Backpacking the Great Smoky Mountains - 3 days 45 miles
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- Опубликовано: 29 сен 2015
- On this 3 day trip I explore the Fontana Lake section of the Smokies. The second day features a view from High Rocks which is one of my favorite moments out backpacking so far.
Parking Lot: 35.458920, -83.537691
Trails used -
Day 1: 21 miles
Lake shore Trail
Camp: Site 81
Day 2: 17.5 miles
Lakeshore trail to hazel creek
Hazel Creek to Cold Spring Gap
Cold Spring Gap to Bear Creek
Camp: Site 75
Day 3: 6 miles
Bear Creek to Forney Creek
Forney Creek to Lakeshore
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Gear Lists:
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Music credit by Musicbypedro
Intro and sleep sound effect by Frozen
There is nothing better then stretching out in the hammock and listing to the rain on the rain fly , best sleeping aid , ever. Two things that I look forward to on any trip , some rain during the night and some Owls sounding off , makes my trips perfect.
Well done Frozen. I totally understand the steep ascents. I sometimes get a bit of a maniacal laugh when the elevation gets pretty aggressive.
Thanks for taking us along - I know it's a lot of extra work to film and to edit but it's much appreciated.
Great hiking thanks for sharing the video. Look forward to seeing more of them.
Thanks for sharing your trek. I have been to the Smokiest many times.
Yea guys, I noticed when I uploaded this the first time the last 4 minutes got chopped off during encoding. So here is the full video.
+Outdoor Adventures Ground Bees are very agressive , my buddy got hit like 30 times . He ran about a half mile and had them in his shirt . I,ve walked past a groung bees nest and got hit just for passing near . It was near my ear . Thanks for the video, great job .
+Gary Gerow Back in the 80's , my wife and I went backpacking in the Smokies - we crossed a small footbridge, then I noticed the BEES. Since my wife was allergic to their stings I warned her to get out of there. Trouble was she got out, but dropped my flyrod & tube on the ground next to the BEES, I went back and my flyrod & tube were literally coverted with BEES, it took about 15 minutes for them to leave. Quite the experience. fun fun fun
I just started watching you videos, and so far I've watched three or four. I really like the reviews, and information videos. Keep up the great work look forward to up coming shows.
I have to plan a trip here. Looks like such an amazing place.
Lovin’ the AT vids. And can’t wait to see what you’re gonna get into after that.
Sooo happy when you mentioned Ready Player One...that book is awesome! Love your hikes btw, keep doing them man :) Best regards from Czech Republic
Thank you young man for taking me on your adventure, I very much enjoyed it. The High Rocks view was beautiful. I hope, one of these days you can come out to SD and hike the Black Hills, it's a hiking haven out here. Hike On! BTW, you don't have to worry about bears in the forest here.
Hey Frozen, thanks for taking us along and showing us this 40:40 . I really like ur commentaries. I’ve learned a lot from your videos. It’s like hiking along from my sofa. Lol
Thanks for uploading the last 4 minutes. I was on the edge of my seat wondering how it ended. Plus I love the "walking out of the woods" music! :-)
Awesome videos, keep up the good work enjoy..
Thank you Frozen; I enjoy your hiking videos, and I love the fact you do not cuss in your videos!! It makes them much more awesome! I will continue watching and hope to take a hiking trip soon as I am learning from your trips. Thanks again Jackie
Frozen you are like my spirit animal guide! Lol I do distance motorcycle riding mostly back roads. In order the last 3 long trips were through Laurel Highlands in PA then next year was Touring Lake Superior and last year was riding all the roads around the Great Smokey National Forest in North Carolina.....always liked, tent camping and exploring. I get excited at natural beautiful streams, mountains, trees, lakes ...lol whatever I love it all. I’m going to get some gear and try some short distance winter hiking with my dog and see how that goes! Thanks to your tutorial videos and guys like Joe Robinette and Shawn James I’m ready! Thanks for taking us along on your trips and the encouragement to get out there....just need to wait till hunting season is over because that takes up my weekends now! See you on the trails!
Awesome video that's awesome trip
Becareful going into the NC western mountains. I went there and came back with the love of my life. 60 years later I had to lay my Smoky mountain girl to her rest up high in the Smokys. Those mountains are dark and deep, stay home unless you are prepared to meet you future.
I live really close to Raccoon state park and work in a small town near Pittsburgh. It's really cool seeing a local doing these videos as well. These videos are very entertaining!
