Hiking the Great Smoky Mountains - Backpacking Trip - 3 Days, 57 miles
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- Опубликовано: 8 июн 2013
- Join me for a 3 day, 57 mile backpacking loop through the Smokies. GPS data at www.sintax77.com
Trailhead: Lakeview Drive, +35° 27' 26.32", -83° 31' 35.75"
Trails Used, in order:
Day 1 (20.5 miles)
Begin at Lakeview Tunnel at the end of the "Road to Nowhere"
Benton MacKaye Trail / Lakeshore Trail
Bear Creek Trail
Welch Ridge Trail
High Rocks Vista - Great views of Fontana Lake!
Cold Spring Gap Trail
Hazel Creek Trail
End at Backcountry Campsite 82
Day 2 (24.5 Miles)
Hazel Creek Trail
Lakeshore Trail / Benton MacKaye Trail
End at Backcountry Campsite 76
Day 3 (12 Miles)
Lake Shore Trail / Benton MacKaye Trail
End at Lakeview Drive (Road to Nowhere) Trailhead and the Car!
Downloadable GPS Data at www.sintax77.com/?page_id=186
Season: Early Summer (First week of June)
Detailed Gear List to follow in separate video,
• 2014 Ultralight Backpa...
but here's the major items:
Osprey Hornet 46 Backpack
Hennessey Hammock - Expedition A-Sym amzn.to/2tZP5t1
Sea to Summit Toaster - Fleece Sleeping Bag Liner (used as primary bag) amzn.to/2vJGD3h
Klymit Inertia X-Frame Sleeping Pad
13 pounds Base Weight - Still working on that Ultralight Backpacking System!
Link to National Park Service Map: www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit...
Nat Geo Map Used amzn.to/2uxYnjr
All content, including video, music and sound effects, are original works created by myself, Sintax77.
8 years ago I was being forced to hike a 50 miler in Yellowstone with the scouts and was dreading it…until I saw this video. Something about you enjoying the outdoors lit a spark. I am an avid backpacker to this day. I watch this video every year or so to remember to put me back in the magic
At 35:43 you passed a structure cylindrical in shape and asked what it was. That is the old style gauging station. The new ones have remote cameras and other monitors for tracking flood levels, discharge rates, and such things as that.
Camped on top of high rocks 30+ years ago
Indeed, you invited me along, virtually, of course. I have seen 3-4 other videos of hikers around the Fontana Lake area (Great Smoky Mountains). The additional data you provided blew me away. You stopped and let me see all the trail signs along the way, you documented the trails taken, you provided coordinates for the trailhead, you showed some great scenes along your path, including the beauty of the mountains and lakes, and the bear encounters, you provided a list of things you took on the hike, and you provided the bread crumb trails from your GPS! Extremely small amount of this information was provided on the other videos. And, it appeared you were alone. Again, no so on the other vids. So, a hearty thank you, young friend for "taking me along" on your hike. Being retired now, I hope to build up to such a trip. I wish you well in your future excursions.
Bob Conar Thanks, man. Good luck on the trip planning and enjoy it! Glad I could be of some help.
I'm going
Fantastic!!! I loved it...great. Me at 67+ years old could go along with my son driving to Clingmans Dome and imagine..the walking trails..hiking..all that.Loved the wildness,greenery and mountains.
15:24 I like the phrase "accidental history" as it is both accurate and funny. :)
I have really enjoyed this video, and now I will watch more. I am the most unlikely viewer for your videos, and yet, here I am. I am a 74 year old Tennessee gal who owns a cedar chalet in Pigeon Forge, TN. We have owned that place since 1987, and years ago, I took one or two day hikes in the Smokies. Now I mostly hike the killer hills around my own cabin. I am not one to camp or sleep out in the wilds; I like my hot tub, and electric tea kettle, heat, and a/c, but I have enjoyed your trips vicariously. I just happened on you one night on my Roku TV when I awoke way too early, and one of your vids popped on the screen. Again, I would not have done your sort of hikes even when I was younger, and certainly not now, but I do love the Smokies. You did mention the smoke on the mountains; as I understand it, it is because of all the vegetation in the Smokies letting off oxygen, I guess, The Indians called it "The Land of the Great Smoke;" hence the Smokies. Thanks for your vids. I did find myself wondering where your camera was and how you get such good clips of yourself walking. I will watch more of your trips, and enjoy them while I am snug in my bed! Good job, to get someone like I interested in a backpacking video!
