New Year's Day Hike to Rocky Top

We had decided on a different hike for New Year's Day--a hike that would get us new miles, but without Jennifer being with us which we weren't thrilled with. However, I awoke with a nagging feeling that the two water crossings on the trail we had picked might not be smart on a day as cold as this one, especially since they were 6+ miles from the car and we've had a lot of rain and snow lately. So at 5:30 a.m., we decided to change our course and hike up to the Appalachian Trial to Rocky Top, something that had been on my Bucket List for a long time. Oh, I cannot express how glad I am that we did that! 

We parked the car at the trailhead for Lead Cove and began the climb up to one of the most spectacular views in the park. I had missed this view last summer when I was unable, because of my knee, to go on the Appalachian Trail multi-day backpacking trip. But today, I would finally stand on Rocky Top!!!

We actually got to the trailhead before daylight and hiked for a very short period of time with our headlamps on. By the time daylight had fully established itself, there was evidence of the snows that had occurred in the Park on previous days--just enough to be pretty.  Lead Cove eventually intersected with Bote Mountain Trail and I began ascending on a trail that I had not-so-fond memories of from a previous summertime hike. Bote Mountain is a killer in hot weather for multiple reasons.  I remember no views due to leaf cover on the trees, gnats and other biting bugs due to the heat, and lots of sweating due to the steep incline. Bote Mountain is also a rocky trail which makes all of that more difficult to deal with.  None of these aspects were true on a New Year's Day hike though, except for the fact that the elevation change was still just as tough.  There were nice views on both Lead Cove and Bote Mountain during the dead of winter and sweating was minimal although the quads and glutes still burned due to the incline. That last mile of Bote Mountain as you know it's reaching up for the Appalachian Trail is still a tough bit of trail! 

Once we reached the AT, I actually thought the climb was over, but oh boy, was I wrong!  There is some significant "roll" as the AT moves south toward Thunderhead Mountain.  And during every step of the down hill stretches, you knew you would have to turn around and climb all that distance again before reaching the goal for the day. This is a tough hike! 

 As we struggled to reach Rocky Top, on that final ascent, Kirsten, who had been on the summer AT trip that I had missed, told me NOT to turn around yet. Once I reached the "sweet spot" and she said it was time, I turned around to the MOST glorious site of my life! I almost cried, it was so breathtakingly beautiful! This was one of those spiritual moments that I get sometimes in my mountains--the view of the surrounding mountains and valleys simply proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that there is a Mighty Creator at work in the world and in our lives.  









 I can think of no better way to have spent the first day of 2015. Here's to a great year!

How did you start your New Year in the mountains? What hikes do you have on your "bucket list"?  Please leave a comment below to tell us about your most special times (past, present, or future) on the trail.

Close Encounter of the Black Bear Kind

The Cataloochee area of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park contains many trails I have yet to hike, so one recent Friday, my husband and I got up really early and drove the two hours to the Cataloochee Campground where our chosen hike of the day would begin.  I was glad to be in his Toyota FJ as opposed to my Mustang because the road to the campground is a bit of a challenge.  This road closes frequently in the winter, and for good reason!  He never put the FJ in 4WD, but it was nice to know it was there if we needed it.

My hiking partners and I had tried to do this hike back in the winter, but had arrived at the trailhead to find the footlog which crosses the river washed away.  Later, we read that there were no plans to rebuild, so we decided at the time to attempt this hike in the summer when the fairly long crossing wouldn't leave us cold and wet at the very beginning of the hike.  However, as we pulled up to the trailhead on this day, there was a brand-spanking new footlog stretched across the river.  This is reportedly the longest footlog bridge in the Park.  Thrilled that the only marked crossing on this trail had been spanned for us by this awesome bridge, we chose to leave our water shoes in the car--a mistake, for sure!

The brand new bridge replaced only a couple days before we got here

Our itinerary on this day was to go about .8 miles up Caldwell Fork Trail to the intersection with Boogerman Trail, take it up and over the ridge and return a few miles later to a more distant intersection with Caldwell Fork.  From there, we would do the .4 miles on Caldwell Fork to the next trail intersection, then turn around and walk back to the car on Caldwell Fork Trail.  That would make for about 8.4 miles, a nice length hike for my husband, who hikes only occasionally with me because of his work schedule.  The only other major crossings noted on Caldwell Fork were on a much more distant part of the trail which we would not cover on this hike, hence the justification for not carrying the added weight of water sandals with us.

