Joyce Kilmer Wilderness: Stratton Bald and Hangover from the Swan Cabin

NOTE: This 1-night backpacking adventure has been planned in conjunction with our May 16-18 "8th Annual AOC Swan Cabin" camping trip. - If you sign up for this backpacking option, feel free also to sign up and join us for that free "Main Event."  You'll enjoy camping with us at the rustic Cabin and its adjoining meadow for the remainder of the weekend (Fri-Sun) and taking part in more exciting wilderness hikes + nightly campfires & cookouts, etc. Here's the link to that main event: http://www.atlantaoutdoorclub.com/events/details.asp?eventid=8608

IN A NUTSHELL:  The trees and wildflowers should be in their full spring splendor for this 1-night backpacking adventure in the Joyce Kilmer Wilderness just SW of Great Smoky Mtns National Park.  We'll set up camp on the beautiful western end of Stratton Bald, the highest mountain in the Wilderness whose summit is 5341 feet above sea level.
  Our trailhead for the trip will be the historic Swan Cabin on the mountain's southern shoulder at 4300 feet, where we can conveniently park and from which it's only a 2-mile relatively easy climb up to the Stratton Bald summit.  On Friday we'll enjoy a ridgetop dayhike out to spectacular "Hangover" before we break camp and head back to the Cabin - see more details below.
  This event's difficulty level is suitable for hikers of all levels of backpacking experience, provided you're in good physical condition and have a basic backpack plus a lightweight backpacking tent (or hammock) and a warm sleeping bag.

PLAN for THU MAY 15: We suggest optional carpooling at 7:30 AM Thursday from the I-85 Indian Trail Parking lot just NE of Atlanta (see below).  It's about a 4-hour drive to our Swan Cabin trailhead (directions below).  En route carpoolers can stop briefly for an early lunch in Robbinsville, NC. 
  At about 2:00 PM we'll begin our 2-mile backpack up the mountain.  Feel free to take a leisurely pace and enjoy the scenery if you like. We'll set up camp in or near the open meadow on the west end of the Bob Stratton Bald summit ridge. Good clear water is normally available at a spring here.
  Before dinner we'll have plenty of time to explore the huge relatively flat bald meadow near our campsite and the trail that descends southwestward along the NC/TN state line toward the Cherohala Skyway.  After dinner we'll enjoy a blazing campfire, then some nice stargazing, weather permitting.

PLAN for FRI MAY 16:  After breakfast we'll offer the option of a 7-mile round-trip dayhike to incredible "Hangover" by way of the famous broad saddle point called "Naked Ground" and the craggy ridge that crests at both "Haoe" and Hangover.  Our 360-degree view of the Smokies, lakes and surrounding wilderness should be spectacular from the high crag at Hangover.
  After the dayhike we'll break camp at Stratton Bald at about 2:00 PM Friday and backpack back down to the Swan Cabin parking area where we'll greet the other AOCers who will be arriving for the remainder of the weekend - see NOTE in green above.  Hopefully all of our backpackers can stick around thru Sunday for this "main event!"  If so, please register separately for that AOC event (also free) at this link:
http://www.atlantaoutdoorclub.com/events/details.asp?eventid=4154
  
MAY 13th PRE-TRIP PLANNING HAPPY HOUR – 6:30-7:30 PM, in conjunction with our AOC Monthly 2nd-Tue Social at the Taco Mac in the Prado Shopping Center, Sandy Springs.  Please join us if it's convenient for you, but if not we can correspond by email prior to the trip.  At this informal drop-in gathering we'll introduce one another, discuss directions, itinerary, equipment sharing, and answer your questions about the trip—also we can begin to firm up carpool assignments including "custom carpools" for those who may live near one another.
  In the few days prior to the trip Charlie will email the group about our final group plans, weather contingencies, etc.

FROM the I-85 INDIAN TRAIL RD PARK & RIDE LOT to the SWAN CABIN Parking Lot and Trailhead (~180 miles Total, ~3.5 hours) SUGGESTION TO DRIVERS: Rezero your odometer at each instruction and pay close attention to mileages given and driven. The following Lat/Lon coordinates of the cabin may be useful as your entered GPS or Google Maps Destination in conjunction with the directions below:  35.3578,-84.0043 

1. From the Park & Ride Lot at I-85 Exit #101 take I-85 North about 12 miles to I-985, Exit #113.
2. Bear Left onto I-985 and stay on it and its continuation 4-lane highways for about 96 miles northward to Dillsboro, NC. (Beyond Gainesville, GA I-985 becomes US-23 North, then merges into US-23/441 North through Tallulah Falls, GA, and Clayton, GA. As you near Franklin, NC turn Right to bypass it and reach Dillsboro about 20 miles further up US-23/441.)
3. About 1 mile north of Dillsboro, merge (straight ahead) from 441 North onto US-74 West and stay on it for about 22 miles to the NC-28 right-turn junction near the town of Luada, NC.  (Caution! This is 3 miles BEYOND the "NC-28-South" left turn jcn toward Franklin.) 
4. Turn Right onto NC-28 North and follow it about 11 miles to the NC-143 left turn jcn toward Robbinsville, NC.
5. Turn Left onto NC-143 West and follow it about 9 miles to the traffic light at US-129/NC-143 in Robbinsville. 
6. Turn Right at this traffic light onto US-129/ NC-143 and follow it 1.4 miles to the NC-143 left turn jcn. 
7. Turn Left onto NC-143, and follow it about 4 miles to a stop sign. (Along this leg you may wish to stop at the “Cheoah” Nantahala Nat’l Forest Office on your right - open weekdays ~8AM-4:30PM. They have free up-to-date Joyce Kilmer/ Cherohala Skyway materials and clean restrooms. It’s a good idea to call them at 828-479-6431 for latest Joyce Kilmer Wilderness road conditions, weather, etc.)
8. Turn Right to stay on NC-143 and continue about 7 more miles, (passing a stone “Snowbird Mountain Lodge” entrance sign on your left. About 200 yards past the Snowbird Lodge you'll reach a big leftward curve where the “Cherohala Skyway” begins).
9. IMPORTANT: As this left curve begins, avoid the Skyway by bearing Right for a few yards (toward the “Joyce Kilmer Memorial”), then turn immediately Left onto the smaller paved road that parallels the Cherohala Skyway's guardrail. This is Forest Svc. Road #81. (In about 200 yards the pavement ends and FS-81 becomes a good quality gravel road.)
10. Follow FS-81 down the hill about 1.3 miles, cross a bridge, turn Left, then continue for about 5.0 more miles  (westward, parallel to Santeetlah Creek) to Forest Svc. Road #81F on your right. (There is normally a “Wolf Laurel / Swan Cabin” sign visible here in the middle of the "Y" fork.)
11. Bear Right (northward) onto FS 81-F and take this winding road uphill for about 2.5 miles (toward the “Wolf Laurel” trailhead). Look for a “Swan Cabin” sign at a small gravel spur road that branches to your left.
12. Bear Left on this rough gravel spur road about 50 yards up the hill to a steel gate.  If this gate is locked we'll park and gather on the shoulder of FS 81-F below the gate.  If that gate is unlocked we'll pass through the gate and follow this Swan Cabin spur road 0.2 mile to its end at a second gate and small gravel parking area just 30 yards uphill of the Swan Cabin.  (Note:  The 1st steel gate may appear to be locked, but usually is not and can be swung open for entry.)

CARPOOLERS: Don't forget to chip in generously to cover your fair share of gas and vehicle expenses!
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Free event with free parking!  Just bring your own backpacking food & gear.