Hiking in the Twitterverse

At the trailhead of Jakes Creek

As I wait for a second pot of coffee to brew to warm my hands on this snow day from school, I reflect on what a positive impact Twitter has had on my hiking adventures, especially of late. I had maintained a Twitter account as a teacher for my Microbiology students to tweet in for several years, but had only used it for that purpose. So I joined Twitter personally three years ago, not having any idea how to really use it, but intrigued by the possibilities of what might be. I began by searching for hashtags that had to do with my newly-developing passion, hiking. Following the tweets of folks who were, in my eyes, professional hikers or companies who shared tremendous knowledge about the sport I was beginning to love, led to me learning important things like how to stay safe in emergencies, simple tricks that made hiking easier, the ever-expanding list of gear I could put on my wish list, and how to pack a backpack the right way. This, however, was only the beginning.

Over the last three years, Twitter has introduced me to wonderful people in my area that share my passion for the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and spending time hiking or taking great photographs in it. Online friendships seemed a little odd to me at first and on at least one occasion I made mistakes and accidentally made presumptions I shouldn't have, creating tension in what had been a jovial alliance, but after so many years, you do begin to feel like you've really known these fellow trekkers for a long time. I cannot tell you how many times I've laughed at the silly banter that takes place among hiking friends even if they've never seen one another. Sharing our love of the Park and its secret places...places that the tourists never see, creates a bond of camaraderie of collective passion. I've learned so much about this beautiful park we are so lucky to have in our backyards!

At the Avent Cabin

Over the last few weeks, I've been blessed to meet and hike with two of our little group, loving called #ETHikerTrash, and am so thankful that I've come to know them. The New Years' Day hike I took with @ginastafford is already recorded here. On Martin Luther King Day, we were joined by @shuckydern, wise and experienced hiker whom I am pleased to now call friend! Gina and Shucky led us to the Avent Cabin, one of those treasures of our Park that is, as another virtual friend,
Steve Oliphant says, "hidden in plain sight," and what a day we had! Temps were no more than 17-20 degrees all day and the wind chill was supposed to be about 10 degrees. We were cold, yes, in fact it took me the rest of the day and two hot baths to finally thaw out. But what a delight it was to hike with Shucky and Gina, along with the other members of the Three Hiketeers with whom I normally hike. We laughed, sniffled from the intense cold, warmed our hands in the sun at the Avent Cabin, ran across Huskey Creek if you take Gina's word for it, and stopped numerous times to just admire the incredible views of snow-capped mountains which surrounded us as we completed the Cucumber Gap loop. We were kindred spirits in our love for these mountains. It was special--special indeed!

Trying to thaw out in the car after the hike!

So, if you're on Twitter, I (@HikerTN) want to introduce you to some really amazing people who have a tremendous wealth of knowledge about our mountains and the sport of wandering through them. Some of these are avid hikers who can share personal experiences about the trails, some are companies that I have learned a great deal from over the years, and some are folks who have many Twitter connections and from whom I learn much from their RTs (retweets). I have even followed the Appalachian Trail Thru Hikes of some of these awe-inspiring individuals. Some of the best photographers I know are among these fine folks as well. Although none of them are technically "professional," they certainly are in my book! And two of them are my closest "real life" friends and hiking buddies with whom I pursue the quest of hiking all the trails in the  Smokies. I am pleased to help you make their acquaintance and hope they bless your life as they have mine. In no particular order (and I apologize up front for leaving anyone out--it's inevitable I would think):

@shuckydern
@ginastafford
@jsmiller2763
@kkmosher
@BobCarrPhoto
@sidbeary
@greglong_13
@GSMNP_hiker
@TrailMixed
@GreatSmokyNPS
@gsmitremont
@JohnMDouglass1
@smoky0305
@ThatOutdoorGuy
@bhartmaneducate
@SprinklesHikes
@niphotographer
@dignthegarden
@LeConteLodge
@MtLeConte
@johncarter_net
@Kplass
@GSMNP
@BackpackerMag
@lynndifiore
@davidwherry
@hardwear
@ORGEAR
@JenOutpost
@BlissfulHiking
@Summitoutadvent
@BlueRidgeXP
@LittleRiverTrad
@REI
@JollyontheAT
@LocalYokelWeather
@AppTrials
@netbros
@AT_Conservancy

If you are a Twitter hiker, who are your favorite folks to follow? I'm always looking for more sources of hiking inspiration and information.

First Day Hike for 2016--New Year, New Friend, Old Favorite Trail

Last New Year's Day I hiked to Rocky Top but that was an all day hike--worth it for sure, but I didn't have that much time this year. Since my UT Vols were playing in the Outback Bowl at noon, Gina and I had agreed to do a quick hike on a trail close to Townsend so we could get back home to watch the game. It's been a LONG time since the Vols have played a New Year's Day Bowl, and as diehard fans, neither of us wanted to miss it.