Yeah, this was a great one for wildlife. Even had a rabbit and a toad drop by for an after dinner visit at campsite 76 :D
Thank you for keeping the footage of the wrong turns. First it gave us views of things you would have lost on the cutting room floor. Second it shows how easy it is to get turned around. Third it shows that backtracking to the last known good position is the best policy. I respect someone that is willing to show they are human.
I love the Sawyer Squeeze filter. Super convenient and never had a problem with it. I've gotten some occasional comments from people reporting problems, but it appears to be issues with the bags not the filter. Just don't squeeze too hard and you're good to go.
I got a few bites, but thankfully, there weren't too many mosquitos out. It was mostly clouds of gnats that drove me to wear the head net on a few occasions. Probably wouldn't haven't even bothered me if it weren't for being spoiled by my recent winter trips!
I gotta say when I saw a 55 min video I expected it to be long boring shots with very little editing and lots of rambling or total silence. You did an awesome job editing and telling a story with your shots, and you kept your narrating interesting (no "uh" "er" "um"s) and gave us some cool facts about the area. Great job!
Wow! Hogs, bears, snakes, turkeys and 56 miles. Heck of a hike, looked fun. Thanks for sharing .
I really enjoy watching your videos. very informative & fun. I wish i could get my wife into the outdoors more.You & your lovely wife seem like wonderful people. I watch your videos over and over because they are just that great. can't wait for more.
It definitely took me a bit to process seeing those hogs. Not something you commonly see up north, but I guess I can check it off my list now.
I love your videos, you come across like a real person instead of those 'outdoors actors'. I used to dangle a tin can with a pebble in it from my pack in bear country (northern Ontario). Never met the guy that trick didn't work for. Now i am retired and living in Turkey where we have a lot of wild boar - they make excellent ham!
Thanks, good tip with the DIY Bear Bell, I like that. I would also love to try some Wild Boar some time. Haven't seen any up at the cabin we go to in Pennsylvania ...yet.
That first bear encounter was a family of wild hogs. I would love to travel to this place. Thanks for bringing us along:)
I'm not very active on youtube's community but I come here for most of my gear questions and such. It just helps to see these things rather than read about them for me. Having said that, you have inspired me to do so much more than I was already doing. I have done multiple day trips and it has actually turned into a great hobby my father and I both share now. Just wanted to drop some love your way, keep it up and keep posting! I love watching your adventures
Thank you for great video that shows trail mistakes and all. Mistakes are reality and happen all the time- thanks for the honesty that didn't leave the gravesite detour on the editing floor :)
Yeah , Those were wild boars you saw running by. I see tons of those here in Texas and you sure don't want to tangle with them either.! Great video and thanks for making long one's that we can enjoy. I hate videos that are only ten minutes long. Yours are much better. Love the Smoky mountains. That's where my mom was born and raised and had a lot of fun up there. Thanks for doing the video !
FUN VIDEO.
PLAYED IT SEVERAL TIMES AT LEAST. FIRST TIME COMMENTING. GOOD HISTORY AND TRAIL DISCUSSION. BEAUTIFUL PLACE.
Thanks, man. Mike was pretty bummed about not making it, but hopefully he'll get out there soon. As far the mileage goes, the reduced pack weight definitely helped. That, plus the campsite reservation system made tapping out early less of an option :)
really enjoyed this video ,totally different terrain and vegetation to your normal hikes, a big plus seeing those bears, your lucky not to have the dreaded koala to worry about .. thanks for sharing Tony
This makes me want to go hiking so bad. The sounds of the birds really make me miss spring and summer.
