4/22/03
| hikers – John Bellamy, Jack Jacobi, Wayne Miller, Bob Presley, Tony Presley, Dan Ross,Doug Russell,Bill Taylor,Bob Thompson
Trail access from Hwy. 64W. near Franklin, NC. Another beautiful hiking day! Clear to partly cloudy and breezy – temperature ranged from 45-55 degrees F.. (8.6 mile round trip) Wildflowers viewed – Trillium (White and Red) , Vetch, Wood Anemone,May-apple, Umbrella Leaf,Bluets, Dutchman’s Breeches, Bloodroot, Blue Violets, Yellow Violets, Bellwort,Service Berry. Birds identified – Hairy Woodpecker, Pileated Woodpecker, Junco, Oven Bird, Nuthatch, Black-throated Blue Warbler, Vireo, Broad-winged Hawk. People spotted – 19 thru-hikers from states such as Oklahoma, New York, Ohio, California, and Georgia! |
 Starting point at Winding Stair Gap – Hwy. 64W. |
 Nice trail-side waterfalls near Winding Stair Gap. |
 We came across the camp of Chris Kendall from Oklahoma. Chris is 108 miles into his thru-hike to Maine! |
 The sign at the base of Siler Bald. |
 The quarter-mile trek up the grassy slope of Siler Bald. |
 The view from Siler down into the Nantahala valley and Lake Nantahala. |
 The view from Siler across to Wayah Bald. |
 Our group at the Siler Bald Shelter. (l-r) Tony Presley, Bill Taylor, Dan Ross, Wayne Miller, Bob Thompson, Jack Jacobi, Doug Russell, Bob Presley, and John Bellamy. |