Standing Indian Mountain

Standing Indian Mountain

Nantahala NF, North Carolina

August 2007

WANDERERS:  Brooke, John, Steve.

SIGHTINGS/ IDENTIFICATIONS:  Huge white tailed buck, chicken mushrooms, North American river otter.

RUN:  3 Day Hike, 14.1 miles

Difficulty: 18 Challenging 


RATING:  7.25/10 for flora, fauna, and waterfalls.

WEATHER:  Clear weather, 50's to 80's depending on elevation.

TYPE OF TRAIL:  Dirt to rocky backpacking trail through old growth forests, wooden bridges, rhododendrons, beech woods, mixed woodlands, and fern carpeted woods.  Hike along trails with beautiful views of waterfalls and over boulders along side Kimsey Creek. 

WALK THRU:  Day 1. Brooke and I left Pensacola, Florida around 7 am on Friday morning after taking the day off for a 3 day weekend. We had hoped to get to Franklin, North Carolina between noon and 2 pm.  Our friend Steve Matechik was attending National Park Service Training just down the road from the trail-head.   I should start off by saying that this was my very first full-on backpacking trip. Steve had been on multiple backpacking trips and was sort of going to show me the ropes on a short 3 day hike with my girlfriend Brooke.  After seven hours of driving, we arrive in Franklin at our scheduled time, but we are having trouble getting a hold of our comrade Steve.  Brooke and I scarf down some really terrible fast food and then go to find the trail-head. We discover our trail-head near Rock Gap, here we finally get ahold of Steve, only to learn that he is still in class and will be running late. To pass the time, we decide to check out the campsites at Standing Indian, which turn out to be really nice.  The two of us then drive back up to the trail-head at Rock Gap so we can explore a bit.  We hop out of the car to get our first look at the trail. We approach the entrance to the trail and immediately find signage for a clever bear.  We hop back into the car.

As we were sitting there in the car waiting, I see a lone man take off into the woods with his pack.  His wife had dropped him off, given him a quick hug and within seconds he had disappeared into the wood, his wife already driving away.   I played out this mans scenario in my brain over the next couple of hours until Steve arrived. What happens if you stumble and break a leg or one of those crazy bears, undaunted by humans, tries to attack you. You are completely on your own.  Simultaneously,  I was intrigued by the thought of such solitude and the sense of adventure that this man must be experiencing at that very moment. 

 Steve arrived just before dark which meant cutting out our hiking for that day.  I didn't consider this a problem because it was just so great to see Steve.   Steve and I had worked for years together at a Jetski rental business in Florida and had become great friends.  I can honestly say, he is one of the greatest people you will ever meet.  
 

Rock Gap Shelter

   Steve brought us about a quarter mile up the trail to Rock Gap Shelter.  Over the next hour he showed me some really cool stuff, how to hang your pack so rats didn't get to them and how to hang your food bag on a bear bag line. He showed me where the water would have been if there had not been a terrible drought in the region.  The three of us cooked up some dinner, ate it and then came time to wash the dishes outdoors. Steve explained to me that the camp soap I bought was pretty much useless for backpacking.  I guess you don't really want to use camp soap because the smell can attract animals and it does not really belong on the ground in the middle of the woods according to Leave No Trace Ethics. He showed me that to properly clean your dishes, you pour a tiny amount of water into your used pot, scrape off the excess food in the pot with your spoon, and then drink the food residue water.  This totally grossed me out at first.  He explained that you can use a paper towel or something similar to clean out your dishes, but that you would just end up having to carry that extra trash with you for the rest of the camping trip.  I figured why waste the space and took my first gulp. Disgusting! and then I got over it.  After dinner, Steve informed me that he was going home for the night. He had last minute news that he was going to have to attend a short class in the morning before we set out on our adventure.  Remembering those bear signs, I think my feelings on sleeping outdoors were comparable to the first time I saw The Shining, I was only five.  My mother would go to use the restroom and in a fit of terror I would squat outside the bathroom door stretching my fingers underneath the door and asking her if she was still there. 

