the beta
I had been wanting to head to the Sipsey Wilderness for some time now. Over a week as a bachelor allowed me that opportunity. I debated on the trails to hike. Trails options are endless, but here were the ones I debated, for this trip at least:
1. Sipsey
2. River-to-River
3. OHT
4. Knobstone
5. AL Pinhoti
6. Ozark
7. AT - near Erwin/Hot Springs
I chose Sipsey because it was closer to home, was the coolest forecast of all my options according to noaa (with the exception of the AT), and I had heard it was nice. Unfortunately, it wasn't as scenic as I had hoped, and this trip violated 2 of my 3 cardinal rules of hiking:
1. no bugs
2. no hot
3. no people
I sweated every waking (and sleeping) minute, contracted chiggers (yes, its a disease), and none of the dozen or so waterfalls were running. At all.
...but the wilderness feel was exciting - the 'established' trails were nothing like the AT highway. If you blinked, you missed them. They were overgrown (read: tick and chigger infested), but still 'follow-able' (much unlike western segments of the OHT in the spring). Like a game trail, if you will.
It was still dark when I left the trailhead after sleeping in the truck the night before. I parked at the main Sipsey TH, and had no problem paying my $3 per day fee for what appeared to be the safest TH from a vandalism point of view. Other THs were free to park, but more remote. After a few hundred yards setting out on trail 209, I came upon this sign:
When daylight appeared, I came upon this sight. I called it 'superficial grounding'. Gave me a spiritual connection - better have deep roots!
I had the plan of bushwhacking to all of the waterfalls in Sipsey. Those plans changed quickly after seeing Falls Creek Falls dried to a trickle:
I would have called the Sipsey River 'Sipsey Creek':
In certain segments of the trail, wild hog destruction was prevalent. I passed by one section that had probably almost an entire acre dug up similar to the small sampling seen here:
The sandy embankments of the Sipsey reminded me of Carolina piedmont blackwater:
I was thankful that some trails were marked with signposts, as they were easy to miss:
While in camp if they were'nt getting into the trash or shredding my TP, this is pretty much what they did:
Sipsey is littered with large rock outcroppings, boulders, and cave-like structures:
'Big Tree', the official name of this Yellow Poplar, is an apt name. It is the largest poplar in the state of Alabama. Boy did I pay a toll to get to it though. The tornados that swept through the state earlier this year have really caused some serious blowdowns throughout Sipsey.
Big Tree is over 150 feet tall and 25 feet in circumference:
Overall, I may go back to Sipsey. But the water will have to be flowing (abundantly), and it will have to be winter.