We picked one of my favorite low-elevation trails in the Park--West Prong. This trail begins near Tremont Institute and rises gently along the flanks of Fodderstack Mountain through peaceful hardwood forest. An elevation change of approximately 500 feet over the course of a little over a mile makes for a nice workout, but not an uncomfortable climb. Conversation was rich as Gina and I got to know one another, this being our first time hiking together. We had been "friends" on Twitter for several years, but today was the beginning of a new "real-time" friendship. Even on the climbs of this hike, our paces were similar, making it seem as if we'd hiked together for many years. Gina told me that she tries to hike on New Year's Day because her grandmother told her to always do the things you love on New Year's Day because those are the things you will spend much of the year doing.  I look forward to more hikes with Gina in our beloved Great Smoky Mountains as a result of this First Day Hike.

Once you make it up the first climb, the trail descends at roughly the same slope as the incline had been, again for roughly a mile. The reward for your time and effort is Backcountry Campsite #18 which lies on the banks of the West Prong of the Little River, for which this trail is named. This is such a serene spot that I enjoy coming here even though I've never backpacked in to spend the night. I do need to fix that though! We paused and explored the banks of the river for a bit after crossing the footlog to the campsite. At first it appeared deserted on this New Year's Day, but upon further exploration, we did find that someone HAD camped at the most remote of the campsites further on downriver from the bridge. We waved to them quickly out of common courtesy but didn't bother them, instead, returning upriver to the main part of the site. I could have remained here for a much longer period of time, but since it took us less than an hour to reach this spot, we didn't stop to snack. Instead, we traversed the footlog again and began the trip back to the waiting vehicles.

We made it out in time to snap a quick selfie to memorialize this first hike together, then hurried home. We were rewarded for that effort, too, with an Outback Bowl that was dominated by our Tennessee Volunteers! Nice way to spend a New Year's Day, don't you think?  #GoBigOrange 

Tackling the Long Hungry Ridge Loop to Gregory Bald

As we are closing in on our goal of completing all the trails in the Smokies, there's one trail we had been putting off for various reasons. That is the "lollipop loop" out of Twentymile to Gregory Bald and back down. We are pretty used to a 17-mile hike at this point in our venture, but this 17-mile loop meant climbing up some pretty steep trails to get to one of my favorite spots in the Park, Gregory Bald. We had also read the story in the Brown Book about a group of bear hunters from long ago who had once been stranded by high water on that side of the mountain and almost starved before making their way out. Many times we had decided not to do that loop because of recent rains or impending weather. Other times, we had just opted to do something else because of that climb. This time, we were really about out of options.

We had tried to figure out how to do it from the Cades Cove side and do it as a shuttle. In fact, one time I had even contacted friends who had said they'd be willing to do shuttles for us, but even in talking it over with them on the phone realized just how silly that idea was--that is one tough shuttle. What we needed to do was to suck it up and JUST DO IT, as Nike would say! And that is what we did! At least we picked a gorgeous day in which to make the attempt!

This loop begins at the Twentymile Ranger Station on the Twentymile Trail and comes complete with a warning of bear activity. Within just a few minutes of walking, you come to the intersection with Wolf Ridge Trail and at this point, a decision has to be made. Options are to climb up Wolf Ridge Trail for 6.3 miles and arrive at Sheep Pen Gap after an ascent of about 3300 feet (most of the climb is in a 3.5 mile stretch). I had assumed that is the path we would take. The other option is to go up Wolf Ridge for just a little over a mile then travel across the bottom of the loop first on Twentymile Loop Trail for 2.9 and THEN begin the real ascent on Long Hungry Ridge. This direction of the loop takes you up another really steep climb in the middle of Long Hungry, but it happens after you've already hiked 4.5 miles before you start it. Then at the top of Long Hungry, you are faced with the brutal .7 mile section of Gregory Bald Trail that takes you out to the bald. When final decision time came, we deferred to Liz Etnier, author of Day Hiker's Guide to All the Trails in the Smoky Mountains. She told us in her book the loop was a little easier going up Long Hungry, so that is what we did. I don't know if she is correct in her assessment, but we survived it, so all is well.

I do love hiking this time of year. The fall wildflowers adorn the trails and give reason to pause and snap a few shots. The only problem is, there are so many of them that are not in my two wildflower books, I do not know their names. I can, however, still enjoy their beauty! In addition to the flowers, the trees are also beginning to put on their colorful show. At the highest elevations, the leaves were just beginning to turn, giving hope that the hot summer was indeed fading away.

After our recent encounter with Mama Bear on Hazel Creek Trail where we were bluff charged twice, we were mentally prepared for bear again. Coming out across the Twentymile Loop Trail, we did hear bear on two different occasions in the woods a good distance off trail. Those bears, we never did see. There was one unnerving moment near the end of Twentymile Loop though, that we heard a screaming in the distance that wasn't human, but echoed of terror and pain. I have no idea what that sound was and I hope I never hear it in the woods again. Needless to say, we quickened our pace significantly. There would still be one more bear encounter on this day.

Backcountry Campsite #92

The early stretch of Long Hungry Ridge was a pleasant rise through the forest which passed by Backcountry Campsite #92. This is a site I would like to remember. It's a large campsite with lots of downed trees to sit on and lots of places to pitch tents, nestled near a creek which provides freely flowing water. This would be a nice site to revisit for a campout sometime.

