TallPaul, first and longest solo. If I live long enough to have great grand children, I can tell them I lived off fat of land for two years in Uwharrie forest! (2019-2020)
Got to hike with a guy from Mt Holly. I told him, after you’re over 50 miles from home—You’re free to embellish. He told great stories. He might check out Hammock Forums. He’s into mountain biking and kayaking. His bike was temporarily down 2day
Now on western side of upper loop of figure8 on Dutchman’s Creek trail
Maybe I’ll take pix tomorrow not much extra battery
Charging now with backup battery
Do we need to send out a couple Sherpas or trail goats to get you back to the car? Some of those trails go right up the contour lines. Ask Groundhog. Hope the phone battery held out cause I’d be concerned of Phantom with no map. Course maybe you are dropping breadcrumbs.
Yea Paul, I hope he didn't take the "3 Hour" trail..
Talmadge
"GroundHog"
We may have to send out a search team. His figure 8 hike may have turned into a circle with no exit. PG hope you had a fun hike
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I’m back
Finished about 100 pm today
Started about 1030 am Tuesday
Tuesday Wednesday Thursday
Started Woodrun Trailhead just west of Troy
Parked in parking lot visible from route 24-27
Met along way many interesting backpack campers and slack packers
Larry from Mt Holly
Lisa
Grove
Kieth
Max&Lisa from High Rock
And several families and multi-people groups
Lots of good dogs
And lots of hikers who wooooshed by
Started on Dutchman’s Creek portion to the right right out of parking lot
Got to crossroads of Dutchman’s and Uwharrie and stayed on Dutchman’s. That Dutchman’s on western side of top part of figure8 whooped my butt. It said mountain with grade
That’s a lie—it was cliff with rocks glued on side just for fun
If you look at top western side of figure8–it looks like a stylized barking dog. I camped first night at the “dog’s” nose. I was tired after losing trail twice
First time by continuing down a game trail by creek bed
I was supposed to turn right at beech tree right up side of steep mountain of big rocks
I backtracked three times and either me or trail app was a little off—kept recrossing same creek hoping to see trail blazes
Next trail loss scared me, I had hiked on past dark and missed a well marked turn
Finally I hiked back to area with last marker I remember seeing
Next time I’ll use a compass in addition to trail app to find way back to marked trail
Had a compass in pack neglected to use it
And there ain’t gonna be no more hiking after sundown, 4sure
Setup in dark next to a trail marker five steps from trail
Y’all ain’t gonna believe it
A pine sprig I’d tied tarp line that night, miraculously grew 60 feet tall and had woodpecker nests and all bark above six feet was gone. Skeeerd
Ate trail food—no cooking, no fire
Except had to fire up alcohol stove4coffee
Next day got to eastern side of top loop near Yates, now on Uwharrie Trail. Eastern side of top loop was more fun to hike—not as steep hills
Got all way past crossroads in middle of figure8 and hiked staying on Uwharrie Trail. Camped that night just before Big Island Creek
This time set up just B4 dark
Got up and hiked out Thursday
Day one—brief lunch break
Day two—two hour long breaks one at 10 and other at 2
Day three—between chatting with three different hikers and muh mandatory coffee break at least an hour
Lessons learned
Backup battery was used every night2charge phone. Well worth 50 bucks. Seems phone would use battery faster with not many close cell towers
Phantom follow directions, Loki said to use compass. And blazes mark trail
Phantom needs to get in better shape or just avoid western side of top and bottom loops
Eastern side, both Uwharrie and Dutchman’s relatively mild
West side of both loops, both Uwharrie and Dutchman’s are tough
Had me saying “I want my Momma”
Maybe buy some backpacking gear that’s somewhat lighter than my current set up
Pack weight was 28 pounds excluding water and maybe some sweatshirts and hickory walking stick. Had2been just over 30 pounds
“I want my Momma”
There were lots of creeks for water everywhere on trail
Thanks for picking with me
I’m gonna hike with tsshaw this spring last week of March Uwharrie trail extension going north starting at Jumping Off Rock Trailhead
It gonna be 8 miles out, camp overnight and hike back out 4 miles in morning.
Glad you made it out. You get a blue ribbon for doing that upper western portion. Nothing East about that. Do it a few more times and you’ll figure out what’s important in your backpack. Ha.
Fun you got to meet up with some folks out there. And didn’t get lost too bad. Lots of side trails, bike trails and whatnot. And Phantom hiking in the dark - oh my. Maybe after a few more tries you’ll have it down.
What app did you end up getting on the phone for trail directions? I have run into places where the old trail was still in the app but new trail existed. That’s fun. Bushwhacking only Wilson’s creek on abandoned trails with fisherman paths every 10 feet messes with your head.
Anyway sounds like a good trip. Glad you had an adventure.
I think I can see the dog.
The tail goes to Yates in this one.
TallPaul, AllTrails Pro
It’s a good app
Takes time4me2learn
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