Lead Cove, Bote Mountain Trails

Holy Cow!!!

Nine point four miles, 3500 feet in a single climb up then down again.

This is all I have the energy for.  Perhaps, I’ll be able to tell the story tomorrow.

For now, I have to sit in my recliner.

Flowers on Chestnut Top Trail

Well, our day didn’t get off to a very good start and, as a result, we didn’t get to do the hike we had originally planned.  No problem, though.  What we got was just fine.

We were real proud of ourselves getting into the truck this morning for a long drive over to Fighting Gap and the Sugarland Mountain trailhead.  After 45 minutes on the road, and when we were almost within sight of the trail, we remembered that we hadn’t set the air conditioner for the Peanut.  With temperatures forecasted for the low 70s and no shade in our campsite, we had no choice but to go back to take care of our precious kitty.  We got back in just under 45 minutes, but by that time it was mid morning and not enough time to allow for another 45 minute drive to Fighting Gap to start a 10 mile hike.

Since we had already been on the road for an hour and a half, we opted to go to the closest trailhead--Chestnut Top.  It turned out to be an unexpected blessing.  This trail has the reputation for great spring wildflowers and we were certainly treated to a fine display this morning.  Not only were the wildflowers gorgeous, but there was also a park volunteer on the trail (with a flower book in hand) who was able to give us the names of several we didn’t recognize.

After a very slow start examining flowers, talking to the volunteer, and taking pictures, we pushed our way on to the top of Chestnut Top for a lunch break at what has become our regular spot.  It turned out to be a fantastic hike.  We’ll get over to Sugarland Mountain trail later in the week.

Enjoy the photos.  I had my small camera, so the pictures are not as sharp, but you’ll get the idea, I’m sure.

Exploring with Friends

We got together with friends, Rich and Patti, yesterday for a little exploring.  We parked the car at the large parking lot near the Park Headquarters building behind Sugarlands Visitor Center and headed up the Old Sugarlands Trail.  This trail, according to the guidebook, would take us near an old CCC camp and the old Sugarlands Cemetery.  Both these features were off the trail, so with very few words contained in the guidebook about their locations, we left the main trail to begin our search.

Before the Park was a park, this area was occupied by pioneer settlers, mostly farmers, just trying to make a living by growing crops on this rugged patch of land.  Scattered throughout the park are several cemeteries, the final resting places of these early residents.  As part of the deal with settlers living in the area at the time of the Park’s formation, the Park Service agreed to keep these cemeteries accessible to the families of those buried there.  “Accessible” doesn’t mean you can drive there.  To get to the old Sugarlands Cemetery, we had to walk about 2 miles.  Even though we had an old roadbed to walk along, at the end, after we had left the main trail, we searched for maybe a half hour before finding the cemetery.

The CCC was responsible for doing a lot of work in the park.  They built and repaired roads, built trail, and even help build Fontana Dam.  There is evidence of the old CCC camps scattered around the Park, in both Tennessee and North Carolina.  Some of these old camps are clearly visible from trails, others are not.  The one we explored yesterday was near enough to the trail to see, but you had to know where to look.  There wasn’t much lift, just the remains of the camp sign and a few other piles of stone.

After several hours of poking around in the woods, we adjourned to Rich and Patti’s, for a fantastic dinner of grilled jerked chicken, asparagus, and baked sweet potatoes.  Another truly great day.

We’re off to the trail again today.  I better get ready.

Spring Green

This is the quintessential spring day.  We have lots of sunshine, big blue skies, and temperatures in the low 70s.  After a long hard winter, the trees have finally sprouted their leaves to give that fresh, bright, spring green color against the blue sky.  It could not be any more perfect.

To celebrate this glorious day, we stayed home for a change.  I can’t believe I’m not out in the woods.  I just didn’t have the energy or enthusiasm to hike today.  We had snacks selected and packs packed (Gene even had his in the truck) and I decided I just couldn’t go today.  Sometimes it happens.

It has been a wonderful day just hanging out in our abode, doing a few light chores, and sitting outside.

Tomorrow is supposed to be a repeat of today’s weather.  We’ll be joining friends, Rich and Patti, for a hike and dinner.  I guess I’m just resting up for a big day tomorrow.

Spring Green

This is the quintessential spring day.  We have lots of sunshine, big blue skies, and temperatures in the low 70s.  After a long hard winter, the trees have finally sprouted their leaves to give that fresh, bright, spring green color against the blue sky.  It could not be any more perfect.

To celebrate this glorious day, we stayed home for a change.  I can’t believe I’m not out in the woods.  I just didn’t have the energy or enthusiasm to hike today.  We had snacks selected and packs packed (Gene even had his in the truck) and I decided I just couldn’t go today.  Sometimes it happens.