The Rye Patch on Long Hungry Ridge

Just past 92, though, the trail took a definite turn, seemingly straight up! The condition of the trail was fine except for a bit of overgrowth near the top which at least helped with the climb, but I would be lying if I told you I wasn't struggling by the time I reached the top. The occasional view of trees beginning to be clothed in their fall finest was a welcome respite from the continual incline.  The sight of that flat spot at the top known as the Rye Patch was pleasant indeed!

Leaves beginning to turn at the top of Long Hungry.

The bulk of the elevation change now behind us, we made a quick trip to the end of Long Hungry Ridge and were soon met by the trail sign for Gregory Bald Trail with the inscription that we were now only .7 miles from the top. However, we'd been here before, so we were well aware that that .7 was going to be tough as tired as we already were. Pressing on with our eye on the prize, we trudged up Gregory Bald in anticipation of it opening up to the almost 360 degree vistas that we knew awaited us.  The mantra that goes through your head when your body is spent but you know you are almost there is a dialogue of sheer determination. "One foot in front of the other!" "You CAN do this!" "Almost there!" "It's going to be SO worth it!!!" And, indeed, it was!

Soon the trail opened up to what we had been looking forward to all day! Expansive vistas overlooking Cades Cove on a stunningly beautiful day!

Every time I travel through Cades Cove, I look up to Gregory Bald and think how I have stood there on that bald spot on the top of that ridgeline. This day, I stood on that bald and envisioned myself down in the Cove. It's a good feeling, especially after making the more difficult climb up out of Twentymile. What a day! 

I could have stayed up there all day, and one day I do want to spend the night up there to see sunrise/sunset from the bald, but on this day, we still had miles to go before we slept. After enjoying lunch on the bald and soaking up the views for a short time, we began the descent down Wolf Ridge trail. It seemed much like Long Hungry Ridge, so I'm not sure which would have been the easier direction to have done this loop, but it really didn't matter now. The highlight of our descent was coming up on another Mama Bear and her cub. This time, they were together (thankfully) and above us on the ridge eating acorns from the forest floor. Little cub saw us and quickly scampered higher on the ridge. I'm quite sure Mama saw us, but she was too busy gorging herself on the mast to pay us any attention. She just kept on munching which was exactly what we wanted her to do. We moved out of their way and never did get a good picture. 

Wolf Ridge comes alongside Dalton Branch about half way down and the rest of the hike includes those glimpses of cascades and the sounds of rushing water that create such peace along a creekside hike--not a bad way to end the day. As the sun became lower in the sky, contrasts in the forest stood out and it was obvious that days are getting shorter. Fall is upon us, so many of our long remaining hikes to reach our 900 will have to wait until spring. Perhaps if weather will cooperate, unlike it did today as I sit writing about hiking instead of hiking in the torrential rains associates with Hurricane Joaquin, we can still get a couple more in this fall. One of us was supposed to have finished today, but that will have to wait. Maybe next weekend! Here's hoping!

Spiders and Snakes on Lakeshore Trail in August

Fontana Marina at Daybreak

Over the last six weeks or so, we've done quite a bit of hiking, but since I'm also back at work, I've done very little writing! This late summer season began with a hike along Lakeshore Trail, from Pilkey Creek back to Campsite #90, just past Eagle Creek. That hike commenced and ended with a boat shuttle out of Fontana Marina, and I found myself thoroughly enamored by beginning and ending a day of hot, humid, tiring hiking by swiftly skimming across Fontana Lake, surrounded by the very mountains I've spent so much time hiking in over the last four years. I must admit, though, that watching our pontoon boat transportation pull away from the shore and leave us in the middle of nowhere was just a tad unnerving. There was nowhere to go, now, but up the trail to where he would meet us in the evening to take us back to our car.

In summer, Lakeshore Trail is hot and dry due to its lower elevations and is prime habitat for all kinds of spiders, bugs, and snakes. We encountered an untold number of spiders and two, thankfully, fairly docile timber rattlers along this section of trail.

If you look closely in this photo, you can see the head of a large timber rattler just below the branch that stretches across the top of the picture. If you follow it along down and to the right, you can see its rattlers raised at the other end. He was a good four and a half feet long and when we first saw him, he was headed down the trail directly at us. Jennifer and I were alone on this hike, and she was in front. Neither hiker nor snake saw the other until it was almost too late! She was well within striking distance when that sound...that sound that strikes fear in my heart...that unforgettable, immediately recognizable rattle...erupted from the middle of the trail within just a few feet of Jennifer's hiking boot. After an instantaneous retreat, Jennifer and I waited patiently for the snake to decide he didn't want to be in the middle of the trail anymore. Within a couple of minutes of us talking to and stomping our feet at him from a considerable distance, he zigzagged up the hill to the left of the trail and allowed us to pass. We thanked him profusely as we passed for being such a good and accommodating boy! I would be lying though if I said we didn't spend the rest of the hike scanning the trail for more timber rattlers. Fortunately, he was the last one we saw or heard.

Probably my favorite part of this hike was the little town of Proctor through which the Lakeshore Trail passes. So much history is here in what once was a booming logging town on the banks of Hazel Creek. We were able to spend a few minutes wandering around the old Calhoun house and having a snack on the front porch while looking out over the rippling waters of Hazel Creek. What a wonderful place to grow up that would have been! It does make me sad knowing that folks were forced to give up their family homes to create the Park. I am appreciative of their sacrifice every time I come across old remnants of homesites back in these woods.

