Kayak & Bushwhack to Panther Creek Falls

Sunshine over the ridge along Panther Creek

Kayak & Bushwhack to Panther Creek Falls 

Dana & Kenny Koogler

Sat. Nov. 10, 2012

28th Wedding Anniversary

Hike distance 6 mi approx

Kayak distance 1 mi. approx

**Another blog entry damaged by using
Flickr free photo account. I am repairing this blog entry
and will not delete it, but I may have lost some of
the photos for good.  If I have lost my pictures of
Panther Creek Falls it will be an excuse to borrow Andy's canoe
and re-do this trip. **

     Kenny and I decided to spend our anniversary tackling an off trail adventure we'd attempted about several years ago and did not complete.   We wanted to find Panther Creek Falls in the far back country of the western side of the Smokies.   We packed our gear including kayaks and set out Saturday morning.  It was a rather impromptu trip so we got a late start.   

     We enjoyed the drive down Foothills Parkway west from the house. The Autumn colors were still peak there!  The views were lovely.   We soon arrived at the put in point for the kayak portion of our journey at the mouth of Abrams Creek.  It joins Chilhowee Lake here.  We put in and paddled upstream.  We saw two men ahead of us who were also kayaking.  I could not help hoping they did not have the same plans as us?  I did not have to wonder long.  They continued ahead up Abrams Creek while we hung a right and paddled back Panther Creek.  The lake looked black and glassy and mirrored the stunning Autumn leaves and the sky today.  It was a perfect day for this trip.  It was supposed to be clear and sunny and warm up to about sixty nine degrees.  The water smelled fresh and clean and the lake was very quiet.    The sun was up but the bottoms of the hollers we paddled and walked today spend much of the time in deepest gloom because of the forest cover and high cliffs.  It can create a sense of foreboding. 

Dark as a Jericho Mile down in them hollers!

      We beached our kayaks on the beginnings of an old road bed that was used in the past for slate mining and logging.   We'd have to pass the slate mines on our trip today.  Lots of history in this part of the park that is far less visited than some others.   The stream was quiet and pretty. Some of the trees had shed their leaves, but the beech trees and sourwood trees and maples still sported bright gold, copper and orange leaves.  We donned our backpacks and trekking poles and set out on foot from this point.   We did not have to go far until we met with our first creek ford.  It was a rock hop. We could not recall if this trip had many creek crossings? We gambled on doing with one trekking pole each and left our water shoes in the truck.  Recreational kayaks don't fit lots of gear with the paddler.

We hoped we would not deeply regret our choice, but we figured we'd manage.

Approaching the old road bed that leads up Panther Creek

     Panther Creek is very scenic most of the way.  Kenny and I both remarked we had forgotten just how pretty it was.   It is a series of cascades, deep clear pools of blue-green, pot holes and jumbled boulders.  We had not gone far when we could hear the roar of Garner Falls. It is a small waterfall and hard to get a shot of.  It clings to the far right hand of the rock it cascades over. The terrain around it makes it difficult to view from the trail.
The plunge pool is more dramatic than the falls.  It is deep and would make a good swimming hole.  I expect from our past experience with it any season warm enough to enjoy swimming would find it clogged with snakes.   We were here in March last time and found a couple snakes near this falls even as cool as it was!

     We kept moving since we had a lot of territory to cover.  We made our way upstream
and it was surprising how many things came back to mind from the previous trip.  We could find exactly the spot where the wild hogs got after us.  I had remarked that as many mud holes as I was seeing it was a wonder we had not run into any hogs.  About that time here came a whole passel of shoats!  I went to hollering "Pigs! Where's the mama? Where's the mama?"  I just knew we'd get eaten up by a sow!  But they were big enough to be on their own.  We forded a couple more times. I looked up and saw some rusty metal artifacts.  A closer look showed we had arrived at the halfway point in our trip today. Before us lay lots of rusty metal and slate blocks.  They used this old rail line and cars to haul the slate out.  The blocks were used to build some of the structures in the National Park including Park Headquarters at Sugarlands.

Getting out of the kayaks and getting read to hike from here

Old rail car used to haul slate blocks out from the mine site.

    We were following the old road bed used for mining in the past as we made our way further into the back country.   It was often filled with so much downfall and rhododendron it disappeared outright or was impassable.  Many years of off trail hiking have smartened us up a little.  Keep the old trace in sight but go around it.  You have to be careful to avoid giving in too much to the "urge to go around" when off trail hiking.
The new Garmin GPS today was invaluable in helping us at least know which general direction to head.  It delights me beyond measure to see how we've both gotten really good at orienting topo maps with the real lay of the land. It feels great to be able to say "Ok, this is the big ridge coming in from the left".  It is rather surreal to me.
At some point on our hike this day I had a feeling of "finding treasure" envelope me.
I knew that I was living a recurring dream I have from time to time. I had felt the dream was not of a real place, but today I recognized it!   Here was a photo from that moment.

      

Panther Creek viewed from above on the old manway.
Photos don't capture the emotional tone of such moments of joy.

