Hey everyone! I met some fine folks online in the hammocking community that are more experienced than I am and are dragging me out to Lineville Gorge for my first time there....has been on my list of "I really want to do"'s for the past year.

Anyway, I have a few concerns about the itinerary as it is however...I am deciding if I am gonna go with the group or not...I have a few reservations.

I am btw age 34, whopping 155 lbs...im in pretty good shape now, but not athletic shape...although I am now doing kayak training twice a week in prep for my first attempt at a race (I have a "surf ski", but that's beside the point)...and I plan on between now and the trip (weekend of 4/20) to do perhaps 4 workouts per week to prepare physically.

The itinerary as I understand it is to leave by 10am on a Friday from wolfpit and go due north and reach the top of "chimneys" the first day....then due north second day (236 to 233, to 231 on nat geo maps I have on my gaia app)....that includes what im told is a swim river crossing depending on water levels (I assume if heavy rain, that wont be safe)...anway, on that west side, it seems that trail follows the river...I read it is pretty rugged and trail markings are not all that clear, so a slow pace likely....I think the goal is to make it to where you will make the ascent back out..."leadmine" trail?

As I understand in looking at the route, more or less...it consists of a steep hike to start with, then up to what will be a second big ascent to chimneys....day two will be up and then cross the river...then down, that will be in total for day 2 maybe 8 miles...camp...then it looks to be a pretty narly 1200 feet hike out on sunday....which I have a drive home of 6 hours back to bama.

This group, I am not personally familiar with and I am still a pretty new backpacker, and am pretty conservative.

I plan to tonight head over to Linville gorge dot net as it seems that is a more definitive source of information.

I have GPS on my phone (gaia, but it seems most LG folks use avenza which I can get)..I also carry an delorme InReach explorer (makes my wife happy on kayak trips and backpacking etc).

I feel I can be in good shape and ready..and its good to know a couple others in this group have done this...so I just am being a bit conservative in this post...