Hammock Forums Group Hang and Hike at Raven Cliff Falls 11-9-12 to 11-11-12
Weather
Friday night 37º and clear
Saturday H 63º L 40º and clear
Sunday H 62º L 36º and clear
This trip report is a little different than previous reports as this was a group hang with fellow members of the Hammock Forums! I had been perusing the Hammock Forums when a mention of a group hang here in Georgia was proposed. Lucky for me I had this weekend off, Maddog got the time and ByronAlpha was able to come up from the Savannah area to join us on this adventure. Maddog and I met up with Byron at my home after his 3 hour drive over and we all piled into my car for another 3 hour ride north. After braving the traffic we made it to the campsite at about 11:30 p.m. and were amazed at the amount of people that were there. We knew they couldn't all be hammockers, could they? We wondered around looking for a sea of hammocks hanging amidst the trees and only ran into a campsite full of tents… hmm.. that did not seem right. So after a bit more wondering around in the dark we soon spotted the tell tale signs of hammocks gently floating above the ground and a cozy campfire. We introduced ourselves found some good trees and got set up as quickly and quietly as possible. We didn't want to be "those loud people that came in late" discussed around the campfire the next night! It had been a long day for all of us and we were soon all cozy in our hammocks and quickly off to a blissful coma-like sleep…at least I was anyways!
The next morning I was awoken from my slumber by Maddog like normal. Nothing better than a hiking buddy that's a personal alarm clock. If not for him I would have slept till noon! We gathered our breakfast and headed to the campfire to meet with more of our fellow hammockers that were already up and moving about. We enjoyed some breakfast and conversation and soon had the fire back up to keep warm in the cool morning air. After sitting around for a bit we decided the weather was just right and we headed down the trail to the falls. As we made our way back through the parking lot and to the trail head we were still astounded at the amount of people that were out and about. After thinking about it though, I realized that this place is very accessible to the majority of people and it was a gorgeous day. They were all there for the same reason we were. They too were there to enjoy the beauty that Raven Cliff Falls has to offer. Maddog, ByronAlpha and myself headed up the 2.5 mile trail that leads to the falls with masses. The trail up to the falls is well worn from the masses that come to enjoy the falls. As the trail wound around Dodd creek the initial elevation was moderate, but it gained elevation quickly and then leveled out a good bit. While the elevation increased, it was not very noticeable and it was a very nice walk. On this section of the trail there were a lot of nice campsites doted all along the creek side. They were filled that day with families and Boy Scouts out for a great weekend camp out. The trail crossed several hand hewn bridges and several small creeks along the way. While none of them were more than ankle deep at the most, the rocks crossing was, as expected, quite slick. Along the way, there were several smaller falls that offered a very nice opportunity for a great picture with a great background. Before we knew it we had arrived at the falls and, as predicted, there were throngs of people sitting on the rocks facing the fall enjoying lunch.
The three of us stood around for a bit enjoying the view and watching the kids bound about and the tourists snapping photos of the falls. The falls were a magnificent sight to behold, but we soon spotted a little patch that led to the very top of the falls. ByronAlpha and I decided we were going to go for it and made the scramble up the small goat path. We went over, under, and around deadfall to find ourselves on the very top of the falls looking down at the masses below. What the people on down below were really missing was the even more incredible view of the falls from the top and the view that looked out for miles around. Byron and I stood atop the falls for a while just taking in the view before the scramble back down. We made it safely down and enjoyed the hike back out. It was downhill all the way and we passed many people still making their way to the falls. Soon enough we were back at the parking area and found our way back to camp for a late lunch.
After getting a bite to eat we talked with fellow hammock hangers and checked out and talked about gear. If you haven't noticed, I really like talking about gear. I was eager to see what reactions I would get after they checked out my OXGEAR tarps, hammocks, and underquilts that I brought with me. I was relieved when they really liked what I was doing and they were very supportive of my gear-making. It was a big relief to know that what I am going to be offering has gotten the approval of fellow hammockers. After we all talked gear for a bit and the temperature started dropping we all gathered around the fire and started up some dinner. It was neat to see the different methods that everyone uses to cook. While they were pretty similar, everyone had there own unique setup. It is always very cool to see and talk to other people about the way they like to do things. It really seems to open up different avenues of thoughts for me. As someone that enjoys creating and designing things, it produced several light bulb moments for me.
We all gathered around the fire as the light started to slowly fade and the shadows began to grow long around us. With the sound of the stream rolling behind us and the crackle of the warm fire, you knew it was going to be a great night. We all shared stories from the trail, and discussed some great hikes that have now been added to my to do list. We were lucky enough to have a hammocker by the name of Pudden to tell us some stories about ghosts and things not explained. He had us all on edge and hanging on to every word for quite some time. So if you're reading this Pudden, thanks for the great fireside ghost stories! As the night wore on we were joined by the Terrapin crew for some late evening libations from some of his latest creations. After a few more stories and tall tales we all headed off to bed.
The next morning it was hard to get out of my toasty warm hammock as I knew this meant soon we would be headed home. After breakfast and getting camp broken down we said our goodbyes to our new friends. We all piled back into the car and just like any trip, the ride home was so much quicker than the ride there. This was a great trip with great friends and I can't wait until the next group hang. So until next time, keep your pack light, your head up, and I hope to see you on the trail.
OX
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