Within the first mile, though, we came to a deep water crossing with no bridge.  We were close enough to the car I could have gone back for shoes, but didn't want to add almost two miles to our hike because I really want my husband, Bunk, to keep hiking with me.  I choose my trails with him carefully to keep it fun and enjoyable for him. That's very important to me.  So our only choices were to take the boots off and enter the water, unable to see what lay on the riverbed, or just push on through with our boots on.  We chose the later knowing that would mean wet feet for the rest of the day.  

One of many unbridged crossing on this hike

Almost immediately, we came to the first intersection with Boogerman Trail and turned left to begin the fairly gentle ascent up to the ridge.  Caldwell Fork Trail, being a horse trail, was fairly well travelled it seemed, but not so with Boogerman Trail.  There was some slight overgrowth along the way, but it's still pretty early summer. I'd say by the end of July there'll be some significant overgrowth.  But it was an enjoyable trail nonetheless.  It did not contain the muck and mire typical of horse trails like Caldwell Fork, and the pine needles and deciduous leaves that had fallen on the trail made it fairly soft underfoot. Only minimal rocks and roots were present, so tripping wasn't such a distinct possibility.  I spent my time watching for snakes, but thankfully, none made an appearance! 

What we did see along the way were a few rhododendron still in bloom, some fairly interesting mushrooms, lots of snails, and a couple of toads. It's these little things that you simply don't have time to see if you're pushing at a frantic pace like some people seem to like to hike.  That's one thing I like about hiking with my husband. We are not in a hurry, so we take the time necessary to enjoy the scenery that we see around us.

There are some interesting sites along Boogerman Trail too.  At one point we passed what looked to be a very old tulip poplar (I could be wrong on the identification though.  Tree ID is not my thing.) Not long after that we came to a VERY long rock wall built by early settlers of this region.  There was no mortar used in this wall, but I bet it had been here since the 1920s or 30s, if not before, and still stood tall and proud.  It's hard to imagine the amount of work it took to build that structure, and I tried not to think of what it must have been like to be forced to leave an area that had been your home as these settlers had been. As I hike these trails, I am often reminded of their sacrifice so that I can enjoy the park that was set aside for the use of all Americans on land that had once been their own homeplace. I experience a dichotomy of feelings, that's for sure.  

One of the most interesting sites along this trail was a huge tree that is hollowed out at the base, presumably by lightning.  This tree still lives, but with a hollowed-out crevice in it large enough for people to stand in.  I didn't go in (I don't like spiders or snakes), but you could tell others had. This, to me, is just another example of the tenacity of nature, the doing whatever it takes to survive.  Adapting to unforeseen and unfortunate circumstances seems to be the norm in nature, something that comes in handy for us as humans too, it seems.                                                                                                                                       Shortly after seeing the tree and the rock wall, we came to the end of Boogerman Trail and the intersection with Caldewell Fork.  Here, we took a few minutes respite to eat a snack and rest our feet. I was in the middle of changing into dry socks when we heard a huge crash in the woods.  I called out, hoping it was someone coming down the trail from the other direction, but got no response.  I thought it was probably a bear, but we tried to convince ourselves it was a limb falling from a tree. We packed up pretty quickly at that point and headed up the short piece of Caldwell Fork to the next trail intersection.  I needed to do that little piece to make the next jaunt in that area a little easier.  After doing that short piece up and back, we returned to the intersection where we'd had our lunch.  Walking now back toward our vehicle on Caldwell Fork, we again encountered the muddy stretches commonly found on horse trails. However, now there were large prints freshly made in that mud.  My first comment to Bunk was I hoped that was just someone's large dog. Although dogs are not allowed on trails in the Smokies, it is not unusual to run into people who ignore that rule and hike with their dogs anyway.  I was hoping that's what it was, but deep inside, I figured it might not be.  Soon we came upon two sets of tracks, one the large ones we'd previously seen and one much smaller. This time, the claw marks on the toes were clearly visible, leaving us with no doubt that this was a large female black bear and her this year's cub alongside her.