     One of my favorite trails in the Smokies is Goshen Prong.  It is flat and follows
along above the stream with vistas like the one shown above.  The rock forms are dramatic.  Panther Creek Manway is like that only after the tornado it is in far better
condition than Goshen Prong which is supposed to be a maintained trail.  Before I get too gushy I will remind myself there were ugly parts of rhododendron swimming and butts hanging out in space over cliffs whilst we clung to fallen trees in order to proceed.

**Photo lost here**


Trail? What trail?  This is actually not that bad.  The bad parts are to the point I can't get the camera out.


     We came to one creek ford that was marked with two rock cairns.  There was another ford beyond that unmarked, but a no brainer. The cliff on the left was sheer! We later saw some old cable and metal in the woods.  We saw one more rail from the abandoned dinky line.

   We got across the creek and pushed higher into the steepening drainage.   We had not gone much further when I could hear the falls!  Kenny called me down to where he stood and we could get a glimpse of it.   Getting down to it from here was going to be rough.
The falls was surrounded on all sides by thick rhododendron and rocky cliffs.  I could see the way down, but Kenny did not want to follow me.  He finally came to the conclusion it was the only way which it was.  We got in the drainage where a spring seep flowed down to join Panther Creek.  It was slick and mossy and rocky.  I finally just sat down and scooted.  Better muddy, wet and dirty than injured.  The only thing hurt today might be my pride.  I also gave up on the idea of staying dry.  I just got IN the creek and waded.
I was up to my knees in water.  I made my way up to the falls this way.  Kenny managed to cling to the rhodo and go through it in places.

Before us was Panther Creek Falls at last!  
  

Panther Creek Falls Video As I have lost the photos of it. :-(

The terrain above the falls flattened out, but in order to reach it you'd have to get in and swim across the plunge pool.  The walls on the sides are rocky and crowded with rhododendron and other vegetation.  There may be more cascades above here, but we'll have to explore that another trip with an early start and a longer day!

While this falls is certainly not the largest we've ever visited or even the prettiest it was one of the more rewarding trips.  Finding it was a challenge. We had to work together!
We're a good team.  Its something we both enjoyed very much.  We did not linger here much since we had about 2 hours of daylight left to get back out.

    We made it out in far less time.  We got out in 1 hour and 40 minutes.
We even had time to sit down on some logs near the kayaks and eat a leisurely snack.
Kenny was foot sore and glad to be back in the kayaks and off his poor feet.
We paddled out taking our time since now we should have no problem getting back to the truck before dark.   We did encounter a couple boats on the way out. The first was a man and his son fishing. They stopped and waited for us to pass to avoid capsizing us with their wake.  The second boat was SAR and they were flying by.  Kenny yelled for me to turn the kayak INTO their wake.  Timely advice for it probably kept me from turning over.  Once that was done I had time to relax and caught a few photos of the setting sun and fiery leaves as we neared the take out point. What a wonderful day! 

Fiery red leaves in the setting sun on Abrams Creek

Cumberland Plateau Exploring--Nemo Bridge and Tunnel and Mill Creek Falls

Day of Exploring the Cumberland Plateau

Dana & Kenny Koogler 

Sat. Sept. 22, 2012

Pictures are here beginning with frame 290

    Kenny & I woke up on Saturday and neither of us was interested in doing what we'd planned.  We'd planned on taking the kayaks and heading back to do some off trail exploring in the Smokies.   It just didn't sound fun for some reason today.  We opted instead to pack a picnic and load up and go for a day of "Wandering like the Hebrew Children in the Wilderness".  So off we went in the direction of Morgan County.


    We found the abandoned railroad tunnel at Nemo Bridge and drove through it.
It was awesomely fun and spooky.  The current, modern tunnel and tracks are still in use and right by the old ones.    The old tunnel is flooded most of the way and was filled with 2 or 3 feet of water.   I'd say its about 1/2 mile long.  It took longer to drive through it the first time because we were being careful. We did not know what the floor of the flooded parts would be like as far as objects, holes, and risk of popping a tire.  The water was up to the running boards at times!  We stopped in the middle and turned off the lights and experienced total darkness.  It was a neat experience. We spent some time just four-wheeling and seeing where we could get that jeep to go on those old 4x4 trails.

Abandoned Nemo Railroad tunnel

Here is a video of what it was like driving through the tunnel. Other than being there yourself this is the best way to experience it.










     We headed to the Nemo Bridge Picnic area and ate lunch and relaxed.  It was a perfect day. Sunny and blue skies with puffy clouds. Cool temperatures.  The leaves on the trees just beginning to change colors and float down.  We saw very few people at the picnic area.   Once we finished lunch we strolled over to the river to check out the swimming hole and rope swings and to walk on the old bridge to enjoy the views of the river from there.    It is a rusty old structure with lots of character constructed in 1929 and still standing.  A steel works in Greenville, SC put it together!   The view of the Emory River from the deck of the old bridge span was   amazing.  It flowed by deep and green with ripples of white in the distance.  Bright yellow patches of flowers could be seen along the river banks.   Too cool for swimming today.  Kenny pointed out that it did not take much of a dip in the temperatures for folks to lose interest in swimming.

View of the Emory River from Nemo Bridge.


Nemo Bridge has been replaced by a modern concrete structure, but the old bridge still stands for foot traffic.

