Which comes first?

Wolfgang wrote:

On Mar 6, 8:09 pm, jeff wrote:

i don't remember exactly. wolf? i think it was around 7 or 8
am...early morning light. 3 hours r/t to the lower falls sounds right.

I don't remember what time we started but early morning makes sense.
Total elapsed time en route is also a bit hazy, complicated by the
fact that we hit the stream a good bit below the falls and fished up.
But, yeah, three hours sounds good.....IF you're humping it. We did.

I probably was too. For me a good hiking rhythm is somewhere
between a brisk walk and a jog. I know I passed a group of fishermen on
the way up *and* passed them again on the way back. And they only went
as far as Sassafras (sp?) Creek to fish.

If memory serves, I was just about THIS close to getting weary toward
the end.......and I'd have shot your jogging ass on that last half
mile if racing pulse and heaving lungs would have allowed me to draw a
steady bead.

But then, a truck bed full of cold beer will do much to prompt
forgiveness in one already mellowed by a beautiful day in good company
in God's own back yard.

Heh. I forgave myself as soon as I opened that first beer upon
returning to my rental car. By the time I had finished the second one I
was downright pleased with myself. :-)


Chuck Vance

On Mar 7, 6:58 am, Conan The Librarian wrote:

...By the time I had finished the second one I
was downright pleased with myself. :-)

What separates us from the ****-weasels.

Wolfgang
the way back? downhill? they have downhills in the smokies and
nobody told me?!

Wolfgang wrote:

On Mar 7, 6:58 am, Conan The Librarian wrote:

...By the time I had finished the second one I
was downright pleased with myself. :-)

What separates us from the ****-weasels.

I like the sound of that. :-)

Wolfgang
the way back? downhill? they have downhills in the smokies and
nobody told me?!

OK, let's say there's "uphill" and "slightly less uphill".


Chuck Vance (except for streamside where's there's "downhill
slipping/sliding/hanging on for dear life on yer ass" and "uphill
crawling/slipping/sliding on yer knees")

Wolfgang wrote:
On Mar 7, 6:58 am, Conan The Librarian wrote:


...By the time I had finished the second one I
was downright pleased with myself. :-)


What separates us from the ****-weasels.

Wolfgang
the way back? downhill? they have downhills in the smokies and
nobody told me?!


ok...well, you've made the pilgrimage enough to justify entrusting you
with a few of the secrets...but, it'll require your physical presence in
graham county.

sometime, you need to come down for the shad run. it's worth doing once
(or more). ...and the beer tastes every bit as good even without all of
that hiking and rock-hopping.

jeff

Conan The Librarian wrote:

jeff wrote:

Conan The Librarian wrote:

I'll have to give that a try on my next trip there. IIRC from my
reading, the trail that goes up the ridge is the old railroad
grade/support, and is potentially dangerous.


i don't think so...it's just a steep climb in the first stretch.


Hmmm ... maybe it's further up. I seem to recall someone (Wayne
maybe?) saying that part of the trail follows some old wooden supports
that are not in the greatest shape.

if you follow the junction trail to the bridge across the stream
(about 4 miles, plus or minus?), on the other side of the bridge is a
trail up the mountain and, to the left, the stream trail. i did the
trail up once thinking it might be faster. it wasn't. nothing
dangerous about it as i recall. sometime, let mark take you to the
cable climb on his favorite creek in the blue ridge above
morganton...that one's a bit dangerous if vertigo troubles you at all...


Er, yeah ... now that you mention it, it does. :-} Maybe I'll pass
on that one.


How early did you start out? When I was there, the round trip to
the Big Falls was about 3 hours, IIRC.


i don't remember exactly. wolf? i think it was around 7 or 8
am...early morning light. 3 hours r/t to the lower falls sounds right.


I remember keeping track of the time on the way up, just so I would
know how much to allow coming back, and it was right at 90 minutes to
the spot where I slid down the side of the hill and came out just above
the big fall and below a series of smaller ones.

