- Joined
- Jun 3, 2010
- Messages
- 1,516
This is a copy of a post I did over at another forum however guessing it would work here. Over the July 4th weekend I headed into an area known as rattlesnake den. This area is well known to me as the AT runs into it. The trip started like so many others from the back of my truck. The total hike was only about 10-miles but felt like more with the higher temps and elevation changes.
The temperatures hit a bit over 90. One trick to cool down fast is to dunk a hat or bandanna in a cool stream. Put that on your head and instant cool down.
I didn’t pack any tinder but paper birch bark is world class and will burn even if wet plus catches a spark from a fire steel easily.
The trail was crossed with multiple blow downs. Something big railroaded/hit not too long ago. I even heard a presumably damaged tree crash in the woods. This put me on widow maker high alert.
Just some cool looking mossy higher country.
One of my favorite overlooks. What makes it special are the 5 lined skinks crawling about. One took off before I could take a photo.
Rolling into camp.
Time to employ that paper/silver birch bark. I used my hobo stove in place of a ground fire for cooking and smoke to drive away the mosquitoes which came out in force at dusk.
Yea that’s the good stuff.
Standard camp food, powdered potatoes with pepperoni. Fast to cook, UL and cheap.
Classic hiker’s trick. Putting liquids like bug spray, oil and soap in smaller leak proof containers. I really should label them.
Camp.
Hammock camp with small tarp. Heading out again this Friday and will be taking a 10X12 silnylon tarp but for this trip went stock.
Despite the higher daytime temperatures sometimes there can be a little chill in the hills at night therefore took a fleece blanket and jacket. The jacket was used for a makeshift pillow.
My primary water source when in camp.
Sanitation.
People don’t like to talk about keeping up with hygiene but this is important. If a trip goes on for a few days I will do a bandanna/towel bath. The hobo stove boiled multiple kettles of drinking water, cooking food and sterilizing my bandanna after use. There is a little icky factor to using the same container for cleaning and eating but this doesn’t bother me.
Good gear.
The Kifaru EMR was over kill but never lets me down.
Frontier Pro filter straw did it’s job at this little spring. Cold ground water is always welcome during a hot summer outing. I sucked it out of a GSI cup.
Been on a small fixed blade knife kick.
The stainless hobo did so many good things including smoke up the area, which seemed to drive off the bugs.
Click on image to view video.
Lets talk wild edibles and medicinal plants.
Black cap raspberries. I just call them black raspberries. Goes without saying these didn’t stay on the bush long.
It must be early in the season for blackberries as only found a single ripe one. I ate that as well.
Reindeer moss is supposed to be edible if soaked in water with a few changes but honestly this stuff isn’t high on my list.
This is jewelweed, which to the best of my knowledge not edible but works very well to treat poison ivy rash.
http://www.altnature.com/jewelweed.htm
A smaller plant with the seedpod which pops if torched hence the name “touch-me-nots.
Jewelweed flower.
The word on the street is to crush this stuff up good and rub the juice on the affected areas. I am not prone to poison ivy so never really needed that nor Sweet fern for a field treatment.
Rattlesnake den.
This is prime rattlesnake country. Tons of rodents, water, timber and a good terrain for dens plus little or no road access. What more could a rattler want? Looks like one of a thousand chipmunk holes.
My latest encounter occurred within 100 feel of camp during the hike out. Despite knowing the high probability both myself and “Buddy” where surprised.
Buddy moving off the trail. I followed but being 5-miles hard hike from the road took care. Acting stupid and getting hit would be bad news. These critters would rather move off than bite anyone as there is nothing to gain.
Being surprised the snake rattled from the get go and didn’t stop much until we parted ways. The timber almost looked like a yellow morph, every other snake I seen in the area were black morph. Not sure if this is more or less common up north. I made this little YouTube video.
http://youtu.be/DGwpnSWxS5Y
That’s about it for this trip. I am packing up now for yet another. Thanks for looking.
The temperatures hit a bit over 90. One trick to cool down fast is to dunk a hat or bandanna in a cool stream. Put that on your head and instant cool down.
I didn’t pack any tinder but paper birch bark is world class and will burn even if wet plus catches a spark from a fire steel easily.
The trail was crossed with multiple blow downs. Something big railroaded/hit not too long ago. I even heard a presumably damaged tree crash in the woods. This put me on widow maker high alert.
Just some cool looking mossy higher country.
One of my favorite overlooks. What makes it special are the 5 lined skinks crawling about. One took off before I could take a photo.
Rolling into camp.
Time to employ that paper/silver birch bark. I used my hobo stove in place of a ground fire for cooking and smoke to drive away the mosquitoes which came out in force at dusk.
Yea that’s the good stuff.
Standard camp food, powdered potatoes with pepperoni. Fast to cook, UL and cheap.
Classic hiker’s trick. Putting liquids like bug spray, oil and soap in smaller leak proof containers. I really should label them.
Camp.
Hammock camp with small tarp. Heading out again this Friday and will be taking a 10X12 silnylon tarp but for this trip went stock.
Despite the higher daytime temperatures sometimes there can be a little chill in the hills at night therefore took a fleece blanket and jacket. The jacket was used for a makeshift pillow.
My primary water source when in camp.
Sanitation.
People don’t like to talk about keeping up with hygiene but this is important. If a trip goes on for a few days I will do a bandanna/towel bath. The hobo stove boiled multiple kettles of drinking water, cooking food and sterilizing my bandanna after use. There is a little icky factor to using the same container for cleaning and eating but this doesn’t bother me.
Good gear.
The Kifaru EMR was over kill but never lets me down.
Frontier Pro filter straw did it’s job at this little spring. Cold ground water is always welcome during a hot summer outing. I sucked it out of a GSI cup.
Been on a small fixed blade knife kick.
The stainless hobo did so many good things including smoke up the area, which seemed to drive off the bugs.
Click on image to view video.
Lets talk wild edibles and medicinal plants.
Black cap raspberries. I just call them black raspberries. Goes without saying these didn’t stay on the bush long.
It must be early in the season for blackberries as only found a single ripe one. I ate that as well.
Reindeer moss is supposed to be edible if soaked in water with a few changes but honestly this stuff isn’t high on my list.
This is jewelweed, which to the best of my knowledge not edible but works very well to treat poison ivy rash.
http://www.altnature.com/jewelweed.htm
A smaller plant with the seedpod which pops if torched hence the name “touch-me-nots.
Jewelweed flower.
The word on the street is to crush this stuff up good and rub the juice on the affected areas. I am not prone to poison ivy so never really needed that nor Sweet fern for a field treatment.
Rattlesnake den.
This is prime rattlesnake country. Tons of rodents, water, timber and a good terrain for dens plus little or no road access. What more could a rattler want? Looks like one of a thousand chipmunk holes.
My latest encounter occurred within 100 feel of camp during the hike out. Despite knowing the high probability both myself and “Buddy” where surprised.
Buddy moving off the trail. I followed but being 5-miles hard hike from the road took care. Acting stupid and getting hit would be bad news. These critters would rather move off than bite anyone as there is nothing to gain.
Being surprised the snake rattled from the get go and didn’t stop much until we parted ways. The timber almost looked like a yellow morph, every other snake I seen in the area were black morph. Not sure if this is more or less common up north. I made this little YouTube video.
http://youtu.be/DGwpnSWxS5Y
That’s about it for this trip. I am packing up now for yet another. Thanks for looking.
Last edited:
