Category Archives: Trail Log

Abrams Falls Loop Hike

Date: 02.26.2016

Miles: 12.7 Hiking Time: 4:26 Total Trip: 5:21

Route: Cooper Road Trail to Hatcher Mountain Trail to Abrams Falls Trail

By now, I have documented a few hikes made up of sections of different trails, which presents a bit of a problem with keeping a detailed record of each trail. A 900 miler accumulates a number of trail segments from different trails at any given time. It’s pretty easy to keep up with on a spreadsheet. With a blog though, it presents a dilemma of sorts. Should you write up the hike with incomplete trail sections or wait until all sections are complete before documenting the hike. With this post I will attempt a shift in strategy. Whenever I hike hike a number of different segments, I will present the experience as the total hike and reserve specific details when each segment is completed.

And so this hike started out to be a loop around Abrams Falls. The original path was to be Cooper Road to Hatcher Mountain to Hannah Mountain to Rabbit Creek and out.

At 10:39 on Friday, Feb. 26, I parked the 4Runner at the Cooper Road trailhead. It was a brisk 39 degrees and overcast. Traffic in Cades Cove was non-existent which made getting to the trailhead a pleasure. The trail climbs gently for about 3 miles and crests as it heads down to Hatcher Mountain. Toward the end of the section, there is significant blowdown activity with brushy new growth and small pine trees returning. At about 5.3 miles, I came across a couple older 900 milers on their 3rd map. We exchanged information about trail conditions and one mentioned this would probably be their last map. I rebutted his statement saying that you always start the next map but they seemed to agree together that too many birthdays had passed and 3 would be plenty. After 2 hours and 20 minutes I made it to the Hatcher Mountain Trail.

Hatcher Mountain breaks out with views across to Chilhowee Mountain and Look Rock. The hike is steady and slightly downhill the whole way and very pleasant. Once again, there are sections that suffered from significant wind damage with twisted blowdowns but the trail is clear and the openness makes way for some great views. There was still snow on the peaks of the ridge. At about 2 miles, you begin to hear Abrams Creek down in the gorge as it becomes visible through the open ridge. The river music follows you all the way to the end of Hatcher Mountain Trail at the junction with Abrams Creek Trail.

Abrams Creek at Hannah Mountain Trail

The plan was to pick up Hannah Mountain Trail and continue on to Rabbit Creek Trail but upon arrival, you are met with an obstacle. That being the fording of Abrams Creek. Normally, the creek is no more than knee deep. Conditions this day were as follows: Temperature, low 40’s. Water level: extremely high due to recent heavy rainfall. Current VERY swift. Total number in the group of hikers: one. The thought of a waste deep ford through swift current induced me to reconsider my hiking plan. To my great fortune, the Abrams Falls Trail also terminated at this Junction so discretion took the better part of valor and I headed back up toward Cades Cove on the Abrams Falls Trail.

For some time now, Abrams Creek accompanies you, providing a full choir of glorious river music all the way to the falls. The trail gains about 600 feet over its 4 miles so the ascent is slight and gradual, making for a glorious walk all the way. As the trail turns away from the creek and then returns back toward it, the magnificent sound seems change key like different movements of a symphony. The rapids of Abrams Creek are always visible through the wintertime foliage.

At about 1.5 miles, through the trees, you finally see it. The majestic Abrams Falls comes into view in all its glory and the reason for taking this unplanned route reveals itself in a wonderful surprise. The flow of water over the falls is as full as I have ever seen it, spanning the full width of the falls without a single break in the swooping wall of water. Excitement builds as you follow the sight for the next 300 yards. Finally you come to the footbridge that leads you through a door to the sacred place that is Abrams Falls. As I entered the sanctuary, I was thrilled to see only a half dozen other pilgrims had made the trip.

Over the 45 minutes I spent at the falls, I was blessed with 20 minutes of solitude as the other visitors left for the trailhead. The time was magic as all Creation performed its concert giving witness to the Creator in full glory. When we are gifted with a glimpse of Heaven, we can only stay for a while before we must return to the domain of Man. Such as it was with this visit and about 3:20 PM, I headed for the trailhead at Cades Cove.

The sun arrived during my moment in the sanctuary and it turned the day into perfection for the walk up.