Jerry French It'll be here before you know it :)
I'm definitely going to look into it. Great info, thanks!
I really like the Hornet so far. It actually has two polymer side rods as well a removable foam back pad that add some good rigidity, compared to traditional frameless ultralight packs. Makes it feel more like a full size pack, but still only rings in at 22oz or so.
Good morning Shawn 👍🏻👍🏻 I was in the mood for a good hiking adventure so I had to watch one of your videos. I always enjoy watching your adventures from the past and looking forward to seeing your next Wilderness hiking adventure. I hope all is well with you and your family, enjoy and have a Great week !!! Danny 👍🏻
You went waaay back in the catalog! :) Thanks, Danny. Same to you!
Would definitely love to see a Sintax and Trailkilla aka Trailslippa video of the smokies
Really enjoyed watching your video! Looking forward to watching more.
Never tried canoeing, but it seems pretty intriguing. I started actually daydreaming about that during my recent visit to the Grand Canyon. That's got to be pretty awesome.
My brother-in-law and I have never seen a bear in the wild. After watching this video, we decided to do a trip to the Smokies hoping to see a one. We hiked to the top of Mt LeConte and stayed at the shelter. Not only did we have a blast but we also saw two, possibly three, bears in a period of 30 minutes. Thanks for inspiring a great trip!
That's awesome to hear! Glad you got some sightings of your own :)
+sintax77 A group of my friends and brother-n-law desire to take a 3 day trip similar to the one you took. I understand the permit process and reserving a site, but want to know if the sites are shared amongst permits, per say, if I have a group of 4 interested in site 84, do they allow another individual(s) to also camp there for the day. Also interested in knowing what the peak times are for backcountry camping. We are planning for mid-July or early August, but willing to go in June if feasible in terms of less crowded. Great video and appreciate the commentary!
+Robert Davis that's great to hear. would like to hike the smokies too
Coach Wide Receivers as far as I could tell from my research, they reservations are per person. You can buy a permit and include other people on it (for a price and depending on availability), but you cant have additional people at your shelter unless they have their own reservations.
Thanks for the information Robert!
Yeah, those are Wild Bore, they are a problem due to their behavior of plowing through the woods. I live near the Smokies & they are my stomping grounds, I gave up keeping track of bear. They are prolific through out the park, which is great for hiking. I'm glad you were able to get down here and hike some of these beautiful mountains and trials. Your video is well done. Next time you're going to be down this way & want a hiking pal look me up. Thanks again for a great video. Brian
great video, thanks for sharing. my wife and I have been there for some day hikes and seeing the trails again brought back a flood of great memories!
Dude I have to say that I don't comment at all on peoples youtube vids but I really enjoyed this vid. I myself love camping and have been watching peoples vids to get an idea on what kind of items they pack for backpacking. Plus I really liked that you kind of showed how it all goes down. Thanks for the vid man nice work.
Did a similar 3 day hike from the tunnel while down there visiting family over the summer. Nice area, beautiful streams
Love everyone of your video's. They are so much fun to watch and very informative. Thanks so much for doing them. Can't wait for the next one !
I have really in joy your video in the smoky were I live thank you
I plan on doing the AT from Vermont to Conn. I live near Cape Cod. 2-3 hr drive to the Berkshires. Your videos are the best hiking on RUclips. Keep em coming.
Great video. We're doing Hazel/Lake/Forney Creek Loop next week. It's good to know that we'll have to be on our toes in terms of keeping our eyes on the trail. Keep up with the videos. Good stuff.
sintax, I've been watching your vidoes for along time now. And i gotta say your one tough cat to drive 9+ hours to hike alone for 2 or 3 days! But i'm glad you bring us along. And be safe an keep em comin! Rob
Thanks for the adventure ! Looking forward to the Smokys next year!!!
Thank you for sharing beautiful place
Good advice, but I never snuck up on the bear with cubs, we were on parallel paths and I merely remained quite and chose to observe.
