Being today was back to being another bluebird day we set out to hike back out of the foothills and inward back up the mountain to close our loop for the week at Shuck stack fire tower ( the one we missed in the fog on day one).
Passed more early mountain settlement sites along and one cool historical home which had been kept up but is now falling into disrepair. This was the last piece of a boom town logging community built in 1908 and lasting until logged out 18 yrs.
Our trek back up the mountain was 2.7miles long on a remote path called Lost Cove trail. It was a MOTHER, with 11 tricky stream crossings and a 3000 ft rise in elevation. The toughest of the week, would have been impossible without trekking poles which were vital for the log/rock crossings and powering up the ever steep climb. Eventually made it to stick high fives and on to the old fire tower for some more amazing views over the range. Had planned on stealth camping up in it but decided it was too shaky with the floor rotting out and wind shaking the whole thing around. Ended up back here at our first day mountainside camp site and the last of our dehydrated dinners. Super quiet surreal night for our last dinner meal.
Passed more early mountain settlement sites along and one cool historical home which had been kept up but is now falling into disrepair. This was the last piece of a boom town logging community built in 1908 and lasting until logged out 18 yrs.
Our trek back up the mountain was 2.7miles long on a remote path called Lost Cove trail. It was a MOTHER, with 11 tricky stream crossings and a 3000 ft rise in elevation. The toughest of the week, would have been impossible without trekking poles which were vital for the log/rock crossings and powering up the ever steep climb. Eventually made it to stick high fives and on to the old fire tower for some more amazing views over the range. Had planned on stealth camping up in it but decided it was too shaky with the floor rotting out and wind shaking the whole thing around. Ended up back here at our first day mountainside camp site and the last of our dehydrated dinners. Super quiet surreal night for our last dinner meal.
Trail magic we left one of the climbing ropes we had found and used for big crossing at the campsite on departing.
Funnies:
1) We actually passed the white house 3 times as Dan had succeeded in convincing me we were on the wrong trail after we had hiked a mile UP the mountain! This led to some good banter
2) Lunch today consisted of the jar of Skippy's peanut butter Dan lugged around all week and a couple of my salmon packets. All we had and we savored it like it was our last.
3) after I led up the last third of the especially steep climb and summited with Dan behind snorting like a locomotive as we approached the top. And after we both sucked in air to speak again he goes "whew I was worried about how I was going to drag you up that section"! This from the same guy who had us pass the house 3 times back at the beginning.
1) We actually passed the white house 3 times as Dan had succeeded in convincing me we were on the wrong trail after we had hiked a mile UP the mountain! This led to some good banter
2) Lunch today consisted of the jar of Skippy's peanut butter Dan lugged around all week and a couple of my salmon packets. All we had and we savored it like it was our last.
3) after I led up the last third of the especially steep climb and summited with Dan behind snorting like a locomotive as we approached the top. And after we both sucked in air to speak again he goes "whew I was worried about how I was going to drag you up that section"! This from the same guy who had us pass the house 3 times back at the beginning.
signs of an early life in the mountains
The historic Calhoun House at Proctor Point. Logging town 1908 -1926 
Lunch today is Skippy's and Tuna 
one of 11 stream crossings going up Lost Cove Trail
Couldn't have done this twice
Summiting the infamous Lost Cove trail and back on AT (toughest 2.7 on our loop)
Atop the Shuckshack fire tower
morning after last nights stealth site (closed loop to back to where it all started)
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