Gather 'round, kiddos. I want to tell you a story about the craziest hike we ever went on. The one that was just supposed to be a sunny winter day hike to see a few waterfalls. Instead... this happened.
So just to set the stage, we were on a trail just outside of Hampton, TN sometime in the winter of 2009/2010. We didn't have Rooney yet so it was just the two of us and even though it was cold and wintery morning, we were excited to see the waterfalls that this trail promised. So, off we went in our head-to-toe rain gear and thermals.
We're a mile or so in and come across the first waterfall. Stunning, super high and exactly why we were excited to be on the trail. Jill does a little happy dance to celebrate. And bonus, it warms her up. Serial takes about 100 pictures of the waterfall, from every angle imaginable. It's just that pretty.
We keep hiking and are thrilled that it's uphill because it keeps us warm. The sun continues to come up and it actually feels good to be outside. We start to get feeling back in our fingers so we shove some snacks in our faces.
We keep walking down the forest road and are loving the day, talking about how we should do more winter day hikes and that they're really not that cold. That's about when we stumble upon this beauty.
No biggie. There's probably somewhere shallow we can walk across some rocks and not have to get in the ice cold water. We check around a little. Hmm... nothing.
Alright, whatever, we've crossed streams before and we've been cold before. If our socks get wet, it's okay, we're going home tonight and this is just a day hike. Plus, to turn around would mean retracing our ~6 miles and most of it would be uphill.
Let's just go for it, we say. Jill crosses first and then takes this picture of Serial's first step into the water. There's video too - it's pretty funny.
Alright, whatever, we've crossed streams before and we've been cold before. If our socks get wet, it's okay, we're going home tonight and this is just a day hike. Plus, to turn around would mean retracing our ~6 miles and most of it would be uphill.
Let's just go for it, we say. Jill crosses first and then takes this picture of Serial's first step into the water. There's video too - it's pretty funny.
Alright, that wasn't too bad. It was actually kind of fun. Cold, but fun. Then we get to stream number two. Our shoes are still wet, so we go ahead and stomp our way through it.
Oh come on. Another one??
We ford SIX more streams and are exhausted and freezing, but still kinda determined to keep moving forward. We are too far in to turn around and we need to finish the loop to get back to our car before dark. On we go...
Then it happens. We get to stream crossing number ten and we just stare. Look at Serial. Even from the back you can just tell he is overwhelmed. I don't know if the picture does it justice, but the water was over waist high and moving very fast.
This is the contraption that is set up there to help you get across. I can't even think about how we would have managed if that cable had been on the other side of the stream. Or what we would have done if there were more than just the two of us. Our friend was actually supposed to come with us and cancelled that morning. Phew.
So the idea is that you hold on to the cable that hangs vertically across the top cable and try to shimmy it across, while you hold on for stability. Uh. Sure.
So Serial goes first just to test it out and when get gets to that second section of fast moving water, he loses his footing a little. Jill screams (super helpful) and he somehow regains his footing, then comes back to the starting point to rethink our game plan.
So the idea is that you hold on to the cable that hangs vertically across the top cable and try to shimmy it across, while you hold on for stability. Uh. Sure.
So Serial goes first just to test it out and when get gets to that second section of fast moving water, he loses his footing a little. Jill screams (super helpful) and he somehow regains his footing, then comes back to the starting point to rethink our game plan.
We decide that we have no choice and that we have to go together and with our packs on. We discuss plans for what we will grab on to if we get swept away and we talk about keeping our heads safe from rocks. Feeling less than confident.
The first couple of steps are okay, but as soon as we hit the rapids, Jill's feet fly out from under her and she's horizontal on her back/pack. She's still hanging on to the cable, but the water is trying really hard to grab hold. Once your feet are out of the water, it's pretty impossible to get them back in and stand up.
Serial gets a surge of protective energy and starts hulking out. Like, full on grunting like he's in a strongman competition and turning into a beast.
He somehow manages to pull Jill across, while occasionally losing his own footing and scrambling to keep us both together. We have no way to explain this other than sheer adrenaline. That and he is superman.
We get to the other side and embrace. Jill maaaaay cry a bit. We're thankful that we are uninjured and safe. Our feet are pin-prickly cold and we're a little banged up, but we're okay. On we go...
But wait. What's that you say? Another stream? Perrrrrfect.
The first couple of steps are okay, but as soon as we hit the rapids, Jill's feet fly out from under her and she's horizontal on her back/pack. She's still hanging on to the cable, but the water is trying really hard to grab hold. Once your feet are out of the water, it's pretty impossible to get them back in and stand up.
Serial gets a surge of protective energy and starts hulking out. Like, full on grunting like he's in a strongman competition and turning into a beast.
He somehow manages to pull Jill across, while occasionally losing his own footing and scrambling to keep us both together. We have no way to explain this other than sheer adrenaline. That and he is superman.
We get to the other side and embrace. Jill maaaaay cry a bit. We're thankful that we are uninjured and safe. Our feet are pin-prickly cold and we're a little banged up, but we're okay. On we go...
But wait. What's that you say? Another stream? Perrrrrfect.
This one doesn't look as bad so we decide to go individually and take it slow. Serial goes first so Jill can see where the tough parts are. Turns out that big rock in the center creates quite the pull and current. It's tough and the water is up to Jill's chest, but we make it across.
We're soaking wet and shivering, but know we have zero choice but to move forward. We do have headlamps & food and we could sleep outside if we needed too, but we are soaking wet and freezing. We declare that we are getting to that damn car.
Believe it or not, we actually come to one final stream to cross (number TWELVE for those counting). We assessed it and determined it was too risky. The water was far too deep and moving much too fast. Here's where the weird twist of fate part comes in. We had just received a GPS for Christmas and this was our first hike using it. It couldn't have been better timing.
We fired up the GPS, knowing that we had to be near the car by now, and bushwhacked our way out of that damn forest. It was not easy. There was no trail and we were cold, wet and tired. The next hour was pretty much just pushing and pulling our way through a bunch of thorny bushes and trees. The whole time dreaming of dry clothes and pizza.
When we finally got to the trailhead and caught a glimpse of our car, we sprinted to it and were just so thankful that we were alive and well. There were so many moments when things could have gone badly and considering everything that we encountered, we were lucky. I'm sure this trail is beautiful in the summer, but in the winter, all of the snow runoff makes for one crazy hike.
We're soaking wet and shivering, but know we have zero choice but to move forward. We do have headlamps & food and we could sleep outside if we needed too, but we are soaking wet and freezing. We declare that we are getting to that damn car.
Believe it or not, we actually come to one final stream to cross (number TWELVE for those counting). We assessed it and determined it was too risky. The water was far too deep and moving much too fast. Here's where the weird twist of fate part comes in. We had just received a GPS for Christmas and this was our first hike using it. It couldn't have been better timing.
We fired up the GPS, knowing that we had to be near the car by now, and bushwhacked our way out of that damn forest. It was not easy. There was no trail and we were cold, wet and tired. The next hour was pretty much just pushing and pulling our way through a bunch of thorny bushes and trees. The whole time dreaming of dry clothes and pizza.
When we finally got to the trailhead and caught a glimpse of our car, we sprinted to it and were just so thankful that we were alive and well. There were so many moments when things could have gone badly and considering everything that we encountered, we were lucky. I'm sure this trail is beautiful in the summer, but in the winter, all of the snow runoff makes for one crazy hike.