Nice trip. Lots of wildlife, lucky you didn't have an allergic reaction to those bees. Liking that Osprey pack, I have the Osprey Hornet 46 but not to big on the color (red) and I should have gotten the larger version. When I ordered it they only had the med.
Amazing video man, trail looks amazing.
Old video, definitely a great trail. It's a bit overgrown recently.
Great Hike Video. Enjoyed it very Much! It motivated me for my upcoming hike at Shenandoah National Park in a couple weeks.
+Kevin Stermer I'm trying to head there soon, but I have so many trips planned already.
Looking forward to checking them out.
Great video. I have a cabin on the south side of Fontana and have always wanted to see what the trails, the creeks and what the lake looked like from the northside but honestly, not up for the long hike. Got to hitch a ride with you and cross it off my bucket list. lol
Sweet vid brother. I enjoyed the scenery, the commentary, and how you involved the audience in the off-trail information (trail maps, tips, etc.). Great stuff. It's been awhile since I've been able to get over to the Smoky Mountains for hiking (I currently live in Memphis, TN). This vid was a much-needed fix for me, hahaha. Cool channel, too -- Subscribed. Happy trails & be safe.
Ran into your site today. Hiked that area back in the late 1970s. Looks about the same which is a good thing. Frog noise at one site along the lake kept us awake one night.
Such a beautiful camping spot!
Hey, I really enjoy watching all your videos. I have never done any backpacking, now I am thinking about joining a hiking club
:-P
Hazel, Forney, Noland, all of excellent trout fishing. Hard to get to.
On one of your videos you and Gary went through stinging nettle. I enjoy your videos a lot. I did research on stinging nettle and was amazed at all the benefits if you are interested. Thanks for all the helpful tips. Will be gearing up to go on a hike with my son someday
I read you can make it into a tea. I can't even imagine lol
Love the videos dude. Subscribed
+gnonymouse Thanks for watching!
Beautiful place I d been there in 2010 amazing peaceful place ...
Do Tennessee river side too....
Great video! I love the smokies, I've only ever explored the TN area of the park though. :0( I'd love to trek through the entire park someday.
+amandaggogo Thanks. I'm trying to head back to the park again soon to explore some of the other areas.
Good thing you aren't allergic and need an eppy pen. If the nest was in the ground it was probably yellow jackets instead of bees. Glad you're okay!
Cold Spring Gap Trail, by far the nastiest trail in the smokies. Lucky if you don't break a leg on those large slippery rocks. I've done it once to get my 900, but won't ever do it again. Best to plan your trip without this section of trail.
I went from the Sawyer mini to the squeeze and will never look back.
+mike matthews Yea I'm leaning that way too now.
+Outdoor Adventures I'm from Johnstown. If you want to do any quick trips this winter, or whenever, let me know.
I gave you a thumbs up again! I uploaded a video one time that cut a few seconds out in the middle of the video. I set it on private first before going public to review it. One thing that I like about your videos is that you keep them real and not over editing with sound effects or graphics.
+uptrail71 Thanks man! yea i'm going to have to start reviewing them before I upload. I watch the video usually a dozen times during the edit, never had a problem uploading before though.
Correct! View it in the private setting on youtube first. Then if good set it to public. Even my last video had a slight skip in it.
Dude, I know that pain from those bees/wasps. I got stung in the Smokies last year while doing a section of the AT. Worst sting pain I've ever had.
I do not know if you will read this, but I had to let you know that your Smoky Mountain video helped us tremendously. We encountered a bear in a little park in downtown Gatlinburg. We did exactly what you did in this video yelling at the bear. I must say that I thought that would not work as well as it did for you, but it did. A huge thank you, I was scared to death. My husband, my hero, started yelling" hey bear" at it and it jumped up a tree. It was right beside the only way out of the park. He kept yelling and it finally came down and walked away. I thought it was funny after that because it got to the other side of the park and did the cowboy walk. Was not as cool as I thought it would be. Again, thank you so much. We had watched your Smoky Mountain videos so many times in preparation for out trip.
You are welcome very much. thanks for watching!
Hey Frozen. Love all your videos I've watched so far. I am watching the Smoky Mountains one for the second time because I'm planning to hike this trail this year. I notice you are using a Osprey Exos 58 for this trip. I hope you will do a review on it. I've been looking to upgrade from my Kestrel 48 to the Exos 58. You go into so much detail on all your reviews. Such a great help. Keep up the good work.
+T Mac Yes a review coming before spring, I just have to find some time aside for it. It's a fantastic pack though, no issues with it. I was going to try getting the 58 with my REI 20% off in march for winter. Since my atmos 65 is too big for my winter gear, and it would be nice having something I can bring on a week + long trip.