Blessings tend to come when they are completely unexpected and today was exemplary of this fact. Had I been able to stay with my original plan, I would have missed the falls in its full display of raw power and sound. And yet, I would never have known. This all makes one even the more thankful because the gift was precious and its giving was not anticipated. This is the way of grace.

Be well. Do good. Strider out…

Rich Mountain Trail

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Miles: 2.3 miles Elevation Gain: 1,605↑ Elev./Mi: 697 Grade: 13%

Difficulty: Class HC Hiking Time: 0:54 Pace: 2.55 mph Avg. Temp.: 31

Total Hike: 4.6 miles Total Hike Time: 1:36 Avg. Pace: 2.9 mi./hr.

Section: Cades Cove Total 900 Miler Miles: 60.0 Total Miles Hiked: 78.1

Started the hike at 10:20 am under a cloudy sky. The temperature was 37.5 degrees and the ground was still frozen. The trailhead is best approached out of Townsend on Old Cades Cove Road, which becomes the Rich Mountain Road that leads out of Cades Cove. The trailhead is less than 50 yards from the gate at the park boundary. The brown guidebook describes the Rich Mountain Trail as being upside down. Often, trails in the park start along streams and creeks and eventually leave the music of the water as the trail moves up toward a ridge. In the case of Rich Mountain, the creek is at the top of the trail near campground #5.

The climbing starts immediately from the trail head and moves steadily up the whole length. At 1.3 miles, the trail achieves a ridge which looks out over Townsend. On this day, there is a blanket of fog gently covering the valley which is the home of Townsend and the ridge rose above the blanket to a clear blue winter sky. On day two of the creation story, YHWH created the firmament to separate the waters between heaven and earth.

Hiking above a layer of clouds finds one above the affairs of men and yet below the realm of the divine; sort of an interstitial journey above the firmament. A half mile further, water music begins signaling the creek near the end of the trail. At 2.2 miles, Campsite #5 passes on the right and the intersection with Indian Grave Gap Trail is just 100 yd. beyond. A quick bite and a break at CS#5 preceded the return back down to the trailhead, which was accomplished in 42 minutes. A post hike conversation with a friend yielded anecdotal information that this section of the park is one of the more active areas for poisonous snakes, both copperheads and rattlers. None were encountered as this is their hibernation season but it is information worth noting for the summer months.

Be well. Do good. Strider Out..

Ace Gap Trail

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Miles: 5.6 miles Elevation Gain: 1,082↑↓ Elev./Mi: 193 Grade: 4%

Difficulty: 3 Hiking Time: 2:04 Pace: 2.71 mph Avg. Temp.: 47

Total Hike: 11.2 miles Total Hike Time: 3:44 Avg. Pace: 3.0 mi./hr.

Section: Cades Cove Total 900 Miler Miles: 65.6 Total Miles Hiked: 89.3

Ace Gap Trail is an interesting experience to describe. It is one of those hikes that is not level, neither does it begin at a certain elevation and simply end at another. Calculating elevation is difficult without GPS technology because the trail moves up and down along its length. Although not strenuous, the walk is deceptive as the total elevation gain over the distance is 1,082 ft. When hiked as a roundtrip, the elevation gain is over 2,100 ft. which is a good day by any measure.

Another thing to note about Ace Gap Trail is that on older maps and guidebooks, there are two campsites, CS #4 and CS # 7. Both are no longer marked, neither on the official Park Map nor with the typical posts and signs. One assumes they have been dismantled due to increasing housing developments on the border of the Park Boundary. The remnants of CS #4 are still obvious from the trail but the location of CS #7 is not apparent.

The nice spot formerly known as CS #4

The trailhead is on the Park Boundary where Rich Mountain Road meets Old Cades Cove Road, leading to Townsend. In general it is a pleasant saunter through white pines. The climbs are sudden but mercifully short and serve to raise the heart rate for a good physical workout. I began this trek a little after the noon hour immediately following my hike up and down Rich Mountain Trail. At about 2.3 miles, the trail passes through Kelly Gap with the remnants of Campsite #4, which is a pleasant spot for camping, although it is absent the typical fire rings and bear cables. A water source is a few yards behind in a small stream. However there is a rather large house visible a hundred yards or so beyond.