It has been a wonderful day just hanging out in our abode, doing a few light chores, and sitting outside.

Interesting set up

Tomorrow is supposed to be a repeat of today’s weather.  We’ll be joining friends, Rich and Patti, for a hike and dinner.  I guess I’m just resting up for a big day tomorrow.

The Canadian Geese

Today was all about the Trail and helping out the thru-hikers.  We headed up the mountain to Newfound Gap early this morning.  We have been communicating with a couple from North Carolina through their trail journal since the beginning of their hike on March 15th.  We had offered to pick them up at Newfound Gap when they got there.  We learned a few days ago they would be there today.

We got an early start again, but at least we waited until after the sun was up.  Just after we passed the Visitor Center at Sugarlands near the park entrance we got a call from  Carol and Richard, aka “the Canadian Geese”.  They were on their way, but not as far along as previously expected.  Yesterday’s rain that we were hiking in was snow and sleet in the high elevations were the AT is located.  That had slowed all the hikers down.

We turned around and went into Gatlinburg to while away some of the extra time we had on our hands.  We slowly and thoroughly browsed around the newest outfitter in town--NOC, The Great Outpost.  They had a lot of nice stuff, but we managed to escape without spending any money.

We went up to Chimney’s Picnic area in the park for our lunch.  The entire picnic area seemed like it was in full bloom.  We saw several varieties of trillium, Dutchman’s breeches and many things we didn’t recognize.  There was also plenty of water in Walker Camp Prong.  We walked around the picnic area enjoying the beauty of spring.  Yesterday’s rain brought in a cold front, so we enjoyed our picnic in the warm truck instead of in the cool breeze blowing across the picnic table.

After lunch, we continued our drive up the mountain to Newfound Gap.  We were still several hours early to meet the Canadian Geese, but we were able to offer snacks to several other thru-hikers as they came out to the road.  They were all anxious to get to Gatlinburg for a shower and restaurant food, so they all managed to find rides into town.

About 4 PM the Canadian Geese came out of the woods looking pretty spent.  They had had a hard day yesterday, slept with 21 other souls in a shelter designed for 12, and endured below freezing temperatures which sapped what little energy they had left.  They were ready for a motel room, a shower, and a hot meal.

We loaded them in the truck, fed them juice, bananas, and chocolate chip cookies, and drove them down the mountain to their motel.  It was great to meet these fine people and we are very grateful to have been able to give them a lift.  Perhaps we’ll get to see them again when we are in Virginia.

We were late getting home so I threw leftovers in the microwave for dinner.  But, oh, what a great day.

Fun in the Rain--NOT

Yesterday, we took a zero day.  In trail talk that means a day with no hiking miles.  Typically, a zero day is used by long distance hikers to do laundry, restock food supplies, call home, that sort of thing.  Since I spent yesterday doing just that, I decided it must have been a zero day for me, too.

Today, we were back on the trail.  There was rain in the forecast, but you know how that is.  More often than not the forecasts are wrong.  Since we didn’t hike yesterday and will not get to hike tomorrow, we didn’t want to end up with no hiking three days in a row.  So, rain or no rain, we were going.

We chose Middle Prong trail.  It’s a nice gentle climb (1000 feet over 4 miles) along an old railroad bed.  It was cloudy when we left home, the first rain drops started to fall when we were about a mile from the trailhead, then the wind came up, rain increased and the first flash of lightning and clap of thunder happened just as we got out of the truck.  It rained, sometimes hard, every step of the eight miles we hiked.  We were pretty wet when we got back to the truck.

We had on rain gear, of course, but rain gear in a hike is not like dashing a few feet from the car into the mall wearing a raincoat.  I had on rain pants with gators underneath to keep the top of my boots dry.  I also had on a poncho to protect my pack.  I sweat hiking uphill, even on a cool day.  Condensation forms under the poncho and I get wet.  Even though I have gore-tex lined boots, one has a hole in the gore-tex.  They get saturated after a point, anyway, and begin to let water seep in.

When we got back to the car, my shorts were the only thing dry.  My upper body was soaked from condensation, so were my legs above the gators.  The gators had kept the top of my boots and the tops of my socks dry, but there was enough water in my boots to wring out my socks.

I had had just about all the fun I could manage to have in the rain.

We’ll have to put this trail back on the list to do on a sunny day.  The hike follows the Middle Prong of the Little River for almost the entire four miles.  There are several cascades along the way that are just beautiful.  The wildflowers were also great.  We saw a large patch of white trillium in bloom and several displays of Dutchman’s breeches.  We’ll go again on a day when I can take the camera out of the dry bag.

That’s it for today.