+Outdoor Adventures Thanks. I look forward to it.
I did this hike in August 2016 and planned to stop at camp sites 81 and 75, as Frozen did. Couldn't make it that far, so stayed at 77 and 83. Each day was full, but I did manage to complete the loop in three days. The weather was pretty good -- evenings around 70 (no bag, just the liner), days low 80s. A few periods of drizzle.
I spent the night before backpacking at the Smokemont campground in the park; the night after at a motel in Bryson City (the Sleep Inn, very nice, good value). Had a nice Italian meal in Bryson City (Pasqualino's, great). Have to be honest, I was spent. Much of the Cold Spring Creek trail is slow-going. I caught glimpses of bears several times. I put my back down to refill water and when returned a bear was checking it out. I did get nipped by a yellow jacket, but other than that no problems. Hydrate.
Thanks Frozen -- you inspired me to do this hike. It was a real challenge.
Might be doing this hike in a few weeks for the foliage peak. Were the campsites mostly empty like this video?
Very few people on the trail -- first night I was alone, second night there was a small group.
There's no better hiking east of the Mississippi River than the Smokies. A treasure!
"Im not usually afraid of heights, but it's a little scary being up this high" at 5190 feet. She laughs a little. I *live* at 5280 feet. haha 10,000 foot views make me nervous. hehe. Great hike, thanks! I solo hike quite often, will need to research your new gadget!
too many miles for me ea day man lol that's crazy. Did 37m. here in Wa. Hoh rainforest in 3 days and had tendanitus or some shit on the bottom of my foot. Idk maybe wrong footwear. Anyways, great video awesome looking area
now this is hiking..watch out for wild boars and mom and papa black bears..;)
Great video of the GSMNP. I just saw your summit video of your AT thru-hike. You have a great style. Great to see you proposing on Katahdin 😊 You probably remember me giving you a hard time about the weed smoker on the AT. Didn't realize that he was tagging and acting like an asshole until you told me 😣
Oh he was doing more than that. Didn't want to start drama with him in case word got back while I was on the trail. The girls were freaking out. Farmer almost fought him...
The bees were probably yellow jackets.
Nest in the ground
Swarm attack
Multiple stings
Them little sumbi**es will wear you out.
One of the littlest wasps but they damn sure have the attitude of a brahma bull.
I live about an hour south of GSMNP and love being there.
I have always wanted to do a back country trip
Yes definitely yellow jackets. So angry at me!
look up Big Creek area and camp site #37 , Mt Cammerer great area to stay (Smoky Mountains) yellow jackets was the bees you was stung by they are nasty bees on the trails down here
+Roger Lamb Will do man thanks. Yea they were pretty mad at me.
stay in touch, love your videos
Whoa, I was there the weekend after that kid got attacked. The locals were telling me about it and the guy laughed and said "bear burrito". I'm thinking great, I'm a hammock camper aka bear burrito.
Wild pigs are the most fearsome creatures by far.
He gets to view the scenery,we have to view him.Somehow it don't seem fair.
Hi Frozen. Love your videos. I'm messaging on this one because I'm looking to do my first solo few day backpacking trip this coming April, and I really like the looks of this loop in the Smoky's. This makes me wonder though, do you have a favorite trail that takes 2-4 overnights? I'm open to suggestions. Thanks! - Steve
Hi!, I would not recommend this loop as your first solo in the April time frame you are looking to do. Reason being is I've had multiple encounters with bears in the area every time I go to the Smoky's. If you are comfortable with wildlife and are familiar with LNT principles then have at it but the Smoky's are known for bears in the Spring, it is also quite rainy in the spring months as well. Because of that I'd recommend finding a different loop. Head on up to West Virginia, Dolly Sods or take a look at the Virginia triple crown. Those are popular loops with many people but it's a much safer/more comfortable option for a first solo trail. Hope that helped, please don't take my advice as a fear tactic, just being honest after experiencing these areas as a backpacker that was fairly new.
Thanks so much. That's the kind of info I was looking for. Still in the researching locations phase here so I'll check those out.
How did a drafting stool make its way to High Rocks? Anyone know the story?
The AT people would laugh at bear spray. Where you're going by yourself, may not see people, it's smart. I probably wouldn't, but I have and I might. They have scared me 3 times out of 30. Thousands of trips only 30 encounters. One bear jumped for like 15 minutes at a bag on the cables and came within an inch or two of getting it. They can do some stuff.
