Woke up tat the base of the foothills all was wet but not raining. Hoped to walk/ dry everything out however as it turned out the day stayed misty but thankfully warmer so food for hiking however bad for feet. Today we are heading generally southwest across the lower foothills on the Benton MacKaye. Soon had the toe of the hills cut off by the man made beginning source of Lake Fontana then the trail up down and overs on each hog back because the toe of each was now in the lake
The woods fin this lower section of the forest felt much like hiking back home with largely deciduous past many early home mountain cabin sites with only the crumbling hand laid stone chimney left and bits of mason jars, cast iron stove and such in the hovels. Tough life it undoubtedly was. We marveled and wondered out how they wood ever get in and out for even the bare essentials. No doubt many buried right here.
You could tell there must have been a mountain woman in the hollows too attempting to make it home as we saw daffodils, holly, forsythia, and Boxwood growing about. Several daffodil bunches up on the hillside up behind a former cabin location. Wondered about the people and stories we were walking over.
The woods fin this lower section of the forest felt much like hiking back home with largely deciduous past many early home mountain cabin sites with only the crumbling hand laid stone chimney left and bits of mason jars, cast iron stove and such in the hovels. Tough life it undoubtedly was. We marveled and wondered out how they wood ever get in and out for even the bare essentials. No doubt many buried right here.
You could tell there must have been a mountain woman in the hollows too attempting to make it home as we saw daffodils, holly, forsythia, and Boxwood growing about. Several daffodil bunches up on the hillside up behind a former cabin location. Wondered about the people and stories we were walking over.
Trail magic Dan returned the favor and left the tarp which someone had left for him for the next person in need.
Funnies/ interesting
Hiking for a couple days now largely alone we came across a guy headed our direction. He was carry a rod a reel which is hard to hike with, desperate to get at least a bite. Said they have been skunked for two days. Turns out he was with a group of 3 but he was way out ahead of his older brother "big amp" (he did turn out to be a big boy). First guy said to give him hell to move along when we came upon him to move along. We kept on for about 1 1/2 hrs. before coming on Big Amp and relayed to him the tail of us seeing his brother way up ahead slaying fish. Poor Big Amp took it hook line and sinker and was savoring the thought of finally eating fish tonight. Said to be sure to tell the other two lagging about 1/2 hr. behind him. One of them a first time camper.
As it turned out we saw a bunch of wild boar activity in this section. So when we came upon these two we got all riled up and informed them of the momma hog with young we ran into between Big Amp and them which we had to fend off with our trekking poles to get by. These two moved on cautiously on high alert. Luckily we continued on in the opposite direction and didn't later run into any of these boys.
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yet another dryout attempt
wet hiking damage
past multiple log cabin site with only the hand laid chimney left standing. Local red clay was used for mortar
remnants of logging life in the foothills
Lake Fontana
Lost Cove Creek Crossings
We couldn't have done this one twice
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