Mapping the Sheltowee

[10-k]

Well.... I feel like I hit the motherlode finding this forum.

I'm planning an April thru of this trail and have some basic questions that I'm sure have been answered over and over but I'm going to ask anyway and use this thread as main thread for planning my hike.

1. Maps. Excactly which maps are absolutely necessary and are there any that are nice to have but not necessary?

2. Hikability... Can this trail really be hiked end-to-end or is creative route finding necessary in places and if so, which places?

3. Resupply.. Are any towns/hostels/stores/post offices easily accessible from the trail?

4. Shuttles.. Are there any shuttlers available along the length of the trail?

5. GPS tracks.. Is there a current and accurate .GPX track of the entire trail?

6. Taba's Guide... Would you consider it a must-have? (I'll probably get it anyway - his NC Mountains-to-Sea Trail guide is awesome.)

7. Difficulty of trail.. In general how "hard" is the trail - switchbacks or up-and-down, are there erosion problems, blowdown issues, etc?

8. Availability of water and campsites/shelters?

Sorry for so many questions - I'm on a fact-finding mission.

[Traildust]

Let me encourage others to give their opinions.

[10-k]

Thanks Traildust. I'm planning an early April hike of the Trace provided I can get the info together.

I've ordered the guidebook and have been reading threads on Whiteblaze about the trail. So far my impression is that it is a difficult trail to hike end to end because of various obstacles. This observation from a thru hiker got my attention:

The Sheltowee in some sections is not for the beginner hiker. You need a strong mindset and good athleticism. The beginning in the south is a lot of creek crossings through the gorges and trenches of the state with decent trail conditions and as it continues north it gains in elevation to the ridges with very little water and more overgrowth.

What I would love more than anything is a GPS track of the entire trail. That would be a great project for your organization.

Again, sorry for so many questions that have probably been answered a million times - I just like to start fresh and and get up-to-date info.

[Traildust]

Here are my thoughts and again I would hope others would join the conversation.

1. Maps - You only need the Outregis Map set for south and then the north map from Forest Service. The trail is well blazed and despite commetns on Whiteblaze which do not reflect the current conditions you will only have issues where there might be an intersection or where you cross water and have to find the trail on the other side which 99% of the time is easy to see.

2. The members of the STA each April go out and check the entire trail and report issues of blowdowns, obstacles, blockages and we have volunteers go out and hit the main issues or we secure support from Land managers to clear trail. The trail in the Big south Fork is wide - in most places follows old Logging roads and is well blazed. The entire trail has been blazed again just three years ago. We are constantly replacing blazes or adding them where folks seem to get misplaced, which has happend fewer and fewer times. You will encounter water crossings so be prepared to change into water shoes or barefeet.

3. Resupply - There are post offices, trail towns, individual members of the STA that can be used for resupply. Let us know if we can help you with resupply. There are also small local stores that stock hiker type food, like the one at the end of Yamacraw Bridge.

4. There are shuttles available. In the south between the Big South Fork southern Terminus and Laurel Lake, the Sheltowee Trace Outfitters does shuttles. You can google them and contact them for rates. Above Interstate 75 - we have individual STA members that can help with shuttles.. In the Gorge we recommend Red River Adventures.

5. GPS Track - This site may have that info. Try and search it and see. If not send a personal message to Boyd Shearer he is the site administrator and he does the mapping that Outregis sells. He would have the answer.

6. The ST Trail guide - Yes Taba's guide is a must have because it helps you with staying on the trail when you come to intersections or want to get off. It is a point to point guide of trail points.

7. Difficulty - As hard as the A.T. in many places. Many places you walk on forest or timber roads. If you have moderate abilities, can hike 10 to 15 miles a day you will be successful in your journey.

8. Water in the south (below I-75) is generally not a problem. A lot of the trail is right next to water- on the shoreline. North of I-75 you will have to plan your water - Taba's guide comes in handy here or cache water which we can help you do.

Hope this helps you in your planning. If you have other questions please give me a call 6065847744 or send me an email. Spring - summer you will find a good number of folks on the trail.

Traildust
steve Barbour

[MuddyBoots]

1. Maps. Excactly which maps are absolutely necessary and are there any that are nice to have but not necessary?
I like the OutraGIS map for the southern half of the ST (Not available for the north yet). I used the topo maps from this web site for the northern half of the trail. Note that in a couple of places, the present ST does deviate from the topo maps found on this web site. Still useable though.

2. Hikability... Can this trail really be hiked end-to-end or is creative route finding necessary in places and if so, which places?
I encountered three or four times where the trail is ambiguous and ‘creative route finding’ is necessary. But isn’t that part of the fun?! Sorry, it wasn’t a big enough deal for me to note where the ambiguous parts are located. My longest time “off trail” was less than an hour.

3. Resupply.. Are any towns/hostels/stores/post offices easily accessible from the trail?
There are some resupply opportunities. But they are widely spaced with multiple day gaps. Once you have a chance to look over the maps, it will be clear where the potential resupply points are. You’ll have your own tolerance for how far off trail you are comfortable going for resupply. FYI - Scott Ward covers resupply points his guide book.

4. Shuttles.. Are there any shuttlers available along the length of the trail?
Yes. I’d recommend that you contact Traildust for suggestions, once you identify where your needed shuttle points would be.

5. GPS tracks.. Is there a current and accurate .GPX track of the entire trail?
I did not find one. Please, post on this site if you find or make one!

6. Taba's Guide... Would you consider it a must-have? (I'll probably get it anyway - his NC Mountains-to-Sea Trail guide is awesome.)
Get the guidebook. Some people hike the trail using only the guidebook. I like topo maps. But, I found the guidebook very helpful in planning water resupply, interesting trail features and campsites.

7. Difficulty of trail.. In general how "hard" is the trail - switchbacks or up-and-down, are there erosion problems, blowdown issues, etc?
Although not often, you will encounter all of the above somewhere along the trail. Generally, the trail is in good condition, well marked but challenging enough to keep your journey interesting.

8. Availability of water and campsites/shelters?
Water in the northern part of the trail and during dry parts of the year may drop you to one or two water supply opportunities in a day. But, generally water and campsites are plentiful. The Scott Ward’s guidebook is a good planning resource for these. You should be prepared to carry a days worth of water.

The available shelters are in good condition but rare.

Great trail and scenery! You’ll love the hike!

[MuddyBoots]

10-k,
Just in case you haven't found them, be aware of the following which are resources of the Sheltowee Trace Association, in addition to this forum.

http://www.sheltoweetrace.org

https://www.facebook.com/#!/sheltoweetraceassociation?fref=ts

http://www.youtube.com/user/stanrttv