Bonus Defeat!

July 24, 2021

Jack, Mindy, Amber, Brandi and I

Jack and Mindy have been here many times. I was so excited to be invited along. Last time I tried to hike here was when they were working on the dam and had the water levels to high. Got to meet Mindy and her friend Amber. Brandi and I were instantly attached. I meet the best people hiking!

There is no way to explain this trek so I am just going to add lots of pictures. It was an amazing journey in a dangerous area that few people go to. It is a gorge along the Tuckaseegee River. It is wild and beautiful and not the first hint of a trail. We saw a few waterfalls, one in a cave called Talus Cave waterfall and of course Bonus Defeat Falls at the end. We ended our hike at Fish Face Rock and the Bonus Wall. This is a dam controlled area and if they are to let the water out it would be near impossible to get out of its path which is another reason this is a dangerous area. Not to mention if you were to get hurt in here there is almost no way to get a rescue team here, no signal, no place for a helicopter. They would have to literally carry you on their backs.

This whole trek was only 3 miles out and back but we spent nearly 7 hours exploring it. It requires walking upstream by way of bouldering and spelunking. It is basically canyoneering. Or as Amber called it, Some sort of hiking crossfit. If nothing else it was a gorgeous area!