Lookout Mountain and Cloudland Canyon May 26th

The wknd. continued w/ another moderate hike in Cloudland Canyon State Park on the Georgia side of Lookout Mtn. A short drive from Chattanooga, and/or Trenton, Ga., depending on from where you come. "Meg the Hiker", and I walked several trails through the park on this day hike covering approximately 7 mls+. We began from the main parking area; which is straight in from where you pay the $3 day rate. Once we started walking we bypassed the trial to the waterfalls initially, for the 4.7 ml. partial loop route. This took us down some and around the rim of the "Gulf". I call it this because it it appears to me to have the some of the same geographic features one sees in the Stone Door/Savage Gulf sections of the South Cumberland area in Tennessee.
This being the holiday we encountered lots of folks and were delighted to meet a lady walking w/ her kids as they identified various plants using some basic guides. The kids were writing down the plants they positively ID'd and "Meg the Hiker", provided some information clarifying the identity of one bloom. Keep it up mom and kids!
We made the loop and on the way back up we bypassed to the falls and enjoyed the beauty. It was interesting how many folks were attempting the walk; much like the day before at Alum Cave Trail, down and back up the extensive wooden/steel stairways they have built to access views of the falls. "Meg" noted how this experience would be enhanced by doing it on a less busy day and time. The pictures demonstrate of what she speaks, Peace.

A Walk With Friends, May 25th

So I'm in Crossville meeting w/ some friends and Beth walks in the room. After she greets some folks I say hello to which she replies, "I'm going hiking tomorrow on Alum cave Trail, wanna go?". "Sure", I say. Who, when, and where, is worked out and we meet the next morning, pick up her nephew, Allen, and headed to the mountains for a glorious day in the woods. Of course this being a holiday wknd., the GSMNP would be packed so we got started relatively early. This was Allens first time on the Alum Cave Trail and it had been several years since Beth had been here. They both enjoyed the natural beauty of the streams and rock formations especially Arch Rock. As well as the bright greens of the new plant life. We hiked up to the cave and sat for a few minutes and enjoyed the view. After which we picked up and continued to 'Gracies Pulpit', (see 'Hiking Trails of The Smokies'), ate some PB&J sandwiches which Beth had brought along and took some pictures. We really enjoyed the awesome views across the valley looking off the "pulpit" towards the Lower Ledges, which is part of the 4 peaks which make up LeConte. As more folks stopped we gave up our seats on the pulpit and began our descent back to the trailhead. As we did so we let pass 2 very large groups of hikers. The first, we learned were mostly of Korean ancestry and were part of a group of over 100, and the next about a 1/2 mile behind them were from colleges all over the country and belonged to some interdenominational group.
Rock on! Let's hope they all take some appreciation and urgency back to wherever they traveled from, be it Kansas or Korea, for the need to write, call, or e-mail, Washington and local officials, and participate in stopping the wasteful destruction of public and private habitat across the globe. Peace

Weekends away...

Hello, this weekends excursion began atop Clingmans Dome. Damn, I need to remember what the CD bypass trail is all about next time and stop starting my walks from here w/ a 1/2 mile up the cement walkway! Just as I was arriving at the AT someone asked "are you thru hiking?", to which I responded "know I'm just getting started". I missed that one! A few seconds later I understood what she meant and laughed at myself.
Soon after I began I started greeting hikers who were going towards the dome in varied sorts of clothing, gear and physical make-up. The first man had no shirt on and a log for a walking stick, the next was a short man round man "struggling" w/ the incline and rocks asking me how far to the next shelter. To which I replied that the dome was less than a mile and did not go into any specifics about mileage to Mt.Collins. Didn't want to scare him because he was tired and any of you who know that portion of the AT and direction he was heading know what he was facing in his shape. The next encounter involved two chaps looking determined as we exchanged greetings in our passing.
The winds were strong w/ gust approaching 30mph+, grayish sky, temperatures in the mid 50's, and the Knoxville forecast calling for the possibility of rain more likely Saturday morning.
The Flowers were were bright and plentiful. All sorts of colors and sizes were displayed over the next 3 days bringing feelings of peace, wonder, and appreciation of the little things.
After passing by Double Springs Shelter and some folks fixing some dinner I had the trail alone to myself until reaching the shleter at Silers Bald, at which I met some of, but not all, my shelter mates for the night. The wind was strong. "Rainman"; ask about him in the comments, was it appeared an experienced and impatient AT hiker I gathered over the next 14 hours, and he was hiking w/ 2 others, w/ a third joining them along the trail to Davenport Gap. Most of the folks I encountered at this shelter Friday night and those that passed through Saturday morning before I got out were calling themselves "thru-hikers". One man, "blackjack", remembered me from a couple of years ago and my first stay along the AT at Mt. Collins. His trail title and physical shape did seem familiar. I'll check my notes about that walk later. Saturday Morning I gave thanks to the "spirits that be" for the sleep I got and the opportunity to experience this windy, gray, morning. AT hikers began arriving as quick as the those I had met already had left, and I prepared my pack for the descent into "the valley below". And then it rained. This day's walk was via the Welch Ridge Trail, to Jonas Creek, and picking up the Forney Creek trail up to Campsite #68 (which has 2 sections a couple hundred yards apart). Along this 11 mile+ walk I saw lots of birds, a deer, squirrels and chipmunks and only 3 hikers in form just before I reached #68. Though there was a tent and fire at #70 a "dual-use" site. Here at this trail intersection I shed my rain gear w/ hope and a prayer. On a previous excursion I stayed at #69 which is a larger site w/ lots of water, though #68 gets you right to the base of serious climbing for the ascent back up Clingman's, I'd say 4000'+-, and water "a plenty". This is where I would recommend to begin most last day walks for this route or similar ones.