Lakeshore Trail made its way along through the dry forest until coming to Campsite #90, which is a large and well-used site. There were quite a few tents and people there including some folks canoeing in the inlet. Looked like a wonderful way to spend an afternoon! We arrived at the campsite with enough time to spare to finish the small connector up to Lost Cove Trail which we did in just a few minutes. We had been a bit worried about not having time for that since we had also, without having planned to, done the little Ollie Cove Trail that we stumbled on earlier in the trip. Just as we returned to Campsite #90, our shuttle pontoon arrived to pick us up. Our timing couldn't have been more perfect.

I will say that Lakeshore Marina does a nice job shuttling hikers (and fishermen too, so I hear) across the lake to the parts of Great Smoky Mountains National Park rendered unreachable by the creation of Fontana Lake. The shuttle prices are reasonable, and the captain was nice and also informative. On our way back to the marina, he shared stories of the hikers he carries and pointed out places of interest along the peaks of the mountains that drop into the lake. He knew and showed us the location of Spence Field, Shuckstack Fire Tower which you could see along the crest of the mountain, and other trails and peaks in which he knew we would be interested. Thanks, Captain, for such a great way to end our hike!

Morning Meander up Middle Prong

Yesterday I was blessed to "take a hike" with a friend whom I met, electronically, through blogging several years ago. While my usual map-marking hiking partners were both out of town, I found myself missing my mountains after having spent the previous week in Isle of Palms and Charleston, South Carolina. I had recently discovered through Facebook that this blogging friend of mine, and I only lived a few blocks apart. Sharon has been through a terribly difficult time of personal loss, so I thought this might be the perfect time for us to take a walk in the woods together, something we both love. Although I felt like I have known her for several years by reading her blog, Gains and Losses: Life Through Sharon's Eyes, we had never met face-to-face, but what a wonderful time we had carrying on our friendship in real time!




We decided on a simple walk up Middle Prong Trail, but it turned out to be much more than that! When we crossed the large bridge spanning Lynn Camp Prong at the beginning of the trail, I wondered aloud where the side trail that branches off along Thunderhead Prong might go. Sharon said there was an old metal bridge up there, and I got probably a little too excited! I am beginning to love finding treasures that are a bit off the beaten path in my beloved Smokies. The wide, pleasant trail that I had always thought was just a fisherman's path must get a good bit of foot traffic at least until the bridge. It ambles up through the woods flanked by large rhododendron bushes and within earshot of the babbling of Thunderhead Prong.










Within probably a third of a mile from the Middle Prong trailhead, the bridge makes its appearance as the trail makes a hard right turn to cross the creek. What stands before the unsuspecting hiker is a bridge unlike anything else I have ever seen in these mountains! This single-file metal bridge has steel cables and metal posts for handrails. Although it at first reminds you of a swinging bridge, this structure is extremely sturdy as it crosses over old stone buttresses. There did appear to be one welded connection about midway across, which gave me just a second's pause, but this bridge isn't going anywhere anytime soon.

The bridge is even prettier looking back on it from the opposite side once you have crossed over it. The path continues on past the bridge, but we did not walk up it except for just a few feet. Apparently this old, unmaintained manway makes its way up around Defeat Ridge, and on up to Thunderhead Mountain. When I learned this while doing some research after returning home,  I was instantly curious about Defeat Ridge, how it got its name, and the history of this path. Hiking in this area is an off-trail adventure that may be beyond me, but there are folks who have been up there and know of the secrets that part of the park still holds. Maybe someday I will explore some of that region--it intrigues me, that's for sure!

Making our way back to the trail we had come to hike, we took time to photograph the beautiful Rosebay Rhododendron blooms which adorned our path.

Once we returned back to Middle Prong trail, we began the delightful walk along Lynn Camp Prong. I found myself watching the water, looking for the sleek shadow that might be a brook trout waiting for its next meal within view of the trail above. I have hiked this trail many times and fished it a couple of times since the park service has reopened it. This stretch of water has been home to the Brook Trout Restoration Program which required the creeks involved be closed to fishing while the rainbow trout were removed and self-sustaining brook trout populations established as they had existed before the introduction of the non-native rainbow many years ago. They may have seen me because I never did see any of them.

The agenda for this day though, was simply an easy meandering up the trail, appreciating the scenery and enjoying the company of new friends. I must say, it was relaxing to just walk up the trail, taking time to look at the massive rock walls which line the trail in some places, or stopping to appreciate the numerous cascades abundantly scattered up Lynn Camp Prong. Map marking has become an all-encompassing obsession, but this hike was enjoyable simply because we were not worried about keeping a certain pace or going great distances. The cares of the world could melt away and be forgotten in the rapids and runs, bubbles and babbles of the creek beside the trail.