Since the trail follows the park boundary closely, there are a few large homes visible from the trail itself. At 2.6 miles, there is a small side trail to a road leading to an very nice vacation home. There are several stream crossings providing water and places throughout this section. The trail runs through Ace Gap at about 4.9 miles where a nice flat space is the remains of CS #7 but there are highly visible signs warning wayfarers not to trespass on the private property. Just past Ace Gap, I ran into two older hikers who regularly hike the Tennessee trails. These guys were a treasure trove of information about this section of trail, knowing all about its history. They spoke of man ways and closed trails that lead to interesting locations throughout this side of the park. I would have liked to sit down with them and a map to capture some of these locations for future adventures.

Intersection of Ace Gap and Beard Cane

The trail intersects with Beard Cane Trail at 5.6 miles on a small rise which greeted my arrival after 2 hours of hiking. CS #3 is about a half mile down Beard Cane. The temperature was a quite comfortable 56 degrees and after about 10 miles of hiking in for the day, I was due for an extended lunch break. The trail junction was open and fairly dry so I broke out some reading material and enjoyed lunch. Time passed and I was back on the return trip. I caught my gentlemen friends just past the area where CS #4 used to be and they were impressed with my speed. I didn’t tell them I took a 30 minute lunch break.

Ace Gap is nice walk for a nice day. It is easy to get to and probably never crowded. If camping is in order, CS #3 is not far past the end of the trail.

Be well. Do good. Strider Out..

Ramsay Cascades

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Miles: 4.0 miles Elevation Gain: 2,269↑ Elev./Mi: 567 Grade: 11%

Difficulty: Class HC Hiking Time: 1:51 Pace: 2.16 mph Avg. Temp.: 31

Total Hike: 8 miles Total Hike Time: 3:24 Avg. Pace: 1.8 mi./hr.

Total 900 Miler Miles: 57.7 Total Miles Hiked: 73.5

Ramsay Cascades is another crown jewel of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park and like most good rewards, it has to be earned, if for no other reason than just getting there. First, one must survive the madness that is Gatlinburg but if you are willing to get an early start, you can manage to miss the flood of humanity, both biped and automobiled, that engulf the streets. The Greenbriar Park Entrance is located along US 321 about 6 miles northeast of Gatlinburg. Less than mile in, the paved Greenbriar road stops at the ranger station and becomes a gravel road, sometimes narrowing to a single lane. Just past 3 miles in, the Ramsay Prong road turns left across a single lane bridge and continues for another mile and a half to a parking area at the trail head. Those arriving early should find ample parking but beware a midday start. This is a very popular trail and the small primitive parking area tends to fill up.

Middle Prong of the Little Tennessee

Boulder along Ramsay Cascades Trail

Having navigated a virtually empty Gatlinburg, we arrived at the trailhead about 8:45. Ramsey Cascades Trail does not tie into any other trail section so it can only be hiked as an out-and-back. We set off hiking at 8:53 with the thermometer reading 28 degrees. Ramsay Cascades Trail welcomes you through a portal that is a footbridge over the Middle Prong of the Little Pigeon river. The trail begins along a nice gravel road and climbs steadily after you cross the bridge following Middle Prong. Ramsay Cascades seems bigger than most trail experiences in the Smokies. The rapids in the streams seem bigger. The rocks and boulders seem bigger and there are old growth trees that don’t look like they belong here. Then of course there is the waterfall that awaits you at the top. Green moss and rhododendron exude a fairyland atmosphere, even in wintertime. John Muir would ponder the rock formations of Yosemite, wondering how they got there and how they were formed. Similar thoughts occur as you pass along huge boulders and witness giant rocks strewn haphazardly along Middle Prong and Ramsay Prong. Just as Muir proposed how the rocks of Yosemite were living creatures, vital to the very foundation of creation, so too these rocks formations seem to have a personality and their creative placement along the way is shrouded in mystery.

One of two large tuliptrees

“Roman Columns”

Then there are the trees. For some reason, in the lower section of the trail, several huge specimens of tulip poplars and locust trees were spared the harvest of the lumber companies prior to the establishment of the Park. Even as they die and fall, the souls of these mighty tree people still command a presence you can feel as you pass through a cut out section in a blow-down. At 2.6 miles, you pass between two huge, straight tulip trees that the guidebook describes as majestic Roman columns. Although useful as a description, the grandeur of these trees cannot be captured in caparison to anything made by humans. For one thing, they are centuries in the making and will probably be here long after our temples have crumbled. Just a few hundred feet beyond the “Roman Columns”, there is a small clearing guarded by an even bigger tulip tree. A quartet of hikers managed to barely reach around the tree by holding hands as they circled its huge base. For me, the hike to this point was worth the effort, just to be in the presence of these living creatures that were here before humans were.

