Huskey Gap, Little River, Rough Creek, Sugarland Mountain

Hike #31 : December 30, 2014

16.2 miles

12.8 new miles
402 total overall miles

290.0 total miles of 800.8


The weather wasn't exactly cooperating when I hit the trail on this one. So I donned my rain jacket and put on my gore-tex shoes and headed on to the Huskey Gap Trailhead just off Newfound Gap Road about two miles south of Sugarlands Visitor Center.

Huskey Gap Trail is an immediate climb up from the moment you step off the road. Even with a heavy mist in the air, the trail is pretty cool. The grape vines are of all sizes and as plentiful as any trail I've been on. I'm a big fan of the vines, they look awesome tangling around the trees and spiraling over the trail. Add the eeriness of the fog and mist and its quite a show.

The trail continues its 1,300 foot climb until reaching the junction with the Sugarland Mountain Trail at the 2 mile mark. From here the trail levels out for about a half mile before heading downhill towards campground #21 at about 3.7 miles in. From here its uphill for about a quarter mile then down about .2 to the junction with the Little River Trail.

The Little River Trail is a wonderfully pleasant trail. I've previously hiked the upper 2.4 miles of this trail last month and loved it. After turning left onto the trail leaving Huskey Gap, the walk is a slight uphill path passing the junction with Goshen Prong Trail at 1.3 miles and on to campsite #24 at the 2 mile mark. Just before coming to the campsite, the trail seaming ends dropping off into the not so Little River. Since it has been an especially wet week leading up to this hike, I assume the water is higher than normal. I had to wander upstream for a while before finding a safe place to rock hop. There were so many rock hops along this hike, I couldn't possibly recall them all. A very wet day. Continuing less than a quarter mile farther is the junction to Rough Creek Trail to the left.

Rough Creek Trail starts off  with a more inclined climb but still moderate enough. Shortly, the trail once again disappears into the Little River. Walking up and down the bank offered no safe rock hop that I could find. The water was fast and rather deep for wading. There was a large tree that had fallen over the river that looked possible. Without giving it too much thought, I stepped up and took a few steps. Next thing I know, I'm on the other side wondering what the hell I was thinking doing that. Fear of heights and falling be damned on this trip!

A few of the difficult passings including the fallen tree.

Rough Creek continued along the water with many rock hops and began getting steeper as it went. About 1.2 miles in, I learned the reason it's called ROUGH Creek. The trail becomes steep. The trail also becomes gone in several places. Actually washed away down the side of the mountain which happens to be a very steep drop off. I imagine a fall here could be very dangerous. Adding to the overall nastiness are the many, many fallen trees across the trail. I literally had to crawl under some and over others. I was a muddy mess! In hindsight, it was a pretty cool adventure but I doubt I'd want to do it again!

After the last 1.6 mile hike up out of the trail hell of Rough Creek, it was a near religious experience making it to the junction with the Sugarland Mountain Trail.

The first mile of Sugarland Mountain was more uphill than I was anticipating but it was up and down. I stopped for lunch at rock wall with a natural built-in seat before continuing down the last 3 miles. Soon after, the weather took a serious turn and the temperature dropped dramatically. The trees were suddenly iced over and freezing mist was battering my face. Gloves on. After a few miles, the mist died off and the temperature rose again. This is where I got to see a bobcat walk leisurely across the trail in front of me about twenty yards ahead. Wish I could have got a picture but it was gone in a flash. Then the fog rolled in. Big time.

The last 2.5 miles of Sugarland Mountain were a welcomed downhill stroll all the way to the junction with Huskey Gap.

The fog was very dense going back down the 2 miles of Huskey Gap where the hike started. The trail was also a massive pile of mud by this time. The fog added an unexpected element to hiking, an almost eerie feeling. Perhaps I've seen too many late night horror films. Either way, I really enjoyed it.

The trail signs...

TRAIL REVIEW

Huskey Gap Trail - 4.1 miles
Little River Trail - 1.8 miles
Rough Creek Trail - 2.8 miles
Sugarland Mountain Trail - 4.1 miles
Huskey Gap Trail - 2 miles

Campsites #21 and #24

*There's also a small unusual and unmarked campsite with bear cables and all about a mile or so from Huskey Gap on the Sugarland Mountain Trail. I assume it's no longer in use as it doesn't appear on the trail map.

Wanna hike the 900 without getting lost? Start by checking out the book Day Hiker's Guide To All The Trails In The Smoky Mountains by Elizabeth L. Etnier.

