Fiery Gizzard (Aug 2013)

L2R: Levi, Michael, Ty, Chris, Troy

Day One: 4.8 Miles
Day Two: 8.2 Miles
Trip Total: 13

"Damn that fiery gizzard!!" when said by Davy Crockett may have been in response to burning himself on an actual turkey gizzard, but rest assured every time we said it on this trip, we weren't talking about turkey. The Fiery Gizzard trail from Grundy Forest to Foster Falls is 13 miles of beautiful hell.

After leisurely going 1.3 miles from the parking lot we came to Sycamore Falls a 12' waterfall and a one of our favorite spots on the trail. We hung out here for close to an hour swimming, fishing, and goofing off. From that spot to Raven Point Campsite is an insanely difficult 3.1 mile path in which each step is onto unstable and slick rocks. The elevation gains and losses are always offset by each other. The final .5 mile makes you question every single item you chose to include in your overall pack weight.

Raven Point Campsite is a nice spot and Raven Point is a beautiful view. It was nearly dark when Michael, Ty, and myself headed to get water. We misunderstood the directions to the nearest water source from some other campers and ended up going out of the way to the base of Anderson Falls for water (not a fun climb back!!)

The second day was just as amazing and a little less strenuous with the exception of the .1 of a mile ascent out of Laurel Gorge. This was the toughest part of the entire trail and caused me a fair amount of concern for Levi who had recently lost allot of weight battling Crohns Disease. Levi, just as the rest of us, powered through it and was rewarded with a much more level surface at the top.

From this point on we saw a fair amount of people doing day hikes from Foster Falls. Foster Falls itself is a 60' spectacular waterfall surrounded by 120' overlooks and symbolizes a successful completion of the Fiery Gizzard.

Although difficult, this trip is one of the most rewarding in Tennessee and I will most certainly come back for another round.

Cavemen on this trip:
   Troy Walls
   Levi Donoho
   Michael Marshall
   Chris Wood
   Ty Dixon

Total Cavemen Miles: 41.45

Sycamore Falls

Chris and Michael peering off into an old coal mine.

Foster Falls

Laurel-Snow Pocket Wilderness (Jan 2013)

L2R: Troy, Levi, Michael

Day One: 4.7 Miles
Day Two: 8.8 Miles
Total: 13.5

The day before this winter excursion Chris came down with the flu and had to back out of the trip leaving Levi, Michael, and myself to tackle the pocket wilderness alone. The week leading up to this trip was filled with cold and ice. Even on the drive up things were looking a little intimidating (see pic below) considering lack of experience we had with winter camping.

Arriving at the parking lot we were shocked to see over 20 cars. This was a stark contrast to our last trip in the grassy cove. As it turns out this is a popular destination for all types of outdoor activities like bouldering, kayaking, rappelling, and hiking. By nightfall we were the only ones that decided to stick around and brave the cool night temps.

The hike itself was awesome!! At all times and in every direction we looked we were surrounded by absolute beauty. The creeks, falls, overlooks, and rock houses did not disappoint in the slightest and I understand why this place is so popular.

Points of interest:
Richland Creek - This fast moving creek is filled with white water and large boulders and acts as the centerpiece for the area.
Richland Mine - A stinky and wet leftover mine tunnel.
Laurel Falls - An 80 foot cataract that could be seen from across the gorge.
Buzzard Point - This often ignored (by guidebooks) overlook is well worth visiting.
Dunn Overlook - One of our favorite spots!! The massive span of power-lines do not detract from this gorgeous view back down Richland Creek and you can also see Laurel Falls from here.
Snow-Falls - Nice 30 foot falls that pictures can't do justice too.



Cavemen on this trip:
   Troy Walls
   Levi Donoho
   Michael Marshall

Total Cavemen Miles: 28.45

Brady-Black Mountain (Grassy Cove Section) August 2012

From L2R: Levi, Chris, Troy, Chad

Day One:6.5
Brady Mountain 6.5 miles
Day Two: 8.45
Brady Mountain 1.25
Road Hike 0.7
Black Mountain 3.8
Black Mountain Loop 1.7
Shortcut: 1
Total:14.95 

This was the first backpacking trip for all of us so we were over packed and over prepared, except Chris. Chris showed up looking like he was ready to play a game of pickup basketball with shorts, and old pair of sneakers, and a regular backpack he had laying around the house. All laughs aside the rest of us were equally silly with the giant sleeping bags, heavy fold up shovels, and excessive amounts of flashlights we brought.

We parked one car at the top of Black Mountain and then drove to the Jewitt Road Trail-head. Jewitt Road is a haggard gravel road with plenty of ruts and potholes.

My overall thoughts on the trip are that it was a perfect first experience for the cavemen. It was extremely remote (we were the only ones on the trail on day 1), had some major elevation gains (reminding us how much conditioning we lacked), and a couple of breathtaking overlooks.

I would caution anyone taking this trip that water is scarce and campsites are even scarcer.

In addition to the things we learned on this trip about over-packing, we also discovered how beneficial these types of trips could be for our mind, body, and soul. Grassy Cove will always hold a special place in my heart for being the first.

Cavemen on this trip:
   Troy Walls
   Levi Donoho
   Chad Garrett
   Chris Wood

Cavemen total miles: 14.95