Intermediate Backpacking at Cumberland Gap - Pinnacle to White Rocks

Please read the description and the RSVP question carefully. If you're moved to the waitlist, that means I need more information from you for the permits.

Friday and Saturday nights, I have reserved the Wilderness Road Campground group camp G-2. You’re welcome to hang out with us Friday night and use G-2 as a base camp for day hikes over the weekend if you’re not interested in doing the backpacking; it is reserved through Saturday.

Those participating in the backpacking trip will depart from the Colson Trail trailhead parking at 36.60303, -83.63559, just past the Wilderness Road Campground entrance, on the right, at 9 am Saturday morning. This is the location indicated for the Meetup event.

DETAILS

This trip is

• ~9 mi / 14 km, +2700 ft / 820 m elevation on Saturday
• ~12 mi / 19 km over rough terrain on Sunday
• ~5 mi / 8 km, -2200' / 670 m on Monday

…and as such is intended for those with some backpacking experience.

The fixed details of the trip are as follows:

• No dogs on this trip please. You're welcome to contact me with questions about this.
• You will need to take Monday, November 3rd off of work
• Friday, 31 October: get in whenever you can, hang out with the group at campsite G-2, by the bathhouse in the farthest loop from the campground entrance
• We'll need to shuttle some cars to the Walker Civic Park either Friday night or early Saturday
• Trail time is 9:00 am local time (EDT) on Saturday, 1 Nov at the Colson Trail trailhead parking lot (36.60303, -83.63559) just past the Wilderness Road Campground entrance, on the right
• Expect one long day of ~12 mi / 19.3 km (with a break at the Hensley Settlement, about the half-way point)
• Expect one early day of ~5:30 am (sunrise at White Rocks, weather permitting)
• We’ll finish at Walker Civic Park in Ewing, VA by around 2 – 3 pm Monday
• Post-hike recovery meal at Gap Creek Coffee House in Cumberland Gap, TN (weather permitting); Pelancho's or King's Buffet in Middlesboro, KY as a backup

Some fine-grained details may be tweaked in the weeks between now and then, but I'll make a note of what changed in the comments below.

PLANNING

This trip will happen rain or shine, and will only be canceled for an extreme weather event, bear activity at one of our campsites, or if the park closes the areas where we’re staying. Black bears are active in this area, and cables are provided at both campsites for hanging food. For everyone’s safety, do not keep food, toiletries, or cosmetics in your tent at night.

Because this is a one-way ridge hike, we'll need to stage some vehicles at Walker Civic Park in Ewing, VA for the return; the rest will be parked at the Colson Trail trailhead parking. We'll leave from there at 9 am on Saturday morning. Via the Boone Trail, we’ll head west to the Wilderness Road Trail, through town of Cumberland Gap and the actual Cumberland Gap, up to the Pinnacle, and stay at Gibson Gap on the first night (~9 mi / 14 km, +2700 ft / 820 m elevation). We'll hike for part of the day, break for lunch at the Hensley Settlement, then continue to the White Rocks campsite where we’ll stay Sunday night, for a total of ~12 mi / 19 km. We’ll visit White Rocks and Sand Cave on Monday morning; White Rocks is where the cover photo for the event was taken, at sunrise. The hike out is 5 mi / 8 km to Walker Civic Park and mostly downhill.

This is the route: https://caltopo.com/m/54E62

You'll need to be able to make it 3+ days in the backcountry, with your own water filtration system, food, shelter, and outerwear sufficient for wintry weather, with possible rain and snow. The regular backcountry water sources can be quite low at certain times of the year, but we manage somehow. A can-do attitude when it comes to collecting water and firewood for the group makes things easier on the leaders.

I have not had any issues with the water here, properly filtered or treated, but poor "bathroom" hygiene on the trail still presents a risk to others. There are no privies (outhouses) at our campsites, so you'll need to bury your feces 6-8 inches below ground and 200' (70 adult paces) from water. Bring sufficient toilet paper and hand sanitizer.

Here is a suggested pack list and an itinerary, including contact phone numbers, which you should provide to your emergency contact. We also recommend you print and complete this medical form, and keep it in the top pocket of your pack in case of emergency.

The weather is usually quite nice for this trip, at this time of year, but be prepared for sub-freezing temperatures at night. Due to elevation, the temperature on the ridge could be 5–10 °F cooler than what's forecast for Cumberland Gap, TN and surrounding areas. If morning temperatures are around freezing for Cumberland Gap, it will be bitter cold up on the ridge, and not a good time to try and stretch your 3-season sleeping bag.

RSVPs

RSVP with integrity, and make sure you periodically check the email associated with your Meetup account and Meetup messages.

If you RSVP’d and you’re on the "Going" list for this trip, please provide me with the following information in advance so I can get backcountry permits from the NPS:

• vehicle make, model, color, plates, if driving yourself
• your emergency contact's name and phone

My copy of this information will be destroyed after this trip.

For the sake of your privacy, a phone call (Cincy area code, 227-1728) would be preferable to Meetup messages for this. If you don’t provide this information to me in a timely manner, which is required by the NPS to issue the permits, you’ll go back on the waitlist until I hear from you.

FINAL NOTES

Familiarize yourself with Leave No Trace practices, and bring a trash bag if you want to help pack out whatever we find along the trail (it's usually not much). That said, we will be at established sites with fire rings, collecting of downed wood is allowed here, and there are currently no burn bans in effect. If there are apples this year, I will try turnovers again on Sunday night.

I can’t say for certain if the “G” loop bathhouse will be operating, but it’s never not been, and we are typically welcomed to use it to clean up after the trip. The showers are hot.

While I maintain Wilderness First Aid certification and will do everything I can to keep my fellow humans safe, and make this an enjoyable trip, you understand there are some risks assumed entirely on your own. Speak up if you have doubts or you're experiencing some new pain or discomfort; better to bail out early than to have to call for a rescue! Hypothermia is a real risk on this trip when the weather is bad.

Participating in this trip signals your agreement to the Sierra Club Outings waiver.

Questions, concerns? Don't hesitate to call Kevin: (Cincy area code) 227–1728.