Cooper Road Trail, Gold Mine Trail, Cane Creek Trail, Hatcher Mountain Trail

Hike #30 : December 14, 2014

10 miles

9.8 new miles
385.8 total overall miles

277.2 total miles of 800.8


The day started with a beautiful drive along the Foothills Parkway at sunrise.

The hike began from the Abrams Creek Campground off Happy Valley Road on Abrams Creek Campground Road in Tallassee. Parking is just past the ranger station. From here the walk begins at the gate leading to the campground. This is just an easy walk along a smooth gravel road straight through the campground to another gate that is the trailhead to Cooper Road Trail.

Cooper Road Trail is just that, a wide mostly smooth road trail. The trail rises gently as it passes the junction with Little Bottoms Trail that leads to Abrams Falls at 1.3 miles. Around 2 miles, the trail begins to climb more steadily and starts to feel more like a hike than a walk in the woods until nearing the 3 mile mark at the junction with the Gold Mine Trail.

Turning left onto the Gold Mine Trail, the trail begins to get rocky. Big ankle twisters. Goldmine is a rather short .8 mile hike to the park's boundary but don't be fooled, its not the easiest of hikes. Its all uphill until you reach the end at the park boundary and just feet from the Top of the World community. There's a barn just past the boundary on private property. The good news is its all downhill back to the junction.

Once back at the junction, a left turn puts you back on Cooper Road Trail for .4 mile to the junction with Cane Creek Trail. Cane Creek goes to the right and Cooper Road switches back to the right. There's also an unmarked trail that veers off just right of the trail sign. My friend Eddie had told me that it was a well worn trail to a gravesite so I definitely wanted to check it out.

The trail to the grave is steep and narrow in a few places and was very hard to see in others. The fallen leaves made it difficult at times to follow the trail. But taking my time I had minimal trouble finding it. At the end of the trail is a lone tombstone of the twin sons of John and Nola Lail. For more info and some pics, click here.

After returning back to the trail junction, a right turn takes you along the Cane Creek Trail. The trail soon begins a steady downhill climb until leveling out after half a mile or so. From here its a mostly downgrade walk on a mostly, sometimes rocky and often muddy, smooth surface. At 1.3 miles you'll come to the Buchanan Cemetery on the right and up a slight hill.

Continuing on, there are several rock hops as you near the park boundary and plenty of opportunities to get the feet wet. I didn't pass up many of these opportunities much to my dismay. Cold wet feet. I did learn, however, my new hiking shoes dry out quickly. After 2.1 miles, you'll come to the park boundary where you'll find No Trespassing signs. Its obvious the trail goes on presumably to meet up with Ace Gap Trail and Beard Cane Trail. Might have to manway that someday.

The walk back up Cane Creek is slightly upgrade until about half a mile from the junction where the climb starts. At the junction, you'll continue back onto Cooper Road Trail passing a couple of boulders placed on the trail. From here, the trail is steadily climbing.With 9 miles already hiked, the climb feels pretty strenuous. Still, another beautiful trail.

After a long 1.8 miles, you'll come to the Hatcher Mountain Trail junction. The Hatcher Mountain Trail was closed for two years after the devastating EF-4 tornado in the spring of 2011. Though the trail was cleared, the devastation is still very much everywhere you look along this trail. The trail is overgrown and many trees are piled up on the sides while others still stand snapped off and weakened or dead causing many downed trees along the trail. I counted no less than twenty in about a mile and a half. Still, considering the scope of the damage, its amazing the trail is even there anymore.  

At 2.6 miles, Hatcher Mountain junctions with Little Bottoms Trail which leads back to Cooper Road Trail and back to the parking lot. I've already blogged about this portion of the hike here.

Overall, I really enjoyed this hike. It's long and difficult in places and the tornado damage is downright depressing... but what a beautiful day to be blessed with ability to hike. I love these mountains. 

Today's trail signs...

Signs of life along the way...

TRAIL REVIEW

Cooper Road Trail - .9 mile
Gold Mine Trail - .8 mile one way (out & back)
Cooper Road Trail - .4 mile
Unmarked trail to Lail Cemetery - .3 mile one way (out & back)
Cain Creek Trail - 2.1 miles one way (out & back)
Cooper Road Trail - 1.8 miles
Hatcher Mountain Trail - 2.6 miles
Little Bottoms Trail - 2.3 miles
Cooper Road Trail - .9 mile

Lail Cemetery
Buchanan Cemetery

Wanna hike the 900 without getting lost? Start by checking out the book Day Hiker's Guide To All The Trails In The Smoky Mountains by Elizabeth L. Etnier.

For more pictures of my hikes, check out the Smoky Mountain Hikertrash facebook page.

