Hazel Creek

Sandwiched between two beautiful weekends we were able so schedule a trip to Hazel Creek on the North Carolina side of the Smokies. Our weekend was anything but dry with rain both nights, fortunately after tent ready.

Access to Hazel Creek is via shuttle boat from Fontana Marina, a ten mile hike from the Road to Nowhere, or paddle by canoe/kayak from the Cable Creek put-in.

We chose shuttle from the marina and enjoyed a beautiful although chilly ride down Fontana Lake to our destination. Hazel Creek is the location of a large mining and logging operation prior to the park designation and several ruins scattered through the forest make for interesting side trips off the trail. Despite the remote location we were joined on Saturday night by as many as 30 other backpackers who arrived by several means of transportation and with varying degrees of preparedness, ranging from garden carts slugging enough gear to outfit a small army, to minimalists who carried their weekend supply in day packs.

Although the fishing was not very productive on this trip, Hazel Creek is one of the crown jewels of Smokey Mountain trout fishing as well as having a population of smallmouth in the lower reaches.

The first camp site is only .5 miles from the boat put in and is by reservation only. Often booked months in advance. However there are plenty of sites at 1 mile, 3 miles, 5 miles and none miles on up the trail as well as having access to the lake trail which can drop you of into the Eagle Creek drainage.

The trail itself for the first several miles follows the bed of a logging era train route and is wide as well as almost level with a low grade for 5 miles. We saw plenty of game; turkey, deer, hawk, all within the strolling distance of camp. Bear cables are prevalent and make the food storage easy.

Walking The Schoolhouse Gap

This 3 ml. midday stroll began down on Schoolhouse Gap rd., a few hundred yards before the gate where I usually park. Someone was in the one spot where you can pull off the road at the gate, which added a little more incline to the walk. There was lots of noise initially from some construction happening nearby. It appears to be from building the newest "retreat" in the area. A development of which Bill, a native resident of this cove, had spoken of as I passed him sometime ago. Leaning against his truck he spoke of appreciating what this land once was to his family and what it's becoming now to developers and those who find no value in the natural beauty and history found here. Driven by short sighted arrogance and selfishness these folks remove the very things that make the region rich in wondrous diversity.
My walk today was for exercise, relaxation and meditation so I followed the trail to the White Oak spur and continued into the sinks. Rainbow falls was flowing well as one of the pictures shows, w/ small spots of snow hidden in the shade of rocks and logs.

While in the sinks I waved to a couple whom I saw from afar. They were leaving w/ their day packs, cameras and folding chairs. These were the only folks I saw in the sinks which made for a very enjoyable excursion. Peace

Long Loop Thursday the 29th

This 14 ml. excursion took place last Thursday, the 29th, on a partly cloudy, cool to cold day, depending where I was at the time, w/ a light wind. I began this excursion from the parking area just beyond the Old Sugarlands Trail junction w/ Bull Head, and the Rainbow Falls trails, following Bull Head trail as it made the 7 mile+ ascent, w/ an approximate 4500' elevation gain, ending atop Mt. LeConte. I was distracted shortly after the incline began as a Whitetail grazed just above the path among some trees and boulders barely paying me any attention as I fumbled for my camera. This trail was moist from recent precipitation with, I noticed several times, cliffs just off the right side of it hidden amongst the rodo's. Speaking of which! The "rodo hells" I saw on parts of this trail and parts along the Rainbow Falls trail which I returned on, were some of the thickest I've seen yet in the park. Of course I still have got a lot to see but damn they were thick!
Once I reached the "Pulpit", about 4 miles from LeConte, (described in the "lil' brown book" pg. 145) I rested for a few minutes, took some pictures, and ate some "fodder". Just before here and several times after your have views down on Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, and distant points beyond.
It was just past here where snow and ice began appearing on the trail. Something which obviously increased along w/ the elevation. The last mile plus going up, and about the same distance coming back down the Rainbow Falls Trail the ice and snow on the trail required Extra attention and caution!
After arriving at LeConte lodge I sat the porch of one of the buildings ate a "gourmet roast beef sandwich", some carrots, and some chocolate. Not having a lot of time to sit around, as I had started later than expected, I walked very carefully up to "Cliff Tops" and got some great pictures. I say "very carefully", due to the fact that most of the trail was covered in a thick sheet of moist ice and snow. This done I gathered my gear and began my descent from the lodge the .6 back to the Rainbow Falls trail head.
This trail was more rocky and rough than Bull Head, w/ some panoramic views of scenes as far off as Wear Valley and Townsend it appeared. About a quarter mile or so before rainbow Falls I began crossing some large streams which increased my eagerness to see these falls which until then I'd only heard others talk about and seen as a spot on maps.
I apologize to all the novices I've sent here when I'm acting as a Volunteer at one of the park Visitor Centers. This 5.4 ml. round trip walk from the parking lot ain't for sissy's !
After I stopped by the falls, appreciated the moments, got some picture's, and continued down, I passed a family coming up the mountain still a half mile plus out. Dude and Dudette! With 3 kids ranging from early teens to one about 3-4 years old. Damn, I hope those "young ens" remember that day as good and if they reached the falls they probably will.
This was a difficult route for obvious reasons and one I hope to do again w/ some variations such as doing Trillium Gap trail or reversing this route which is the way the trails are described in the "lil' brown book". Good exercise, Peace.

Frozen Rainbow

Rainbow Falls that is, or frozen they are. Today I walked w/ a friend visiting from Michigan, to the sinks where she got to experienced some of the magnificent small parts of Southern Appalachia. And since she's only visiting it will not be consistent traffic in this location.
The frequent hikes I've taken along this route over the last few months have brought beauty and wonder in how as I've noted before, the familiar becomes new. It was also fun to note the changing temperatures as the wind blew from different directions and as we began the descent into the sinks. We passed a couple of folks coming out of the sinks as we made our way along one of the ridges on the spur and they were the only people we saw in the sinks. We both noticed squirrels throughout the walk foraging for firewood or maybe food. Peace