Sheltowee Trace Thru Hike Episode 3: Ledbetter to Barren Fork

[@jasonwish-]

Man I am really enjoying your videos! And not just because I thru hiked it last year, you do such a great job talking about how you’re feeling and what you’re experiencing. I also think it’s very cool that you are sharing what the trail is teaching you each day or what you have learned each day. Can’t wait for the next one!

[@BluegrassBackcountry]

Hey Jason, thanks so much for taking the time to watch and respond! I can’t tell you how much I’ve enjoyed piecing together this trip knowing family and friends will get to share in the experience as well. I wanted so badly to not take for granted this unique month of my life away from work and normal life, so I tried my best to prioritize documenting my emotions, lessons learned, and how I felt God was providing for us. Can’t wait to share the rest with everyone!! Hope you’re doing well! Maybe we can meet up on the trail for a hike sometime- that’d be awesome!

[@Cgh432]

We are watching him and that's what my family said he has a great vibe the way he presents his trip 😉👍

[@tommy2x4]

congratulations gentlemen!!!!

[@BluegrassBackcountry]

Thank you so much!!! Appreciate you watching and engaging in my adventures!

[@tommy2x4]

Bluegrass Backcountry & Music my daughter and I are doing the AT when she graduates college. It’s my hope that more people get back to nature. I love some social media because it makes it so easy to connect... but I would like to see less folks doing screen time...

[@Paisleyposey]

The sound of Whippoorwills make me sleep like a baby!

[@BluegrassBackcountry]

I’m glad it helps you sleep! I couldn’t quite get to that spot during this trip- I had to put in ear plugs because they were so loud haha

[@JimHayesHiking]

I agree hiking in the rain really sucks. On the subject of Black bears,just about 15 miles south of where I live a bear got into a corral where a small donkey was kept and grabbed it and dragged it up and over the pen and made off with it into the woods. They will pretty much eat anything. I'm enjoying this series.

[@BluegrassBackcountry]

I’m glad to hear you understand the struggle! Rain can be a trip ended for sure. Very thankful we had so little rain that thru hike! Wow what a crazy bear story to have!!! I’m always extra cautious going in bear country after that encounter- never know what to expect. Thanks again for watching and Merry Christmas!!

[@leslieteague7885]

Still in awe you have completed the hike 350 miles 😊 Thank God for his blessings on a successful and safe hike!!! Love you !!! One proud momma🥰🥰

[@BluegrassBackcountry]

Thanks Mom! Always appreciate you watching and commenting, means so much!!

[@BluegrassBackcountry]

Love you!!

[@rogerevans4339]

What a great accomplishment and spiritual adventure. Let it shine!

[@BluegrassBackcountry]

Thank you, my good friend and Senator. It was a team effort, with God, family and friends fueling me along the way. Let the Light shine, always!

[@ronnebarbara789]

Wow! Quite the adventure on this one! Bears, snakes, turtles, beautiful flowers and waterfalls,hurt feet and rain! Sooo glad you'll didn't have to see the bear again! Enjoying these videos! Thanks so much for sharing them!

[@BluegrassBackcountry]

I’m so glad you’re enjoying these, Grandma!! I’ve had so much fun making them to share with family and friends! Glad to be done and home, and can’t wait to share the rest with everyone! Love you!

[@outdoorstransient1498]

Many wonderful memories and beauty to be absorbed along your walkabout. Be well, Terry

[@BluegrassBackcountry]

Thanks so much for these kind words, Terry!! It has been a challenging yet rewarding journey. Can’t wait to share with y’all the rest! Take care!

[@BackpackingWithJason]

I’ve never heard of a Black Bear doing that before. That’s really wild. I’m sure that was pretty crazy to see that. I guess that Bear was really hungry.

[@BluegrassBackcountry]

I didn’t either! It was terrifying! I don’t think it was a fawn, either; it looked like an adult deer which is even crazier. This will be one of the wildest things I’ve ever witnessed in the backcountry. Crazy!

[@BackpackingWithJason]

Bluegrass Backcountry & Music that’s so wild!!