Metcalf Bottoms to Little Brier Gap

Hike #29 : November 26, 2014

2.5 miles

2.2 new miles
375.8 total overall miles

267.6 total miles of 800.8


After hiking the Cucumber Loop, I decided to go on to the Metcalf Bottoms Trail and hike up to the Little Greenbrier Trail to knock off a few more miles.

The trail starts just across the bridge in the Metcalf Bottoms Picnic area. The pull off is only big enough for about three cars but you could always park in the picnic area and walk across the bridge.

The trail is, like all the others, beautiful. Its a mostly gentle rolling trail with just a few roots popping out of the leaves.

At .6 mile, you'll come to the Little Greenbrier School and cemetery. The cemetery is severely eroded but still very touching. The school is a simple one room schoolhouse built in 1882.

I can't help but get a Little House on the Prairie vibe inside the school. I love the feeling these places stir up. 

After checking out the school and cemetery, its time to hit the Little Brier Gap trail. It starts at the top of the hill above the cemetery and climbs moderately for 1.1 miles to the junction with the Walker Sisters side trail. Here, a right turn leads to the cabin and home site. The trail sign says .1 mile but I'm guessing its a bit more than that. Regardless, its worth the walk.

The Walker Sisters' place is very well maintained and really takes the mind back in time. There's also a springhouse and corn crib on the property and all are in remarkable shape. The original cabin dates back to the 1840s and has been added on to since. 

After leaving the cabin, its back to the trail junction. Here, you can return back to the schoolhouse and Metcalf Bottoms by taking a left. But, again, I'll be going right instead to finish off Little Brier Trail by hiking on up to the Little Greenbrier Trail. The section of the trail is the steepest but is only a little less than a half mile. After reaching the junction, its time to turn around and head the 2.5 miles back to Metcalf Bottoms and call it a day.

TRAIL REVIEW

Metcalf Bottoms Trail - 1 mile
Little Brier Gap Trail - 1.5 miles

Little Greenbrier School

Little Greenbrier Cemetery

Walker Sisters' Place

Wanna hike the 900 without getting lost? Start by checking out the book Day Hiker's Guide To All The Trails In The Smoky Mountains by Elizabeth L. Etnier.

For more pictures of my hikes, check out the Smoky Mountain Hikertrash facebook page.

Cucumber Loop

Hike #28 : November 26, 2014

5.4 miles

5.2 new miles
373.3 total overall miles

265.4 total miles of 800.8


After a month long hiatus due to shin splints, general soreness, a bout with a probable sinus infection and working three weekends in a row, I finally made my way back to the mountains. Since my last hike into the bowels of hell, my legs have been excruciating. Shin splints suck. But after a month off the trails and several evening walks, I should be fine, right? Well...

The weather forecast at six this morning was not promising. Snow turning to rain turning to snow and back to rain with mostly cloudy skies. Whatever. I've got the day off and I'm all in.

After a ritualistic stop at Bojangles for breakfast, I hit the trail around eight o'clock. The sun was rising and the skies rapidly clearing. No snow. No rain.

The trail starts from the Elkmont parking lot at Jakes Creek. To get to the Cucumber Gap Trailhead, you have to walk along the Jakes Creek Trail for .7 of a mile. This is a steady incline but not nearly as bad as my legs seemed to think it was. Guess the lingering effects of the shin splints are still present. As I reached the junction with Cucumber Gap Trail, I was faced with the decision to go on or turn back. This is not a hard trail. I can do this.

As I started up Cucumber, my lower legs started to ease a bit as my upper legs started the ache. The trail is very nice. Simply remarkable as the leaves cover the landscape and the sun peeks through the trees. I can tell this would be a beautiful hike year round.

The climb is steady. Its hard to give a realistic description of it since my legs were artificially hurting but it seemed pretty moderate. Around the 2 mile mark, the trail levels out and begins its downward march and stays either level or downhill for the rest of the hike. Just what I needed. There's a few rock hops along the way but all were manageable.

Around 3 miles in, I came to the junction with Little River Trail. Here you can make a left and head back down to Elkmont or, like me, you can turn right and hike on up the .6 mile to Husky Gap Trail to go ahead and get it scratched off the 900 list. The reward is a really cool bridge just before the trail junction.

This section of the Little River Trail is easy. Its almost completely flat with a downward slant and the leaves make the wide gravel path soft and gentle to the feet.

The Little River itself follows along the whole of the trail. At the 4 and a half mile mark, there's a nice surprise in the form of a waterfall.

