2019-07-13 Team Waterfall Weekend - Day 2

Team Waterfall Birthday Celebration Weekend

for the Captain and the Professor

Somewhere in the Mountains of North Carolina

Day 2 - Saturday, July 13th, 2019

The Birthday Boyz at AAA Falls

As a commercial airline Pilot, Captain John has a fascination with seeking out old airplane wrecks which are scattered about the Carolina mountains.  Once of these searches has led to the discovery of a waterfall which John named AAA Falls after his three daughters, Aubrie, Avarie, and Aislyn.

For Saturday's adventure, the Captain would lead us down to AAA Falls and then continue on downstream into unexplored territory.  Of course this is easier said than done!  The creek we would explore drops over 3,000 feet of elevation!   This would be no easy task especially considering that there would be no trail for the majority of this expedition.


Since we knew this would be an all day adventure we dropped off shuttle vehicles near our planned exit point the previous evening so we could get a relatively early start! 

Seven Went In

Photo from the Spencer Clary Collection

L to R:  Captain John, Ranger Elliott, Professor Scott, Bushwhack Jack (Me), Jill, and Spencer

Plus one more behind Spencer's Camera who wishes to remain anonymous

The hike started out fairly easy on a well maintained forest service road with some nice views along the way!  There were some ominous looking clouds and some thunder booms in the distance.

An easy start to our hike along a nicely graded and well maintained forest service road

 Some nice views along the way

We started at slightly above 6,000 feet in elevation, and would follow the creek all the way down to a little below 3,000 feet.  This equates to over 3,200 feet of falling water with dozens of waterfalls and cascades!  Here are some of the photos from our journey down the creek!

While we stayed on public land the entire time, I have been asked not to provide the location of any of these waterfalls.

 Spencer at the first major drop

The first major drop along the way

 Telephone Pole Falls   (this pretty falls was on a nearby tributary stream)

 Cutlery Falls  (2nd major drop)

Not sure if we gave this one a name (3rd major drop)

The top of AAA Falls

Hanging out at a nice cascade just above the top of AAA Falls

The Professor at the top of AAA Falls

Elliott at the top of AAA Falls

Spencer and Jill at AAA Falls

 Scott and Elliott at AAA Caves

Elliott at AAA Caves

Scott at the 5th Major Drop

As mentioned earlier, Captain John has spent years looking for the remains of a 70 year old airplane wreck in the area.  We never did find the crash sight, but we did find one of the tires.

 Elliott by an airplane tire from a 70 year old plane crash

For most of the journey I kept towards the middle of the pack.  However, at one point I ended up ahead and led the way to the base of what I thought was the prettiest waterfall of the day.  According to the Team Waterfall rules committee, this gave me naming rights.  

Therefore, I am officially calling this one Amy's Falls after my beautiful bride!  Definitely not the tallest or most powerful, but the prettiest one in my eyes!

The Professor at Amy's Falls

Elliott at Amy's Falls

We continued on downstream finding several additional smaller waterfalls and cascades. 

 Triple Falls

Selfie time with the Birthday Boyz

 Working our way down another waterfall

Happy Birthday Captain John!

Thanks for organizing and leading this epic adventure!

It was after 6:00pm and we still had miles to go!  Fortunately, the Professor was able to find a trail which we used to quickly cover the remaining few miles back to where we parked the shuttle vehicles!

It sure felt good to get back on an actual trail!

I can honestly say that I will never forget this weekend!  And I am pretty sure I will have a lifelong scar to remember it by!  

My complete set of photos is posted here:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/8146392@N05/albums/72157709706249286/with/48308438781/

2019-07-12 Team Waterfall Weekend - Day 1

Team Waterfall Birthday Celebration Weekend

for the Captain and the Professor

Somewhere in the Mountains of North Carolina

Day 1 - Friday, July 12th, 2019

 Group Photo at Twin Falls

L to R:  Scott (Professor), John (Captain), Thomas (Badger), Angelina, Kyle, 

Me (Bushwhack Jack), and Kitty (Rock Sprite)

This past weekend, Team Waterfall got together to celebrate Captain John's and Professor Scott's birthdays (and to find some new waterfalls)!  The Captain was able to procure his friends secret cabin for our weekend accommodations.

Even though our first adventure would not start until Friday afternoon, I decided to take the entire day off from work and hit a few touristy spots and short hikes along the way.

