Odum/Chinnabee Silent Trail Hike Apr. 2-3

[dogwood]

Six of us hiked the Odum and Chinnabee Silent trails this past weekend.  On Sat morning, we put in at High Falls on the Odum, then hiked to the Pinhoti/Odum/Chinnabee intersection on Caney Head.  The weather was beautiful, with a nice breeze on the ridge.  The Odum trail is well-trodden, also.  The spring on Caney Head was flowing nicely, and the campsite was great.  Saw several more groups and solo hikers, and a large group of well-behaved Scouts(troop 26 or 29 from Auburn) camped near us.  They were a terrific group of young men and leaders and it was great to have them around.  On Sunday, we hiked down the Silent Trail to the Turnipseed takeout.  I almost forgot how difficult the first 1/8 mile or so is on the trail leaving Caney Head.  Better going down than up...
When we got to our vehicle at the TH, we discovered that we'd locked the keys in my truck at High Falls! Two of us ended up catching a ride with a terrific older couple from Roanoke who offered to give us a ride in their 69 GTO if we came to town!  Overall, the trip was terrific!  It was my wife's first trip, as well as that of another lady with us.  They both did well and had a great time!

[Verduretiger]

A friend of mine and myself were hiking the skyway loop that same weekend.  It was my first time to caney head and also to stairway to heaven coming up from Adams Gap.  Since the descent down to turnipseed on the Chinnabee was the last segment that downhill ate up my knees and ankles.  I was a beautiful weekend when the breeze was blowing. 

[jamfan]

Sad to say I have done that with my keys before too.  I was in the area this weekend too.  Sunday my brother, one of my dogs, and I were day hiking the Cheaha loop.  We encounter a couple kids at the intersection and when they said High Falls was flowing strong, we decided to hike over.  It had been years since going to High Falls and it was just a drip then.  It felt a lot longer than 3 miles, and the hike back was tough.  Other than the horse flies, the falls were fantastic.

[dogwood]

The trip from High Falls to the intersection is 4.7 miles one way.  Yes, quite a bit longer than the 3 miles!  You guys weren't the ones with the dog named "Brownie" were you?  Me, my 2 daughters, one of their friends, my wife, and another friend of mine were packing up and heading down the mountain around 10am or so.
We camped near the spring at the top, and were in a Hubba Hubba, Kelty Vortex II, North Face Spectrum 23, and a hammock.

[jamfan]

Small world, that was us alright.  I thought it felt longer than 3 miles.  Brownie was about done by the time we got to the falls, and kept trying to lay in the falls at the top.  I had to call her back quite a few times b/c I was worried she might go over.  She really enjoys the water though.

[dogwood]

She seemed like a well-behaved, curious dog!  The good thing about the Odum is that it's fairly level in most spots, and you also get a few good views.  High Falls at the end is definately a treat(especially when flowing nicely!).  I would have rather ended at High Falls rather than begin, but the two newbies with us probably would have been done climbing the Chinnabee to Caney Head!  In the past, i've ended up climbing it on my hands and knees...

[brewyet]

Thanks for the info.  I'm looking at camping at little canary head this weekend. 

[Ewker]

thanks for the trip report. I don't get down that way much but that needs to change.

[camel]

Bet the hike up Nubbin and over to Turnipseed is great with the water this weekend!

Lost keys- we parked one car at the lake about 12 miles North on the pinhotti - started on the top by state park - did about 8 miles down - had a beautiful site on water figured an easy 4 miles to car for Sunday- keys left in jacket in car at the top- tough climb back out .( 1999 - this triple checked now1)

Camel