The trail eventually spills into the "lost" community of Elkmont around the 7 mile mark and its impossible not to wander around a bit. I love Elkmont. Its beautiful, sad and mysterious all at once.
I don't know if I could have picked a better trail to try to work out my aches and pains. Wonderful hike and an absolutely beautiful day! I'd highly recommend this hike to anyone.

TRAIL REVIEW

Jakes Creek Trail - .7 mile
Cucumber Gap Trail - 2.4 miles
Little River Trail - 2.8 miles

Plus wandering around Elkmont...

Wanna hike the 900 without getting lost? Start by checking out the book Day Hiker's Guide To All The Trails In The Smoky Mountains by Elizabeth L. Etnier.

For more pictures of my hikes, check out the Smoky Mountain Hikertrash facebook page.

Clingmans Dome to The Road To Nowhere

Hike #27 : October 26, 2014

20.8 miles

15.5 new miles
367.9 total overall miles

260.2 total miles of 800.8


Things started out early for this one. The alarm rang at 4am and I was up and on my way to Clingmans dome for my first (and possibly last) group hike with the Great Smokies Hiking & Adventure Group.

As I arrived a bit early, I had the chance to take in the beginnings of the sunrise. Words and pictures cannot come close to describing how beautiful it was.

After meeting up with the group, we were running a little behind. My first meeting with the group's leader, JD, was less than encouraging as he didn't seem to think I was supposed to be there. At the time, I was a bit taken aback by it, offended really, but perhaps he was right.

Wasting no time we hit the Clingmans Dome Bypass Trail. The group starts off like a bat out of hell as we climb. The views were unbelievable! Unfortunately, every time I would stop for a quick pic, I was being left behind more and more. At least Eddie and another fellow hiker, Jennifer, were hanging back with me, at least for the time being.

I was immediately aware that this wasn't my idea of hiking. To me, if you're not taking the time to enjoy the beauty and peace of where you are, then you could just as well be walking anywhere. I want to see the trail, take pictures and breathe in the magnificence of if all. Don't get me wrong, the group was great. Just eons beyond my comfort zone. They were hiking 3 plus miles per hour. Much too fast for my taste or my abilities.

Still, I'm here and I tried keeping up as we merged onto the AT and down towards Silers Bald. This section of the AT is mostly downhill and really is an enjoyable hike as I've talked about before. So many breathtaking views from either side of the trail.

Honestly, I was starting to feel a little robbed. So many remarkable views and no time to soak them in. But I didn't want to be holding everyone up so on I went... as fast as I could.

At about four miles the trail takes a slight upturn as we made it to the junction with Welch Ridge Trail. I was already trailing behind and again my abilities are questioned. Rightly so, I suppose. But when I took this hike on and even before we started hiking at 7:30, it was said that we were to average 2.5 mph. Fine. I can do that. I've done that. That is not how it went. Not even close.

Anyway, Welch Ridge continues more or less flat for about a mile before descending down to the junction with Jonas Creek Trail about a mile and a half later, We're still moving like the mountains are on fire as the trail ran flat for the next mile and a half before heading up brutally for the next mile after that. And that's where I hit the wall. All the trying to keep up speed hiking caught up to me and I was spent. At 10 and a quarter miles into a 20+ mile hike, I'd used up all my energy. Not good. And I'm not enjoying this. A perfectly beautiful day hiking in the greatest place on earth and I'm miserable. Damn. What have I gotten my fool self into?

The next mile and half was down and up. I'm walking along with Dawn and Eddie at this point when Dawn tripped and took a nasty fall hitting her head. After helping her up, she was good to go. Tough woman. Still, I think she knew it was time to slow down a bit and I was more than happy with that because I was barely keeping up with her as it was. Eventually she ran off and left me when the uphills came. Eddie stuck with me but I was struggling bad when we finally reached the junction with Bear Creek Trail. Here the group breaks in two. Most went on to a side trail for lunch while three of us had had enough of the speed. At the junction, we had lunch and headed on down Bear Creek on our own. It was just me, a young man named Brain with a swollen ankle and Dawn, battered and bruised from her falls. At this point we hiked down the trail at a much more human pace. Bear Creek is a beautiful trail especially with all the fall colors. Brian and Dawn made for good company.

Bear Creek is completely down hill for all of its 5.9 miles. The fallen leaves hide the roots and rocks under foot so tripping was plentiful all day. I'd already blown out my left hiking shoe somewhere in the first several miles tripping over something.