You'll notice another encounter shortly after at 42:06, where I chose to make noise rather than remain stealth and film, because the bear was directly in the trail.
The smokys are my favorite place on gods green earth. I loved this video! Im attempting my first overnight hike here this spring, you totally got me pumped!
37:49 ........what the hell was that noise !! Love your vids man. I always love it when
I see you've posted a new backpacking trip vid. Keep it up.
Thanks for all your efforts in your trek and your video. Impressive work! Further, I would recommend your posting for anyone wanting to participate from a treadmill.
Amazing footages of the bear and the cub.
Tri-Corner KNob on the AT in the GSMNP is the most remote section. Awesome videos, I love em!
Beautiful hike and utterly amazing! Thanks for sharing
I've been watching your videos for a while now and I really enjoy the ones of your hiking adventures...you actually inspired me to start backpacking and now I must say I totally see why you enjoy it so much...there's no other feeling in the world...anyways thank you sintax and of course stay safe brother :D
that chair was some trail magic.
Excellent work! Thanks for posting.
Hey Sintax77, I have officially watched this video about 3 or 4 times now, along with a few other videos by you. This is by far the best backpacking in the GSMNP video i have found thus far. Honestly, this is the first RUclips comment i have ever felt compelled to write. This video is what inspired me to begin planning my own Smoky Mountain backpacking adventure. I should be going in early may for a 5 day, 4 night, 41 mile trip (weather and schedule permitting). I only live about 7 hrs from the park on the coast of NC. I can't wait! Ya have a new subscriber, and I hope to see more quality backpacking videos like this in the future!
Thanks, James. I'm glad you enjoyed it, and more importantly, that you're hyped up there to get out there yourself! I'm actually taking a break from editing a new feature-length video right now, so more definitely is on the way :)
I run all my water through a Sawyer Squeeze .1 micron filter. It may have been less noticeable because there's no pumping involved. Just squeeze and drink ;)
Thanks for taking the time to make such a nice video, I watched it all and enjoyed it all.
Nice vid, tnx.
Boring rainy day here, nothing to do, nothing worth watching on tv. I check youtube and see you have a NEW vid up!
made my life just a little bit better.
Keep them coming.
one day i might try making a video.
thanxs again.
Yeah, the exhaustion definitely speeds up the process. Plus after seeing that many animals flee after noticing me, I'm confident that in the event I heard anything near camp at night, simply shouting from the hammock would clear things out. The bears are pretty skittish. While wild boars are less predictable, attacks are still very rare & to top things off I'm licensed to carry copper-plated hog-repellent as a sleep aid. ;)
"I've usually got two days but now I have three."
I know that feeling.
Good clip man. I've heard that park is awesome.
That was most likely some wild boar you encountered. They are nasty and definitely something you don't want to mess with! I was also impressed by your composure with the bear encounters. Great vid as always! Please keep them coming! I love sharing your adventures.
great video once again. I love watching your full length hikes!
I'm not a long distance hiker but I enjoyed this video. I love the Appalachians and all of its various regions.
Thanks alot! Great video enjoyed going along on the hike. My second year hiking and can't wait to go on an overnight trip. Keep safe.
Very cool, are you going to overnight the Smokies or somewhere else?
I've actually done this exact loop nearly 10 years ago. Great video!
Thank You, I am starting to hike/backpack again. (I need to get back into shape) I walked most of the AT, in my younger days.
Loved the video; thanks for sharing, great footage and well documented.
I do a little more bike touring than backpacking but I really enjoy your videos! I live in Northern Michigan, a lot of hiking trails and ORV trails in the Huron National Forest. I appreciate your videos. Keep them coming!
Wow, that's crazy! I've never seen that before. They look like floating UFO tents, very cool.
Nice thorough video. When I'm in the Smokies, I tend to have good luck clapping and speaking loudly at the bears. I've never had one remain after doing that as they are quite timid. Shelter bears are another story. They've been acclimated to humans and don't show the same fear.
Great watching your trip, thanks for sharing.