Night 1. So Steve left for the night, Brooke and I sat there in my small tent inside the shelter. I have since learned that when most people sleep in a shelter, they don't set their tent up inside of it.  I laid there all night, eyes wide open.  The littlest rat scurrying across the floor sounded like a black bear rustling up leaves or maybe a pack of wild boars ready to thrust a tusk into my unsuspecting body.

Day 2.    I got no sleep.   I was very out of sorts, sluggish, and really just felt like sleeping in the car all day. Brooke and I drove to our new trailhead at Timber Ridge Trail near Mooney and Big Laurel Falls, where we had agreed to meet Steve after his class.  As we sat there and waited I became very anxious about our hike.  At this point we were only going on an overnighter.  I hadn't really stepped foot into the wilderness and under my increasing anxiety I felt like I might get nauseous in the car at any second. The thought of being out in the wilderness with out my security blanket was getting to me somehow. 
   When Steve arrived we dropped off our car at Standing Indian Campground and took his car back up to the trailhead.  Before putting on our boots and packs to start our hike, we decided to take it easy a bit longer and go play in the waterfalls, we were parked pretty close to Mooney Falls.  As we got down to the falls we saw two river otters. Upon spotting us, they scattered up the waterfall and into the woods. We made our way to the bottom of the falls where things sort of leveled out and Steve taught us how to climb down the rocks.  Stay on all fours and you always want a combination of 3 hands or feet planted. Brooke strayed from this rule for a moment, stood up, and slipped.  Luckily she just fell on her butt and was not injured.  Brooke and I made our way down to a shallow pool.  The water was freezing but we dared each other to go skinny dipping.  We were both in the water and finally it came down to dunking your head in.  I have learned over the past years of playing outdoors that you are not really in the water until you dunk your head under.  You can be in the water up to your ears but until that head goes under it doesn't count.  Mooney Falls was amazing.  This acclimation is exactly what I needed.  I could have played on the rocks all day but we still hadn't hiked a mile and our campsite was at the top of Standing Indian Mountain, approx. 10 miles away.  We strapped on our boots and packs and made our way up the Timber Ridge Trail in good spirits.

We probably only made it about a tenth of a mile up the Timber Ridge Trail before I realized I was not in any sort of hiking shape.  I have played soccer all my life and was completely capable of pushing my body to the limits, Brooke Anderson on the other hand, was on the other end of things.  She became exhausted very quickly and needed to take breaks often as we gained elevation quickly.  I think we were both about to have a cow after we realized that this was not going to be a gentle stroll in the park.  It's important to note that rushing someone when hiking can lead to injuries.

   As we approached the top of the ridge, the terrain started to level out a bit when BAMMMM!! The trees in front of us exploded -leaves were flying everywhere!  This huge white-tailed buck danced its way across the path and through the woods.  Over the course of the next few hours we discovered these areas where roots were dug up.  Our best guess was that wild boars were digging them up.  Around this time we left the Timber Ridge Trail and joined the Appalachian Trail.  Steve began pointing out the different plants and mushrooms we came across,  I think this is what really sealed the deal for me on backpacking.  Great views stretched before our eyes as we approached the top of the mountain.  All of the different smells of spice and earth and damp filled my nose and mind with wonder. 


  We hit the top of Standing Indian Mountain just as the sun was going down.  I remember thinking that I had conquered my first mountain.  Unfortunately, you do not actually conquer the mountain until you make it down the other side.  Just ask those two guys from the movie "Touching the Void".  The path down the other side was filled with large cobble stones which made the going more difficult as we were walking in the dark with headlamps. Your feet sort of wiggled and wobbled as you slid down the other side.  Needless to say, it was not the most comfortable of feelings, but you sort of got used to it.  I was in trek mode now and really felt like I had a grip on the whole hiking thing. Unfortunately, around this time Brooke's ankle gave out.  She seemed to be in a lot of pain so we took some stuff out of her pack and really slowed our pace.  I guess that is really the only thing you can do in that situation.  I know in her heart she probably would have been willing to set up camp right there in the middle of the trail. 


