers, and safe trails!
You had the GAIA app on your phone and didn’t bother checking it until you had gone off trail for an hour, to the point you were literally crawling underneath brush? Wow.
Nice videos, been thinking of taking a backpacking trip-to Ansel Adams wilderness next spring
You should try the Old Settlers Trail Dave..... It's backed up because of Pigeon Forge and Sevierville.. lol...
The only thing that's stayed the same is that Shoney's you walked by, it's been there since 1978 when I started going there.......
I hadn't heard of the Old Settlers Trail, but after seeing your comment I checked it out online. That looks like a great trail, especially since I love history, and it appears there is a lot of history along the OST. Gives me a reason to go back! Thank you for the suggestion. I'll need to stop in that Shoney's the next time I'm there.
@@davidgrayin so where was that motel you stay at? I used to stay at the Grand Prix Motel just around the bend from the Happy Hiker there at the last light before you enter the park. I think that's Ski Mnt Rd...
For a REAL treat stay at the Glenstone Lodge Inn, (for prolonged stays!, lol...) they have a pool with a waterfall! Dude, its nice..... You guys need one of those EOG's "Fire Bellows" I did a video on! Plus, I can be Smokey The Bear's worst night nightmare at times, LOL....
Yeah, I don't need a alot if reasons to got back there, lol... I love it there!..
Hey 2hrs bushwacking I'll take over a transmission going out of my buddy's new car, lol.. I like watch your videos on the 55" Hitachi, you have your cheese spread, I have my Bourbon and Coke, rough week and working tomorrow too! LOL... All together, nice job on the hike brother... Mark..
The hotel is the Microtel Inn and Suites on the 'Historic Natural Trail' about 100 years east of 'the strip' (Parkway = US441). Basically turn left where the Ripleys Believe it or Not and Ole Smoke Moonshine place is. I like it for not only the location, but the price seems to be a lot cheaper than most places in Gatlinburg (usually less than $100, though there price seems to vary by day of week and time of year). But I'll definately check our the Glenstone Lodge Inn - I'm looking for something different for my next visits to GSMNP. I will certainly check out the EOG Fire Bellow - looks great! And yeah, I'd take that 2 hours of bushwhacking over bad car problems any day - that is my worst fear on these trips (getting stranded at some remote trailhead, yech!).
@@davidgrayin I know where your talking about.. I've wondered about that place too... Thanks Dave..
David, what’s your opinion on hammock camping? Would you ever consider using one?
I've always wanted to give hammock camping a try, and I actually bought a Warbonnet Blackbird a few years back. But I just never pulled the trigger on using it on an actual trip (it's gotten a lot of mileage in my yard!). I suppose some of that is because I would want to try out the hammock with a local overnight trip prior to using it on a longer, western trip, but every time I do a local hike I always take the dogs - and a hammock is a bit of a problem with two dogs along. I finally just sort of gave up on it, and finally gave the Blackbird to Christian this year. You can see him using it on the Wind River Range trip in June. He loves it!
What front pack are you carrying your camera in? Great video by the way!
The front pack is a Zpacks '4-in-1' pack. Very light weight, and very versatile.
@@davidgrayin awesome thank you. Keep up the videos. Been watching as I build up my our channel
October is the beginning of hiking season in Florida. Head south and you can backpack year-round.
Well Done!