The last mile tests the hiker’s resolve as you gain 969 feet for a grade 18%. The trail is steep and narrow, often with steps to assist in the climb. Although the trial follows Ramsay Prong much of the way, providing a musical chorus, suddenly, the chorus reaches a crescendo as the waterfall comes into view. As we were scrambling over the few remaining boulders, I noticed an obvious footprint with 5 distinct toes. My companion and I had been discussing earlier the art of barefoot running and that transpired to barefoot hiking. I remarked that I had yet to see a hiker sporting the Vibram 5-Finger shoes, let alone a bare-footer. My Scout Craft proved true as we soon met the owner of the 5-Finger shoes at the top.

Rock Ledge at Ramsay Cascades

Ramsay Cascades

At 10:45, we reached the rock ledge that provides a front row seat to a mighty rendition of water music. The 90 ft. waterfall lands in pool atop a section of flat rock that, even despite the subfreezing temperature, beckons a refreshing dip. To our fortune, we were the second pair to arrive, giving us the privilege of a private performance for more than 20 minutes. On a summer day, you may find 30 or more people here, many of whom have ignored the sign warning of certain death should one loose control of one’s children, and availing themselves of the cool water in the pools below the falls. Alas, the thermometer settled on 31 degrees as we donned more clothing and found our seats. New to my gear list is a pair of insulated mittens and a down jacket. These provided considerable warmth and comfort for the show that beset us. The other pair in our small audience, having left, were soon were replaced by a trio who set about taking pictures and asking for our services as photographers. Of course we complied but by then, we were ready to head back down.

Wintertime Fairy Land

Middle Prong on a Clear Day

The blessing of our early start was made more obvious by the number of people we passed on our descent. Our timing had been near perfect. The nice thing about an out-and-back hike, especially when you are in a cathedral of trees and among sacred statues of rocks and boulders, is you get to see it all again. By now, the sun was above the ridges and the blue sky offered contrast to the green appointments of the moss and rhododendron. We assured our fellow pilgrims headed up that the arduous climb was indeed worth it.

It was a few minutes after 1:00 when we arrived at the packed parking area. In a moment recalling a miserable experience at a crowded shopping mall, a fellow pulled up and waited for me to exit my parking space. He was polite but insistent nonetheless. This merely foretold of the mob scene that hit us after our descent into Gatlinburg. After a 20 minute journey to travel 3/4 mile, we celebrated the day with burgers at Smoky Mountain Brewery. And good burgers they were.

My thanks to my hiking partner, Bryan Shuler, who provided company, conversation and modeling services for my photographs.

Crooked Arm Ridge Trail

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Miles: 2.2 miles Elevation Gain: 1480↓ Elev./Mi: 672 Grade: 13%

Difficulty: Class HC Hiking Time: 0:53 Pace: 2.5 mph Avg. Temp.: 43.5

This trail was part of a loop hike from Rich Mountain Loop Trail

The Trail

Crooked Arm Ridge Trail runs between Rich Mountain Loop Trail and Indian Grave Gap Trail. The closest accessible trailhead is 0.5 miles on the Rich Mountain Loop Trail from its trailhead at Cades Cove. The Crooked Arm Cascade is at 0.2 miles. From there the trail earns its namesake as it climbs rather steeply through several switchbacks for the remainder of its length. Along the trail there are beautiful views of Cades Cove.

Although there are no campsites on the trail, there is Campsite 6 near on Scott Mountain Trail the intersection with Indian Grave Gap Trail.

Crooked Arm Cascade

Indian Grave Gap Trail

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Miles: 3.7 miles Elevation Gain: 1125↑ Elev./Mi: 304 Grade: 6%

Difficulty: Class 3+ Hiking Time: 2:00 Pace: 1.85 mph Avg. Temp.: 43.5

This trail was part of a loop hike from Rich Mountain Loop Trail

+ All the climbing occurs in the first 2.3 miles which makes the climb gain 489 ft./mi. and is a 9% grade

The Trail

Indian Grave Gap Trailhead

The trailhead is on Rich Mountain Road which is a one-way gravel road leading from Cades Cove. It is inaccessible during the winter months. Other access is from Rich Mountain Loop Trail, Rich Mountain Trail and Crooked Arm Ridge Trail.