 Along the Blue Ridge Parkway

 Along the Blue Ridge Parkway

 Probably the most photographed tree along the Blue Ridge Parkway

 

Roaring Fork Falls

Me at Roaring Fork Falls

 Roaring Fork Falls

White Oak Creek Falls

After a nice morning of solo exploring, I met the rest of the crew in Burnsville, NC where we combined vehicles.

In addition to procuring the cabin, Captain John also obtained permission to visit some waterfalls on private property.   Since this one is on private property, I will not provide any location details.
(Hint:  The main attraction is called Twin Falls and we drove through Pensacola to get there).

 Twin Falls

I didn't have a wide enough lens, so used my Cell Phone for this Panorama

Twin Falls

One side of Twin Falls

 Ziggy at Twin Falls

Can you Spot the Captain in this Photo?

On the hike out, Kyle went to seek out some privacy and found a waterfall.
 

 Introducing Kyle WTTAP Falls

But seriously, this area of the world is loaded with undocumented waterfalls!   We just scratched the surface with this little adventure!

Here are two more private property waterfalls that we were able to visit

We finished up just in time for a nice sunset and to pick up a few others for the trek to the cabin! 

Somehow we managed to fit ten humans, 

one large dog, plus all our gear in the Captain's truck.

I was glad I called Shotgun!

Beautiful Evening Twilight Sky

I've been sworn to secrecy as to the location of the cabin.  It is located in the middle of nowhere away from any roads or trails.   Captain John's truck can only take us so far.  The final stretch is all boots on the ground and steeply uphill.  We didn't arrive until well after dark and the birthday celebration went on until the wee hours of the morning!

Group Photo at the Cabin

(Photo from the Thomas Mabry Collection)

At over 6,000 feet in elevation this was likely the highest party in the Eastern USA

Ziggy

 The Cabin at Night

My complete set of photos from Day 1 is posted here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/8146392@N05/albums/72157709662003156

2019-06-29 Rocky Bottom Adventure

Rocky Bottom Adventure

Eastatoe Creek Heritage Preserve

Eastatoe Narrows, Eastatoe Creek, and Rocky Bottom Creek

Rocky Bottom, South Carolina

Saturday, June 29th, 2019

Hanging Out in a nice waterfall on Eastatoe Creek

How many people do you see in this photo?

For me, the best way to beat the Heat of a South Carolina summer is a good creek walking adventure!
And this is one of my new favorites!

Our plan of attack was to drop a shuttle vehicle along US178 near where we hoped to finish up and start our hike at the Foothills Trail / Eastatoe Creek Heritage Preserve parking area in Rocky Bottom, SC.

It was an easy an uneventful 2 mile hike down to the Eastatoe Narrows.  We had a large group of approximately 20 people starting out, but most were just planning to do the hike down to the Narrows and back.

However, for six of us (Darrin, Scott, Spencer, Bob, Sean, and Me) the Eastatoe Narrows was where the adventure would begin!

Basically starting from the Lower Eastatoe Narrows we just followed the creek upstream until we hit the confluence of Rocky Bottom Creek and then followed that upstream.

GPS Track from our Adventure

Click here for interactive link

Of course that is easier said than done!  This type of adventure is only recommended for those experienced with creek walking and off trail navigation and exploration!

Here are some of the photos along the way!

 Darrin, Scott, and Bob at the Eastatoe Narrows Overlook

Darrin swimming the Eastatoe Narrows

Lower Eastatoe Narrows Falls

Scott and Spencer (With most of Josh's crowd in the background)

Salmon Slide down Lower Eastatoe Narrows Falls

The Professor at Lower Eastatoe Narrows Falls

Bob and Darrin along Eastatoe Creek

Sean doing the Gnome along Eastatoe Creek

Bob and Darrin at a cool cave!  

The only possible route up this section of river 

Sean and Scott in a cool Cave

Sean and Darrin

Spencer

 Having fun at a small waterfall on Eastatoe Creek

 Having fun at a small waterfall on Eastatoe Creek

 Having fun at a small waterfall on Eastatoe Creek

Nice Cascades along Eastatoe Creek

Scott and Bob at Rock Bottom Falls

Sean and Darrin in the Rocky Bottom Creek Slot Canyon

Darrin swimming in the Rocky Bottom Creek Slot Canyon

Spencer by the remains of what I believe was an old dam

After hike selfie with Scott and Spencer

It was a great day for a creek walking adventure with an awesome group of friends.

My complete set of photos is posted here:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/8146392@N05/albums/72157709392933366