Gunsight or Gunshot falls??

[tjs1963]

I did a quick word search and didn't get any results on the forum.  A photo-hiking buddy I took out to Bankhead/Sipsey this weekend said he went on a WildSouth hike with Janice a few years ago and they visited a falls he thought was called either Gunsight or Gunshot, or Gun-something!!  He remembered going west on Cranal to the stop sign and then turning right and heading north. 

Anyone on here willing to give up a little info on this one?

Thanks
Terri

[Pully]

hmm...interestin g. I haven't heard of it. I'm wondering if it would be the Skyhole Falls in the Quillan area

[tjs1963]

Don't know.  He said it was a "cross country" type of walk, no official trail.
Here's a link to a picture of it, but you can't really see much of the surroundings:
http://www.flickr.com/pho.../3239737659/in/datetaken/

He's one of the guys with us when we met you and Toph Sunday morning.

Terri

[Pully]

That's not the one I was thinking of.

oh okay.

[Joshua Szulecki]

I don't know anything about a Gunshot/Gunsight falls, but names in Sipsey are somewhat in flux, where there are any... That photo reminds me A LOT of one of the side falls on Eagle Creek below Eagle Creek Falls. Jay has a photo of it here: http://jahudson.wiki.hoover.k12.al.us/EagleCreek

Maybe that's it?

[McDowra]

You got me on that one, does he have anymore pictures of the waterfall and area we could see?

[toph]

Doesn't look like anything in Jay's album to me nor anything I've seen in the Eagle/Little Ugly drainage.  Terri's directions indicate something in the NW like Parker, Quillan, Thompson or Hubbard but I don't recognize it.  Surely Janice could identify it.

[Uncle Wayne]

I've never heard of a falls called either of those names.  I asked 3 old timers who have lived in separate parts of Bankhead for going on 80 years each and none of them know of a falls by that name.

I don't recognize it as one I've ever seen. I'm still looking and have one more source to check with tomorrow.

[Joshua Szulecki]

Doesn't look like anything in Jay's album to me nor anything I've seen in the Eagle/Little Ugly drainage.  Terri's directions indicate something in the NW like Parker, Quillan, Thompson or Hubbard but I don't recognize it.  Surely Janice could identify it.

The only thing is that Jay's photo is from a different angle. It is *possible* that the photographer used a higher focal length than Jay, and that, combined with the difference in perspective, changed the view enough that we don't recognize it. That said... With the number of waterfalls in the area, there are only a handful that I can identify from such a tight shot...so... Maybe somebody should contact Janice.

[tjs1963]

Here's what he says under the picture:
"Not sure exactly which falls this is. I came across it on a hike "off-trail" led by Janice Barrett w/ "Wild South" last May. We were going to "Gun-Sight Falls" and I'm not sure if this was it. Actually didn't have to climb down in to get the shot. However, I did bring back more deer ticks than I have ever seen in my life. "

So, it's possible that the photo is not actually Gunsight, but he was on a trip to see Gunsight.  I emailed him and asked if he had any other shots of it that would offer a larger perspective.  Haven't heard back yet.  Could someone email Janice and ask her?  I guess I can find her email address on the website.  I'll check too.
Terri

[Uncle Wayne]

The only thing is that Jay's photo is from a different angle. It is *possible* that the photographer used a higher focal length than Jay, and that, combined with the difference in perspective, changed the view enough that we don't recognize it. That said... With the number of waterfalls in the area, there are only a handful that I can identify from such a tight shot...so... Maybe somebody should contact Janice.

I did and she hasn't replied yet.  Her son was in my Boy Scout Troop years ago.  I'll let you know what she says.

[McDowra]

Here is closest looking falls picture i can find but is the wrong angle

[Joshua Szulecki]

Here is closest looking falls picture i can find but is the wrong angle

Which falls is that?

[McDowra]

Which falls is that?

top falls in parker cascade

[tjs1963]

Got a response from Janice @ WildSouth:

"Gunsight falls is in a very remote area on the western side of of Bankhead.  I can't tell you where it is as it is completely off-trail after the first mile or so and quite a convoluted route.
The hike begins in the Kinlock Historic Area at the closed Forest Service Road that leads to the trail into Kinlock Shelter.  The waterfall is part of the headwaters of Hubbard Creek."

Kind of vague.  Wish she had at least had a GPS coordinate.  Anyway, does this ring a bell with any of you guys?  I'm assuming that it is west of Kinlock Road (north/south road from Cranal to Byler).  But the "headwaters" part?  Does she mean actually on Hubbard Creek on one of the feeders?

[Joshua Szulecki]

Wow... Not at all where I was expecting. I've no clue beyond intuition on this one. Based on the route of that road, my personal bet would be at 34.311858, -87.528634, which would put it near or outside the NFS boundary. That is just a guess, don't hike on it.

It is also considerably likely that it is somewhere on the considerably large drainage of Basin Creek, or on Maxwell Creek. I really have no clue.

[McDowra]

Wow... Not at all where I was expecting. I've no clue beyond intuition on this one. Based on the route of that road, my personal bet would be at 34.311858, -87.528634, which would put it near or outside the NFS boundary. That is just a guess, don't hike on it.

It is also considerably likely that it is somewhere on the considerably large drainage of Basin Creek, or on Maxwell Creek. I really have no clue.

yep i'm looking at the same map you are. May have to go take a look.

[McDowra]

what about Pully's photo  http://outdoors.webshots....9110YPtBVr?vhost=outdoors

[Joshua Szulecki]

what about Pully's photo  http://outdoors.webshots....9110YPtBVr?vhost=outdoors

Pully's photo (I think) is the falls on the White Oak Hollow shortcut to the Bee Branches. It is located a considerable distance from where Janice says Gunsight falls is located, inside the wilderness. Janice said the falls was on the other side of the road, so it is outside the wilderness.

[Pully]

My dad and I found Gunsight Falls Wednesday. It's where Josh guessed it was.

Wow... Not at all where I was expecting. I've no clue beyond intuition on this one. Based on the route of that road, my personal bet would be at 34.311858, -87.528634, which would put it near or outside the NFS boundary. That is just a guess, don't hike on it.

It is also considerably likely that it is somewhere on the considerably large drainage of Basin Creek, or on Maxwell Creek. I really have no clue.

The falls is much taller than the picture made it out to be. Trip report and pictures will come later.