[@starman9458]

I've been to Blue Heron before back in October 2016. It was a coal mining community that was active until the 1960's and the town of Stearns got it's name Justus Smith Stearns (1845-1933) and the ghost community of Comargo got destroyed by a flood in 1929.

[@BluegrassBackcountry]

Wow i had no idea about some of that info regarding Blue Heron! I knew it was a coal mining town, but didn’t know part of it was destroyed in a flood. Thanks for sharing and for watching!

[@aw1008]

Great videos!! I'll be doing the sheltowee very soon, it good to see some of it before hand. Do you know about how many miles of the trail was road walking?

[@BluegrassBackcountry]

Thanks so much for watching!! I wish you best of luck of your upcoming trip on the sheltowee! Please let me know if you need any help or info, I’d love to help. I have heard the number 70-80 miles being road walking amongst the 350+. I’m not sure if that’s correct, but I feel confident that there’s at least 50miles worth of road. Thanks again, and don’t forget to subscribe to my KZbin channel to stay in touch!

[@aw1008]

@@BluegrassBackcountry great thanks, already subed. This will be my first thru hike, and road walks are the only thing that gives me pause. If there's a really long stretch where do you camp, on the side of the road? Or just make it a really long day and just get a motel in town for the night?

[@BluegrassBackcountry]

@@aw1008 we tried to push to where we never had to set up camp alongside the road. Our only days off trail were at the lodges at Cumberland Falls and Natural Bridge state parks. My recommendation would be to watch the episode where we do the Heidelberg road walk (~nearly 20miles) and see how we broke that up campsite wise.

[@aw1008]

@@BluegrassBackcountry I went back and re-watched it. This video series is actually helping me plan this trip quite a bit, thanks a ton!

[@Smokeybeesnatural]

Awesome video #trailbroforlife! Smiled the whole time!

[@BluegrassBackcountry]

Thanks so much brother! #trailbrosforlyfe !! Can’t wait to share the rest and see the trip from your perspective! We did it!!!

[@BLOTOUTDOORSSHOW]

Great video man, as always!

[@BluegrassBackcountry]

B L O T outdoors show & whisky review Thanks so much man! Really appreciate it! Hope you’re doing well and getting out on the trail!

[@BLOTOUTDOORSSHOW]

You better believe it!!

[@1989jumpman]

Very common for black bears, they are opportunistic. Among many factors, black bears are believed to be one of the reasons the KY elk population has taken a step back in recent years as bears have made a significant comeback in the region. Plenty of trail cam videos of black bears chasing down elk calves and deer.

[@BluegrassBackcountry]

Wow I honestly had no idea!! This is such interesting information to know now. I did not realize that they had the capabilities to take down a elk. Do you know if they are opportunistic with humans? I will think twice about listening to music while in a wild place like that! Thanks so much for watching!

[@1989jumpman]

@@BluegrassBackcountry They typically don't take down full size elk but plenty of studies in recent years showing they do a number on their calves. Every year there is a handful of attacks on humans but typically their is other factors leading to it. I wouldn't worry about black bears, hang your food bag and give them space. In last 3 years I've had 12 encounters and every one of them has immediately sprinted away in the other direction. This is my first year hunting in grizzly country (WY) and I'm cautiously curious to how those encounters will go.

[@BluegrassBackcountry]

Yes we hung our food every night and I wasn’t really worried about them after doing that camp chore. I lived in Montana for a year after college, but only saw Grizzly scat in my hiking there, which I’m glad for. Those creatures make black bears feel like house cats. I hope you can have safe yet successful endeavors with grizzlies out in WY! I have some friends who live out there in Laramie. Thanks again for taking the time to comment!!

[@kentuckyhiker7071]

Large Black Bears can take an adult deer. They will take young deer and fawns if given the chance. Most of the of the time a deer can outrun a bear, but if a bear surprises an adult, it can kill it quickly. But, mostly, black bears eat grubs, insects, berries and other vegetation.