Swimming Hole with no one interested in swimming today.  We'll bring a picnic back and go swimming next season Lord willing.

     We headed out to hunt up some of the many fire towers in the general area.  We had a falling out with " Babala"  my erratic TomTom system.  She was supposed to be leading us to the Catoosa Fire Tower about 21 miles away from the Nemo Bridge.  All was going according to plan until we refused to turn into someone's drive way at their trailer.
So instead of being 15 miles away we were now told it was 40 miles away!
I had a few choice words for her and switched to plan B.   I entered the coordinates for Mill Creek Falls changing the game on Ole Girl.  We'd hunted for it before unsuccessfully and according to the GPS it was only 11 miles from our current position.  IF you can believe anything you're told at this point.   We opted for attempt #2 at finding Mill Creek Falls.    I did get to see some New York Asters along the Catoosa Road because of our wandering.

 

New York Asters and a beautiful butterfly. Some of my favorite Fall flowers!


     We headed back through Morgan County and things began to look familiar to me.
The drive was gorgeous the whole way.    I remember us passing a sign for Ruppe Road and saying  we were getting close!  Kenny started recalling things too and we pulled up at this house we'd been at before on our last try at finding Mill Creek Falls.   I had gone up and knocked on the doors both back and front without any luck. No one home.
I knocked on the front door this time and a man answered. I introduced myself and told him we were interested in viewing the falls and would that be OK?  He was agreeable and told us how to get to the falls either to either the base or the top.  I thanked him and we headed out along the creek.   I met his grandsons there on the porch with him and they were both very nice high school fellows.

    We quickly arrived at the base of the thirty foot high Mill Creek Falls. What a place!
It was on a beautiful stream with a pretty rock outcrop and cliffs on the sides. What a great swimming hole it looked like.  It appeared deep and blue green.   Black alder bushes grew around the rim of the pool.   We hugged each other in congratulations at having finally found it!  

Mill Creek Falls is beautiful but is on private property. Ask permission of the landowner before visiting and please do not litter. 

     We spoke again with Jack's grandsons Isaac and Jared on the way back out.  They were heading up to the falls to visit.   We stopped back at the house and visited for a short time with Jack and I introduced Kenny to him.   What a pleasant fellow!  He knew all sorts of interesting history about the area!

     We headed out toward home.  Morgan County........ is one of those places you frequently encounter "You cain't git thar from hyere." and getting IN to the county is easier than getting OUT of the county.   If I'm lyin' I'm dyin.   We had the GPS take us some snarled up way out of that place and the sight of masses of kudzu draped cliffs, railroad tracks, bridges above us............ that looks like a main road........ but why can't we get to it?   We passed through Camp Austin and Babala wanted us to take the cut through 4x4 road through Camp Austin today to get home!  I loved that old road, but today I did not have time for this so we turned it down.

        We finally just went on letting the GPS lead the way as long as she avoided dirt tracks.  I guessed we'd emerge somewhere along Hwy 70 in Roane County.  Eventually we did come out in Harriman in a residential area in the middle of a funeral procession!
We extricated ourselves from that mess and Kenny suggested he knew a good place for a view and a fire tower into the deal!  He said he'd take me there for an ice cream cone as a snack at McDonald's.  So that's what we did.

        We drove down to Rockwood and Mt. Roosevelt after our snack break at McDonald's.    He had been wanting me to see this spot anyway for a couple reasons.
One was that he had put up a cell tower there and a communications building on the site.
Another reason was that a friend of ours took us up onto a mountain top with a fire tower and a view years earlier.  Yet he did not think this was the same place. He was correct!
It was a different spot.  Mt. Roosevelt is a low mountain above Rockwood with Hwy 27 at its base and I-40 above it.  We both recalled the fire tower being in a different spot and in far worse shape than this one with lots more litter.    The view was spectacular today and the city or someone has put three or four picnic tables up there for public enjoyment.
The fire tower is in bad shape with about six steps missing along its entire climb to the cab.  Someone or something has set fire to the steps and they are burned badly.  The cab has a gaping hole in it and one of the decks on the climb up is missing a section.  The fence around it has been cut real bad.  Graffiti is painted on some of the structures.

    We found that there is a residence behind a fence up there on the mountain right behind the fire tower!  Old junked cars and trash make it not too hospitable when peeping back through the fence at the home.  Not a place I'd want to linger.

Mt. Roosevelt Fire Tower


View from Mt. Roosevelt

I found a piece of gnarly X-rated info spray painted on one of the fire tower stanchions.   I do hate graffitti
tags, but especially the explicit kind.  Those of you who feel the need to leave your mark on the world with graffitti are University of Iggnunce Grads. You are far less important than you think. Always remember..
Nature is supremely indifferent to whether we live or die.





     

Laurel-Snow Pocket Wilderness Hike

Blazing Star growing along the trail.

