Backpacking – Apple Orchard Falls

OVERVIEW

Join me for a weekend of tramping in the Blue Ridge Mountains. We’ll head out onto the Appalachian Trail Friday night, hiking under one mile by headlamp to the Thunder Hill Shelter (lean-to). On Saturday we’ll take the Apple Orchard Falls Trail and Cornelius Creek Trail, ending up back on the AT at the Cornelius Creek Shelter for Saturday night (about 9 – 10 miles). We’ll trek the AT back to the car on Sunday.

Be prepared for some below freezing weather and some moderately strenuous hiking on Saturday. Though I haven’t been to these falls before, I hear they are spectacular. Let’s hope that the water is running at a decent level this time of year.

Club provides:
Transportation: Gas if you can drive and a seat in a car
Food: Saturday’s Meals, Sunday’s Breakfast, some snacks
Gear: backpacks, sleeping bags, tents, headlamps, water filter, cooking pots/stove

You bring:
appropriate clothing
(see http://www.guanotronic.com/~gshim/outdoors/layers.htm )
running shoes or hiking boots
3 pairs of socks (no cotton socks please)
bowl & cup (no glass / ceramic)
fork
water bottle (1-2 liters)
book (or listen to me tell stories around the fire)
camera
toiletries (toothbrush, toothpaste, etc.)
money for food on the way there and possibly on the way back
any extra snacks you may want