A couple of days after getting back from Buckeye Falls (see previous blog), I showed the foggy waterfall photos that I took from the ridge to my trail-hiking buddy, ‘Rat Patrol’\u2014he said he \u2018fell out of (his) chair\u2019 when he saw them.\u00a0 It was soon apparent that he wanted to go back and view the falls from that vantage point for himself.\u00a0 After counseling, we made plans to leave on our expedition early on a Saturday morning (March 6th).\u00a0 The weather cooperated, and despite being plagued by insomnia, we were on the trail by 8 a.m.\u00a0 His son Tyler, who had never been to the falls, also went on the adventure.<\/p>\n
![\"Buckeye](\"http:\/\/www.trailstealth.com\/site_pics3\/0331a.jpg\")
<\/a>Buckeye Falls<\/p><\/div>\n
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It was a cold, but sunny, morning and the creek<\/a> crossings were a little easier to traverse than they were just 11 days earlier when I had hiked up the creek solo.\u00a0 There was snow<\/a> on the ground, and the further in the valley we went, the deeper the snow<\/a> became.\u00a0 The trail wasn\u2019t easy to follow, but it was made a little easier to navigate by tracing the paw-tracks<\/a> of a large cat-like animal that had wandered up the valley since the snow had fallen.<\/p>\n Everything went pretty well, and since it was \u2018Rat Patrol\u2019 who had first taken me to see the incredible waterfalls back in 1987, I must say it was rather rewarding to be the one to lead the way for him and his son (who wasn\u2019t even born the last time Rat Patrol had been to Buckeye Falls) up the steep ridgeline<\/a> to where a view of the falls, and the sheer cliff wall adjacent to the falls, was attainable.<\/p>\n Buckeye Falls<\/p><\/div>\n Having been in a dense rain-cloud on the previous trip up the ridge, I was well compensated for the effort, viewing the falls again without obstruction, for the most part.\u00a0 I was also surprised at how well one can view the end of the Clark\u2019s Creek Valley, where Sampson Mountain and Rich Mountain butte together.<\/p>\n Butte end of Clarks Creek<\/p><\/div>\n The trip back down the ridge was quite an adventure, because of the steep inclination and the boot-deep snow.\u00a0 We all had traction issues, and at times slid out of control down the point of the ridge.\u00a0 The thorny briers and shrubbery, however, held us back somewhat (the only time I have found a use for these strong, rope-like, thorns) and we reached the base of the ridge without too many injuries.\u00a0\u00a0 Rat made the comment on the way back that the ridge<\/a> hike up the steep Buckeye-ridge<\/a> made the ‘Meat-grinder Ridge<\/a>‘ seem like a piece of cake; it was pretty extreme.<\/p>\n \n Buckeye Falls<\/p><\/div>\n The Sill Branch Hikes…<\/strong><\/p>\n There were two hikes into Sill Branch in March.\u00a0 The first one was a solo hike to both the upper and lower falls<\/a> in the rain.\u00a0 Worth mentioning, besides the enjoyable nature and scenic beauty of the falls themselves, and the view over to the Sill Branch Overlook<\/a>, was the dreadful and degraded condition of the trail to the upper falls.\u00a0 There was one cluster of fallen trees in particular on the trail that necessitated climbing around the entire mess, which is easier said than done on that steep side-hill.\u00a0 There was a rather thin vine that I used to pull myself up (\u2018Batman and Robin\u2019 style) to a level where I could finally get around the massive cluster.\u00a0 If the vine had broken, I would have fallen backwards for 15 or 20 feet, but I was lucky that it was strong enough hold my weight.<\/p>\n Sill Branch Falls (upper)<\/p><\/div>\n The second hike was with \u2018Rat Patro<\/a>l\u2019 and Tyler<\/a> to the Sill Branch Overlook\u2014the cliffs on the northern end of the Sill Branch Valley which we have nicknamed \u2018The Monkey-Head Rocks\u2019.\u00a0 Upon closer examination, however, some of the cliff-rocks more resemble Picasso-like abstract art-faces<\/a>, giant birds<\/a>, Sphinx-heads<\/a>, and other monstrous creatures<\/a>.\u00a0 Then again, there are one or two that look like \u2018Monkey-heads\u2019<\/a>, if you have an imagination.\u00a0 It was very sunny out on the overlook-rocks, and we cooked beneath the March Sun, at least until we found a nice shady place<\/a> right on top of the line of cliff-rocks with a nice breeze, and a view of the lower Sill Branch Falls<\/a>.<\/p>\n Bol'Dar on the Monkey-head 'Sphinx' rock (Sill Branch Overlook)<\/p><\/div>\n A funny thing happened on the way back from the Overlook, when ‘Rat Patrol<\/a>‘ fell in the creek!<\/p>\n Trail Maintenance Trip…<\/strong><\/p>\n There was one volunteer trail maintenance trip on the Appalachian Trail; Rat Patrol was dropped off at Big Bald<\/a> and came down the trail section (Little Bald<\/a> to Spivey Gap) while I went in from Spivey Gap, cutting and dragging what fallen trees that I could out of the trail.\u00a0 I thought that I had had a rough time, what with all the cuts, scrapes and bruises, until we met up later at \u2018Whistling Gap\u2019 and I heard his story.\u00a0 After a brief counsel, listening to Rat\u2019s ordeal of (trying) to walk in waist deep, crust covered snow, we hiked out the Forest Service Road<\/a> that runs below Whistling Gap back to Spivey Gap.<\/p>\n tree fungus near Whistling Gap<\/p><\/div>\n The Appalachian Trail Hikes…<\/strong><\/p>\n There were two other hikes on the Appalachian Trail; a 6-mile solo hike to Curly Maple Gap and back, and a hike (with the \u2018Rat Patrol family\u2019) to Laurel Fork Falls.\u00a0 The hike to Curly Maple Gap was uneventful, for the most part, but I was happy to see that the trail crews responsible for that section of trail had cleaned up all the winter storm damage (many fallen trees) out of the trail\u2014they really did a great job, hats off to those folks!<\/p>\n First moth of 2010 in Jones Branch<\/p><\/div>\n \n The hike to Laurel Fork Falls was pleasant, although quite chilly in the morning, and genuinely hot in the afternoon.\u00a0 I expected to see a lot of people on the trail (that is a very popular section), but was amazed at how many people we encountered during the hike, including another trail crew, sawing blow-downs out of the trail.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a>