Laurel-Snow Pocket Wilderness Hike

Dana Koogler solo

Hike distance 5 mi. RT

(Out & back to Laurel Falls)

Pictures are here: 

http://tinyurl.com/955gpav

Videos are here: 

Lower Laurel Falls

Laurel Falls

Paine Creek Falls
(To see Paine Creek Falls see notes at bottom of page)

    I got up Thursday early and drove down to Dayton to hike. I'd been wanting

to hike Laurel-Snow Pocket Wilderness again.   Kenny and I hiked it about eight years earlier and it was real nice.  I don't recall everything about that trip, but I remember thinking I'd like to do it over when we'd had plenty of rain.   Today was my chance.  We got five inches of rain over the weekend with it finally drying up Wednesday.   I figured the crossing to Snow Falls would be a bust and it was.  The guide book warns that reaching Snow Falls at the far end of the hike is a wet foot crossing and that during times of heavy rain fall the creek is impassable.  Long way to hike only to have to turn around.    I contented myself with the idea of hiking the parts of the gorge that should be accessible this trip.  I was far from disappointed.

      The drive to Dayton is long at around 93 miles for me.   I got an early start, but after the drive I still did not get on the trail until 10 a.m.   Finding the wilderness itself was a challenge even with the tom tom to assist me.  I missed the turn, but realized it almost immediately and simply turned around.  I checked my directions and sure enough I was correct.  I need to update my tomtom as it seems to be on the fritz about half the time.    I had no recall of the road into the pocket wilderness.  I was not even sure I was at the right place.   It is worth mentioning that all the trash that had been in the woods at the parking area was now gone! That much I do remember.   I had called Bowater and the Tennessee Dept. of Natural Resources because folks were using the land as a dumping ground for old appliances,  household garbage, old furniture, you name it.   All of that is now cleaned up! The parking area is very tidy and improved.   

    I had not gone out of sight of the parking area when I heard a loud roaring to my right.  The creek to my left was raging, but even over that I could tell there was something off the trail to my right.  I recalled seeing that there was supposed to be a ten foot waterfall near the start of the trail.  I walked off the trail and went up the bank and followed the track others had trod.  Among room sized boulders, trees and logs was a beautiful waterfall about twenty-five feet  high. It was raging and from the point where I stood it flowed down the hill and formed a series of beautiful cascades.   The stream's flow split into about three parts among the rocks and gushed forth powerfully. 

      

Paine Creek Falls


    I continued on enjoying the view of the rushing stream to my left and the old stone structures from the mines to my right.  It was not long until I was flanked on the right by towering stone cliffs.  I passed the mine entrance and had to go in to see it.    It was dripping with water back there today.

Looking out of the mine.


One of many clusters of boulders and rapids along the stream.

      I saw only half dozen people on my hike in.  All of them were just day hiking.
I was surprised how quickly I arrived at the intersection where the trail continues straight up a short distance to the old Dayton Reservoir and the main trail veers sharply right and uphill.    I had visited the reservoir the last time so today I opted to stay on the main trail.
I saw a few blown down trees that were nearly all cleaned up and moved.  The trail was high above the stream now and provided good views of the bluffs on the far side of the gorge.  I got a good look at Buzzard Point complete with soaring, gliding buzzards!
I'll hike there next trip.

Buzzard Point viewed from the main trail.

  The trail up high continued for a short spell and soon I was rounding the bend where the forest changed character.   The air was cooler and the trail dropped to a lower level. The forest here was a healthy hemlock gorge.  I arrived at the first metal bridge over a stream.
All around me was verdant, lush and green with rushing white ribbons of water passing beneath the bridge.   Ahead on Laurel Creek I could see one cascade after another.
Just across the bridge the trail splits and goes right for Laurel Falls and left for Snow Falls.
I headed right and soon came to this spot where I had lunch. 

Lunch spot by some massive boulders and a lovely cascade on Laurel Creek.

    I followed the trail only a short distance until I arrived at Lower Laurel Falls.
It is a very pretty ten foot tall cascade on Laurel Creek.   The trail then continues
uphill.   I had to crawl through a hole in some boulders to keep going. That is how the trail is routed here. Makes it interesting.


Lower Laurel Falls

     I followed the trail uphill on some easy switchbacks.  I did not recall going this way before, but the blazes were consistent and I had no trouble finding my way.   I noticed lots of colorful Autumn wildflowers along the path.  Red hearts-a-bursting. Pale purple & white asters.  Golden asters. Goldenrod.  Pink Blazing stars.  I saw lots of bees, butterflies, and dragonflies today as well.   The stream was to my right now and filled with numerous cascades and small falls.  The terrain was treacherous and I was alone so I did not explore the gorge the way I would had I been with Kenny.   Instead I continued until
I glimpsed the top of eighty foot high Laurel Falls. I could hear it well before I could see it.
It was a raging cataract today and extremely impressive!   The spray from the falls had everything slick so I had to use caution getting close to the base.  I finally ended up
coming around to the far side of the falls to get the best photos and video footage without being drenched in mist.   The sun shining down through the spray was so pretty.  The wind was gusting. Above me against the high cliffs was another wet weather falls that was about sixty feet high.    I sat and soaked in the beauty and glory of this place today.
I was glad I had the chance to see it and I hope to be able to bring Kenny back to enjoy it.
When we were here before one thing I do recall is that it was nowhere near this much water coming over the falls.


Laurel Falls from the side.


