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Could someone who's been to Eight-Bit Pit on Pigeon Mountain help me out? I already know the location and have the survey. I just have a question about where to park. Is Rape Gap the best place to park? I know I could come up the mountain from Anderson Springs, but I don't want to park my car in an area that would upset anyone.

The four of us are going there to practice rebalays in prep for a trip. Any help would be appreciated.

JS

It's pretty much all private land along the road down there, unless you want to stop and ask permission. So the best way is from Rocky Lane, at the closest point to the pit. I'm not looking at a map with the point at present, but best as I recall Rape Gap is a ways south of Eight Bit.
There are several horse trails along that side of the mountain as well, but I can't recall if any of them go near there.

Trogman

Right you are! Just checked out the coordinates on the map. I guess I was thinking it was as far down as the Anderson Cave Spring area. Thanks for the help. Have you been out there? My friend went a couple years ago and loved it, said the second entrance made it a great place to train for multi drops. I'm thinking of reaching out to some of the PM Grotto to see if they want to come practice with us.

I would be concerned too if I were parking in a secluded area in the mountains known as Rape Gap.

KeyserSoze wrote:I would be concerned too if I were parking in a secluded area in the mountains known as Rape Gap.

Come to think of it there was an ominous banjo riff coming from the woods last time I hiked to Anderson Springs haha

Josh, that's funny! Dueling banjos and all.

DawgsgoCaving wrote:Right you are! Just checked out the coordinates on the map. I guess I was thinking it was as far down as the Anderson Cave Spring area. Thanks for the help. Have you been out there? My friend went a couple years ago and loved it, said the second entrance made it a great place to train for multi drops. I'm thinking of reaching out to some of the PM Grotto to see if they want to come practice with us.

I haven't been there, but I know roughly where it is (according to GSS). It's a shame you can't come up from the bottom, because it's a lot closer that way than it is from the top.

KeyserSoze wrote:I would be concerned too if I were parking in a secluded area in the mountains known as Rape Gap.

My wife and I camped there about 10 years ago, and I must say the name of the place made it a little creepy camping there. No harm came to us, though, and it was a nice place to camp all in all. I don't think the state lets you camp there anymore.

Trogman

Yeah, I haven't explored that part of the mountain as much as the others. Hopefully when I go check it out Saturday I'll find a reasonable trail from the top or get a suggestion about where to park on the bottom from one of the locals.

Very close to there is a really neat rock climbing area called Rock Town. There is a maze of huge boulders, shelters, and other sandstone formations. There are lots of little tunnels and cracks to explore too. It's definitely worth a visit if you have time.

Yeah, I know Rock Town. I love it there. I keep telling myself I'm going to spend the day there, but I get hung up caving or scouting a cave somewhere and rarely make it there. How far of a walk do you think it would be from the Rock Town parking lot to Eight-Bit? About 1.5 miles?

DawgsgoCaving wrote:Yeah, I know Rock Town. I love it there. I keep telling myself I'm going to spend the day there, but I get hung up caving or scouting a cave somewhere and rarely make it there. How far of a walk do you think it would be from the Rock Town parking lot to Eight-Bit? About 1.5 miles?

That'd be a looong walk, since Rocktown is toward the center of the mountain. Seems like it'd be best just to park on the road somewhere, at the closest possible point, and strike out through the woods. Better put on LOTS of insect repellent!

Trogman

I went out there yesterday to do Nash (The waterfall was raging!!!) and got bit up like crazy. The summer walks through Pigeon Mt are killing me haha. I need to start exploring some of the areas with caves that are closer together like Cove Mountain Farm, because I'm sore as heck right now and have like 30 bug bites from walking 1.5 miles to the Atwood area and then another 1/2 mile through the woods.

I never heard of 8 bit... does anyone just have a list of names for all of the pits on Pigeon Mtn? Some day i am going to drop a pin on every cave location.

bennettbike wrote:I never heard of 8 bit... does anyone just have a list of names for all of the pits on Pigeon Mtn? Some day i am going to drop a pin on every cave location.

GSS does. (GA Speleological Survey) Are you a member? The have database of all the caves in GA.

Trogman

I was going to BUM off someone elses hard work I guess Ill just drop a pin for every cave/pit in Walker Co. Yes I am a member and need to update my dues.