  While we are on the topic of walking in the dark at night, I just want to point out another small fear.  It seems that when backpacking, everyone hikes in a line. When its dark outside you feel great in the front as leader.  You get a few spiders in the face, but overall things are pretty good.  In the middle of the pack you are basically just following the person in front of you.  No bugs but you don't get to see anything crazy. You'er basically a walking dummy.  The back of the pack is really where intense fear can overwhelm you.  There is no one behind you and if a giant evil monster wants to silently pluck you out of the night, like has been done in so many children's cartoons, the monster probably will.


Night 2. We reach Standing Indian Shelter (Picture 2 from the left below).   I am exhausted and sort of feel like we have reached a La Quinta Inn or someplace really fancy like that.  This place is an ivory palace in heaven.  I remember having a cup of something warm like hot chocolate and sleeping all night. 

Day 3. We hike the rest of the way down the mountain on the Appalachian Trial after filling up our water bottles from a nearby stream.  Originally in the morning we had planned to take the Lower Ridge Trail back to the car but by mistake ended up on the Kimsey Creek Trail.  This was the best mistake we could have made.  The trail took us through luscious vegetation along side a beautiful creek.  As you hike slowly downhill you pass lots of large rocks covered in a blanket of green moss.  Half-way through the hike we decided to take a dip in the creek to wash the stink off ourselves and improve team moral.

 After the dip we made our way back to the car and hit the road.

Mooney Falls, Standing Indian Shelter, Nantahala Wilderness Signage, Standing Indian Mountain, Chicken Mushroom.

TRAILHEAD:  Take US 64 west from Franklin approximately 12 miles passing thru Winding Stair Gap.   Near the bottom of the mountain from the gap, you will turn left on West Old Murphy Road (SR 1448). There is a directional sign for the campground there. Go 1.9 miles and turn right on Forest Development Road 67 at the Standing Indian Campground sign. This is a paved road. Go 1.7 miles and turn right into Standing Indian Campground. From Campground continue down Upper Nantahala Road. You will find parking near Mooney Falls. 

FOOD:  I can't remember most of what we ate on this trip.  I do, however, remember some blueberry Pancakes and Cliff Bars. 

EQUIPMENT: The North Face Venture Rain Jacket
Thorlo Men's Wool/Silk Lt Hiker Crew Sock, Navy Heather, Size 11
Therm-a-Rest Trail Pro (Regular)
MSR Pocket Rocket Stove
Katadyn Hiker PRO Water Microfilter
flip flops, bandana, aluminum cookset, Light my fire spork, synthetic sweater and pants, Backcountry first aid kit.  

BODY CONDITION:  Steve was in the middle of Ranger Training school so he was in great shape and had no problems. Brooke and I were smokers and drinkers who never trained so we were quite sore. Brooke's ankle wrapped.

LESSONS LEARNED:  1. Conditioning is important. 
2. We arrived at Standing Indian Shelter around 11:00pm which means we did at least 3 hours hiking in the dark.  I used my back-up batteries when my head lamp died.
3. If your soon to be ex-girlfriend smokes two packs a day and has never done anything athletic in her life, maybe she is not the one for a hiking adventure. 
4. The Light My Fire Spork will melt under heat.
5. Aluminum cook sets suck!
6. Tea, Hot Chocolate, Cider make everything better.

SIDE NOTES: -Elevation 5,499 ft. Its the highest point south of the smoky mountains.
-According to Cherokee mythology, Standing Indian Mountain is the remains of a warrior who turned to stone because he failed to remain at his post. This Indian warrior had been sent to the mountaintop to keep a lookout for the winged monster which came from the sky and stole children. The winged monster was captured and then the Great Spirit destroyed the monster with thunder and lightning. However, because the Indian warrior became afraid and ran away from his post, he was turned to stone for his cowardice. The Cherokee called Standing Indian Mountain Yunwitsule-nunyi, which means "where the man stood." 
-Water at both shelters. Rock gap has a little spick et right next to the shelter. Standing Indian has a little stream just past the trail if you are facing it from the shelter. There should be a sign pointing towards it that says water. Also water along the random streams and rivers throughout this hike. Water at the campground.

MAPS/ CONTACT:
Nantahala and Cullasaja Gorges, NC - Trails Illustrated Map # 785
 
-Standing Indian Campground (NC)
OFF FOREST DEVELOPMENT RD 67
Franklin NC 28734
(828)524-6441