Sunday morning it looked like it had rained though the moisture was a combination of humidity, dew, and previous rain on the surface contributing to the humidity. I had some coffee, GORP, and began the 4 plus vertical miles to the CD parking area. Along the way I was giving the opportunity to experience awesome views, flowers and wildlife, w/ some peace and acceptance within myself. Thanks again to the spirits that be. Peace.

A Present to Myself !

Happy Birthday! My present involved an approximate 7.5 mile walk during a break in the rain on Saturday the 5th. Dudes! and Dudettes! It was a beautiful walk which began at the gate along the road going up to the School House Gap trail. On the way up the road I passed one of the owners of this property that borders the park. I had met Jim last fall one of the times when I hiked from this trail head shortly after I moved to Townsend. At that time, as he leaned against his truck, he told me how sorry he was to see the development of the area he grew up in and pointed to a "retreat" being constructed off on a not so distant mountain, noting the noise, erosion, and destruction of trees. The picture of the house with this posting is where Jim was born.

Along the walk I noticed bunches of fat squirrels, some birds and was "flagged" by a deer. "Flagged" is a deer hunters term used to describe the vertical tail of a spooked deer during which all you see is the white tail.

The first 1/4 mile plus of road leads up to the trail head and Schoolhouse Gap. Every time I walk up, or back down, this roadway I'm blown away how beautiful Tuckalechee Cove is.
The School House Gap trail was quiet from the recent moisture and being that this is a dual use trail for horseback riders as well, it is also wide and free of downed trees etc... . These equestrians should police after themselves. Better yet, have no reason to pick up after themselves! I noticed empty cans and bottles, things not likely to be carried by someone on their feet and damn if your going to smoke while you ride or hike carry out your butts people! I used to smoke and backpack and it is not a problem to carry a Ziploc to place your butts in after carefully rolling out the fire and fully extinguishing it. My former hiking partner and I even reused our butt bag on the next trip. I get frustrated by folks seeming mental disconnect. When for example, they say, "Oh, isn't this beautiful", while they peel their candy bar wrapper off and leave it along the trail or throw the plastic bottle out the window! Are my words congruent w/ my actions? Enough.
Turkey Pen Ridge was a really cool trail and I will use it as part of what looks like would be about a 12-14 mile RT loop I'm scouting. More about that later. This route was mostly moderate w/ some difficult spots mainly in a few somewhat extended inclines. W/ patience and fluids this route is very "doable" even for the novice hiker. Peace,

Just The Other Day...3/29

This entry is short due to the nature of where we were walking. This beautiful route is "unmarked" for the most part, though it is chosen by the confused at the trail head. The trail on the maps is not clearly marked in the woods so folks, like the backpackers we ran into just before the second stream crossing; which required some technical rock hopping, choose it until they notice the diminishing trail and lack of similarities w/ their trail map. They told us they could not tell from the trail sign which way to go so chose the route less traveled. I will ask my friends at the Park if anyone has thought of placing a clearer marker for the "proper" trail. Not that I'm trying to keep the other route "less traveled", oh yea right! Enjoy the Peace while you walk.

The Elk River

There are still places in this state which civilization has not ruined even if not protected. In our five mile float down the Elk River in Middle Tennessee we saw only five houses and floated two or three miles only interrupted once by other canoeists.

The Elk has gained some reputation as a trout river and we did catch and release several highly colored rainbows, holdovers from a previous years stocking.

The River is a fairly swift moving river with no rapids above class I, so it is a river to enjoy the scenery on. For a beautiful float through semi wild country at a very reasonable cost contact Elk River Canoes. They will schedule a float of your desired length and time, supply everything in the way of canoes, life jackets, and paddles plus shuttle service to and from your point of entry/take out.

Somewhere in the Smokies

Last time I was here we saw no one, but this time there were several other hikers. Therefore, I will keep it to myself as to exactly where we were. It is a great corundrum, balancing getting people into the wild so that others will be active in protecting our great outdoors and keeping special places, special.

Sunday turned into a wonderful day after some hard rains on Saturday. The creeks had already run clear and were low enough to make rock hopping possible. About a mile into the hike I noticed dafodils in bloom. My Grandfather, a forest ranger before he retired, used to point to them and say, "This was someones homeplace at one time." After a short investigation we did find eveidence of rocks piled by human hands. Probably a collapased chimney.

Further along we stopped by the side of the stream and talked, I noted how I felt that it was deeply ingrained in my physic to meld with the wild places. I always felt peaceful and quite when in them. Near where we stopped were the reminants of a cable and the cable dog that sometime in this centery was used to shuttle logs across the creek as well as the rusting remains of several old barrels.