    I can hardly wait to come back here to do some more exploring.
I eased on back toward the trail head. I encountered more people on my way out.
Most of them were kayakers!  It occurred to me that I wondered if anyone ever died kayaking Morgan Creek?   American Whitewater's statistics say no, but there have been numerous close calls.   Morgan Creek is one of the steepest streams in the area and descends the entire plateau in minutes.  Much of it is what they deem un-runnable and mandatory portages.  When extreme creek kayakers say something is un-runnable it gets my attention.   The North Pole run begins on the other side of the gorge at Snow Falls and continues down. I don't know what they consider the takeout point.

     I had a hankering to visit a fire tower today and managed to find one nearby.
I visited the attractive Summer City Fire Tower and what a day for views!


Summer City Fire Tower is accessible to the public, but the cab is locked.

View from the Summer City Fire Tower

Here is a link to a few photos from Summer City and other fire towers.
http://tinyurl.com/d6ydkoo

    I have a link posted up top to several really good videos of waterfalls from the day's outing.  I ended my day by hunting for Morphy Falls.  It was supposed to be in the area nearby.  I did find it, but was dismayed to find it was on private property.  I had pulled down into a lane and was hunting for a wide enough place to turn around safely.  I looked up and there it was right before me at the end of the road.  I figured no harm in snapping a few photos and a short video clip.  It was not a super great waterfall, but I was pleased to get to see it.   

     It was a fun day and I was tickled at having seen so many pretty and new sights.
I was also happy to get to practice using the GPS to successfully locate neat things!

**Paine Creek Falls and other beautiful waterfalls are on a side canyon where Paine Creek enters the Laurel Falls gorge from the right heading in.  You will have barely left the parking area before you encounter a side stream on the right. That is it.  There is no official trail to visit these falls, but it is possible to bushwhack/ creek crawl up there to see a series of falls. **

Kayaking on Chilhowee Lake

Glade Savory growing on the shore of Chilhowee Lake. 

Kayaking on Chilhowee Lake 

 Dana & Kenny Koogler
1.5 miles round trip 

Sunday August 5, 2012

   I talked Kenny into going kayaking with me on Sunday after church.

Tennessee Landforms lists several cool looking waterfalls you can paddle to.

I showed him some of the photos and they were grouped pretty close together.

We had paddled that far before on flat water so we knew we could do it.

We planned on hunting up Miry Branch Cascade and Nighway Branch Cascades.

We would then drive over to Rhymers Ferry and paddle across to the old Scona lodge site and hike back to Tallassee Falls.  A good days outing especially for a late start.  One 55 foot waterfall. Two 25 foot falls. One 29 foot fall. A nice day of paddling, hiking, and swimming.  

     I programmed in all the GPS coordinates for these waterfalls. We didn't need the ones for Tallassee Creek Falls, but I just wanted the practice with the GPS. I'm 

getting better at it!   Its becoming much easier.  I learn something every time I try it.   We loaded up a few snacks and drinks and headed out with kayaks in the back of the truck.     

     We drove down Foothills Parkway and the rain we'd experienced briefly in Walland let up and was done. The sun was coming out.  How nice!

We got to the boat launch at Chilhowee Lake and put in. The weather was fair.  Overcast, but warm and not too many people or boats out today. I had purchased new paddles for us both.  They were colorful Chute paddles with a nice scooped design.  I was eager to give them a try.  Today would be our first time back in the kayaks after the scary accident in March.   The new paddles were very light weight.

They moved the water better than the previous paddles.  We were digging them.

Having a good time.  I had the camera in a dry bag and the GPS is water proof so I had it running, but lay it atop my backpack between my knees.   

      We found the first cove where Miry Branch merges with Chilhowee Lake.

It was an easy paddle.   Easy to find the first location.  We paddled up to the shore and it was so pretty.  We spotted an old road bed coming right down to the lake shore on the far side!   We also saw a camp site right there by the lake.  It was very pretty.  We found the first waterfall and it sucked. It was way smaller. Only about 15 feet high and had a downed tree right in the middle of it.   It started pouring rain.  We hiked further up the old road bed to see what was back there? Clearly someone has private property accessing the lake shore and it is posted.  Someone had been driving an ATV in the area right down to the lake from the private land.

        We did see a hawk and the forest was pretty. We heard the ominous crack of a tree falling to our left on the bank.   I saw the most filled out cranefly orchid I'd ever seen at the camp site.   Kenny was grousing about the rain and about being disappointed in the waterfall.  He was not blaming me, but he was fussing.   He swore off paddling to any more waterfalls "unless they were really spectacular year round, stunners".    The rain checked up a little and we hopped in the kayaks and started back across the lake while the getting was good.

        It was fortunate we decided to do so.  Halfway across the lake the lightning and thunder intensified.   I did me some praying.  We made it out of there just before the next batch of rain hit.   Driving home the rain was beating down so hard you could barely see to drive and the wind was whipping.  We were glad to be safe and dry.  We laughed at our luck and Kenny got over being mad.

