A fairly pleasant weekend outing

[Don Newcomb]

My buddies and I decided to get out and enjoy the relatively cool air and had a fairly pleasant weekend outing making a figure 8 loop in the Cheaha Wilderness. We started Friday evening just about sundown at the parking area near the state park. We hiked a mile or so in on the Pinhoti Trail and set up camp by headlamp. Got up Saturday morning in a perfect cool day and walked toward McDill Point.  Stopped at various overlooks, took pictures and kept hearing dogs barking.

When we got near the turn at McDill Point two dogs, a Weimaraner and a white Lab-like dog came charging down the hill barking, ears laid back, teeth bared. The owners were camped on top of the hill about 100 feet off the trail. We called out to the owners to control their dogs. When the dogs got way too close for comfort (a few feet) my buddy started trying to discourage them by throwing rocks in their direction. I was ready to fend them off with my hiking stick. The owner's response was that we didn't need to throw rocks at his dog. If I had been packing a pistol both dogs would have been quite justifiably dead. We heard from another hiker that later on the dogs bit someone, but this is not confirmed.

We exited the area a quickly as possible and crossed over to the Cave Creek & Nubbin Creek trails because of the supposed availability of water. But every stream crossing was dry, not bone dry but there was no water flowing. We stopped for lunch at Little Caney Head, which has always had water, and found it dry. This was very disappointing and we pondered where we could go to find water. Before we left we decided to scout up and downstream to see if there was any trace of water. There was none downstream but upstream we found a shallow puddle about 3' in diameter and 1" deep. We proceeded to dip water with our drinking cups into a pot and filter it. We made about 6 or 7 liters of water, enough for the rest of the weekend.

We then proceeded down around Parker High Point and back up the Pinhoti, stopping for the night at a well used spot on the ridge. It was a cool and very windy night. Breakfast water was boiled over the alcohol burner, inside the tent as it was too windy to cook outside.

We followed the Cave Creek Trail back to the parking area and left about 0900.

BTW, we encountered other, perfectly responsible hikers with well behaved dogs. It was just these two that caused a problem. I'm now looking into getting some pepper spray to carry in case something like this happens again. I have reported the incident to both the Cheaha State Park and the Forrest Service. 

There were a lot of trees fallen across the trail. We made a note to carry a couple of bow saws and a light block and tackle next trip.

[Uncle Wayne]

I hate meeting unattended / uncontrolled dogs on the trail. And it's getting worse each hiking season it seems.

Enjoyed your trip report.

[dogwood]

Great report!  We camped at Turnipseed Camp this Fri-Sat and the creeks were very low.  Bummer about the uncontrolled dogs - makes you want to pepper-spray the owners rather than the pets(or at least both!).  Maybe THAT would teach 'em a good lesson...; )

[Mountain Dog]

Good trip report.  The info about water will help others going hiking soon.  I'm like Dogwood, spray the owners.  I sprayed a neighbor and his dogs one morning while jogging because he could not call the dogs back.  People that cannot control their dogs should keep frogs, not dogs.  I sometimes hike with my dog and I'd shoot him myself if he did not obey. 

[blisterbob]

I haven't had any experiences with aggressive dogs on the trails,
but I hike with heat for protection from animals of all kinds and the
occasional orange capped redneck. One warning shot and next there
is dead meat on the trail. LOL! And I am a dog lover.

[Firedog]

I'm with Blisterbob. Though not for everybody, a Ruger LCP at 10 ounces makes for a nice hiking accessory.

[Uncle Wayne]

I'm with Blisterbob. Though not for everybody, a Ruger LCP at 10 ounces makes for a nice hiking accessory.

Agree. I bought one of those for my wife and she loves it. 

[wyleone]

I was on the Pinhoti and Cave creek trails two months ago with five of my scouts. I don't know what I would do if I ran into two aggressive dogs that would not obey their owner.

In your situation, I did have a camera. I would have backed off and took a pic of the owner and the dogs and then turned those pics over. No question who it was with the aggressive dogs.  We also had the same lack of water from Heaven, North to the cave creek connector.  No water at all. Except for two gallons that happened to find their way to us. Thanks again Squidbilly. Cave Creek was flowing well in early August. There were several creeks flowing below the Stairway to heaven though.

I plan to be back up there on Oct 21-23. I guess I will just have to pack in my water because I will not miss that view.  

Thanks for the report!

[Don Newcomb]

I eventually got responses from both Cheaha State Park and the Forrest Service. Both regretted the incident. Cheaha told me to contact the Forrest Service and the Forrest Service said that dogs are required to be on-lead at all times and asked if I got the name and address of the owners. (Yeah, right.) My real reason for contacting them was to have the incident reported to officialdom.

I've weighed my "carry" at 1 lb, 7 oz. If I buy another one it will not be lighter. (I was looking at this really nice little Walther .40 yesterday.) I'm trying to hike lighter, not 2 lbs heavier. In any event, one of the guys I was hiking with is a county judge. We discussed various options and he said that you never want to shoot anyone or anything if you can avoid it, "the paperwork is just incredible."  

[jbassplayer]

I'm with Blisterbob. Though not for everybody, a Ruger LCP at 10 ounces makes for a nice hiking accessory.

LPC's are awesome. I need one. My P89 feels like it weighs 4lbs

[Firedog]

Shotgun Sports in Anniston, $279.00