Binge watching Frozen hikes today! Getting ready for a camping trip next weekend. How do you keep your batteries charged up? Any experience using solar charging? Thanks man keep it up!
I have an external battery that keeps everything charged. Has 3 usb ports and I can pretty much charge whatever I want. Mainly camera batteries.
+Outdoor Adventures awesome! I'll check those out right now on Amazon. We'll have a couple GoPros that will need charging. Thanks for replying back!
What program, website or service did you use to print the map of the loop you did from? Looking for a four day loop for this fall. Thanks.
+shoulderbone3899 just search for great Smoky mountains national park map. The reservation site has a great zoomable map and you can just skip the parts of the map you need.
What type of tarp do u use to go over your hammock? Do u think it would do to go over my small 1 person tent, I’m just starting out in backpacking and doing all the planning and gear gathering now...thanks! 👍 and sharing
These days I use a LiteAF tarp. I believe in this video it's a Warbonnet Edge Tarp.
Hi Frozen.
I saw that the park required you to not only hang your food bag but your backpack as well. Just curious: do they provide all the cores and strings (like shown in your video) at every campground? Those look heavy and very hardcore so I don't think you carried them with you right?
+Nghia Do The cables are already there for you. It's just a simple pulley system.
Idk how you do it bro, Ive been hiking about 2 years now and the most Ive hiked in a day is about 12 miles but I haven't been backpacking yet just day hikes
+Plant Powered Strength just add a mile each trip you will eventually condition yourself to do more mileage. It also depends on cardiovascular endurance and muscle endurance Id say too. I couldn't do more than 6 miles off the start but once I trained myself to go farther and lightened my pack I pushed myself to do more.
those would be yellow jackets...they are an evil creature. enjoy your videos.
Hey Frozen! Great video. One question. The pack is an osprey exos correct? I really want one and am saving the cash. What size torso size is yours? I need a small...but I was worried about the hip belt size. Rei lists under 31 inches as does a few other sites. Osprey customer service says otherwise. I was hoping you would have a personal insight? Thanks for sharing your hike.
+WoodsTrekkin' Adventures Yes that is the Exos 48. I wear a size 30 pants. Fits me perfectly. I'm going to throw some numbers at you and hopefully one of them helps you in your search. If you need anything else just reply to the same thread.
I have the small/medium it also comes in a medium/large.
Laid out with the hipbelt adjuster extended fully, and measuring at the very bottom of the belt from one clip to the other clip it measures 50.5".
The tightest you can get it is 41.5 inches
The distance of the suspension between the padding for your hips is 8.5
Each hip pad measures 8.5" at the middle.
Each adjuster strap measures at minimum 8.25 and max 12.5"
All this said, it fits me perfectly. Hope this helps!
+Outdoor Adventures
Frozen, thanks for the super fast response. I guess I should have made it easier on you and said that I wear a 32 size pant. Do you think the hip belt would accommodate my extra 2 inches of flabby belly? BTW I was thinking about your bear encounter and I had a similar one back in my college days. But, I was on a mountain bike....my first thought was OH &$@&$&&! Then thoughts of using the bike as a weapon etc. ran through my head. I like to see them from afar....like across a lake and through binoculars....hey thanks again and take care my friend!
+WoodsTrekkin' Adventures definately dude. take a tape measure around your waist and make sure you are under 50.5" with a 32" waist you should be fine though.
Thanks man! That info really helps- as it is pretty straightforward to order an exos on line and have it shipped right to me. I have a stratos day pack that I really like, but I just need more space for weekend trips. Thanks Much!
Wow. You seem to have had some tough luck on this trip and I'm only at 18:50, but I assume you stick it out. Embrace the suck as they say. You appear to have stepped into the opening of the nest of some sort of ground bee. I understand that they are no honeybees but have not yet had the incredible misfortune to step into one. Every year someone in our area usually does step in one because i guess they are very well hidden sometimes. Some conservation areas put signs up warning hikers about hidden underground bee nests every year.
Wrong shoes!
I don't have the experience to use a hammock yet but I can manage to get awesome sleep lying on my back, as long as I don't touch the ground, like thick sleeping pads and pretty lofty bags too. Padding is everything.
The Bee's are Yellow Jackets.
Hey, Just wondering what footwear you use for crossing the riverbed in this video? Do you wear a different pair for crossing and hiking or are the quick drying?
+Ben Steeves I just kept my shoes on they dry pretty fast while I am walking. I do switch socks after wards or beforehand though.
