Sections 4, 5, and 6

[buck]

I am in the process of planning a hike from Bull Gap to the Cheaha State Park trailhead sometime before it gets too cold to enjoy. I'm looking for some advice, descriptions, camping spots, water sources, etc., - anything helpful about these three sections.

I actually rode over to sections 4 and 5 yesterday morning trying to decide if I would need to stash some water since I anticipate there being very little. However, the more I looked at the map and thought about my plan, the more I began to think that I might get by with only stashing some water close to Adam's Gap.

I also noticed that in the Pinhoti guide these three sections are described as "difficult." Can someone give me some feedback on this? The description (difficult) does not concern me, rather I am trying to estimate how long it will take me to move through these three sections.

I'd appreciate any comments.

[stargazer]

My husband and I just got in from our overnight trip on Section 4 (Bull Gap to Porter's Gap).  The trails were good.  There are several places that still have overgrowth from summer.  There are several blow downs we had to go over or around.  We stashed water along the way so we would not have to carry all we needed. ( I didn't see any water until we got to Scott's Lake this morning.)  We walked in to the mile 12 marker.  We could not find Kenny's camp but found a camp at the 12 mile marker.  We had a great time and enjoyed all the fantastic views from the lookouts.  Hope this helps.     

[stargazer]

As far as Section 4 being difficult.  I would say no.  If I can do it anyone can.  There are places that are very rocky.   You can camp at Horn Mt. Shelter if you want to climb up to it.  It is as Mile 10.  The camp site at Mile Marker 12 is right before you start the switchbacks down the mountain.  There is a road beside it but we didn't have any problems.  There is a small campsite at Scott's Lake.  We stashed our water at the Communication Tower road right past Wormy's Pulpit. 

[buck]

Can someone give me information and/or an opinion on the Red Wagon Retreat in Chandler Springs? - it's mentioned in the Pinhoti guide.

[Firedog]

http://www.alatrails.com/...dex.php/topic,2608.0.html

Check out this link.

[jaybird]

Can someone give me information and/or an opinion on the Red Wagon Retreat in Chandler Springs? - it's mentioned in the Pinhoti guide.

The Red Wagon Retreat is now known as Alice Springs campground, in case you were wondering.

[buck]

Will I need a police escort to get through the area?  

Any good camp sites on either side of this location?

[buck]

I was holding off posting until I typed my journal notes, but I simply have not had time to type the story, but did want to mention my recent hike.

The morning of November 11 my wife and children dropped me off at the Bull Gap Trailhead and by 6:30 AM I was heading north on the Pinhoti. At the end of day one I had hiked over 18 miles to beyond the Porter Gap Trailhead. The next morning, Friday, I headed out around 6:30ish AM and hiked about 3 miles past Adam's Gap into the Cheaha Wilderness for a total of over 18 miles. Saturday morning, however, I slowed down to enjoy the many views as I made my way to the Cheaha Trailhead. In all, I calculated right at 46 miles of hiking in 2.5 days when my wife and children picked me up at 11:59 AM on Saturday at the Cheaha Trailhead.

I have tons of pictures and video to upload sometime in the near future. I was hiking solo, something I wanted to try one day and that day came sooner than expected since my wife knew I had the itch to try some high mileage hiking. I saw only three water sources along the way - Scott's Lake and Talladega Creek. I hide water around Adam's Gap a week prior and was glad I did. Ran into a group of very friendly and hard working trail maintenance workers, two (sorta) lost hikers, several deer, and the closer I got to Cheaha, the more weekenders I met. The fall colors were simply unbelievable.

And I must confess that I saw things - mountains, views, etc. - that I did not know existed in Alabama. Between the "stairway to heaven" and the Cheaha Trailhead are some of the most spectacular views I've seen in our state. And the fall colors only added to the beauty.

It was the most physically challenging and rewarding activity I think I've ever done. I'd never hiked so far as I did those first two days, but it was something I wanted to know if I could do. And thanks to the conditioning I did prior to the hike, I actually felt very good at the end of each high mileage day. Apart from the trail being so dry in these 3 sections, my only advice to others heading out to these areas is that from Clairmont Gap to Patterson Gap the Pinhoti is in bad shape. The trail maintainers warned me ahead of time about this part and they were not kidding. The trail was overgrown in places, invisible in others, unmarked in some, etc. I actually ran into two hikers on Clairmont Point that were unable to find their way down. I just happened to be coming up and was able to assist. Overall, the rest of these 3 sections were in good shape.

In all honesty, I think I've laid in bed each night since and fallen asleep remembering this hike. It was simply rewarding in more ways than I can express, ways in which I know many of you can relate.

[ednotmilkman]

The reason the Pinhoti is in bad shape in some sections, while it is clear in others, is that maintenance of the trail is split up between half a dozen trail clubs in the state. Some have more available and motivated volunteers than others :-(   But then the ones that are a bit short, don't want others to "take over" their section .

[buck]

We've gotten tons of good advice from this site, but one piece of advice we really took to heart was when Uncle Wayne advised us to keep a detailed journal of our hikes for future reference, memories, sharing, etc. Needless to say, we have never regretted taking pen, paper, and/or camera and we really enjoy pulling out the written journals and videos and reliving the past. I had begun to put a written journal together about my last hike, but then I realized that with my video camera I had basically created an electronic journal. Counting all the side trails and exploring, I estimated about a 46 miles hike, most of which I caught on video ... complete with some boring verbal journaling.

Part 1 begins at the Bull Gap Trailhead the morning of day 1 and ends at the 12 mile marker where I stop for lunch.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/ka3cecDe30I&rel=0" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/ka3cecDe30I&rel=0</a>


Part 2 begins at the 12 mile marker and continues to just past Porter's Gap where I stealth camp as day 1 comes to an end. On the first day I hiked over 18 miles.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/ksmqgklLB68&rel=0" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/ksmqgklLB68&rel=0</a>


Part 3 begins at a location just north of the Porter's Gap Trailhead where I camped the night before and ends as I cross the Adam's Gap Trailhead parking area and re-enter the woods headed toward the Cheaha Wilderness to camp.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/l0TP4F46Z8Q&rel=0" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/l0TP4F46Z8Q&rel=0</a>


Part 4 begins just after crossing the Adam's Gap Trailhead parking area and re-entering the woods and ends early morning on day 3 at the foot of the Stairway to Heaven rock climb. Day 2 was another 18+ mile day of hiking!

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/jd3zxU79FkU&rel=0" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/jd3zxU79FkU&rel=0</a>


Part 5 begins at the lower end of the Stairway to Heaven rock climb and continues to the McDill Overlook Trail near the sight of the plane crash.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/L2SEHffTIMU&rel=0" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/L2SEHffTIMU&rel=0</a>


Part 6 begins at McDill Overlook (McDill Peak) and concludes at Cheaha Trailhead in Cheaha State Park, bringing to an end my 46 mile hike at lunch on the third day.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/7gZ3QvvdySc&rel=0" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/7gZ3QvvdySc&rel=0</a>