     He says he'll still paddle back the mouth of Abrams Creek with me when the weather cools down a little.   We are planning on paddling back there and hunting up Panther Creek Falls. We went before and turned around and headed out just shy of it so its a point of pride with him and with me.    It was March the month we went and the snakes were thick back there. We got chased by wild hogs too so we were poorly prepared. A return trip will mean going with a better GPS and both of us with better navigation skills.  It will also mean taking a pistol now that one can bring a weapon into the national park.   It is right there by Happy Valley. 
Every August brings the disappearance of Michael Hearon to mind. He vanished August 23, 2008 and has not been seen or heard from again.  He was at his parents home in Happy Valley keeping up the old home place.  It is sad.  You go to mow your deceased parents yard and keep up their home and vanish?

      I strongly suspect he is not among the living anymore. I also suspect someone knows what happened to him.  I don't mess around Happy Valley alone.
Gary Powell told me years ago that it was a bad place to be and not to go there alone.   It is advice I took to heart and will always keep.   My prayers and sympathies to the Hearon Family.

 

  

Our starting place on the shores of Chilhowee Lake at the boat launch.

Kenny paddling back across and laughing.

The far shore where we hopped out. This is the mouth of Miry Branch.

Cranefly Orchid in the rain. The binomial for this specis is Tipularia discolor. It is a native orchid species named for the cranefly that it resembles. Craneflies look like giant mosquitoes. They do not bite people or feed on blood. They are called Mosquito Hawks, but they do not feed on or kill mosquitoes either.

Indian Boundary Camping Trip

Dragonfly along the road.

Indian Boundary Camping Trip

Dana & Kenny Koogler
Friday July 27- Sunday July 29, 2012

Pictures are here:

Indian Boundary Camping Trip Pictures

**This is a repaired blog entry with one photo missing
and  the video added at the bottom**

      I  had wanted to get down to Indian Boundary to camp again and I had no trouble talking Kenny into it. It is such a beautiful place to camp, but it is very popular. I managed to get us reservations for the weekend we wanted. Kenny lucked out and got done with work at half day on Friday so we were able to get our trip started sooner.  We were able to set up camp and fix dinner very leisurely. We had time to get out and take a nice walk with the dog around the lake.  It was cooling down in the evening and the sun was setting. 

Our camp site was very neat and shady.  I found lots of orchids blooming around the lake!  It was beautiful and an unexpected find so that made it special.

     We slept well and go our day going on Saturday.  We had lots of waterfalls we wanted to hunt up.   The first one bombed out seeing as how it turned out to be on private property.

We did get to see the Tellico Round House which was very cool.  Doc Rogers tried to turn this into a hotel, but the fire marshal shut him down.  He and his wife lived in it for the last six years of his life.

Tellico Round House 

Day lily along dirt road near Tellico Round House.

  

The second batch  of three waterfalls also flopped since they are across the big river.  They would need  a lot of rain to be worth seeing and this was not the case today.  We'll work on those another time after plenty of rain.   I think I have found a way to reach the first of them by land and if there is a way to creep up the river bank to the next ones further up stream then we can see all of those.  I still say I need a harpoon gun to shoot an arrow across rivers into a tree to make a Tyrolean traverse possible. :-D

     We opted to explore North River which was perfect.   It has lots of peaceful pools, cascades and small falls along it.  It was something we'd always wanted to do and finally had the chance today.   I jumped in at one particularly good falls where there was a deep pool and went skinny dipping. I did not plan on it, but I did not bring a change of clothes and I did not want to get Kenny's beautiful new truck wet.

The falls was mossy and green and the water was cool and refreshing.  The water was deep enough here to actually swim around and not touch bottom. I swam all around.  Obey got in and went swimming also.   I could swim toward the falls and the current kept me pushed back.  I took my time and stayed in long as I wanted. I got out and Kenny had sweetly brought me a towel to dry off.  It was very relaxing.

Small Waterfall on North River with a great swimming hole. It's also good for skinny dipping, but it is right by the road so don't do it if you're shy! 

 

     We continued up the road to the next falls which was known.  We had directions in the guidebook and Tom's Tennessee Land forms GPS coordinates.   We found it and it was a pretty nine foot waterfall.  No good swimming hole here though.  We checked it out and since it was nearly one in the afternoon we ate lunch here on the tail gate of the truck.

It was exactly what I had wanted. I love dirt roads, quiet places and exploring them with Kenny.   I've been dragging around on old dirt roads for my whole life. I grew up with one paved road and one dirt road by my house. I have dirt road withdrawals if I stay away too long.    The forest here was quiet and beautiful.   Cardinal flower bloomed with its red spikes showing here and there.  Spotted jewelweed was along the road and creeks in many places.  Pale jewelweed was another common flower.

     We followed the road upward.  Just wanting to see where it came out. We knew we'd want to go by Whigg Meadow up near the top and this road should take us in that direction.    I looked down over the bank and saw a silvery white ribbon in the forest below. The cry of "Waterfall!" went up and we backed the truck to a stopping place and quickly gathered our stuff to go check it out.   We got down there and it was a nice 25 foot waterfall with an amazing amount of water for a headwaters stream!   Above it was a series of ledge cascades and a nice 8 foot waterfall capping it off.   We explored the woods and the stream and hugged and kissed and cheered at our discovery!   It was not listed in any guidebook. It was not on Tennessee Landforms! New to us!  New to add to the collection!

