2. Backpack 2017 Trips 179--187

Quest For Brush Mountain

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Little Mitten and I drove thru Tellico Plains and 8 miles beyond to Coker Creek TN and 3 more miles on Joe Brown "highway" and stopped in Unicoi Gap where we said our goodbyes. Mitten left while I arranged my gear in the gap. So begins Trip 180.<br /> <br /> QUEST<br /> FOR <br /> BRUSH MOUNTAIN<br /> TRIP 180<br /> February 9-27, 2017<br /> <br /> HIGHLIGHTS<br /> **19 DAYS TO THE CITICO WILDERNESS<br /> **14 DAYS ON THE BENTON MACKAYE TRAIL<br /> **NO BACKPACKERS SEEN IN 18 DAYS<br /> **PHELGM SPEWING INFLUENZA<br /> **DAVID MORGAN AND TWO OTHER CAR CAMPERS<br /> **"IF THIS ISN'T A NOROVIRUS, IT'LL DO UNTIL ONE COMES"<br /> **THE TOUGH 4 DAY CLIMB TO WHIGGS MEADOW<br /> **SYCAMORE CREEK TRAIL IS NOW A DRIVABLE ROAD<br /> **A NIGHT ATOP WHIGGS MEADOW<br /> **BRUSH MOUNTAIN REACHED!<br /> **GRASSY BRANCH TRAILWORK<br /> **LAST NIGHT ON FLATS MOUNTAIN<br /> <br /> TRAILS<br /> Entrance at Unicoi Gap on Joe Brown Highway<br /> BMT North<br /> **Peels Gap**<br /> BMT North<br /> **Tate Gap**<br /> BMT North<br /> **Six Mile Gap**<br /> BMT North<br /> Sandy Gap<br /> State Line Ridge<br /> **Moss Gap**<br /> State Line Ridge<br /> **Hazel Gap**<br /> State Line Ridge<br /> Sled Runner Gap<br /> Brookshire Creek Trail<br /> **Iron Ring Camp**<br /> Brookshire Creek Trail<br /> **Fern Camp**<br /> Brookshire Creek Trail<br /> Sugar Mt Trail(BMT)<br /> **Pretty Pine Gap**<br /> Sugar Mt Trail<br /> Fish Hatchery Tellico River<br /> Sycamore Creek Trail(BMT)<br /> **Sycamore First Camp (2)**<br /> Sycamore Creek Trail<br /> **Rainbow Trail Camp aka Will Skelton Camp**<br /> Sycamore Creek Trail<br /> **Whiggs Meadow Bald Camp**<br /> Mud Gap BMT<br /> Skyway BMT<br /> Beech Gap<br /> Fodderstack Ridge Trail<br /> **Cold Spring Gap**<br /> Trail 149<br /> Brush Mountain Trail<br /> **Happy Rock Spring Camp**<br /> Brush Mt Trail<br /> **Brush/South Fork Camp**<br /> South Fork Creek Crossing<br /> South Fork Citico Trail<br /> **White Rock Camp**<br /> South Fork<br /> Clemmer Detour<br /> Grassy Branch Camp<br /> **Crossing 8 Camp**<br /> Grassy Branch to Grassy Gap<br /> Skyway Roadwalk<br /> Flats Mt<br /> **Flats Bald #1 Camp**<br /> Flats Mt<br /> Skyway Roadwalk to Lake View Overlook and OUT
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Little Mitten and I drove thru Tellico Plains and 8 miles beyond to Coker Creek TN and 3 more miles on Joe Brown "highway" and stopped in Unicoi Gap where we said our goodbyes. Mitten left while I arranged my gear in the gap. So begins Trip 180.

QUEST
FOR
BRUSH MOUNTAIN
TRIP 180
February 9-27, 2017

HIGHLIGHTS
**19 DAYS TO THE CITICO WILDERNESS
**14 DAYS ON THE BENTON MACKAYE TRAIL
**NO BACKPACKERS SEEN IN 18 DAYS
**PHELGM SPEWING INFLUENZA
**DAVID MORGAN AND TWO OTHER CAR CAMPERS
**"IF THIS ISN'T A NOROVIRUS, IT'LL DO UNTIL ONE COMES"
**THE TOUGH 4 DAY CLIMB TO WHIGGS MEADOW
**SYCAMORE CREEK TRAIL IS NOW A DRIVABLE ROAD
**A NIGHT ATOP WHIGGS MEADOW
**BRUSH MOUNTAIN REACHED!
**GRASSY BRANCH TRAILWORK
**LAST NIGHT ON FLATS MOUNTAIN

TRAILS
Entrance at Unicoi Gap on Joe Brown Highway
BMT North
**Peels Gap**
BMT North
**Tate Gap**
BMT North
**Six Mile Gap**
BMT North
Sandy Gap
State Line Ridge
**Moss Gap**
State Line Ridge
**Hazel Gap**
State Line Ridge
Sled Runner Gap
Brookshire Creek Trail
**Iron Ring Camp**
Brookshire Creek Trail
**Fern Camp**
Brookshire Creek Trail
Sugar Mt Trail(BMT)
**Pretty Pine Gap**
Sugar Mt Trail
Fish Hatchery Tellico River
Sycamore Creek Trail(BMT)
**Sycamore First Camp (2)**
Sycamore Creek Trail
**Rainbow Trail Camp aka Will Skelton Camp**
Sycamore Creek Trail
**Whiggs Meadow Bald Camp**
Mud Gap BMT
Skyway BMT
Beech Gap
Fodderstack Ridge Trail
**Cold Spring Gap**
Trail 149
Brush Mountain Trail
**Happy Rock Spring Camp**
Brush Mt Trail
**Brush/South Fork Camp**
South Fork Creek Crossing
South Fork Citico Trail
**White Rock Camp**
South Fork
Clemmer Detour
Grassy Branch Camp
**Crossing 8 Camp**
Grassy Branch to Grassy Gap
Skyway Roadwalk
Flats Mt
**Flats Bald #1 Camp**
Flats Mt
Skyway Roadwalk to Lake View Overlook and OUT

