This trip began as a plan for a different type of adventure. A departure from the tent and trailer camping trips that Terri and I usually embark on. I am always looking for new and different camping areas in the south as the familiar spots don’t always satisfy the adventurous need. I had read about a cabin on an expedition kind of forum that is available through the Forest Service. Now, this cabin is not your usual tourist weekend escape cabin with hot tubs overlooking mountain lakes. No this cabin is a real cabin, built in 1931.
You can read about the cabin at http://www.main.nc.us/graham/hiking/santeetlah.html
Perfect, I thought as I made the reservation six months ago for three nights returning on Thanksgiving Day. You know I really hate making reservations six months in advance but the cabin is booked through its reservation window.
The departure time approached so we packed up the Jeep and said good bye to the geriatric dog who would be more comfortable left at home. We arrived at the cabin four hours later and unpacked our equipment as sleet began to fall. The outdoor temp was 30 deg and 29 inside the cabin. The sleet turned to heavy rain as the temp outside rose to 40.
I cleaned the ashes out of the stove and quickly got a fire going. I really like wood burning stoves -- that contraption heated the cabin up to 50 in a few hours. We even reheated our chili and cornbread from home on that hunk of hot metal. Some wine for Terri and a scotch for me and things were looking ok. If it would just quit raining tomorrow so we could explore the Santeetlah Creek area as we had planned. The rain didn’t stop. In fact, it rained for a straight 24 hours.
We weren’t alone at the cabin it turned out. First was this scrawny hound with funny ears. She made it known, in a very friendly way, we were visiting her cabin, but she would share it with us. I tossed a rug on the front porch for her. The other residents were smaller and less visible. Only the damage the little partiers would do overnight exposed their presence. Mice. Yuck. I hate mice. They chew up everything and crap on everything else. The only missing residents were the bats, thankfully.
Since it was still raining, we spent our time indoors reading the journal entries of previous cabin guests. Very entertaining. Early in the evening the rain stopped and we ventured out to find the waterfalls close to the cabin. The creek was flooded, and we couldn’t follow the trail as light was fading. Back in the cabin I prepared some dinner, and we settled in for the night.
We were awakened by the sound of the wind and the feeling that the temp had dropped significantly. I got up to wake up the fire and start coffee when I noticed the inside temp was 29 again. I checked the outdoor thermometer and it read 19. I could also see that snow was falling and had already covered the ground. Since the cabin is rustic, we also had snow coming in through the cracks around the door. I went outside and was instantly pelted by wind-driven snow and sleet that stung my face and hands. I let the resident hound inside.
We decided to pack it in after assessing the weather conditions. Trees were icing up and the wind was snapping branches off. I was concerned that the 8 mile drive down the mountain would become impassable if the snow continued and froze overnight. Terri wrote in the journal about our stay while I packed the Jeep and off we went.
The snow was still soft and with only 2 inches on the ground the Jeep had no problems even crossing over a downed tree on the trail. We drove the 8 miles with the wind howling and the temp steady at 19. That hound followed us without even panting and kept a 10 mph pace to the bottom of the trail. I made some room in the Jeep, tossed in the hound, and made it to the Ranger station before they closed asking about the closest shelter for the dog.
Overall not a bad trip. I would have enjoyed less rain, more snow, and fewer inhabitants. We did find a shelter for the dog, who was thankful to be out of the storm. I doubt I will stay at the cabin again but will camp at some of the dispersed sites we saw on the trail.
-Andy
You can read about the cabin at http://www.main.nc.us/graham/hiking/santeetlah.html
Perfect, I thought as I made the reservation six months ago for three nights returning on Thanksgiving Day. You know I really hate making reservations six months in advance but the cabin is booked through its reservation window.
The departure time approached so we packed up the Jeep and said good bye to the geriatric dog who would be more comfortable left at home. We arrived at the cabin four hours later and unpacked our equipment as sleet began to fall. The outdoor temp was 30 deg and 29 inside the cabin. The sleet turned to heavy rain as the temp outside rose to 40.
I cleaned the ashes out of the stove and quickly got a fire going. I really like wood burning stoves -- that contraption heated the cabin up to 50 in a few hours. We even reheated our chili and cornbread from home on that hunk of hot metal. Some wine for Terri and a scotch for me and things were looking ok. If it would just quit raining tomorrow so we could explore the Santeetlah Creek area as we had planned. The rain didn’t stop. In fact, it rained for a straight 24 hours.
We weren’t alone at the cabin it turned out. First was this scrawny hound with funny ears. She made it known, in a very friendly way, we were visiting her cabin, but she would share it with us. I tossed a rug on the front porch for her. The other residents were smaller and less visible. Only the damage the little partiers would do overnight exposed their presence. Mice. Yuck. I hate mice. They chew up everything and crap on everything else. The only missing residents were the bats, thankfully.
Since it was still raining, we spent our time indoors reading the journal entries of previous cabin guests. Very entertaining. Early in the evening the rain stopped and we ventured out to find the waterfalls close to the cabin. The creek was flooded, and we couldn’t follow the trail as light was fading. Back in the cabin I prepared some dinner, and we settled in for the night.
We were awakened by the sound of the wind and the feeling that the temp had dropped significantly. I got up to wake up the fire and start coffee when I noticed the inside temp was 29 again. I checked the outdoor thermometer and it read 19. I could also see that snow was falling and had already covered the ground. Since the cabin is rustic, we also had snow coming in through the cracks around the door. I went outside and was instantly pelted by wind-driven snow and sleet that stung my face and hands. I let the resident hound inside.
We decided to pack it in after assessing the weather conditions. Trees were icing up and the wind was snapping branches off. I was concerned that the 8 mile drive down the mountain would become impassable if the snow continued and froze overnight. Terri wrote in the journal about our stay while I packed the Jeep and off we went.
The snow was still soft and with only 2 inches on the ground the Jeep had no problems even crossing over a downed tree on the trail. We drove the 8 miles with the wind howling and the temp steady at 19. That hound followed us without even panting and kept a 10 mph pace to the bottom of the trail. I made some room in the Jeep, tossed in the hound, and made it to the Ranger station before they closed asking about the closest shelter for the dog.
Overall not a bad trip. I would have enjoyed less rain, more snow, and fewer inhabitants. We did find a shelter for the dog, who was thankful to be out of the storm. I doubt I will stay at the cabin again but will camp at some of the dispersed sites we saw on the trail.
-Andy
