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Pinhoti Section 8
I hiked north from Porter Gap. (GPS coordinates N33 19.984, W086 01.577)on 11 Nov 2003. This report is made in 1-hour increments. I stopped hourly (after I had hiked for a full hour) for a break and to make journal entries. Adjust your plans based on your hiking experiences. This was a very dry time on the trail. Wet weather streams had dried up.. Hour 1. Excellent trail because it was well marked, had no trees across the path to speak of, and the vegetation had been cut back away from the trail. In addition to blazes, rocks have been stacked to indicate the presence of the trail. This was a really nice touch. The footing was soft, absent the rocky footing that is a part of a lot of the Pinhoti. There is a rock formation that has a really good view of the land around. I went almost all the way to Chandler Springs during this hour. This means that I was doing about 3 mph. A really fast pace for me and for the rest of the Pinhoti. I rate this section as being very easy. Hour 2. Very good trail. The trail’s condition was similar to that listed for the first hour with these exceptions. The footing was still good but there were more rocks. The trail could use a few more markers after it exits the woods and heads across the bridge. I did not see any blazes after hitting the road until after I crossed the bridge. That was a long stretch without blazes if a person does not know beforehand that the trail follows the road across the bridge. Once across the bridge, you can tell the trail follows 600-2. However, there are no blazes until the trail exits the road. I thought I had missed the exit because I stayed on the road further than I had expected by looking at the map. This section gains elevation and there is pretty vista through the trees. There was a very good stream and good camping sites on the section that is on the east side of 600-2. The map shows a stream heading northwest from Weathers. The stream does not appear to cross the Pinhoti on the map. However, I did walk over the stream and it contained a lot of water. In fact, this stream contained more water than anyplace between Porter Gap and the Cheaha Lodge. There were several places that would make a good campsite near the stream. I rate this section of the trail as being easy to moderate. Side note: The Talladega Creek does not have factories or other stuff upstream polluting it. You can use that water. Better still, there is a pipe coming out of the side of the mountain on the north side of the Talladega Creek and about ¼ mile west of the Chandler Springs Bridge. Some local people get their drinking water from this spring water. Hour 3. This was a very rough hour. The trail changed significantly once I crossed back to the west side of skyway. The trail is very rocky. The rocks are loose and the footing is treacherous. To make it worse, the leaves obscured a lot of the trail so each step was an adventure in itself because you did not know onto what you were stepping. The trail is not as well marked here, as were the first two hours. Still, it has more blazes than most of the Pinhoti. Three different times I started to bushwhack out because I could not find a trail marker. It took me about 10 minutes each time to find the trail. I do not think there is much vista, except to look across the hollows at another side, but to be honest, it took so much of my attention staying up straight on the trail that I did not look around. The best thing I can say about this rock area is that it quit about half way to Clairmont Gap. I rate this area as being hard because of the footing. Hour 4. The first half hour was spent on the rocks I experienced during hour 3. The last half hour was enjoyable. The path was well marked, there were no bushes encroaching on the path, there were no significant elevation changes as you walked along the side of the mountains, and there was a plethora of wildlife. The last half was very enjoyable. Of course, after the rocks in the first half, a visit to the dentist would have been enjoyable. This path was hard during the first half and easy to moderate the second half hour. Hour 5. This hour started at Clairmont Gap (GPS N33.21.65 W085 55.93). This was the most scenic hour I hiked. The ridge trail at the beginning has breathtaking views. Trail maintenance took a turn for the worse once I reached Clairmont gap. Vetetation encroachment was a big problem the first half hour. Also, blazes, or the absence of them, became a problem. There are a lot of blazes, but because of the growth on the trail, blazes are not always where they are needed. Some kind sole painted large white arrows showing the way. They are crude but very much appreciated. The trails footing is pretty good as far as rocks. I’d rate this section as easy to moderate. Easy as to the path’s footing and elevation changes, moderate because of the vegetation encroachment and missing blazes. Hour 6. This was a very good trail to Burgess Point. The trail had good footing, was easy to follow, and the elevation change was moderate. The trail around Burgess point has encroachment problems at both ends. The encroachment is not extremely bad, just a nuisance. After Burgess Point, the trail was more difficult to follow because the leaves obscured the trail. Still, you can follow the trail if you pay attention. There are enough blazes to comfort you that you are not lost, not enough to guide you. I’d rate this trail as easy to moderate because of the elevation changes and missing blazes. Hour 7. This trail was basically a continuation of the trail during hour 6 with two significant differences. There is a creek about 30 minutes into the hike. This is the creek that is about 45 minutes south of Adam Gap. The creek had a low flow but it was plenty sufficient for filling water bottles. A blaze is badly needed where the trail crosses a forest road. The trail angles into the road. The angle makes you think you must follow the road for a while. The map makes it look as though the trail crosses straight across the road. Neither is correct. The trail actually cuts back a few feet on the road and then takes off at an angle and across the road. Signs are good from north to south. Signs are badly needed for northbound hikers. I rate this trail as moderate because the elevation changes are more pronounced as you go around the foot of hills and valleys. Hour 7.2. I reached Adams Gap parking at 12 minutes into the hour. This was an easy path to follow. The rock sidewalk from the Silent trail/Pinhoti crossing was a bore though. I rate this section as easy. GPS coordinates for Adams gap are N33 24.242 W085 52.464
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