It was a another in a string of quick hit backcountry trips and Friday afternoon saw me hitting the trail from top of the world down into Cane Creek.
I went at the invitation of Curt and Brian who were doing two days out in their quest to join the 900 miler club.
That’s Brian.
The temperature had dropped significantly from the day before and dipped into the lower 30s by bedtime. We enjoyed a relaxing and solo night at yet another campsite showing all but two spaces full. This is a familiar pattern for those of us who had suspicions the NPS was cooking the books on backcountry visitation after implementing the backcountry tax. In fact, Mark Cooke of the Southern Forest Watch exposed this chicanery in a well researched article that I am linking here for your enjoyment. https://www.smokymountainnews.com/outdoors/item/17708-a-strained-relationship-suspicion-of-nps-lingers-among-some-backcountry-users-parkside-communities