About half way down, the rest of the group caught up with us and we continued down together for a spell but soon separated again. Now, Eddie had joined back up with us wounded misfits. When we met back up with the others, there had been a accident. Somehow, JD had gotten poked in the eye with his hiking pole. There was blood everywhere. It looked bad. Really bad. It was here I learned that Bill, another group member, is a doctor. He was able to examine the eye and determine the eyeball looked unharmed but JD still needed an ER asap. So we all kept hiking. Its amazing that JD was able to continue with one eye while the other was still bleeding badly. Not only that but he was still faster than the rest of us. Pretty sure he's not human. Six miles to go.

When we reached the Lakeshore Trail, we had 2.9 miles to go and we begin an uphill climb. I didn't know what to expect from this trail but soon realized it was a steady climb. As I reached reached the junction with Whiteoak Branch Trail, I couldn't take anymore. I was so exhausted. I'd been walking solo for a while here when Eddie came along to hike the rest the way out with me. At this point, I was doubling over in pain from my back, my legs and my feet were as sore as they had ever been... and I was completely physically and mentally drained. I was also out of water. I guess in my exhaustion, I'd drank much more than I had realized. With 2 miles to go, I felt like a dead man. Eddie shared some water with me and a ways on we ran into another friendly club member named Rusty who was kind enough to give me a whole bottle of water. I hope my gratitude showed because I was deeply thankful.

Every step was painful. The last mile and a half was mostly uphill and the struggle of a lifetime. Without Eddie there with me, I doubt I could have made it. I just wanted to lay down and die. Every fiber of my being was screaming out in agony. This was hell. In my mind, not only did I want off this God forsaken trail, but I never wanted to see another trail in life. I'm done. I quit. Let. Me. Die.

But Eddie was full of encouragement. He was sticking with me so I kept going a little at a time. His patience is remarkable.

When the trail finally leveled out we were almost done. A little less than a mile to go. Without the uphill climb, I was able to keep a steady, albeit extremely slow, pace to the end where we reached the road to nowhere and the tunnel. Walking through the tunnel was cool and the surroundings were typically spectacular. I've never been so relieved to be done with a hike. Walking out of the other side of that tunnel was literally like walking out of hell into paradise. I've never felt so beaten and accomplished at the same time.

In the end, I did what I set out to do. I finished the hike. I finished it in about eight hours and forty five minutes. It was presented as a ten hour hike 7am to 5pm. We started at 7:30 and I finished just after 4. Yet, somehow, I walked away feeling like I failed. I guess group hiking isn't going to work for me. I gotta have fun with this 900 miles or its not worth doing. I may be counting miles but I'm also stopping along the way at every scenic view or whatever else catches my eye.

Still, as I write this, I'm already looking back at it as a positive trip. I learned a few hard (extremely hard) lessons. Made a few new friends and overcame complete and utter exhaustion. What may have looked like a weak attempt to some was one hell of an accomplishment for me. I can live with that.

TRAIL REVIEW

The Appalachian Trail - 3.8 miles
Welch Ridge Trail - 6.3 miles
Bear Creek Trail - 5.9 miles
Forney Creek Trail - .4 mile
Lakeshore Trail - 2.9 miles

Wanna hike the 900 without getting lost? Start by checking out the book Day Hiker's Guide To All The Trails In The Smoky Mountains by Elizabeth L. Etnier.

For more pictures of my hikes, check out the Smoky Mountain Hikertrash facebook page.

Cataloochee Divide

Hike #26 : November 3, 2013

13.2 miles
4.9 new miles
352.0 total overall miles

244.7 total miles of 800.8


I mentioned in my post about The Hemphill Bald Loop that our first attempt at finding Hemphill was an utter disaster. Still, I realize now, that I never actually counted the hike or the miles toward my goal. I suppose I just wanted to forget the whole damn thing. But, what the hell, its almost been a whole year since it happened and, in hindsight, it really wasn't that bad a day...

You ever have one of those days that just starts with so much bad mojo that you know you'd be better served just hiding under a rock somewhere? Well, this was that kind of day.

It began with a heavy dose of marital distress. For future reference, it may not be the best idea to throw on the ol' backpack and go hiking in the middle of a... uh, disagreement with the significant other. So I guess that was strike one.

Still, I met up with Eddie and we were on our way. Aside from my phone blowing up with expletives and threats of bodily harm, the drive was uneventful until we reached Hemphill Road. A twisting turning road that eventually gave way to gravel rising deeper and deeper into banjo country. Just as we were about to give up and turn around we saw the Purchase Road sign. The gate was open and we drove on to the next gate that was closed and locked. D'oh.

