Lookout

On a great autumn afternoon this walk covered 5+ miles along several trails on Lookout Mountain. We began our walk out the parking area at the Kiddie Trail just before the Nature Center at the base of Lookout in Chattanooga. As the trails along this side of the mountain are not well marked at intersections I'm not sure how much was on the Skyuka trail, the Lower Truck trail or was it Upper Truck trail? Maybe some of all of these. The remarkable thing was that there were so few people out enjoying these trails on this sunny fall day with the temperature around 70. These trails can be from moderate to difficult depending on your route and pace. The trail to Sunset Rock would be considered difficult for the novice and at parts for the experienced hiker as well. The Kiddie Trail has some short but steep climbs up until you reach the first intersection and split with other trails.

Warm and Dry...in November

Today it was 71 degrees in Tuckaleechee Cove with clear skies and lot's of people in cars driving through the GSMNP. The short walk I took was exceptional and I was able to take a route that kept me out of visual contact with anyone else. Though at times I could hear folks up on the marked trail as I stopped to listen to the sounds of the forest.

Burning The Cove

Fire managers at Great Smoky Mountains National Park plan to conduct a series of prescribed burns of fields in Cades Cove on Tuesday through Friday, November 9-12, if weather conditions permit. Park managers plan to burn several tracts totaling about 700 acres.
The selected fields are being burned as part of a cost-effective strategy to prevent the open fields from being reclaimed by forest. The Park contracts to mow about 950 acres of fields that are clearly visible from the Cades Cove Loop Road twice a year. Other fields that are less visible from the Loop Road, totaling around 1,500 acres, are kept open by burning or mowing on a three year rotation. Park firefighters and a Park engine will be assigned each day to ignite the grass lands and to make sure the fire stays within its prescribed boundaries. Strips of grass surrounding each field slated for burning have been mowed short to provide containment lines. Hand-built control lines have also been scraped down to bare soil to contain the fire in some areas.
“At this point we do not expect to have to close the Cades Cove Loop Road, but will monitor the situation for smoke or other safety hazards,” said Park Fire Management Officer Mark Taylor. “The public, of course, will notice smoke in the valley but it will dissipate quickly and not unduly impact their visit,” he said.

A Few Days Away

Hello to all! This excursion began on Sunday the 31st of October from Cades Cove and the Anthony Creek Trail early in the afternoon. The weather was fabulous with temperatures around 70 degrees, sunny skies and a nice breeze. Of course this meant lots of folks "auto-touring" and even some walking on the initial few miles of the trail. Most coming out from day hikes though I spoke with some BP's coming off Spence Field who had had a pleasant weekend. I followed Anthony Creek trail to the Russell Field trail (RF) where some folks were sitting listening to an old timer tell stories of the past so I greeted them and continued on. The trail was great except for the horse shit I had to step around occasionally. Water was available throughout the three days hiking however I chose not to collect it at RF Shelter due to the strong odor from horse shit in the trail and how the trail which paralleled the water source was acting as drainage for recent rains into this source. The RF Shelter is open and looks great with the refurbishing done. Thanks Folks! (see the picture)



I rested at RF after the 3.5 mile climb to the AT before continuing on to Mollie's Ridge. A note here: the guide books and maps I've seen that provide the distance between RF and Mollie's state it as being around two miles though the trail signs show it as just over three. The distance on these signs between Mollie's and Spence would be a total of 6.4, rather than the 5+ I calculated and which I heard several different parties later making the same observation.
Upon arrival at Mollie's I greeted two avid hikers from Dalton Ga, who were collecting wood for the fire. A fire which we kept hot and burning in the shelter fireplace until after we slept. We were later joined by a father and son team who were hiking from Newfound Gap to Fontana. The fire and the wind breaker covering the front of the shelter made for a pleasant nights rest with temperatures probably in the lower 30's upper 20's. It was not as cool the next night.
Monday November 1st, I took my time getting up and moving because I had only 6.4 miles of relatively moderate terrain to cover back to Spence Field where I'd be staying that night.




At Spence I was greeted by to young men, SOBO's, who had started 58 days prior near Gettysburg, Pennsylvania and who were sleeping in today. They were only going a short distance because it was like 2:30 at that point. They shared some stories, the most interesting to me was...well that's probably better shared on another site, and was probably why they were so tired. Anyway they moved on shortly after 3pm for RF and left the fire burning for me. Just after laying in the grass atop Spence Field appreciating what has been given me for about 45 minutes and feeling like I may have this shelter to myself they showed up! A man with his two children and a lap dog! Uuuhgggg!!!! I had time to compose myself. It was too late to continue out for either party and find another shelter so I politely said hello. The next morning before departing I explained to him the parks policy on dogs to which he admittedly new he was in the wrong "but what else was I gonna do with my dog?". Really wanta know? It ain't about the dog sir!!
The Bote Mountain trail was as rocky as the last three times I've hiked it only this time I was going down through the 1 mile+ of softball size rocks, tempting me to twist or break something if not careful. Erosion and heavy horse traffic. Shortly after turning left onto Anthony Creek trail I passed a couple in their 60's+ looking strong on a day hike and was given more hope that all things willing I'll be able to do the same when I reach that point in "the trail." Peace