Thanksgiving weekend

[kareengas]

Sorry...posted this to another thread because I was not smart enough to figure out the new thread thing......had to get out my Crayolas...

BUT....

I have the entire Thanksgiving weekend off and I am looking around for a trip to make that weekend. I have never been to Sipsey but was considering the following trails. I'd like to get y'alls  opinion.

Gum Pond TH to Trail 210/223/224/207.

Open for suggestions tho'.

Thanks

[elbowman]

Hello Kareengas,

Sipsey is a great place to spend a week! While you have picked a large loop, and having hiked those trails in the past, you will be doing a lot of deep woods hiking, with not much too see other than woods. Lots of better trails with MUCH better scenery.

My two cents:

Park at Borden Creek Trail head and do the following trails:

200/209/detour to Big Tree/206 to Thompson Trailhead/208/224 back to car

I would spend night 1 on the ridge overlooking the Big Tree, and night 2 near ship rock. The 208/224 have no interesting points of interests other than a straight shot back to your car. I would go slow and explore 200 thru 206.

Be careful of 207, not well mark (maybe not marked) and hard to do unless you are familiar with the area.

In fact, after you have been out a couple of times, I would give up the trail system, and go bushwhacking. The best stuff has no marked trails.

Have fun, and be safe, and take a map.

Eric

[Joshua Szulecki]

I've spent most of my time in Sipsey off trail, but I concur with elbowman's assessment of those trails. So many people ruin a perfectly good trip by trying to do what they do everywhere else, stick to the main trails. Problem is, the trail system in Sipsey is somewhat dull, IMO, compared to the rest of the wilderness. What is suggested below would be a sufficient introductory hike.

 

[kareengas]

I did see on TT that most of their recommendations were for bushwhacking as well.
After the year of working every weekend I've had, a dark, brooding trip in the deep woods almost sounds good. Or an easy hike on marked trails just to get into the woods.
But yeah, thanks guys, I'll check out this other thing. It does sound more interesting.

[jamfan]

One thing to say about your first time in Sipsey is a lot of times hiking is pretty slow going due to downed trees.  So you may want to keep conservative mileage estimates for your plan.  Also you'll probably find yourself doing a lot of side trips and exploring.

[Joshua Szulecki]

I did see on TT that most of their recommendations were for bushwhacking as well.

Keep in mind that a lot of bushwhacking trips in Sipsey have the benefit of not actually being off trail, they are often on unofficial and unmaintained trails, or follow streams and old roadbeds much of their distance, greatly simplifying navigation.

[Bear]

Hi

I was thinking about doing something similar the same weekend (Friday through Monday), or else doing a section hike on the Pinhoti.  I started a 3 1/2 day loop in Sipsey the day after Mother's Day, but had to cut it short.  I want to finish that loop, if possible.  I also want to hike the Pinhoti, so I'm having a hard time deciding between the two.

I did notice in my trip this spring that there were what seemed to be a whole lot of blowdowns across the trail.  It was slow going there for a bit.  I also found several of the creek crossings to be challenging because of very steep banks and slippery mud, which slowed me down as well.

Have fun, and take lots of pictures!

[Pathfinder]

Welcome to Alatrails, Bear.