In an effort to regain normalcy in her life amidst tragedy, Sharon has set a goal for herself and on this walk we would attain the first accomplishment toward that goal. She is using a book written by Johnny Malloy titled Hiking Waterfalls in East Tennessee: A Guide to the State's Best Waterfall Hikes which lists 100 of the most scenic waterfalls in our state. Some of them are in our cherished Smoky Mountains, and she checked off this first one on our hike. I was pleased to be there with her when she took this first step toward her new goal.

I do think it's a pretty cool coincidence that when I was looking for the story behind the name of Defeat Ridge I found my answer in a book also written by Johnny Malloy almost 20 years ago. According to Mr. Malloy in Trial by Trail: Backpacking in the Smoky Mountains , a vote had been taken in the 1830s to determine where a pass across the mountains would be built. Bote Mountain was chosen. Because the Cherokee Indians who were enlisted to help build the road had no "v" in their language, the name became Bote Mountain. The ridge that was defeated in that vote henceforth became known as Defeat Ridge. I just found this in an online excerpt from Mr. Malloy's book, but it is going on my reading list, that's for sure!

Besides the impressive waterfall listed in Mr. Malloy's newest book, there are other equally beautiful falls along this trail. We only walked up to the intersection with Panther Creek Trail, but many gorgeous cascades entertained us along the way. When you do this trail, make sure to take the time to step off the main trail on each of the little paths down to the river. You will be delighted at what you find!

There are other hidden gems along this trail, remnants from days gone by, accessed by footpaths off to the right on your way toward Panther Creek, but we chose not to venture that deep into the woods on this summer day. Also, if you go further up the trail, a tad over 4 miles from the trailhead, you will find Indian Flat Falls, another of my favorite spots. But those were not our destinations on this day. There's always more to see in this park and reasons to return time after time. And that's exactly what I plan to do--return, time after time!

This Hiker's Knees' New Best Friend

Hiking with bad knees is definitely possible! I've been doing it now for 4 years after two knee surgeries. Actually, the most important thing I do to help my knees take the beating of rocky, root-strewn, steep trails in the Smokies is to use my hiking poles. I could not hike without them! That's why they "sleep" with me in my tent at night when I'm backpacking. If I lost one to a raccoon who likes shiny things, the remainder of my trip would be miserable and unsafe.  However, that's not what this post is about!

I have worn knee braces of varying types over the last four years, especially when I go a while between hikes. If I'm hiking on a regular basis and my knees are strong, I will only wear braces on long steep downhill trails (those types of trail are definitely the hardest on my knees). But, honestly, in the summertime, those braces are hot and uncomfortable, not to mention quite restrictive of movements when trying to climb over or descend rocks or high steps.

About a month ago, I hiked down Welch Ridge and Jonas Creek Trails wearing my knee braces. I was never comfortable that entire day and kept having to stop to make adjustments. One of my knees was killing me, and the brace seemed to be aggravating it instead of helping make it less painful. I finally just took it off all together. After that hike, I remembered a friend of mine who had suffered a hamstring injury while trail running and how she sang the praises of Kinesiology Tape. I did a little internet research and decided to give it a try. I am not suggesting that you do it this way. I would recommend that you ask a doctor or physical therapist about it first if you have knee or other issues you want to attempt to ease. I am impatient though and my knee was really hurting. I bought some KT tape and watched several online videos on how to use KT tape to support the knee and relieve general knee pain. I put it on my sore knee and immediately felt relief!  My knee pain continued to ease over the next couple days until I no longer put the tape on. Maybe it was a psychological effect, but I know the pain relief was real!

I have placed the KT tape on one or both knees on each hike I have done since that time. I am shocked at how well it has helped me with supporting my knees and eliminating the need for braces even on steep downhill trails like Gunter Fork. I even carried enough with me on the recent backpacking trip to replace it if necessary. It was well worth the extra few ounces it required me to carry.

As long as this trend continues, I will be replacing my heavy, hot braces with this tape. It is certainly working for me!

Backpack Through a Temperate Rainforest

During the recent heat wave, we made a three-day backpacking trip across the mid-elevations of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, something, in hindsight, I would recommend doing during spring or fall instead of high summer! Our East Tennessee summer had begun early and had come on with a vengeance, but this trip had been scheduled for months and family vacations scheduled around it, so there was no way we were going to back out just because of a little heat and humidity. Wait, did I say little? Wow, was that an understatement! Luckily, we had had enough foresight to schedule some relatively short days (8-10 miles each day) instead of trying to do our normal 13+ each day. In planning this trip we had worked it out to where the two most difficult climbs would be early morning each of the second and third days of our trip instead of tagged on toward the end of a day.  Good planning is what made this trip enjoyable in spite of the heat.

We began our hike at the Deep Creek Trailhead on Newfound Gap Road. This first stretch of trail was repeat miles for us, down to the intersection with Fork Ridge Trail, but it was on this first section that we had the most trouble with blowdowns. In several places, we had to scramble over and around downed trees which blocked our path. One particular tree was so large and slanted so steeply that we decided we'd be better off to remove our backpacks before even trying to straddle our way across it.

It was also in this section of the Deep Creek trail that we encountered a doe who was totally nonplussed at our presence in HER woods. She walked out onto the trail, saw us, and continued walking right up the path toward us. Of course, we froze in our tracks so we would not spook her, pulling out our cameras for photos.

