Section 12

[dogwood]

Some friends and i are planning a trip on the Pinhoti for a couple of days of Christmas Holidays and are looking at different sections.  I still haven't hiked the Pinhoti Section(12).  How are the water sources heading north from FS500 TH to Hwy 278?  Also, how was the terrain?

[squidbilly]

Section 12

You should find plenty of water.  However, after the Terrapin Creek Bridge on The Cheif Ladiga Trail it is possible to go about 7 miles without any water sources. After you leave The CLT you climb up Wilson Ridge to Maxwell Gap, then you continue to climb on Augusta Mine ridge. Nothing but seasonal small branches on Augusta(the other side). It just depends how much rain we get. You can make a short side trip (when you shuttle vehicles) and stash some water at Maxwell Gap on Co. road 70.  Then you won't have to carry it so far uphill!
 As far as the terrain goes, it has some steep, long climbs, but this is a beautiful section. You're gonna love it.

[blisterbob]

Section 12 update:
Mon. 3/26/12, 6:00 AM clear, 45 degrees, High Point TH
blisterbob & shadow sue doing this section sobo
Since this is dogwood's post, I should say that the dogwood blooms were beautiful today
and added a nice contrast to the green and brown of the hardwood leaves opening.
We also took note of the difference in the development of the leaves at different elevations.
tr. diff.    8
nav. diff. 1- We noticed a couple really nice rock carins and ss commented, Dale & the squid
                   kids must have been here.
obstacles 9+
water       9+
campsites 5
shelters    2
people      0
wildlife      It must be the season for Pileated woodpeckers to be in family mode.
                 I surely collected a gazillion spider webs, when I got to the truck I looked like a
                 walking web site....(groan)
3:00 PM, 78 degrees, FS 500 N. TH
9 hrs., 16 miles

[squidbilly]

 "nav. diff. 1- We noticed a couple really nice rock carins and ss commented, Dale & the squid
                   kids must have been here."


          LOL    The cairns marking the points where the Pinhoti exits the old roadbed on the ridge above Terrapin Watershed Lake.           We didn't build them, but we did spend a little while dressing them up a bit. That was sometime last winter.  '10