FWIW, it looks like I'll be back in the Smokies in early May. I
may not get over to Snowbird this time, but I'm gonna be exploring
some "minor" streams in the park, and hope to spend some time on Deep
Creek, Bradley Fork and the Little River.


i've not fished any of them. the swimmers, campers, and bryson city
crowds on deep creek have kept me away from there...but, i'm told if
you plow through that morass and hike several miles up stream it has
real promise. let me know what you think of them. when will you be in
the area?


I'll be driving out there; leaving on Saturday the 12th. I should
arrive midday on Sunday. I've got reservations at the Elkmont
campground from the 15th (the first day they take reservations for the
season) through the 18th.

I was thinking about going ahead and scoping out the campground when
I get there and maybe staying there the whole time, and just heading out
to various streams in the park for day trips.

Originally thought about staying at Smokemont on Bradley Fork, but
the sites at Elkmont look nicer (more secluded and on right the river).
I'll just be car-camping; at this stage of my life I need all the
comforts of home. :-)

I fished Bradley Fork on my last trip, and absolutely loved it (the
9"+ bow I caught there helped). There's another small stream just down
the road from Bradley that I plan to explore.

Deep Creek is a new one for me. From what I've heard about it, you
need to get above Indian Creek before you start fishing. There's
supposed to be some very nice water up there.

Anyhow, that's the plan as of now. I'm getting pretty psyched about
it. Been tying and getting all my gear together.


Chuck Vance

stay in touch...i might be in the area around that time for a hazel
creek visit one day. not sure yet.

jeff

"jeff" wrote in message
...
Wolfgang wrote:
On Mar 7, 6:58 am, Conan The Librarian wrote:


...By the time I had finished the second one I
was downright pleased with myself. :-)


What separates us from the ****-weasels.

Wolfgang
the way back? downhill? they have downhills in the smokies and
nobody told me?!


ok...well, you've made the pilgrimage enough to justify entrusting you
with a few of the secrets...but, it'll require your physical presence in
graham county.

sometime, you need to come down for the shad run. it's worth doing once
(or more). ...and the beer tastes every bit as good even without all of
that hiking and rock-hopping.

A couple of months ago I nurtured the vain hope of making it down there for
the shad this year. Well, we all know how that goes.

Wolfgang
next year in jerus.....um.....no, that's not quite right, is it?

"jeff" wrote in message
...

i've not fished any of them. the swimmers, campers, and bryson city
crowds on deep creek have kept me away from there...but, i'm told if you
plow through that morass and hike several miles up stream it has real
promise. let me know what you think of them. when will you be in the area?


In April before all the campers hit, deep creek is a pleasant stream to go
up (and back down)

"Conan The Librarian" wrote in message
...

I'll be driving out there; leaving on Saturday the 12th. I should
arrive midday on Sunday. I've got reservations at the Elkmont campground
from the 15th (the first day they take reservations for the season)
through the 18th.


I will be arriving in Townsend the evening of the 16th, if you're free on
the 17th.

Wayne Knight wrote:

"Conan The Librarian" wrote in message
...

I'll be driving out there; leaving on Saturday the 12th. I should
arrive midday on Sunday. I've got reservations at the Elkmont campground
from the 15th (the first day they take reservations for the season)
through the 18th.

I will be arriving in Townsend the evening of the 16th, if you're free on
the 17th.

Cool. What streams did you plan on fishing? I know you're more
familiar with that area than I am, so maybe I could plan to "learn at
the master's hand" for a day.

Of course, you'd have to put up with me fishing with TFO rods, and
flies with flourescent synthetic posts. ;-)


Chuck Vance (unless you want to loan me a 'boo and some of your
flies)

jeff wrote:

Conan The Librarian wrote:

[my plans for May]

stay in touch...i might be in the area around that time for a hazel
creek visit one day. not sure yet.

Okey dokey. It looks like Wayne K. will be in the area on the 16th,
so we may wind up having a nano(non-o?)clave.


Chuck Vance