She nibbled on nearby tree leaves, sauntered on up the trail a bit, then eased off trail and up an incline just to the side of the trail. She watched us a little, as we watched her, but she never seemed the least bit nervous about us being there. Eventually, she made her way off to wherever she was going. Only then did we begin our walking again, realizing just what a special moment that had been.

We stopped for lunch that day beside Deep Creek at the intersection with Fork Ridge Trail, a cool spot to take a break. There was another group of backpackers who had arrived on the other side of the creek about the time we got there. They were going to need to cross since they had reservations at Backcountry Campsite #54 on Deep Creek Trail that night. The group was made up of three young men and a young woman. One of the young men waded across, dropped his pack, then returned across the creek to his friends. He then took the pack of the young woman and carried it across the creek for her! Ladies and gentlemen, chivalry is NOT dead!!!



The rest of that day was spent on the only section of Deep Creek Trail that we had not previously hiked, and I will readily say that it is my least favorite section of that trail. Footing was often precarious as rock formations formed from some meeting of fault lines jutted up almost vertically under our feet in many locations along the path. Thankfully, we arrived at our campsite fairly early in the day and were able to drop our packs and set up camp at Backcountry Campsite #55.


This was a first for us. We had never had to carry and set up tents in the backcountry at a site where no one was going to be staying except us. We had our campsites all to ourselves on this whole trip, something I wasn't sure I would enjoy, but it turned out great! We had no unwanted visitors this time, not even rodents who had plagued us at Walnut Bottoms on our previous trip. #55 is a nice, relatively flat site with an old picnic table (a real luxury in the backcountry sites). It is located just across the trail from Deep Creek, so fresh water is plentiful, and the creek is a great place to cool off after a long, hot hike. If you stay at #55, you need to know that there is a great little "beach" down just a tad at the intersection with Pole Road Creek Trail. We didn't find it until after we had eaten dinner and gathered all of our water for the evening. It would have been much easier access for us just a tenth of a mile on down the trail. We did decide that we would take our breakfasts down to the "beach" the next morning though.

It did rain during the night, which meant that our tents were heavier on day 2 of our trek, no matter how hard we tried to shake the water off of the rainfly and footprint. Thankfully, though, the rain stopped about the time we were coming out of our tents, so we didn't have to pack up in the rain. We did get our breakfast ready to take down to the beach and had a peaceful start to our morning sitting by Deep Creek, listening to the ripples and cascades, enjoying the beauty of this spot. It's moments like this that I backpack and hike for--soaking in the glory of God's creation in the presence of great friends, near solitude, and exquisite peace.









We had planned this next stretch of trail, up the steep Pole Road Creek Trail, purposefully so that we would be fresh when we started. This trail is a steady climb up about 1500 feet over just a bit over 3 miles, not too bad really unless you're carrying over 30 lbs on your back. There are numerous water crossings, some of which are rock hops, but some of which you need water shoes for, which simply means dropping that pack, changing shoes, then having to shoulder that monster again. The highlight of this trail for me happened in the top quarter mile where we were cheered on by the "drink your t-e-e-a" call of an Eastern Towhee. I am confident he was not happy with our presence, but instead it sounded to our weary ears that he was cheering us on. I recorded his call on my phone and asked a birding friend of mine to identify him for me when I got home. I just had to know what bird was so encouraging for us on that last leg of Pole Road Creek trail. Thank you, John, for identifying him for me!

Finally, we reached Upper Sassafras Gap at the intersection with Noland Creek Trail, stopped for a much deserved break, and attempted to replenish electrolytes with a little Gatorade. I hear all the time in the summer about hikers who get in trouble because they drink only water on the trail. It's a good idea to pack some Gatorade or Propel powder to supplement water intake to help keep those important electrolytes in balance. Another thing you can do to help with that is take along some of the Clif Shot Bloks. They help with electrolyte replacement as well.  During this stop, Kirsten pulled out her wet rainfly and hung it over the trail sign to dry a bit in an attempt to reduce pack weight even by just a little. Every little bit helps you know! When backpacking, it's really all about ounces, not pounds!



The next stretch of trail was down Noland Creek Trail to Backcountry Campsite #64 where it intersects with Springhouse Branch. This section was supposed to be only about 5.3 miles, but it sure walked much longer than that! It seemed like it took us forever to make it down to the campsite. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that we were hiking in a sauna, or the fact that we had to drop our packs and change shoes so many times, but maybe it had more to do with inaccurate measurements; I just don't know. I just know it felt way longer than 5.3 miles. Whatever the reason, this section of our hike also had the most unusual and the largest mushroom I have ever encountered on it. This rose-shaped mushroom was at least 18" in diameter!

We did have another awesome deer encounter though along the way. While walking by BC #63, we noticed a buck with antlers still in velvet, contentedly munching on the bark of tree stumps right there IN the campsite. Again, we stood and watched him from the trail for some time until he got leery of us and moved deeper into the woods. That experience gave us the energy to keep on moving toward our destination.