 Immediately I began blowing the whistle I keep attached to the chest strap of my pack, alerting momma bear to our presence and exact location.  The last thing I wanted to do was to surprise her or get between her and her cub by accident. We also took a moment to arm ourselves--hubby pulled out his 38 Special and I pulled out my bear mace and removed the safety latch.  But most importantly, I kept blowing that whistle. I didn't want to use the mace and certainly didn't want to have to be in a desperate enough, last ditch situation for Bunk to have to use the .38, but we also didn't want to become a statistic. Since momma bear and cub were going in the same direction we were (back toward our vehicle), we gave her some time to move away from us and then began to make our way slowly up the trail constantly watching for new tracks.  Finally, after about 1/4 mile, we saw her tracks make a left turn, escorting baby up into a thicket of dog hobble.  Those were the last of her tracks we saw in the mud of the trail, thankfully.  I fully believe that blowing the whistle repeatedly and letting her know where we were at all times kept what could have been too close of an encounter from escalating into a bad situation.

It does seem that the bear population in the Smokies is particularly unpredictable this year, especially in the last few weeks.  There are multiple closures of trails and shelters in the Park because of aggressive bear activity. You can find that list HERE. If you're heading into the park anytime this summer, be sure to check that site.  It begins with road closures, but scroll down a bit to find facilities closed or on alert due to aggressive bear activity.  I read an article in a Sevier County online magazine the other day that said now is the time for mating of the black bears, so males will stand their ground to protect their territory even from people.  Usually, they will run away at the sight or sound of hikers, but not during this time.  Also, right now is the time when momma bears are weaning their yearling cubs, so it's not unusual to see those half-grown cubs in the woods alone, looking somewhat confused.  They, too, can be somewhat unpredictable according to those reports.  I highly suggest that if you're headed to the Smokies, you take a few minutes to watch the video on bear safety located on the Park website.  You can find it and other information you need to know about being in bear country HERE. There's also a good video HERE put out by Orvis on how to use bear mace correctly. It's worth watching too. What you learn there could save you from an unfortunate encounter, and also might save the life of a bear. Bears who are caught up in encounters with humans, even if those situations are caused by poor behavior of people, often have to be put down.  So, please, know the rules and safety regulations that can prevent such unhappy situations from occurring.  A photograph just isn't worth it.

Young bull elk on Cataloochee Campground Road

The rest of our hike was uneventful, but as we were driving back up the road out of the campground, we were pleasantly surprised by the presence of a young bull elk grazing just on the side of the road. He was adorned with huge antlers which were "in velvet." When antlers are being regrown each year (elk and deer lose their antlers after the "rut" or breeding season), they are covered with a soft, velvety covering that is accompanied by rich blood flow to the growing cells.  Once the antlers are fully developed, that velvety covering will be rubbed off and the antlers become hard. Anyway, he was beautiful! We did not get out of the car because we were too close, but snapped a few pictures as we moved on up the road.   

What a day this had been! I absolutely love sharing days in the woods like this with my husband. It seems the cares of our normal daily lives just vanish in the splendor of what has become my favorite place on the planet.  I am so blessed to live close to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and to have a husband who will hike in it with me!

500 "New Miles" and Counting!

It hasn't been too terribly long ago that I wrote that blog post titled "GSMNP 900! No Promises, New Miles," but as of yesterday, I've reached the 500 "New Miles" milestone.  Once I started keeping track of this journey on the spreadsheet provided by Liz Etnier, author of the book that we use as one of two major references toward our goal, hiking all the trails in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park has become an obsession. Counting the miles has been an impetus to get us out there more frequently than we would have without marching steadfastly toward our goal.  An occasional hike in the woods is one thing, but this drive toward a group goal is something quite different.

Do I let the goal ruin the journey? No! Being in the wilds of the Smokies with two of my best friends I've ever had in my life and enjoying what nature has to offer us is still the best part of every hike we do.  I love walking in these woods, along these ridge lines, listening to the calls of the birds or scampering of the boomers, taking in the breathtaking vistas, and listening to that still small voice inside me.  Putting one foot in front of the other when striving to reach the top of some steep climb, encouraging each other that we can DO this because we've done it before--those are small treasures provided by this quest.

