Thomas and I returned to Jones Gap last week. He resurrected my pup tent which I think I purchased in 1988 or 1989. I haven't used it in at least 17 or 18 years. It was missing a post, but Thomas figured something out for me, as you can see.
I think he just didn't want me squeezing into his one-man tent with him this time around.
We lit into the woods at Jones Gap around 2:25 PM on Monday. We arrived at the campsite (3.5 miles in) around 2 hours later. We did take a wrong turn (No Daniel Boone, I) and had some equipment problems.
Coupled with the fact I haven't really walked since our last endeavor into the wilderness in March, it was a bit slow going. We were heavily loaded for 2 nights in the wilderness.
At 4:30 it was already getting dark in the woods. We barely had time to find a good tree to hang food from, find firewood, set up tents, and start supper.
Our ultimate goal was to see Raven Cliff Falls. But through a series of mishaps and miscalculations, we walked 12 miles, but never got there. It just means we have to go back again.
We did go up to Caesar's Head. It used to be that you could go down into the formation, but apparently someone fell off the cliff a few years ago, so you have to view it from a distance. There is a great overlook with Tablerock in the distance.
We hiked up and down Tom Miller trail, which almost beat my behind. At the foot of the Tom Miller trail is a closed campsite by the Middle Saluda River where I camped with the boys back in 2002. It is a great site, but apparently all the dead Hemlocks drop branches on the site, and it is "dangerous".
No pictures this time because somehow my phone got turned on during the initial trek and it lost all charge searching for signal.
We came out of the woods Wednesday morning around 9:15 AM.
It was a great trip. Son Thomas is a great camping companion and pulls more than his share of the work.
Oremus pro invicem!
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