Eagle Creek/Little Ugly Bushwhack - March 15th [Completed]

[Joshua Szulecki]

NOTICE: DATE CHANGED TO MARCH 15TH!!!

Hey folks,

The blooms showing up on trees here in Birmingham gave me a sudden reminder that we don't have much more foliage and snake-free hiking time remaining for this year. The bushwhack to Eagle Creek/Little Ugly (and maybe Hemlock or Fernglade) requires a lack of foliage and snakes, in my opinion, to be any fun.

I'm going to propose a dayhike (I could be persuaded to do an overnight if we have a large enough party) sometime in the next three weeks, excluding this weekend. Any takers, and what would be the best weekend?

[lawnmowwer]

 I could do somthing the weekend of March 8th.

[lawnmowwer]

 We had a good trip. The last two or three sites were clear. I enjoyed meeting you also. It is nice to put a face with a name. Hope you get some good pictures when the wild flowers get out. We have water to fall now for Joshua. Happy trails.

[Joshua Szulecki]

Hey guys,

I'm penciling in Eagle Creek/Little Ugly for March 8th.

I should also indicate that with the fairly steady rains we are now getting, I'm putting my waterfall hiking season into full swing.

The next few weekends will probably bring:
Caney Creek
Turkey Foot Creek Redux
Parker Falls

If anybody is interested in any of those hikes, tell me! They will all be dayhikes, either on Saturdays or Sundays.

I also HAVE to get to Collier Creek in the next few weeks, as the gate on the FS road closes in April. If you are interested in exploring Collier Creek, let me know that you want to, and when you can. Collier and Parker are prime group hikes.

[Joshua Szulecki]

Jaybird,

I'm always happy to have somebody tagging along with a camera. Makes it less obvious how many times I stop to take pictures if there is more than one person doing it!

I'm probably going to try and hit Turkey Creek again this Saturday, weather-depending (prefer clouds, no rain; if rain, no hike, if sun, early hike), because we've had some decent rain, and more should be coming by the weekend, and I'd really like to get a few better pcitures of Upper Turkey Foot Falls. I may divert to Caney Creek for this weekend if we don't get enough rain to get Upper Turkey Foot flowing hard.

Unless I'm with a larger group, I usually go fairly early.

Will update on this weekend later in the week. Also, everybody interested in a dayhike to Parker Falls in the next 2-3 weeks should let it be known. Karma for anybody who comes along and knows the way, because I've never been there!

[Lostsheep]

March 8th. Lots of Camera guys. I'm putting this one down on the calendar too. I'd love to get some more from the Sipsey Area. I'm going there for the last weekend of March, so this will be a nice "pre-trip".

I'm hoping I'll get to go also. Sure would be nice! Hope to see everyone (and meet them) soon.

[toph]

"Quillan has some nice glades, and probably the most remote canyon in Sipsey.  That was before the storms of a few years ago, which knocked down a BUNCH of trees.  Very slow going now from what I've heard, but still doable."

I did the Arnold Motorway-Quillan-Riddle Creek loop a couple of weeks ago.  Other then a pretty good logjam that you have to scramble over about halfway down Quillan and a couple of other spots with deadfall, it really wasn't too difficult other than just a "long day"   Definitely one of if not the prettiest canyon in the Bankhead.

[Magic City Matt]

Do we want to call this an official event? I can attach it to the calendar if so

[Joshua Szulecki]

Matthew,

The March 8th Eagle Creek thing can be called an official event. Discussion on what the specifics will be needs to continue, but that hike has a large enough following that I really hope we can do it!


Jaybird,
I really like the idea of a Parker & Quillen dayhike, or just a Parker Dayhike, and I'm starting a new thread to discuss these possibilities here:
http://www.alatrails.com/...ndex.php/topic,320.0.html

[Joshua Szulecki]

By the way, who else has been to Eagle Creek?

[toph]

I've camped above Eagle Creek Falls probably 4-5 times and hiked downstream to Deer Skull Falls (my favorite!) and further to the Sipsey River twice.  Also a very beautiful canyon and pretty easy going once you start getting close to the campsite.

[Joshua Szulecki]

I thought you had been there quite a few times, Toph.

I asked because I am getting concerned that we will bump up against the 10-person limit, and I'm hoping that if we end up having to split up into groups (say at different times or days), that we have some people who know how to get their.

[toph]

I've got plans that weekend already so unfortunately I won't be able to join you guys.

Are you concerned about the group size due to some regulation or because of the impact?  If the former, I really wouldn't worry about it...we've had groups much bigger than that get together up there before.  I can't see them trying to enforce such a rule unless you were being disrespectful or intentionally destructive which I would hope no one here would be.

[Joshua Szulecki]

Toph,

My understanding is that the *official* rule on groups is still no groups larger than 10. However, like the parking payments at some of the parking spots, enforcement seems to be very spotty, if at all.

The biggest issue in this case is that Eagle Creek's parking opportunities really limit the number of cars we can get in there. There is parking for about 2 to 3 cars before they'd be on the side of the road. Since shuttling people back and forth could get tedious, a large group would probably need to be split up. As it is we'd probably have to park some people's cars somewhere else if more than 2 to 3 cars show up, to avoid being a hazard to traffic, and thus drawing the ire of the NFS, which probably doesn't sanction parking there in the first place.

But, it isn't an issue until it is an issue.

[toph]

Where are you talking about parking?

[Joshua Szulecki]

Toph,

When I've gone to Eagle Creek, I've parked on the old logging road stub along Cranal Rd. There is space for about 3 full-sized vehicles (sedan, SUV, truck) or about 4 compacts.

I thought that I had the coordinates up on my website, but I guess I took them down.
Seifried has it as: 34.283616 -87.438212 (Converted from Nad-27 UTM)

You can see it on Google maps at: http://maps.google.com/ma...p&z=15&iwloc=addr

It is also possible to park at the Wolfpen camp road and walk in. Hiking in from the Picnic Area would be a nice, long, boring walk.

[lawnmowwer]

 I have to backout on the 8th. I have a family party (B-day) I forgot about. I could go on the 9TH, but don't change just for Me. I have plenty to do. The weekend of the 1st opened up for Me if any trip are going then.

[Joshua Szulecki]

Lawnmowwer,

As to the 1st, check my "Upcoming Hike Possibilities" thread, I'm hoping for Parker next weekend.

As to the 8th, if anybody else would prefer Sunday, chime in! If anybody CANNOT do Sunday, chime in also.

[Joshua Szulecki]

Okay, to get things moving again, let's do this.

Add your name to the list if you want to go to Eagle Creek March 8 or 9th. If you can only go a certain day, put that date behind your name, so we can get an idea of which day will work best for the most people.

List:
1) Joshua Szulecki (March 8th or 9th)
2)
3)
4)
5)

[lawnmowwer]

List:
1) Joshua Szulecki (March 8th or 9th)
2) Jay Hudson (March 8th only)
3) Rodney Green ( March 9th only)
4)
5)