And we ARE purists! We never take credit for having walked even any small distance that we haven't really walked.  If we get off the trail to look at a rock outcropping or whatever, we don't come out the other side and continue on.  We will even double back to the same spot we left the trail just to be purists in the effort.  I've hiked with one person in the past who, if she sees a trail sign, she's done that trail--her record keeping is terrible so her claim to have finished them all will be meaningless, no matter when she "says" she's finished them all.  Not us! Meticulous record-keeping is a part of the process for us.  There are many small snippets of trail that can easily be missed unless you're very careful and purposeful in this effort.  This book can help you in that in case you're interested in pursuing a similar goal.

According to Ms. Etnier's book, there are 791.9 miles of trail in my beloved Smoky Mountains.  I am fortunate to have hiked 500.6 of them to date.  Hopefully, the Lord will allow me to finish, but even if I don't ever finish, I have been blessed by every step in ways I can never relate here.

So Much History--So Many Miles!

I've been looking forward to hiking Old Settler's Trail for a long time because it is so rich in the history of the time before the Great Smoky Mountains National Park became what it is today. I love to imagine what it might have been like to have really lived in these mountains in the days when folks supported themselves with the efforts of their own hands. Old Settler's Trail allows you to walk literally back into a time when that was all true.

This trail covers approximately 16 miles between the Greenbrier and Cosby sections of the park, meandering in and out of gaps and beside creeks along what once were probably wildlife trails and eventually became trails used by the folks who lived here. Much of the trail was created along paths that once connected the various settlements in this region to each other.

So many remnants and relics remain along this trail--from gorgeous stone chimneys and impressive walls of boulders laid one on another to a few pots still scattered around the foundation of what once was someone's home--that it is impossible to walk along it without putting yourself in the footsteps of the old families such as the Partons, the Huskeys, and the Lindsays who once called this area home. I found myself imagining what it must have been like to provide for and raise a family out there--the hardships that must have abounded, but also the blessings that such a life would have provided.
Since folks primarily built their homes in the lower areas of these mountains, along creeks that would sustain them and in areas where some flat lands could be found to raise crops and livestock, there's not a tremendous amount of elevation change on this hike. The topography is not difficult; only the length of the hike, if you do the entire trail, makes it challenging. You could, however, do a part of the trail in and out, or you could backpack it and spend the night at Backcountry Campsite #33 and still see plenty of historical relics to give you a feel for the lifestyle of these hearty people. The most impressive structures, in my mind anyway, are the massive stone walls, and those lie on the Cosby side of the trail.

The Mountain Laurel were especially beautiful!

There were some pleasant surprises on the day we did this hike. I had not hiked in a couple of weeks, so the first thing I noticed that was a delightful surprise was that the Mountain Laurel were in full bloom. Laurel flanked the trail on both sides in many spots providing gorgeous sights which replaced the vistas that are not available along this trail because of the lower elevations. We also were lucky enough to see many Pink Lady's Slippers in peak bloom, again, another unexpected treat. About half way into the hike, maybe about two miles before we got to Campsite #33, we encountered first a bear cub, and then about a mile closer to the campsite, a huge black bear, presumably a male, foraging on the prolific supply of what I think were Hickory nuts scattered along the forest floor. We were lucky enough to have seen him without him seeing us and were able to stand and just watch him for a few minutes before speaking loudly enough for him to notice our presence. Lucky for us, since the trail went straight toward where he had been standing, as soon as he heard us, he threw his head up in the air, looked right at us for just a split second, and then made a beeline back into the woods in the opposite direction. That was quite a moment for us!

One word of caution though if you decide to do this trail--about half way in there is a considerable amount of storm damage and at one point the debris is so thick we became concerned that we had lost the trail. Just make your way through the debris though and you will find the trail on the other side of the small creek. Once you see the small waterfall that is mentioned in the "brown book" hiker's Bible, you will feel better, or at least we did, because you will know that yes, you are indeed, still on Old Settler's Trail.

I really did enjoy this hike, but in closing I just want to say that a part of me was sad--sad for the settlers who had worked so hard to build such structures in such a remote region only to have been asked (or forced) to leave these homes behind. It's hard to think about the fact that if those folks had remained sole owners of their property, then I would not have had the ability to enjoy these mountains as much as I do. It's a difficult realization to come to. I truly want to thank them for their sacrifice.

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