Indian Grave Gap Trail climbs steadily from the trailhead for the first 2.3 miles averaging a little over 489 ft. per mile. Once on the ridge, the trail is a descends ever so slightly and is a delightful walk along a ridge. AT 1.1 mile, the trail intersects with Rich Mountain Loop Trail which leads 3.4 miles to Cades Cove. At 1.4 miles there is a side trail leading 200 feet to an open nob where there remains a foundation for a fire tower. At 1.9 miles, the trail intersects with Rich Mountain Trail that leads 2.3 miles down to Rich Mountain Road at the Park Boundary. The trail ends at the intersection with Scott Mountain Trail and Crooked Arm Ridge Trail which leads 2.2 miles to Rich Mountain Loop Trail.

Fire tower site in Indian Grave Gap Trail

Indian Grave Gap Trail Junction

Rich Mountain Loop Trail

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Miles: 3.4 miles Elevation Gain: 1365↑ Elev./Mi: 401 Grade: 8%

Difficulty: Class 4+ Hiking Time: 2:10 Pace: 2.31 mph Avg. Temp.: 72.2

Hiking Time: 1:23 Avg. Pace: 2.5 mi./hr.

Total Hike: 11.1 miles Total Hike Time: 5:30

Total 900 Miler Miles: 53.7 Total Miles Hiked: 65.5

+ I rated the trail Class 4+ because the rating system is a bit deceiving. The difficulty rating considers the total mileage of the trail. In this case, the trail is nearly level for the first mile and a half. The actual climb is 1,365 feet over 2 miles and it’s a difficult 13% grade.

This hike was part of a loop that included Indian Grave Gap and Corked Arm Ridge Trails with a short stretch on Scott Mountain. The trailhead is easily accessible from the parking area at the head of the Cades Cove Loop. The weatherman promised a “clear day” but these are the Smokies. The temperature was low 40’s but it was very

cloudy and overcast at 8:53 am. At times the fog was pretty thick. Hiking in the fog gets you wet without the rain. Overall, this is a very nice hike. On a clear day, there are views of the Cove as Rich Mountain Loop Trail gains elevation. There are two campsites on this loop and Crooked Arm Cascade is a nice feature. There are several small stream crossings but all are dry crossings with a little rock hopping.

Foggy conditions on Rich Mtn. Loop

It was 10:16 when I got to Indian Grave Gap, covering the distance at 2.5 miles per hour. I had a decision to make. The trail goes west to its trailhead on Rich Mountain Rd. Skipping it would create an orphan hike but since today was a fairly low mileage day, I decided to grab it. I met a trio of ladies at the intersection and we exchanged greetings. They were hiking a fairly aggressive loop out of Ace Gap and were going to road walk Rich Mountain Road. I asked if they were 900 milers and they were somewhat undecided. They moved down Indian Grave Gap ahead of me while I had a drink of water and a snack.

As I caught up with them, unfortunately, I gave them quite a start. Normally I am pretty good about announcing my presence when I come up behind hikers but I thought in the case, since our introduction was barely 20 minutes in the past, they would be expecting me.

Fire tower site in Indian Grave Gap Trail

On the return, I met a man and his son. The father mentioned he had just started his first 900 miler so I gave him a few hints about information. The weather remained foggy and cool on the steady climb up Indian Grave Gap. At about 1.8 miles, I passed a side trail with no sign. It led about 100 yds. up to a nob where there had been a lookout tower at one time. This would be a rather nice camping spot if not for the Park’s requirement to camp in established campsites. Along the ridge there are spectacular views of Cades Cove…when you can see them.

At the Rich Mountain Trail, I decided skip past the 2.2 mile trail creating an orphan I will have to catch at a later time. Continuing along, I came to the intersection with Scott Mountain Trail and Crooked Arm Ridge Trail. It was lunch time and Campsite 6 was just a couple hundred yards down Scott Mountain so I decided to break for lunch there. There was a sign from the Park Service on a tree at CS 6 stating that the Scott Mountain Trail was closed beyond all the way to School House Gap.