Finally, we came to our campsite (#64), tired, hot, and very ready to drop our packs. There wasn't a dry stitch of clothing on us, but not because of rains. We were drenched with sweat! We began looking for a place to set up our tents, but noticed a swarm of bees hugging the ground in much of the site. We also noticed small holes in the ground. We thought at first those were ant hills but began to put two and two together. Our "four" was that those bees were probably nesting in the ground and those holes were made by them. We kept searching until we found an area where there were no holes, and no bees, where we felt we could safely pitch our tents. This was a great little spot too, because it was situated along a secluded stretch of Springhouse Branch which made a great bathtub. We each took turns bathing in that little spot while the others kept watch for more campers, none of which ever arrived. Our chosen area also had large rocks which we used to help us dry out some of the clothing we had worn, which worked pretty well until it rained during the night!

On the morning of the third day, we left everything set up and slackpacked up Springhouse Branch Trail to the point where it comes together with Forney Ridge Trail and then back down. Not carrying the entire pack felt absolutely fantastic, and we made it up in no time! There was a smattering of wildflowers on this trail, but this area is also blanketed in one of our favorite non-flowering plants. I have no idea what its real name is, but we call it "fireworks fern," because it reminds us of the explosions high up in the air on the 4th of July.

After returning down Springhouse Branch to our campsite, we made quick work of breaking camp, strapped on those now full backpacks once again and made a speedy trip down the final 4.1 miles to Lakeview Drive. We did that 4.1 miles in an hour and a half even though we knew we would arrive before my husband who had so graciously agreed to drive over from Knoxville and pick us up. He was supposed to be there at 4:00 p.m., but we arrived at 2:00. We were just ready to be done!


Taking off those packs for the final time was a huge motivational force for us, apparently! But his arrival was worth the wait! Not only did he drive for a total of about 7 hours to provide our ride home, but he brought us some much appreciated crackers, cheeses, and Land Sharks! What a wonderful treat!

One thing I want to be sure to say is this: hiking all the trails in the Smokies is not something one can do by themselves. It takes a lot of support and sacrifice on the part of families and others who may agree to provide shuttles for the hikers. Our husbands have provided those shuttles on several occasions and given us the freedom and time away from family to be able to get very close to our goal. If and when we get there, it will be an accomplishment in which all of us have taken part. I just want to say thank you for all the support our husbands have given to us!

Unexpected Peril on Gunter Fork

That final crossing on Gunter Fork Trail in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park--the crossing of Big Creek itself--loomed ahead of us, hopefully the only thing standing between us getting out of the park this day.  As we rounded the bend at the crossing, the water levels were high and getting higher. We knew none of our choices were great ones: turn around and go back up the treacherous 4-mile stretch of trail we had just barely been able to descend before it began to rain, stay put on the side of the stream probably for the entire night, or attempt to cross.  Those were our choices. None held much appeal at that particular moment and the window of opportunity for crossing was closing rapidly. The storm we were caught in had dumped torrential rainfall on the Cosby and Greenbrier area. Unbeknownst to us, a 6-ft wall of water was headed down Ramsey Cascades, just two ridgelines over from where we stood trying to make our decision.

Our day had begun with an early meet in Maryville and a relatively quick trip up and over Newfound Gap to the trailhead of Beech Gap I Trail just outside of Cherokee, NC.  We had planned to be on trail by 10:00, but surprisingly, we began our ascent of Beech Gap Trail at 9:35. We had no idea at that moment just how critical our early start would be. Our shuttle driver, Steve, husband of one of our little group wished us well and told us he'd see us in Big Creek! Now that, my friends, is a dedicated hiker's husband! We made good time, hiking strongly up the 2000 ft elevation gain of Beech Gap Trail to the intersection with Balsam Mountain. This trail had kicked my butt about a month earlier, and I had dreaded having to do it again; but this time, unencumbered by the stomach issues I had experienced the two days prior to the first trip, I made it up with no problem at all.  We took a few minutes to snack and drink a little Gatorade then took off up and over Balsam High Top. This trail required a bit more elevation gain, but the surrounding forest makes for a delightful trip across what would be our highest point on the trail this day--approximately 5700 ft.  Although there are no views from the summit, you know you've reached the top because you begin a quick descent to Laurel Gap, home of one of only a couple shelters that are not along the Appalachian Trail in the Smokies.

The Laurel Gap shelter appears relatively new when compared to the other shelters we've seen in these mountains with newer construction, non-leaking skylighted roofing, and even a thermometer! It would be a nice place to stay, and we knew that if anything happened on Gunter Fork, if we decided to turn back, we could take shelter at Laurel Gap after climbing back up the mountain. We had a contingency plan, but we were not carrying overnight equipment like sleeping bags. And with no way to communicate what we had done, our husbands would be very worried, not a good scenario if we wanted to continue hiking.

After a short rest and snack break at Laurel Gap, we made the short climb up to the intersection of Balsam Mountain Trail and Mt. Sterling Ridge Trail, a place where we had enjoyed lunch only 24 days earlier on our 3-day backpacking trip across these ridges.  On this trip, we only stayed on the Balsam Mountain Trail another .9 mile where Gunter Fork turned off to descend steeply into Walnut Bottoms.  We knew there was danger on this trail when waters were high, but there had been a drought in East Tennessee in recent weeks and water levels everywhere were low. The forecast for this day was of only minimal chance of showers and those were predicted to begin well after we should have been able to get down the mountain.

