An October 2023 Appalachian Trail journey by four friends beginning at Testanee Gap and hiking to Dicks Creek Gap, Georgia. The goal of the trip was to allow Jay to make up 32 miles of trail he had missed during previous trips, the other 3 hikers were just “tagging along!” With winter quickly approaching and bursting fall colors changing daily, this trip became a challenge not only to complete but the hunt of an unexpected vital necessity and that was water. Prior to leaving for the trip, we had been told that water was scarce but was available. The lack of water nearly caused us to abandon our efforts mid-trip, but when you are up on the trail you can’t just step off. Many miles from a road crossing in any direction you had better find a water source somewhere or suffer the consequences!
Our gang prepares to begin the trip after being dropped off at Testanee Gap.Even Lake Chatuge was low compared to years past. We left the car at “Around the Bend Hostel” near Dick’s Creek Gap. After having stayed at several Hostels over the years this was by far the nicest! Hundreds of worn out boots adorn this tree outside the Hostel. This fireplace at Lake Chatuge Lodge became a topic of conversation during cold nights up on the AT.Our shuttle driver “Grace” dropped us off at Testanee Gap to begin this journey. Grace is a retired Hillsborough County Deputy and knows her way around these mountains. On the top of this hill sits “Hogpen Gap” which is the peak of an incredibly tough climb at the “Six Gap” bicycle race held every September in Dahlonega, Ga. Cyclists often attain speeds of 60mph + coming off Hogpen. This plaque is affixed to a large rock at Unicoi Gap. And so it begins…These white blazes mark the Appalachian Trail. Make sure you see one every so often ensures you are on the trail. Jay works his way up the trail. Bob works his way towards the top of Hogpen Gap. What may be mistaken as trash left on the trail is actually “Trail Magic” left by “Trail Angels”. Trail Angels are aware of the serious drought on the mountains and leave gallon jugs of water near where the trail crosses a road. These jugs were a God send and helped us to complete our hike. Thanks Trail Angels! Night one was spent at Low Gap Shelter. Bob takes a breather before dinner after a long day on the AT.This fire was hard to start due to a rainy night before however the heat it produced was welcomed due to a cold wind on top of the mountain! Dinner is prepared on a “Pocket Rocket” stove and a can of MSR fuel. As the sun drops so do the temperatures at Low Gap Shelter. We came across this good water source along the trail. The water was flowing good off this mossy vine compared to many other “water sources” we encountered on the trail. Late October on the AT offers beautiful views of the changing fall foliage. In a couple of weeks all these beautiful leaves will be gone and the trees will be bare. Jim gives a thumbs up as he prepares to keep walking the AT. The forest contains millions of old growth hardwoods like this and older. Jay uses his new MSR Miniworks water filtration pump to gather water after a long day on the trail. This pump proved to be invaluable as it allowed us to gather and filter water in very small areas. This water filtration system kept us from having to abandon the trek. Jay and Bob filter water. Having a good supply of drinking water at dinner and at breakfast makes life a lot easier. Many of the water sources were so small we added purification tablets to our water bottles. This is the end of the water purification pump that draws the water up to the filter. Notice how smalll the water source is. There was a salamander hiding in the crack just in front of the end of the system. Salamanders are very prevalent on the trail. The mighty Warbonnet Blackbird XLC is hung between two trees in preparation for a windy AT night! Campfires were hard to get started due to recent rains. The sun sets on the AT, many people find comfort in shelters like this, some refer to them as “the shelter crowd”. Jim has his tent ready for the night! These rock steps are part of the Appalachian Trail. Climbing these steps with a pack on your back can make for a long day! The mountain foliage is beginning to change. Within a few short weeks all these leaves will be gone as winter sets in. Watch your step when these rocks get wet and slick! Mountain mushrooms along the side of the trail. This is a burl on a dead log next to the trail. What a beautiful bowl it would make! A windy rainstorm the night before made this colorful carpet along the Appalachian Trail. The AT Canopy consists of old growth hardwoods. Jay checks his “Far Out” app to determine the latest information on available water!Don’t let this fuzzy little fellow crawl into your sleeping bag! Jay pushes on with his new trail shoes! Always looking for a way to cut weight, these shoes are much lighter than the old hiking boots. Another hollow log next to the trail. This one contained no Keebler Elves but likely housed a family of possums! We walked thru a large patch of these autumn blooms. The views off the trail were beautiful. Jay eases his way down this stairway. The remote backcountry is no place to fall and injure yourself, safety is paramount. Blood Red Sweet Gum LeavesThe white blaze dictates the Appalachian Trail, however the blue blazes dictates water. We didn’t venture down this trail in search of water and we hope water was plentiful down this trail…but we doubt it. These two gallon jugs of water are known as “Trail Magic”, and were left next to the trail by “Trail Angels”. We used Trail Magic several times to “water up”. The autumn views were incredible! This was the water “source” a couple hundred yards downhill of the Tray Mountain Shelter. This pipe came out of the side of the mountain and should have offered plenty of water. Unfortunately the water coming out of this pipe was nothing more than a trickle. Again water was scarce. Making miles…..This is a hornets nest near the Appalachian Trail.
Thirty two miles and four days/three nights later we walked off the Appalachian Trail at Dicks Creek Gap. The last day we encountered rain, hail, heavy wind and dropping temperatures. Mountain weather can change quickly. Regardless, we pushed on and soon the sun came out again. This was a beautiful trip and reiterated what we had learned previously and that is the Appalachian Trail through Georgia ain’t no joke! It was beautiful yet very arduous. The club that maintains the AT in Georgia does an outstanding job, much better than others we have seen north of here. Water was scarce and had Jay not brought his MSR water filter our trip would have ended early. Once again we were reminded of the importance of reducing weight on the trail. We have cut and cut yet our backpacks still seemed too heavy. So it goes….we will keep reducing weight in an effort to make these mountain treks a little more manageable.
Many Thanks to God and to those who made this trip possible. It was a team effort and a great opportunity to challenge ourselves to enjoy the beautiful Appalachian Trail. Until next year…….
Blackwater Images 