Short Trip Report about Cheaha Mountain

[Mountain Dog]

I took my wife on a short 2 night hike on and around Cheaha (camped 18/19 April).  High Falls was beautiful.  There was a lot of water dropping into the pool and then running down the cascades below the main falls.  Little Caney was full of water (Little Caney in the creek on Nubbin between Cave Creek and Odom).  The Creek on Cave creek was also full of water.  The water at the CS,O,P crossing was flowing really well.  I've seen more but there was more now than I normally find. 

McDill has had some juvenile camping recently.  There was evidence of some fresh timber cut for fires and someone had built a lean-to in the middle of the camping area and left it standing.  It was only a one person shelter but stll....

Some lying fool defaced one of the newer signs, I think the one at the Odom/Nubbin intersection.  They said they had soloed hiked 140 miles and this was their 7th time(I'm not sure I remember the number correctly).  I can't believe anyone could hike that far and still show such poor, low class and pitiful parental examples as to deface the trails. 

I NEED HELP WITH ONE.  I was camping under mostly oaks with a fir tree near.  My wife was inside the tarp tent reading and commented that it was raining.  I was outside and there was no rain.  I walked over and felt the tent.  The tent was perfectly dry and I did not see anything hitting the tent.  It started raining, light to heave sprinkles, during the night.  I was dreading packing in the rain and the wet trails.  I got out of the tent in the morning and everything was dry, including the tent.  There was almost no debris on the tent and there was no sign that stuff had fallen and slid off to the tent's edge.  It only happened one night.  Anyone ever experienced this phenomenon?

[PastorLarryT]

Thanks for the report Mountain Dog.  Sounds like more water around Cheaha than when we were up a month or so ago...

As far as your mystery... that is indeed puzzling.  Never experienced anything like that personally.  Would have to think it had something to do with the wind...  If you discover the answer, be sure and clue us in. 

[jaybird]

Did you notice any bud scales (coverings of the new buds) on your tent or on the ground near your tent?  With the new leaves all just about unfurled and uncovered, a slight wind or morning dew may've given these old coverings just enough weight to come crashing down.  They are pretty slick on the outside, so it wouldn't be surprising to find that they hit, and then slid on off to the ground. 

[Mountain Dog]

That is a good possibility.  I did not see any on the tent and did not notice any build up around the perimeter of the tent.  But, the rain sound did increase/decrease with the wind and even though the sound lasted much of the night, a significant build up probably would not have occurred. 

[trailtigger]

I may have an idea as to what it was that you heard, the other week I was outside while the wind was blowing and noticed the largest pollen I have ever seen, yes I said pollen. Each granule looked to be the size of a sugar granule and maybe a little bigger. When the wind would blow it looked like a yellow dust storm. I have seen this three times so far this Spring.

[Mountain Dog]

The pollen was indeed thick.  My tent was a yellow color after the hike and I had to wash it at home to get it off.  However, the "rain" sound was louder than I think even sugar size pollen could make.  Therefore I lean towards Jaybird's thoughts.  On the other hand, I stood by the tent and at dusk and did not see anything falling, making Jaybird's thoughts less plausable than trailtiger's thoughts.  I think I feel strongly both ways.

[erjack]

What about bugs/insects/ticks etc...  Was thick in the ticks at Choccolocco shelter a couple of weeks ago...

[Mountain Dog]

No bugs at all.  I was surprised.  I'm a tick and mosquito magnet.  Not a one bothered me.