The trip with massive dehydration

Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock Wilderness
7/23 - 7/26/15

I was feeling the need for a challenge and wanted a backpacking trip that would leave me feeling like I had "survived" something. I got my wish, but it did not work out as planned. I had permission for a 5 night trip, so my challenge would be to see as much of the Slickrock and Citco Creek Wildernesses as possible.

The night before I was to leave, we went to dinner with the neighbors. And then we went for after dinner drinks. I think I would have been fine if I had limited myself to one drink, but they tasted good and I had a second. The kids woke up at their usual 7am which meant I was on track to getting to the trailhead around noon. But, I wasn't able to finish breakfast since my stomach was bothering me. I wanted to get going so I figured I would just get something to eat on the way. It turns out a greasy sausage biscuit from the gas station Hardee's was not a good idea.

I got to the Slickrock Creek Trailhead around 2pm after initially driving right past it. The book wasn't kidding when it said it was just over the bridge. There was a forecast for rain, but it looked like it might hold off. I headed down the trail and proceeded to get pretty wet from the rainwater already on the bushes.


Looking down the embayment where Slickrock Creek meets the lake

Looking up the creek

Those were the only pictures for the day because it started to rain soon after heading up the creek. Not to mention all of the creek crossings (felt like a couple hundred, but more like 8) made me leave my phone in its ziplock bag. Some of the creek crossings are not very well marked and in places the creek was up to my crotch. It was one of the few times I wished for hiking poles. But, I only fell in the creek once and since it was close to getting dark, I decided to make camp right there. Approximately six very wet miles were plenty for a hungover late start.

It stopped raining long enough to set up my hammock, but started to sprinkle as I was cooking dinner and continued to rain lightly most of the night. By the time I woke up, the rain had passed, but my hiking shorts and shirt were still pretty wet. The wet did not matter since there were a couple more creek crossings.

It was an easy hike up to the intersection with the Big Fat Gap trail. Nice new signs at the trail intersection of Slickrock Creek and Big Fat trail. I could smell the fresh wood. Saw more of these signs later in the day.

Up to Big Fat Gap and then south on Hangover Lead Trail toward Haoe. Stopped for a break under a big rock.

Some glimpses of a view through the trees

I passed a couple of seeps below Saddle Tree gap that I should have taken advantage of. By the time I got to the Hangover, I did not have much water left. I spent some time watching the clouds and birds while having lunch. I drank the remainder of my water and had a decision to make, one that I would come to regret.

So decision time, it was about 3:00 and I had planned on camping at Naked Ground which was only about a mile away. Since I hate sitting around, I decided I would go the long way, down the Deep Creek trail around Rock Creek Knob and then up the Haoe Lead Trail. It would add about 6 miles but I thought there was a good chance I could do it in about 3 hours since it was a little bit down hill, then follow a contour then back up to Haoe. At worst, I would make a dry camp somewhere along the trail. The guidebook said that there was water a little ways down the Deep Creek Trail and there was (~.5 miles). The first ~1.5 miles was easy downhill walking and then the trail became massively overgrown. The "trail" is straight ahead in the picture below.

At one point, there was a massive downfall across the trail and in the process of going over/around the fall, I lost the trail. It took me about 15 minutes to find it after exploring up and down the slope. I had visions of bushwacking towards the Haoe Lead trail that was about .5 miles away. I got enough water for the night near the trail intersection and then continued around Rock Creek Knob and up towards Jenkins Meadow. Finally running out of daylight I set up camp just off the trail.

Woke the next morning to a nice sunrise breaking through the clouds.

I packed up and headed up the trail. Within about 30 minutes, I was dragging and I had finished my water. Within an hour, I began to wonder if I would be able to make it to Naked Ground and more water. The approximately 2 miles and 1000 foot climb to the Hangover Lead Trail took a long time and I became more dehydrated. In retrospect, I had not had enough salt in the preceding 24 hours in addition to needing more water. I passed a couple of backpackers who had been at Naked Ground the night before and I was really regretting that I had not been there as well. Once I got to the trail intersection, I had another decision to make. I could continue to Naked Ground, get water, rest and reevaluate. Or, I could head North on Haoe Lead Trail towards Big Fat Gap and then the car. I knew that there would be water just under the Hangover since I had passed it the day before.

I decided that I was not having fun and I could make it the approximately 7.5 miles back to the car, so I headed north towards Big Fat Gap and then Yellowhammer Gap. I stopped to enjoy the view in the small clearing below the Hangover. It was neat to see the wind moving the clouds up and over the mountain sides. (I think this link will be a better quality video)

I made it to Big Fat Gap and decided to keep heading due north on the Haoe Lead towards Yellowhammer Gap. That section of trail is also very overgrown, it clearly doesn't get a lot of use.

I made it back to the car and changed into dry clothes, then headed towards home. Still feeling pretty crappy, I did not even want a beer. I stopped at McDonald's in Alcoa and added some extra salt to my cheeseburger :) and then proceeded home.

I'm not good with flowers, but I saw a couple nice lillies (I think) and some of the last Mountain Laurel during the couple days.

Once again the Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock Wilderness got the best of me. The good thing was my knee did not give me any troubles, evidently climbing 20 flights of stairs on a regular basis has helped.

I also learned a lesson that you would think would have been learned a long time ago. Don't have a second after dinner cocktail the night before leaving for a challenging backpacking trip. Lesson learned. In retrospect, given the weather forecast and my hangover, I should have just waited a day and made it a 4 night trip vs. 5 nights. I'll definitely be back to the area again.