Obey was so excited he did the bear dance. He races around in the woods and barked and growled and bowed his tail up and set his hackles.  He is funny!  We both want to come back to see this falls during a time of significant rain fall.  It is gushing in a dry time!

     

  

Nice 25 footer gushing on North River


      We climbed back up the bank and got something cold to drink.  Obey had been drinking creek water and swimming again so he was ready for a nap. He piled in the back of the truck and in no time he was snoring.   We continued up the road seeing beautiful forests and Summer wildflowers.  We saw very few people or vehicles.   The folks we did encounter were all peaceful and in good spirits. 
Lots of crimson bee balm, purple phlox and greenheaded cone flowers in bloom.
Driving up further and further toward Whigg Meadow one may notice a strange phenomenon.   I got the sense of being squashed from a visual perspective.  The trees at high elevations often get stunted and it is really noticeable when driving. I notice it when hiking, but today it was pronounced and very odd!  All the trees suddenly became squat and lowered.   The vegetation and forest type changes to mostly beech and birch.   

       We arrived at the trail head for Whigg Meadow.   We have hiked here before via Mud Gap.   It is a pretty hike from any direction or you may drive up here and hike across.  

Whigg Meadow is an open, grassy bald.  It is kept that way through man's intervention.  Grandstand views from up here!


Path of Thorns.... The way down to the beautiful spring fed pond just below Whigg Meadow. I did not think  Kenny was  going to walk down there with me, but he cowboy-ed up and did it. He doesn't know that he's married to ole Briar Rose herself! 

Spring fed pond below the Whigg.  It is worth fighting the briars to get down here. If you're camping on the meadow it is your water source so you've gotta face the weeds and briars at some point! The spring is on the far side of the pond.
     Spring fed pond at Whigg Meadow. 
We hiked back up the hill and across the meadow.  Kenny showed me where a bear had dug up a bees nest.  The yellow jackets were still coming out of the ground so we adjusted course to avoid them.   Yellow jackets nests in the trail are something else to watch out for when hiking in Summer time.  I forgot to tell that on the way across the meadow my too big shorts were leaving me. I did not want to admit I had not thrown them out as I promised.  I put my bandana through the front two belt loops and tied it tight keeping my britches up.  It looked hellish though so I put  my shirt down over it.  Still looked bad, but we were almost ready to go back to camp.  I got tickled and had one of those really good fits of laughter that will near bout make ya pee yourself and always makes ya weak.  I was fighting through one of those fits when Kenny turned round and figured out what I'd done.  He got to laughing with me.  We're two well matched idiots. I DID throw the shorts out when I got back to the camper. I knew if I kept them I'd do it again.
Undisciplined as I am.   They fit fine when they came out of the dryer!

      We drove back to the camper and rested.  Kenny took a nap. I read and took a shower.  I prepared a nice dinner for us. Baked potatoes, grilled bacon wrapped filets,  green beans and sliced watermelon. Yummy!   We sat outside and relaxed.
We drove around to the  beach to watch the sun set. 


   
The Gloaming at Indian Boundary.


      We watched Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol and went to bed. I was very tired.   I still didn't rest well.  I woke up dreaming and upset numerous times.
Our son-in-law, Adam was deploying on Monday.  I could not get that off my mind.
It kept me up a good part of the night.  Morning came with a black cloud hanging over me.   A feeling I never did shake.  I was not handling it well. 

    We ate breakfast and headed out to Citico to try to hunt up another waterfall.
Turned out that Cold Springs Road is closed due to numerous downed trees. Frustrating, but funny.  We by-passed the road block and went on anyhow.
We managed to get under the first mass of trees across the road.   We saw where someone else had done the same and started sawing up logs and moving them.
Then just around the bend out of sight....... too many trees down across the road to count!  Ugh!   What a beotch!  Fek it. I ain't able to saw and move that many trees or logs!  We started laughing and said aw screw it and just turned around heading out of there.   
Lumber Jack Hell!**Photo lost of logs down over the road here**

     We headed back to Double Camp to see the cascades and hike Crowder Branch Trail.   We did stop to see the cascades and they were pretty.
We found Crowder Branch Trail head and hiked that.  I still was not in the proper frame of mind.   I was fighting it.  Kenny could tell something was wrong with me.
I was growing sadder.   I did not enjoy the hike.  I did see some pretty forest and found some club spur orchids.  That was nice.  Obey dug up a yellow jackets nest and had his first experience with bees.  A lesson learning time. I raked the yellow jackets off his butt and squashed them into the dirt.  We ran like crazy to get distance between us and the disturbed nest.  


         We got in the creek and soaked to cool off.   We drove back to camp.
Citico Creek was very pretty with lots of people fishing and swimming and camping. 

Crowder Branch Trail is beautiful.

Double Camp Cascade


     Back at camp I tried to eat lunch, but finally admitted to Kenny I was struggling emotionally and just wanted to go home.  I did not care about anything else.  I wanted to see Adam, Crystal and Michael.  I went to the bathroom to have my melt down. I finally pulled it together enough to eat lunch and pack to go home.
Kenny hugged on me and comforted me.  He told me he could see that coming.  I was trying to stay busy to deny it, but that never works. 