+Outdoor Adventures Ok cool. I usually hike in LL Bean Waterproof boots and take them off and use crocs but I'm looking for a new pair of lower cut shoes that dry fast so I only need to bring one pair of footwear. What ones do you use?
They are Salomon X Ultra 2's, labeled as a hiking shoes. I used to do the whole waterproof boots and cros thing but it's a lot of extra weight.
Awesome thanks so much! Love your channel. You inspired me to get out and do my own adventures this past summer. It was awesome. Did some hammock camping. Keep up the good work! :)
Thanks man, glad I could inspire you :)
How far was it from your parking spot to the tunnel....???
Not far, maybe 400 feet? GPS coordinates are in the description of the video if you need them
Thx
how much weight do you carry when you backpack
Depends on many things including temperature and time of year
do you carry medical kits in case you or your buddies are injured
I carry a first aid kit that is designed for me
Frozen..................I'm just doing the Lakeshore trail...........My friends and I are looking to doing a relaxing hike....We will be starting at the Tunnel Bypass and heading to camp 98 on day 1...then camp 81 on day 2....camp 98 on day 3 the camp 74 on the final night....wanted to know if there are any up hills that will kill a newbie that I'am bringing.....This is an in and out hike on the same trail....???
Lakeshore trail is pretty flat so don't worry. There are some uphill/downhill spots but nothing crazy.
As I reply now... I'm on the trail. thanks
Sorry didn't get to you sooner, I was up in Minnesota doing the SHT the past 2 weeks. Just got back. Have fun!
Am I losing my mind, or did you not already post this hike before?
my brain hurts
+GottaGo33 I think he added some footage to the end of the video. If I remember correct the first video cut off early.
Oh okay, Thanks!
where do you get your maps from?
Pretty much always from Google. Name of place map, then click image search if nothing comes up.
This is the same video from last week!
what date was it?
+Dekel Kulik early September probably.
whats this trail called
All the trails are listed in the description box along with the trailhead GPS coordinates.
+Outdoor Adventures
do u know of like 65-70 mile hikes near the same place that you've done
in the smokies? you can make a loop of that if you take some more sidetrails. just google great smoky mountains map, the park provides a nice map with mileages for each trail.
+Outdoor Adventures
does it cost anything to go hicking here
www.nps.gov/grsm/index.htm
Hi Frozen,
I've enjoyed several of your videos. I'll be staying at campsites 81 and 75 in October when I do an 84 mile loop so this video in particular really helped me out. I like to see what the sites look like before I get there. *Thank you for that.* I have one concern about the trip; the crossing of Hazel Creek on Cold Spring Gap trail. I believe it is this crossing that you show at 36 minutes. *Do you remember if that was potentially as harrowing as this narrative describes?* "The lower stretch of the Cold Spring Gap Trail ..... descends gradually to a difficult crossing of Hazel Creek. At the crossing, the creek is well over 10 yards wide and can easily exceed three feet deep when running high." Taken from a great resource for trip planning and I'm hoping the author is being dramatic or just referring to flood conditions. www.hikingproject.com/trail/7008055/cold-spring-gap-trail
Thanks,
Jason
thanks man. I really appreciate it.
I rocked hopped it. :-) Just got my left toes wet. Cold Spring Gap Trail = BRUTAL. Destroyed my feet.
+VONZO but did you get to see high rocks?
Outdoor Adventures I did. It was nice. A bit hazy so the view wasn't perfect. I was hurting pretty bad so I think I complained a bit too much in my video. Happy to get to experience it in retrospect. You always have a great attitude. I'll be working on that.
+VONZO heh off camera sometimes tells a different story. Remember when you are hurting just keep in the back of your mind that it's an awesome story and something that you can look back on when you finish.
I was wondering what kind of first aid kit you bring for a trip like this? especially when you are on solo hikes
+Tobias Terman Olsen Check out my 2015 gear list video, but it's a quart zip lock bag, that contains some duct tape, firestarter, signal mirror, ibuprofen, needle and thread, a couple gauze bandages, neosporin, and tweezers.
Thanks :-) And as always very cool videos :-)
dejavu?
I know some animals want to steer clear of humans and others are curious, and that you make loud noise to not scare a bear, so I was wondering if you played a radio loud all night long would it keep animals away or draw the curious ones in? Me personally I wouldn’t want loud noise to obstruct my hearing especially in bear country, but just wondering if you think that’d work?
I think whatever animal you would be trying to keep away would get used to the noise and get curious. Plus you may annoy people and take then out of their element. Honestly the best way to avoid a visit from a beer is to practice leave no trace principles.