[@BluegrassBackcountry]

Yes I’ve been finding out so much more info on black bears since this incredible encounter with one. I still want to say it was an adult because it looked awfully large in the creek bed. It’s still amazing that they get to choose their dinner based on what is available. They get all my respect while out in the backcountry! Thanks so much for watching, Brian!! Appreciate it a lot!!

[@kykatfan1167]

I didn’t know black bears would hunt and kill a deer so I looked it up and apparently they do lol. Anyway great videos you have been posting of your trip. The Sheltowee is an awesome trail we have in Ky and I’ll be looking forward to watching the rest of your journey. Keep up the good work.

[@BluegrassBackcountry]

I had no idea either! So many people have been interested and shared with me their bear encounter stories which is awesome! This will go down as one of the scariest things I’ve ever witnessed. Thanks so much for watching and I can’t wait to share with y’all the rest!!

[@wanttogo1958]

I noted that one other person mentioned in so many words that bears are omnivores meaning they will eat most things they encounter that are eatable. Whitetail deer are obviously on that list. I've seen a number of them in the Eastern woods and only three times did they not run away as quickly as they could do so. They were all in the Smokies. On one trip, we came upon a Moma bear getting ready to eat wild cherries from trees along the trail and unknown, but suspected by us, had sent her one cub up a tree just as we appeared. I was leading our group of three and heard some rustling to my left front as I was looking at the bear looking back at me to my right front. We were about 40 yards away in a semi open area. We stopped and backed up about 15 yards and just waited and watched. She went down the trail eating cherries from the trees while standing on her back legs. I thought we were mistaken about the cub as she went almost far enough that we could not hear her anymore. Then I heard her coming back toward us. I had closed distance some on where it turned out the cub was in a tree to our left and she let me know she didn't like that one bit when I said "Hey bear!" to be sure she knew I was there. They see about as well as humans and likely better at night; their sense of smell is extraordinary. She stomped the ground and woofed at me and I respectively moved back. After we made noise with pots and pans she finally collected her cub and headed off over the side of the ridge into thick forest. The second encounter was the same trip at a shelter as we were packing up and washing dishes from breakfast. An obviously young bear tried to bluff it's way into the area adjacent to a shelter in hope, I can only guess, of separating us from our packs sitting out front. We were able to twice in a span of about 10 minutes challenge it with pot noise and yelling and it retreated. We were able to leave after the second standoff and never saw it again. My third bear story was on another trip when a large, male bear came into our camp at night and marked my tent fly with four claw marks. My friend and I were in the tent and I was still awake and saw the tent jerk. I didn't realize what caused the jerk until I was cleaning the tent up in my yard after we returned. Apparently, it moved on and menaced some other guys who had built plastic sheet leantos flanking a fire. It was raining pretty good and they were run out into the rain. They didnt look too happy the next day. Not sure if they lost their food. Ours was hung properly so no loss for us. Another couple camped nearby lost their pack with their car keys and food. I'm glad you enjoyed and completed the hike. I am seriously considering doing it in late summer/early Fall this year so would love to hear in a video or however you would be willing to discuss it about the best source(s) for planning information, accuracy of current maps available printed or electronic and any other useful tips. I live in Central Ky one county out from Lexington. Thanks for filming your adventure and sharing it with us! Great job on the filming and commentary!

[@BluegrassBackcountry]

Oh my goodness I cannot even fathom coming across a mother black bear with her cubs! Awesome job keeping your cool through it all! I use very thin dyneema fabric tension tents so if a bear slashed at mine I’d see them in the flesh right away, I’m glad it only went through the rain fly. It was a very humbling but exhilarating getting to experience what I saw, and gave me even more respect for those majestic creatures. Thank you SO much for taking the time to share your stories with me, this is why I created this channel, so I could share with others the great experiences we’ve all had in the backcountry in Ky and elsewhere. Thanks for watching, I can’t wait to share the rest soon!!!

[@surfandstreamfisher5749]

the old cliche, embrace the suck!

[@BluegrassBackcountry]

Totally! Sometimes the trail doesn’t provide the best days and you just gotta push through! Thanks for watching!!