We park and start preparing for the hike. Eddie asks if I had programed the trail into my GPS. I always do. Except this time. You see, all that marital mumbo jumbo from the morning was just carried over from the previous day so I never got around to quiet time on the computer routing the hike. Ah, no matter. We know where we're going, right? What could go wrong? Strike two.

Since the gate was closed, we had to walk up a gravel road for 2 miles. That's 2 miles we hadn't planned on and 4 miles added to our hike. It wasn't so bad other than walking directly into sunlight and being on a road is never the best hiking scenario.

Still, we finally made it to the Appalachian Highlands Learning Center and wow... just wow.

The views from the learning center are amazing. I have no idea who works here or when they're even here or what they do but what an office view. Fantastic!

If we had turned around and went home from here, it'd been a better day. But we didn't. We headed off to the trailhead. The trail went in two directions. We basically used an educated guess which way we needed to go and went. We hiked down for a spell and came to a junction. I honestly cannot remember what the trail sign said exactly but we took a right turn. Strike three.

Evidently, I took a picture of the trail sign (below) where we went wrong. Although, honestly, I still don't know what the hell SWAG is and its entirely possible we had already made a wrong turn before we even got here.

Still, as we went along, it was a nice downhill hike in early winter with leaves all around as we made our way. It was such a nice day and the pleasant trail and easy trail were almost clearing the clouds and anger out of mind. It did seem odd though that we kept going downhill. Not that that alone would cause any alarms because lets be honest, the Smokies go up and down no matter where you go. Still, something just didn't seem right.

We finally came to a bit of an opening that kinda sorta made us feel like we were getting somewhere.

There was a small shelter of sorts and a breathtaking view. We hung out here for a little while and even discussed whether we were where we were supposed to be. At this point we had no idea where we were. We just didn't know that.

From here, we continued on downhill. My mind is jumbled from all the events of the day and I'm growing more concerned and frankly, irritated about why we aren't there yet. And there's that nagging feeling that we're lost. Then we start passing houses. Seriously? Houses? That didn't seem right at all. But the trail does run along the Park border so... maybe? Eddie kept saying something didn't seem right. I agreed. And yet, we kept going. 

When we start coming up on a road, we finally get out the GPS and try to figure out where the bloody hell we are. Hmmm... that road up there is Cove Creek Road. Let's have a look at the map. Yep. We just hiked 4.6 miles in the wrong fucking direction. That's just great. Now we have to turn around and hike up that very same 4.6 miles to get back to the learning center where we came from. At this point I am done. I no longer want to be here and my spirit is broke. That made the hike back all that much more painful. Losing it mentally makes for a really bad time. And that's what it was from here on out.

Honestly, the trail itself is a good one and doing a car drop and hiking down to the road would make for a great day of hiking. The views from the Appalachian Highlands Learning Center alone are amazing and well worth the trip. 

In the end, for me, it was just a bad day. Not the trails fault. Hell, I can blame Eddie for us getting lost (and I do, Eddie. Yes, yes, I do) but I can only blame myself for not being prepared and not having my head in the game. And, I suppose, for losing my temper and being an ass. According to Eddie anyway. Another hard lesson learned.

TRAIL REVIEW

Cataloochee Divide Trail - 4.6 miles one way (out and back)

Wanna hike the 900 without getting lost? Start by checking out the book Day Hiker's Guide To All The Trails In The Smoky Mountains by Elizabeth L. Etnier.

For more pictures of my hikes, check out the Smoky Mountain Hikertrash facebook page.

Return to Mt. Cammerer

Hike #25 : October 5, 2014

Mt. Cammerer via The Appalachian Trail from Davenport Gap and down Chestnut Branch

12.4 miles

4.9 new miles
347.1 total overall miles

239.8 total miles of 800.8


Yesterday, I met up with Eddie and Mike for my first return to Mt. Cammerer since March of 2013. That was my first solo hike and the beginning of this wonderful adventure to hike the 900. (You can read about all my mistakes and mishaps on that first hike here.)

We met at the Big Creek Ranger station, dropped a car and headed to the Tennessee/North Carolina border and the beginning of The Appalachian Trail in Tennessee where we began our hike. Just two weeks ago, I was in shorts and short sleeves but this morning finds me in long pants and a jacket. Very nice hiking weather!

Every time I have the pleasure of stepping foot on the AT, its an almost spiritual feeling. There is just so much history and legend about it that I feel a its a honor and blessing to be there.

And so we begin. The trail is well used and maintained and wastes no time getting serious as the incline is immediate and steep. Eddie refers to this as a moderate trail but as we know, he is inhuman. It is, in fact, a strenuous trail. The first 1.2 miles climb around 900 feet before leveling out about .3 mile past the junction with the Davenport Gap Shelter to the right. Its a beautiful morning, although the clouds and fog are still hanging heavy in the air. The trail is magnificent...