        We packed and headed home to see our kids and spend time with them.
I hate to say it, but I'll be glad when this is over.  All I can do is pray and trust.
That will have to be enough.

Hawk Soaring. I need the hawk's eye view of the current situation.

“Doth the hawk fly by thy wisdom, and stretch her wings toward the south? / Doth the eagle mount up at thy command, and make her nest on high? / She dwelleth and abideth on the rock, upon the crag of the rock, and the strong place.” ~~Job 39: 26-28

Below is a video that is short clips of various waterfalls along North River.

Little River Trail to Goshen Prong Cascades

Little River Trail to Goshen Prong Cascades

Dana Koogler solo
10.6 miles round trip
Thursday July 12, 2012

Pictures are here:

Goshen Prong Pix

(these images are not from that trip linked above, but I lost many of the original photos thanks to Facebook)

     I had a bad experience with trying to take Obey hiking this particular week.  I wanted to take him with me hiking to the woods and figured he'd be all about it.  Instead he ate my seat belt in the jeep and was a general pain.   I decided to go to the Smokies which I often don't because he is not welcome there.  I was put out with his behavior so he was not welcome to come along with me anyhow.  I took a notion I wanted to hike Little River Trail up to Goshen Prong Cascades.  I had this vague feeling that I had perhaps bitten off more than I could chew hiking distance wise, but I ignored it.  I had done it before and it was fine. I hiked it then in ninety-five degree weather. I'd done it before in Autumn so I knew I'd be ok.

       I wanted to see how bad the trails were damaged after the huge wind storm July 5th, 2012.    I got an early start so I didn't see anyone on the trail except a ranger on the way in.   I talked to him about the trail conditions and he said that the Little River Trail was in fine shape. He went on to say that Goshen Prong while closed to use was worst from CS 23 up to the Appalachian Trail.  I told him I planned to hike up Goshen Prong Trail just as far as the cascades and double back. 

     It seemed like no time at all and I was already at Huskey Branch Cascade.

It was gushing today and the swimming hole in the river below it was beautiful.

Above: Huskey Branch Cascade

Below is a video of Huskey Branch Cascade

Below: 
Huskey Branch Cascade flows beneath a bridge and into Little River.


 Below: Swimming Hole in Little River @ Huskey Branch Cascade




Goshen Prong --one of a series of low sliding cascades


     Below is a video that illustrates the trail damage on Goshen Prong after the derecho. 

I continued on up the trail and finally arrived at the junction with Goshen Prong Trail.  I sat down and ate my lunch and rested.  I continued down this trail and started seeing downed trees just before the metal "Goshen Gate Bridge".  Nothing too bad. Easy to step through or around thus far.  I saw some turks cap lilies also.
Pale jewelweed bloomed along the trail.  It was not long til I started seeing an increase in the amount and scope of trail damage.  Downed trees were everywhere and the further into the back country I went the worse it grew.

   At one point the downed trees were almost entirely covering the stream.
It made me feel a little sad since this is one of my favorite trails.   I hoped the cascades would not be completely clogged with trees?  

Goshen Gate Bridge-- All hikers in this area should be VERY glad for this bridge. Goshen Prong is not a stream crossing to be trifled with.  It is a wide, deep stream that would be dangerous to cross when the water is up.
Goshen Prong Trail--I never saw another soul on this trail today.


Goshen Prong Cascades--there are several along this trail. Ledge type cascades. The last one is heading up to the A.T. past the campsite. 

Below is a video of Goshen Prong Cascade



Turks Cap Lily along Goshen Prong Trail.

Goshen Prong


    I struggled my way through the downed trees and made it to the cascades.
I was able to take photos and video of them, but there were a couple downed trees in the way.   Not as bad as it could have been, but still torn up.
It is going to be a long time until this mess is cleared and this trail and campsite are reopened is my opinion.    It gave me a slightly bad vibe. I didn't tarry long.
I turned and headed back. I knew what was facing me in dealing with the trees again and the long hike back out.  

     I saw lots of folks on my way out. I ran into Ranger Kim DeLozier who surprised me that he remembered me from a previous meeting.   We all got rained on seriously!  It rained on my way back out and how. I put on my rain jacket. I did not bring the rain pants as it was warm.  I found that my rain coat turned into a funnel sending all the water to my crotch.  I tuned out the discomfort and continued on.
I remembered that I had a dry change of clothes in the jeep.  I had fresh dry clothes and shoes. I had snacks and cold drinks for the ride home. I could hang on til then.  The sun came out and started drying things off a little bit before I made it back to the jeep.   I was tired, stinky, muddy, bark and leaves in my hair which now looked like a Gorgon.  Blonde snakes! Every piece of hair has a mind of its own. 

      I got back to the jeep and found the parking area polluted with people.
I opened that vehicle up. Stowed my gear.  Got out my dry clothes. Shucked off the wet, dirty ones. Threw them in the back. I stood there butt nekkid with that wild wooly head and gave everyone around me a HARD LOOK daring them to say a word.  I put on my dry duds and sighed.  I climbed in and ate a snack. I drank a cold drink.  I drove home listening to some excellent tunes.  Sometimes it pays to be "Nell".  Tay hey in da wi-hin! 


Last of all is a video of the beautiful sparkling clear Little River