One of the things I look most forward to is just being out there for so long and adapting to a less consumptive, less time-wasting lifestyle. Without trivialities to your time, the day feels so much fuller as well as fulfilling.
The scenery will be beautiful, though some might not think it compares to the west. Yet there's something about a plain forest that I've grown fond of ever since Shenandoah. So simple, yet so beautiful. So seclusive, or perhaps inclusive. The canopy of leaves so serene and protective, yet so inviting to danger and exploration, adventure and mystery...
Abram Falls
In order to stay plenty transcendental, I aim to stick to my vegetarianism during this trip, and ration the food to only as much as I need each day. That way, I only eat when my stomach growls, and stop when it's full. The long hikes with a backpack will also be a sort of enjoyable labor that will make the day seem so much less wasteful.
Here is a tentative camping supply list:
FOOD
Water bottle
Supercat Alcohol Stove
Alcohol Fuel
Cooking Pot
Utensils
Ramen Packs
Oatmeal packs
Hot coco packs
powdered soup/dehydrated veggies?
Dried fruit
GORP/trailmix
Beans
Potatoes?
Bag of Flour/salt
Oil?
Block of cheese?
EQUIPMENT
Tent, stakes, poles
Lantern/Flashlight
Backpack
Rope
Matches
Flint & Steel
Sleeping Bag
Knife
Binoculars?
Camera
Phone (emergency) – satellite phone/gps?
CLOTHING
3 pairs clean socks
Boots
3 pairs underwear
1-2 pairs pants
1-2 pairs cargo shorts
1-2 T-shirts
1 longsleeve shirt
WINTER: jackets, scarf, hat, gloves, etc. etc.
FIRST AID/SURVIVAL
Band-aids
Neosporin
Gauze Pads
Iodine
Alcohol Swabs
Q-tips
Medical Tape
Wet-ones
Tylenol/headache medicine
Sewing kit
Orange garbage bag?
HYGIENE
Dr. Bronner's 18 in 1 soap
Hand Sanitizer
Grass clippings for toilet paper (also collect while hiking)
Emergency TP
Wet-ones (emergency use)
Trash bag (try keeping trash to a minimum)
Water bottle for cleaning
Floss?
Toothbrush
Trowel
Great Smoky Mountains Backpacking Trip
Drive to Cades Cove Loop Road.
Day One – August 31st
Hike Abram Falls Tr. (4.2 mi)
Left on Hannah Mountain Trail (1.9 mi)
Continue to Backcountry Campsite (B.C.) 14 (~3 mi)
Total: 9.1 miles
Day Two – September 1st
Hike Hannah Mountain Trail (~4.6 mi)
Hike Gregory Bald Trail (4.1 mi)
Right on Wolf Ridge Trail to B.C. 95 (~4.2mi)
Note: Take a left for about .4mi to reach Gregory Bald
Total: 12.9 mi
Day Three – September 2nd
Hike Wolf Ridge Trail (2.1 mi)
Left at Twentymile Trail (3.5 mi)
Continue on Lost Cove Trail to B.C. 91 (~1.3 mi)
Total: 6.9 mi
Day Four – September 3rd
Explore Hazel Creek Trail, Bone Valley Trail, etc.
Stay at Backcountry Campsite 91
Day Five – September 4th
Hike the rest of Lost Cove Trail (1.4 mi)
Keep left onto Eagle Creek Trail until reaching B.C. 97 (~5.8 mi)
Total: 7.2 mi
Day Six – September 5th
Hike Eagle Creek Trail (2.9 mi)
Continue on Bote Mtn Trail (1.7 mi)
Left at Anthony Creek Trail (3.5 mi)
Arrive at the Cades Code loop road
Click to enlarge!
Click here for the full PDF Map!
So hopefully my friends will be able/willing to go and go backpacking as well. Oh, I forgot to mention another thing: No toilet paper.
I don't want to bury toilet paper, because it leaves behind disgusting litter and harms the environment. But I sure as hell don't want to pack out my used toilet paper in some bag right next to my clothes and food. So I did some research and found an article about using natural toilet paper, like smooth river rocks with a slight narrow point, or clumps of snow, moss, or grass.
Considering Thomas's dad always mows the lawn and has him sweep the grass clippings into a pile (SO white upper-middle class suburban), I figure I'll just take this natural fertilizer and instead of having them throw it away, use it to wipe my own natural fertilizer.
Of course, something tells me Thomas would be hesitant to let me do this, even though he would lose nothing. Haha.
Gregory Bald
Other places I would like to go backpacking include: Sleeping Bear Sanddunes/North Manitou Island, and anywhere in the West.
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