At 1.9 miles, we pass the junction to the Chestnut Branch Trail. We'll be taking this trail down, but for now we continue on towards Mt. Cammerer. Right around the two mile mark, the trail again heads up. From here we climb over 2,000 feet in the next 3 miles. Its a really tough climb at points but it didn't seem as hard as the last time when I hiked up Low Gap to the AT. Then there's the views along the way peeking out from behind the trees. The fall colors are starting to show!

At around 3 miles, we come to the junction to the Lower Mount Cammerer Trail to the right. About 1.3 miles beyond that, we arrive at the massive rock that towers over the trail. A short climb up on this rock offers a spectacular view.

There's a lot of steps on this section of the AT. Most seemed spaced far enough apart to be not so intrusive. That changed in the final mile up. The trail gets a little steeper and the steps are coming one after the other. I don't know about anyone else, but I'm not fond of lifting my sore ass legs up on all these steps. But you do what you gotta do! At 5.2 miles in, we reach the junction with the Mount Cammerer Trail.

The next .6 miles to the tower seems a lot longer that it should. I guess a combination of anticipation and the many false summits play a part in that. But alas, the tower comes into view.

When we finally climb our way to the tower, the wind is heavy and ice cold. The views are, as always, breathtaking!

Our early start allowed us the luxury of having the place to ourselves for a while so we snap a few pics and quickly head inside out of the wind for lunch. We were soon accompanied by others including a fellow 900 hiker. We hung out for a good 45 minutes or so just sharing hiking stories before deciding to head out.

We retrace the trail all the way down to the junction with Chestnut Branch where we turn right. Chestnut Branch is immediately a very steep and rocky downhill climb. Me and Mike took turns trying to cripple ourselves tripping over as many rocks and roots as we could along the way. The last mile leveled out into an old road bed used for logging back in the 1930s. There were also several homesites in this area. We discovered a few signs of the past along the way.

The Mount Cammerer Fire Tower is without a doubt one of my favorite spots in all the Smokies. Or the world for that matter. I have to say I was disheartened at the condition of the tower itself. In just the year and a half since I was last there, it has deteriorated rapidly. The door no longer closes. The floor is buckled and even rotting around the doorway. The paint on the outside has all but flaked completely away. I really hope and pray that the Park does not let this beautiful and historic landmark fade away.

Well, that's it for my return to Cammerer. A much more successful hike this time around! A wonderful day of hiking with friends in my favorite place on Earth. Awesome.

Happy trails!


TRAIL REVIEW

Appalachian Trail - 5.2 miles
Mount Cammerer Trail - .6 mile one way (out and back)
Appalachian Trail - 3.3
Chestnut Branch Trail - 2.1 miles

Davenport Gap Shelter

Wanna hike the 900? Start by checking out the book Day Hiker's Guide To All The Trails In The Smoky Mountains by Elizabeth L. Etnier.

For more pictures of this hike, check out the Smoky Mountain Hikertrash facebook page.

Middle Prong Loop

Hike #24 : September 20, 2014

Middle Prong Loop (Middle Prong, Greenbrier Ridge, AT, Miry Ridge, Lynn Camp)

22.4 miles

16.9 new miles
334.7 total overall miles

234.9 total miles of 800.8


When originally considering this hike, I decided it was too ambitious at my current level of hiking. But at 9:30 the night before we were to hike Roundtop Trail, I changed my mind and sent Eddie a text to meet up at Tremont the next morning. He was all too happy with that. Of course, he is insane.

Arriving at Tremont just before daybreak it was clear there had been a bit of wind overnight. Leaves and small limbs scattered to roadway. When reaching the parking lot for the Middle Prong Trail, the air was cool and it was clearly going to be a perfect day to hike.

We begin at the Middle Prong Trailhead and start by crossing a bridge and embark upon a gentle incline up a wide gravel roadway. Here we come to the first trail sign as the trail forks. Thankfully someone was nice enough to Sharpie in an arrow to the left trail indicating it as the Middle Prong. The right trail is the now unmapped Thunderhead Prong Trail.

There's a sign as the trail begins that states this as a gentle quiet walk not requiring hiking shoes. That would depend on how far you wish to take the trail. After a few miles, it gets rather rocky. In less than a half mile, we came to the first waterfall, the Lower Lynn Camp Falls. The falls look like a giant water slide and the pictures I took do it no justice. Beautiful.