Campsite 12

A cool foggy atmosphere has it’s own charm in a way. CS 6 is a nice little campsite and the close mist, even though a bit melancholy, created a stillness for contemplation. I took along my copy of John Muir – Spiritual Writings edited by Tim Flinders. It’s a great little book that highlights Muir’s spiritual perspective, which is often overlooked by many of his biographers. Flinders pulls together a lot of passages from Muir’s letters and journals that underscore the fact that he considered wilderness to be sacred and the place where God is most likely to interact with us. Muir wrote of his time in Yosemite, “…I have spent every Sabbath for the last two months in the Spirit World.” I barely got into the introduction where Flinders gives us a brief biography of Muir in a spiritual context before chills from the damp weather required me to warm up again.

Not like my taking the veil – no solemn abjuration of the world. I only went out for a walk, and finally concluded to stay out till sundown, for going out, I found, was really going in. – John Muir

Crooked Arm Ridge Trail was aptly named for its many switchbacks on a fairly short trail. toward the end, I was treated with the Crooked Arm Cascade. Then back to the Rich Mountain Loop Trail with a half mile hike back out to the trailhead.

The Trail

Meadow along Rich Mountain Loop Trail

The trailhead leaves the Cades Cove Loop Road. near the main parking area at the gate. For the first mile and a half, the trail is very level and skirts a couple of the meadows off the Cove. At 1.4 miles, there is a pleasant surprise if you’re not expecting it. The trail passes the John Oliver Cabin, which is one of the many features of Cades Cove. Oliver was one of the first settlers of European descent in the Cove and the cabin is well preserved and maintained. At that point, the trail turns right and begins to climb steadily. All of the elevation gain (1,365) is over the next 2 miles or so making the climb a challenging 13% grade. The trails ends at 3.4 miles at the intersection with Indian Grave Gap Trail.

John Oliver Place

Gregory Ridge Trail

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Miles: 5.0 miles Elevation Gain: 2622↑ Elev./Mi: 524 Grade: 10%

Difficulty: Class 5 Hiking Time: 2:10 Pace: 2.31 mph Avg. Temp.: 72.2

Total Hike: 11 miles Total Map Miles: 41.5 Total Miles Hiked: 47.5

Looking North from Gregory Bald

It’s been months since my last hike. The reasons don’t matter now. What matters is the backcountry always welcomes you back. Too get back in the game, I chose a day hike with a spectacular reward at the top of the climb. Gregory Bald is a sacred space and with any luck, I would benefit from the off-season and have the place to myself. Gregory Ridge Trail is the most direct route to the Bald this time of year as Parson Branch Rd. is closed for the season.

High Water on Gregory Ridge Trail

But first, one needs to navigate Cades Cove to the trail head. On Saturday’s, the Cove is closed to motor traffic until 9:00 am so there was no need to get there really early. Traffic, although excruciating (for me), moved along and I was able to get to Forge Creek Road on the back side of the Cove by 10:15. Great! There are no other cars in the parking area. By 10:30, i was under way. It’s December 26 and it’s 73 degrees. This hike follows several days of rain so all the creeks are swollen. Forge Creek is a class 2 rapids threatening some of the foot logs along the way.

The Trail

Gregory Ridge Trailhead

The trailhead is at the end of Forge Creek Road, which leads off the Cades Cove Loop road at the Cable Mills Visitor Center. The elevation is 1,955 ft. The first mile of Gregory Ridge Trail is a pleasant stroll on a slight incline as it follows Forge Creek. You cross a few foot bridges until you reach Campsite 12 at about 2.0 miles. After several days of rain, there is high water at every crossing and in some cases, the rapids are within inches of the foot log. Campsite 12 appears to be a bulge in the trail with the fire ring a mere 10 feet within the trail itself. Just past CS 12, the climb begins to increase and will gain over 2,000 ft. over the next 3 miles at a 13.5% grade. At about 2.5 miles, the woods open up to a great view of Sugar Cove Ridge. A little further you can see the first glimpse of Cades Cove. The climb continues steadily to the intersection with Gregory Bald Trail.

