After getting to the top of Shortoff you still have a long haul over to the Chimneys. 
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| Yep, this is the way I remember it! |
I started about half way up Wolf Pit Rd because the roadwas getting rough and I wanted to make sure Clara couldn't use dropping me off as an excuse for not making church. Doing this hike from the bottom up was a lot harder than I had expected (duh - that elevation thing reared it's ugly head and reality gave me a hard slap in the face) not to mention the HEAT taking it's toll on Felix first then me later in the day. When we were on the back side of Shortoff it had gotten pretty hot and he had a hard time catching his breath so I used some water to cool down his coat. After that I tried to conserve my water intake while still giving him plenty. That was good because by the end of the hike I only had about a cup left but he had gotten a second wind and was going strong again. I had planned to get on the dirt road only between the Spence Ridge and Hawksbill trail head then hiking up the trail towards Hawksbill but taking the right at the Y to Devils Hole trail head, Sitting Bear (and the elusive Ginger Cake Acres trail head ultimately) or the Sitting Bear trail head. I was low on water and so tired/hot and a little nauseated so I ended up just hiking the dirt road from Spence Ridge to the Sitting Bear trail head. I am so glad I didnt find that Gingercake Acres trailhead Saturday night while setting shuttle. I didnt have nearly enough water or energy left for the steep climb up to and past the Sitting bear Boulder to that trailhead - I've been there from the trail as an out and back but still have not found it from the road. Hopefully I'll do the whole thing one of these days - a much cooler day and maybe start from the top for the whole thing the first time. 12 miles and a lot of elevation gain. Check out the stats in the link below.
Hike: Wolf Pit Rd to Sitting Bear trail head at Garmin Connect - DetailsAmos' Epics
Onto the Over Mountain Victory Trail and MTS trail off the west side of the gorge.
Phil stowing his gear:
