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.