Gregory Bald

Old Man Pine

I finished Gregory Ridge Trail in 2:10 for a pace of 2.3 miles per hour. Gregory Bald is 0.5 miles to the right on Gregory Bald Trail. The climb continued until finally, the woods gave way to a grassy summit. The wind was steady and cool although not really cold. At the very summit, there is a benchmark making the elevation along with a very special pine tree that offers some cover from the wind and it is there I had a bite of lunch. I was thrilled to realize that the mountain belonged to me as there were no other hikers around. After a rather strenuous hike and a satisfying lunch, I stretched out on the pine needles in the shelter of Old Man Pine and take a short nap. Then it was time to investigate the bald and take pictures. I had planned to spend some time reading John Muir but the wind was a bit uncooperative with regard to such an activity. Nevertheless, I had a time of contemplation while sitting in the grass viewing Cades Cove. I could see the shiny skins of automobiles reflecting the sunlight from miles away. Before I knew it, 1.5 hours had passed and I decided to head back down the way I came. The trip down took 2 hours and by 4:00, I was back in the glacial flow of traffic on the Cades Cove Loop.

Cades Cove From Gregory Bald

Hiking Difficulty – There’s A Category for That

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It’s my intention to offer as much information about these hikes as I can so that readers may use it to evaluate and plan their hikes. Originally, I planned only to include total elevation gain and percent grade as the two primary indicators of difficulty but it occurred to me that many other outdoor sports like cycling, rock climbing, kayaking each have their respective difficulty rating systems. So the first thing I did was to research the difficulty rating used in professional cycling. I found that although there is much subjectivity when it comes to rating climbs for the Tour de France, most rating systems rely on three main parameters; total distance, percent grade and total elevation gain. This makes sense because a 6% grade over 12 miles could be just as difficult as a 20% grade over 3 miles.

Some rating systems attempt to consider the relative athletic ability of the hiker. It might also make sense to consider parameters such as weather conditions, trail conditions temperature and humidity and countless others. But the problem with all these is there are variables that the typical hiker should take into consideration. So then an objective rating system based on measurable physical characteristics is the proper choice.

With that decided, I set out to try to figure out an algorithm that properly takes these three parameters into consideration and reducing the output to 5 classifications. Five minutes later, I looked to see if anyone else had already tried. I found nwkier.com. It is a web based calculator that simply asks for distance and elevation gain. You get a number from 1 to 28 which to me is useless. BUT! They then categorized these numbers into 6 basic classifications. This works for me. Perhaps I will try to develop an algorithm at a later date but we will try the nwhiker.com model for now.

LeConte24 Part 4: Epilogue

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“Anish Breaks the Appalachian Trail Unsupported Speed Record!” was the headline on the blog post: http://appalachiantrials.com/anish-breaks-the-appalachian-trail-unsupported-speed-record/

Anish is a woman some call “The Ghost” because she frequently hikes at night. Here’s the thing: Anish hiked the entire Appalachian Trail in 54 days. She hiked the PCT in 60 days. That means she averaged 42 miles a day and 44 miles a day respectively. And, she did both “unsupported” meaning there were no hot meals waiting for her in camp and probably zero “zero days”. Not only does she “frequently” hike at night, she most likely hikes every night.

View from Alum Cave Trail

Here is the text Brian sent me: “This lady just did our hike… 54 days in a row!”.

This is the backdrop as I am writing this summary of our own epic hike. Three days ago, a young woman completed 54 days of hiking that we barely survived through one day.

All this said, I can say most humbly:

WE DID IT!!!!!!!!!

I set this blog up to keep track of individual trails I have hiked and will hike on this 900 Miler. A hike like LeConte24 gets a little tricky to document because there are approach trails that don’t count as official miles and there are several miles that overlap like repeating a section of Trillium Gap to reach Brushy Mtn.. In short, Brian and I hiked a total 46.4 miles in 19 hours and 32 minutes, averaging 2.4 miles per hour. Here are the data:

Total Miles: 46.4 miles
Official miles: 39.4 miles
1. Rainbow Falls 6.6
2. Trillium Gap 8.9
3. Bull Head 5.9
4. Alum Cave 5.0
5. AT 2.7 (Newfound Gap to Boulevard)
6. Boulevard 5.4
7. Brushy Mtn. 4.9
Total Time: 19:32
Average Pace: 2.4 mph
Total Elevation Gain: 11,924 ft.
Temperature Range: 60 – 82 degrees

Bull Head Trail

Brian kept much better records than me and his post on www.leconte24.com has a lot of excellent detail. Having done this hike 4 years ago, we have some comparisons to make. The first hike was completed in 22 hours. Our justification for the original route was to hike down the longest climbs. An hour and a half was spent in shuttling from Alum Cave to Greenbriar; a technicality we fixed this time by changing the route. We also took much shorter breaks between segments; typically 30 minutes or less. In fact, our shuttle from Alum Cave to Newfound Gap was only 30 minutes complete.

