We dropped water in the wooded section where BBK comes down and crosses the parking road. (right off of the BRP). There is usually water at Black Balsam Knob but we had been told it was dry. We ended our day there so it was great to be able to replenish our carry and have enough left over the next morning to camel up before hitting the trail. Deep Gap was also dry (but we found a pocket of water above the drainage pipe), and the stream near Shining Rock was just a trickle. Be careful out there, and fill up every chance you get during this drought!
ps: We also wrote on our names on our water bottles and that it was our thru-hike water cache and that we would come back at the end to collect our empties. This was in hopes that if someone came across it they would know it was claimed water, not just a free-for-all cache; and to let people know we would come back at the end so not to think it was garbage.
Thank you for the detailed response, much appreciated. I'm going the opposite direction, but I think a similar location should work. I'll just over carry on the way in and use the cache if I don't find enough water. Also, good tip about putting my name on it, didn't think of that.
So much fun!! Awesome hike
It was challenging yet the colorful leaves and views made every climb worth it. :)
@@SovereignAdventures anything that's worth anything is a challenge
saw you review on All Trails. Can I ask where you dropped your water cache?
We dropped water in the wooded section where BBK comes down and crosses the parking road. (right off of the BRP). There is usually water at Black Balsam Knob but we had been told it was dry. We ended our day there so it was great to be able to replenish our carry and have enough left over the next morning to camel up before hitting the trail.
Deep Gap was also dry (but we found a pocket of water above the drainage pipe), and the stream near Shining Rock was just a trickle. Be careful out there, and fill up every chance you get during this drought!
ps: We also wrote on our names on our water bottles and that it was our thru-hike water cache and that we would come back at the end to collect our empties.
This was in hopes that if someone came across it they would know it was claimed water, not just a free-for-all cache; and to let people know we would come back at the end so not to think it was garbage.
Thank you for the detailed response, much appreciated. I'm going the opposite direction, but I think a similar location should work. I'll just over carry on the way in and use the cache if I don't find enough water. Also, good tip about putting my name on it, didn't think of that.
Hope you have a great hike! :)