Awesome video....enjoyed the hike and I didn't even have to deal with the bugs or snakes :)
Thanks for taking the time to share
Vbb ööv
Awesome hike, great scenery and wildlife. You really racked up the miles on that one, your legs must be aching :-) Can't wait for your gear review video. Thanks for sharing this brilliant trip with us, I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it.
Nice hike. Really like the view from the top and the hike along the lake.
You guys are awesome. Next time you come to va to backpack, I would love to join you guys. I backpack throughout the state and know most of the trails.
I love the little montages in your vids.
Great video. I’ll be in Wears Valley on the TN side 1st week of October. That video just made me more impatient. Keep up the awesome videos.
I might have to drag my friend down sometime to hit the more popular sections. Maybe try some of the shelters on the Appalachian trail, for a bit of a different perspective.
Great video thanks for sharing. This is my first time watching your videos. I came across you while searching for hammock reviews.
Awesome vid....I watch them all....There is a lot more to see in The Great Smoky Mountains hope you can come back
Great vid as always. Love the area. Been there a few times on some journeys as well.
Looked Like alot of fun! Thanks for sharing!
Great video, thanks!!! Would enjoy having more information on the type gear you are using and why you chose those specific items.
Ask and you shall receive: Ultralight Backpacking Gear List
i am from and live in the smoky mtns . great video . i was thinking about doing something like this, but havnt gotten around to getting a camera yet but plan on getting one soon and doing some hiking , camping , and survival in the woods type videos. keep up the good work.
Great video. I'm heading to the smokies this weekend. Hope to have a similarly exciting adventure.
Awesome video! This is on our list of things to do!
Real nice hike ! A little different than the Whites ! Thanks for sharing and good to see you getting your pack weight down. peace my friend.
Great trip, great footage, great editing. Enjoyed every one of the videos I've seen.
Thanks for posting. Really enjoy the videos. I set up the adventure while I'm at the gym and watch while on the stair master. I've been purchasing the gear in preparation for summer. Never been before. There is some awesome places close to me (within 1 hour car).
You might be on to something: Trail Vid + Stairmaster = Virtual Hiking :D
My main camera is a Samsung H300. For this trip I brought 2 solar chargers, 1 spare samsung battery, and a backup camera (Flip Mino) that were included in the 13 lb base weight referenced in the video. Without the electronics, the system seen here weighed about 11 lbs base.
So beautiful, thank you.
8 more days til my first trip in the Smokies! Thanks for inspiring me to take it!
thanks for a great video 77 !
Great video. Like watching Survivor man. Going camping in Cades Cove this week!
It's a Fitbit Nano. I've been wearing it everyday since January and love it. Syncs via bluetooth and uploads your stats to the phone app & website for review.
great video, im glad i watched all of it, great narration!
awesome, makes me want to start hiking with my oldest boy; great video.
i must say sintax77 ur videos are so inpiring to the people who want to start hiking im a arm chair one now coz of circumstances but i love your vidz im in england loving your little adventures keep them coming mate & enjoy i have subscribe too so keep it cool x all the best
63nscott Thanks - I'm gonna keep it going!
awesome production in many respects! thanks!
Nice, thank you! That makes perfect sense, and Google image appears to confirm.
I will love too go hiking with you sintax!!
Thanks for filming your adventures. Enjoy learning about new places and new gear. Been hammocking for a year and just ordered my first customized hammock from Simply Light Designs--a real nice fellow with his one-man operation out of his home. Gonna try the 36" foam pad from Hennessy to help keep my arms warm--I can't afford a nice underquilt either and like the idea of the pad in a go-to-ground situation. Thanks all for videos like this: Whoo Buddy, Outdoor Gear Review, all the gear companies...etc
Livin'Large Right on, man. Congrats on your first cottage vendor purchase - you're hooked now :) I got by on pads just fine for quite a while. It's a great way to get started gradually with hammock camping.
I've ALWAYS wanted to go hiking/camping but I'm TERRIFIED of snakes. I'm living my dream by watching your videos😊