Another subtle difference is that this year, we went ahead and did the Brushy Mtn. summit, which is a 0.4 mile spur trail from the junction for Trillium Gap and Brushy Mtn. We passed it the first time because it was not technically an approach trail up Mt. Leconte. The ramification for me was that four years later I had to go back and hike it to complete my 900 miler; a twist that required an 18 mile hike to snag 0.4 miles. Brian agreed to go ahead and grab this section with me. The 0.8 mile roundtrip took about 22 minutes so if we adjust for that, the “official” LeConte24 – 2015 hike was 45.6 miles in 19:10, 2 hours and 50 minutes faster than 2011.

View from the summit of Brushy Mtn.

Final Observations

The route we took this year seems optimal:

Up Rainbow Fall – Down Trillium Gap
Up Bull Head – Down Alum Cave
Shuttle to Newfound Gap
Up AT to Boulevard – Down Trillium Gap/ Brushy Mtn.

It was the shortest possible shuttle time and it minimized the total elevation gain. We did not seem to suffer from taking shorter breaks. Usually we would stop at the top for 15 – 20 minutes to eat something. At the bottom, we would eat our “lunches” which for me included peanut butter sandwiches, fruit and chocolate. This strategy worked perfectly until the final segment. We reached the top on the Boulevard Trail around midnight and we elected to continue on down Trillium Gap with no break and no food. By that time, neither of us was very hungry. In fact we both had bouts of nausea and stomach aches. This proved fateful because we both hit the proverbial wall. The last five miles were rather excruciating because we were both completely out of energy and the Advil no longer took the edge off our weary legs and feet. We would have been much better off to force down some nutrition. It will was pretty dumb because we were both carrying plenty of food in our packs. I guess with the finish line in sight coupled with upset stomachs, we both decided to grind through it. Despite all this, we still averaged 2.4 miles per hour at the end.

Shawn on the Rainbow Falls Trail

This hike is doable! Brian and I are both above average in fitness level but we are not ultra marathoners (although Brian has recently completed a half Triathlon). The key is steady hydration and plenty of calories throughout the hike. We both carried hydration bladder packs which made it possible to drink constantly. I estimate I consumed about 5 liters of water in addition to 24 oz of Gatorade at each meal. Brian kept a great record of his calorie intake on leconte24.com. If I were to guess, we should have each consumed about 600 more calories on the last segment.

I hike mostly solo but I have to say there was a profound benefit to hiking with a partner on this hike. Having great company goes without saying. Especially in the last segment, it was good to have someone to help with pace but more importantly, when you are physically and mentally drained and your vision is drastically curtailed, you stumble a lot (more than usual) and although neither of us had any dangerous moments, the potential to injure yourself in the middle of the night, miles from help is ever present.

It took us three vehicles to do this. We left one at Greenbriar where we finished up and drove one to Rainbow Falls Trailhead where we started. We arranged for Brian’s wife Tina to meet us at Alum Cave and shuttle us to Newfound Gap.

My Garmin fenix 2

This was the first time I have used GPS based electronics. Garmin and others now have pretty powerful GPS systems in a watch configuration. The mapping functions are not as useful during the hike itself as the typical hiking data. I always knew how many miles we were into the segment and the elevation at any given time. This allowed us to manage our pace so we would not blow it all out early in the hike. Both our watches drained completely of battery power before the end of the hike. There are ways to better manage power usage. The data from the watch can be uploaded to a web app and all kinds of data and graphs are available for analysis.

Mt. LeConte, at 6,593 ft., is the third highest peak in the Smokies and the 6th highest east of the Mississippi. It is the crown jewel of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park and a prize one has to earn. There are no roads or shuttles or ski lifts. Only feet and horseback. The trails are all well maintained and clearly marked with signs. The ridge is lined with spruces and Douglas Firs giving the smell of Christmas all year long. It is certainly worthy of an epic hike.

Thanks to my great friend and brother Brian Thomas who shared this time with me…twice!

Mt. LeConte seen from Clingmans Dome

Hiking the Great Smoky Mountain National Park

"The mountains are calling and I must go." – John Muir

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LeConte24 Part 4: Epilogue