  • Little Mitten and I drove thru Tellico Plains and 8 miles beyond to Coker Creek TN and 3 more miles on Joe Brown "highway" and stopped in Unicoi Gap where we said our goodbyes. Mitten left while I arranged my gear in the gap. So begins Trip 180.<br /> <br /> QUEST<br /> FOR <br /> BRUSH MOUNTAIN<br /> TRIP 180<br /> February 9-27, 2017<br /> <br /> HIGHLIGHTS<br /> **19 DAYS TO THE CITICO WILDERNESS<br /> **14 DAYS ON THE BENTON MACKAYE TRAIL<br /> **NO BACKPACKERS SEEN IN 18 DAYS<br /> **PHELGM SPEWING INFLUENZA<br /> **DAVID MORGAN AND TWO OTHER CAR CAMPERS<br /> **"IF THIS ISN'T A NOROVIRUS, IT'LL DO UNTIL ONE COMES"<br /> **THE TOUGH 4 DAY CLIMB TO WHIGGS MEADOW<br /> **SYCAMORE CREEK TRAIL IS NOW A DRIVABLE ROAD<br /> **A NIGHT ATOP WHIGGS MEADOW<br /> **BRUSH MOUNTAIN REACHED!<br /> **GRASSY BRANCH TRAILWORK<br /> **LAST NIGHT ON FLATS MOUNTAIN<br /> <br /> TRAILS<br /> Entrance at Unicoi Gap on Joe Brown Highway<br /> BMT North<br /> **Peels Gap**<br /> BMT North<br /> **Tate Gap**<br /> BMT North<br /> **Six Mile Gap**<br /> BMT North<br /> Sandy Gap<br /> State Line Ridge<br /> **Moss Gap**<br /> State Line Ridge<br /> **Hazel Gap**<br /> State Line Ridge<br /> Sled Runner Gap<br /> Brookshire Creek Trail<br /> **Iron Ring Camp**<br /> Brookshire Creek Trail<br /> **Fern Camp**<br /> Brookshire Creek Trail<br /> Sugar Mt Trail(BMT)<br /> **Pretty Pine Gap**<br /> Sugar Mt Trail<br /> Fish Hatchery Tellico River<br /> Sycamore Creek Trail(BMT)<br /> **Sycamore First Camp (2)**<br /> Sycamore Creek Trail<br /> **Rainbow Trail Camp aka Will Skelton Camp**<br /> Sycamore Creek Trail<br /> **Whiggs Meadow Bald Camp**<br /> Mud Gap BMT<br /> Skyway BMT<br /> Beech Gap<br /> Fodderstack Ridge Trail<br /> **Cold Spring Gap**<br /> Trail 149<br /> Brush Mountain Trail<br /> **Happy Rock Spring Camp**<br /> Brush Mt Trail<br /> **Brush/South Fork Camp**<br /> South Fork Creek Crossing<br /> South Fork Citico Trail<br /> **White Rock Camp**<br /> South Fork<br /> Clemmer Detour<br /> Grassy Branch Camp<br /> **Crossing 8 Camp**<br /> Grassy Branch to Grassy Gap<br /> Skyway Roadwalk<br /> Flats Mt<br /> **Flats Bald #1 Camp**<br /> Flats Mt<br /> Skyway Roadwalk to Lake View Overlook and OUT
  • In Unicoi Gap looking north on the Benton MacKaye Trail.
  • Uncle Fungus in Unicoi Gap with my 100 lb pack.
  • Trailsign in Unicoi Gap and all these are my destinations.
  • A trailsign where the old logging cut ends and the trail up to Peels High Top begins.
  • It's a 20F day and there's still some snow on the mountain.
  • My Zamberlan winter boots on Peels Mt on the BMT.
  • Resting on the climb up to Peels High Top Mt.
  • I reach Peels Gap and set up for a cold windy night.
  • My Day 2 begins in cold temps but by 10am I'm ready to climb Peels Top Mt.
  • The top of Peels Top Mt in Peels spring saddle where there's water and an old chimney stack.
  • Peels Mt saddle.
  • Peels Top chimney site.
  • Trail 117 jct looking towards Tate Gap.
  • Looking back up the BMT going south and 117 falling off the mountain on the right.
  • The BMT goes north and wraps around the mountain to Tate Gap.
  • Doc Rogers house in Tate Gap.
  • Stone house.
  • The back of the stone house by the spring.
  • A neat pic showing the stone house.

  • TipiWalter

    on March 3, 2017

    Thanks guys for the input.

  • Jerry Schneider

    on March 2, 2017

    Very impressive backpacking distances, terrain, weather, etc., and great pictures.

  • Stephen McGuire

    on March 2, 2017

    Great stuff, love the pics thanks for sharing!

  • TipiWalter

    on March 2, 2017

    Thanks John for the comment.

  • John Michael Polly

    on March 2, 2017

    Hello Tipi, always look forward to your trip reports.

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