Just a short way from the falls, we heard crashing water and walked a few steps from the trail where we came to the second waterfall.

And at less than 3/4 of a mile, we find the third waterfall. This is the multi-tiered Lynn Camp Falls and is simply a magnificent picturesque scene.

All three of these waterfalls are accessible to most anyone. An easy walk out and back and less than a mile and a half round trip.

After the falls, the trail continues its mild incline as it becomes quite rocky. At just under 2 miles, there is a side trail to the right that was marked by a small stack of rocks.

This trail leads just a few yards to a long abandoned rusted out old car that is said to be a Cadillac. I sure can't verify that but it is a cool sight to see in this surrounding.

At 2.3 miles, we come to the trail junction with Panther Creek Trail. We continue on Middle Prong to the right. On up the trail at 3.1 miles, we found the remains of what looked like an old homestead or perhaps a building used by the Civilian Conservation Corps. All that remains is a fallen chimney and the concrete foundation of the long gone shelter.

Nearby, there is also an old railroad rail and what appeared to be part of a stove pipe and logging cable.

At about 4 miles, we came to another subtlety marked side trail to the right. Since someone had gone through the trouble of marking it with a small pile of rocks, we decided to check it out. Just a few yards and we began hearing what sounded like another waterfall. Sure enough, we had stumbled onto the Indian Flats Falls.

Very beautiful. This picture shows the top of the falls. In the opposite direction there are two more falls. There was no clear path leading to the bottom of those falls and since we have many, many miles to go, we decided to skip trying to make our own and returned to the main trail.

In just about a tenth of a mile or so, we come to the trail junction with Lynn Camp Prong Trail and Greenbrier Ridge Trail. Since we're doing the long loop, we continue right onto Greenbrier toward the Appalachian Trail. We'll be circling around and returning to this spot from Lynn Camp later.

Once we start Greenbrier, we leave the rocky roadbed behind and begin the journey up an underused, muddy, rooty, rocky and rather unmaintained trail. This is a deep forest hike and its all uphill. Our surroundings are still beautiful but if you want views and company, this may not be a trail for you. With all the rocks, the 4.2 miles up is very strenuous at times but we finally made it to the AT. We had previously decided to take lunch at the Derrick Knob shelter. I didn't know at the time it would .3 mile straight up but that didn't stop us. So instead of continuing on our destination to the left on the AT, we go right on the AT to the shelter. We were 9.2 miles into our trip when we got to the shelter.

Its a nice shelter and we enjoyed the break. The wind from the night before had brought down tons of nuts from the surrounding trees and the chipmunks were happy to take advantage. As we had our lunch, there were dozens of the little guys running all around harvesting for the winter.

After lunch, we started down the AT and back on track. The AT soon proved to be a difficult climb. We came across a few backpackers and an ATC volunteer hard at work sawing a tree. These guys are amazing. Its hard enough just hiking the trail but they carry saws and hammers and whatever else they might need just to make the trail nicer for the rest of us.

We hiked along the AT for 3.7 miles until we came to the junction with Miry Ridge Trail to the left. Miry Ridge is another forest hike. If you like the peace, quiet and solitude of the mountains, this trail suits the bill. Its often a narrow and unmaintained trail.

As the picture shows, the trail is a bit overgrown in places so dodging the briers was a challenge. I imagine that in winter with the leaves gone, there would be some nice views as the trail continued along the top of the ridge. Still, we got glimpses of some real beauty through the trees.

After two and a half miles, we come to the junction with Lynn Camp Proing Trail. Going right would continue on Miry headed toward Jakes Creek and Elkmont but we're going right on Lynn Camp and heading back toward Greenbrier and Middle Prong. For the next 3.7 miles, the trail meanders mostly downhill through the forest. Eventually the trail turned into a rocky path that my sore feet found most unwelcoming. Finally we come to the junction with Greenbrier and head back the way we came. We ended up with 22.4 under our belts.  Exhausted, I was so happy to get back to the parking lot!

What a great day of hiking and what an accomplishment for us both!

Happy Trails!

TRAIL REVIEW

Middle Prong Trail - 4.1 miles
Greenbrier Ridge Trail - 4.2 miles
Appalachian Trail - 2.4
Miry Ridge Trail - 2.5 miles
Lynn Camp Prong Trail - 3.7 miles
Middle Prong Trail - 4.1 miles

Derrick Knob Shelter

Wanna hike the 900? Start by checking out the book Day Hiker's Guide To All The Trails In The Smoky Mountains by Elizabeth L. Etnier.

For more pictures of this hike, check out the Smoky Mountain Hikertrash facebook page.