As we stood at the trailhead of Gunter Fork, the skies were a beautiful blue with no sign of impending weather in any direction we could see. The air felt cool compared to the heat and humidity of previous days, and as such, gave no warning of the thunderstorm that was brewing somewhere beyond our view. We felt confident that all would be well as we made our way down the trail.  I knew this trail would be overgrown, and it was! I still have scratches on my arms from the briars that snagged me as I pushed them aside with my poles. What I wasn't prepared for was how narrow and eroded this trail would be in places. There were numerous spots where the mountain seemed to want to pitch us off the side, down the steep slopes to the valley below.  There were a couple places where I had to proceed down rock scrambles on my derriere because my short legs (I'm only 5' 5" tall) simply wouldn't reach the trail below with any surety of not slipping off the slope entirely. Our progress was slow--painstakingly slow, something for which we had not allotted sufficient time.

Almost 2 hours into our attack on Gunter Fork Trail, we were still not to the first stream crossing. It was about that time that we heard the first rumblings from the violent storm that was quickly approaching the area. We had passed the slide area which had closed this trail a couple years ago. It was an impressive area to say the least. Much work had been done to make it passable, but honestly, much work remains that is still undone on this trail in order to make it safe, in my humble opinion.

The rumblings continued, and we quickened our pace although that was difficult due to the condition of the trail. A stumble in the wrong place on this trail could be bad. When we finally arrived at the first cascade, falling 150 ft from the precipice at the top, over diagonal sandstone formation at the bottom, I was, honestly, a little disappointed. Very little water fell from the cascade, but a part of me took solace in that, hoping that the drought would keep any rainfall that might begin with this approaching storm from keeping us from being able to make all of the water crossings that still lay ahead of us. We paused only briefly for pictures.  Our sense of urgency was increasing.

Within minutes the storm became more intense as we approached that first water crossing.  It hadn't yet begun to rain, but it was imminent, and we knew it. We stood for a half a minute trying to decide whether to take the time to change into water shoes. Boots would give us better traction on this slippery, sketchy trail and changing would take precious time--we pressed on in our boots, able to just rock hop this first crossing. By the time we reached the second crossing, the water levels were still fine, and we were able to rock hop again. The thunder and lightning were intensifying and raindrops were beginning to fall, albeit sporadically still. When we approached the second falls area, where you have to leave the trail to really get the full view, I hesitated. I probably wouldn't have gone down if it hadn't been for my hiking partners, but we decided we had come this far, and we needed to see it, so we descended the side trail to see this:

It was beautiful, but I was seriously distracted by the storm and the rains that were beginning to fall in earnest now. We took time to don our rain gear, then quickly climbed back up the side trail to continue making our way out. Thunder and lightning raged around us, one lightning strike coming so close, I'll admit it, I screamed! Thankfully, the condition of the trail improved in this lower section except that it was now a stream bed itself with spots standing or running with water shin deep. We were able to increase our pace though, pushing on through I'm not sure how many more water crossings. Each one was passable, but also each one was a little deeper than the one before it. Finally, we rounded the bend and faced a much more difficult crossing, this one of Big Creek although I didn't know it at the time.  I had seen this crossing from the other side on our last hike in this area. We had gone the quick tenth of a mile or so up Gunter Fork to see what that crossing looked like. On that day, it had appeared a wide, amiable wade across the creek--no big deal. Not this time! I didn't even recognize it as the same stretch of water. What I saw ahead at this moment was deep, fast-moving water, not raging yet, but moving quickly for sure. Directly in front of the trail, I had my doubts we could make it over. However, about 8 feet or so upstream I thought it looked a little wider, a little more shallow, and a little less swift. I've waded lots of rivers as a fly-fisherwoman, so I'm used to surveying a river for a passable spot. I headed up that way and my hiking buddies followed. I was just going to test it out--wade out a bit and make a decision, but when I looked back to my left, they were following me. Kirsten reminded Jennifer and me to face upstream, bend our knees, and lean into the current, all of which we did. It wasn't too bad yet, but the water was swift and the current got stronger as we moved further into the river. About half way across, at Jennifer's suggestion, we decided to use the only other tactic we knew about to make this easier and that was to lock arms. The three of us locked arms while still using our hiking poles to steady us and feel for the bottom of the stream which we could no longer see because of the ever-increasing current. At this point, we were hip deep in the water, deeper than I have ever been in any water crossing and deeper than I ever want to be again especially in swift current. I slid my right foot tentatively across the bottom, looking for places where there were small stones instead of large boulders to stand on and steady myself. We all took increased balance from each other as we inched across the stream. I noticed a cairn that someone had built on a rock within 4 feet or so of the bank. I hoped that marked the clearest passage. We had all been praying for help and guidance; we felt this was a good sign. The torrential rains continued, unrelenting. Determinedly, we made for the cairn, slowly edging closer to the bank. I felt we would be okay now, but I kept looking upstream, hoping against hope that no wall of water would come barreling down toward us. I had seen video footage of a flash flood like that on social media, and I could not get that image out of my head. If it had, there would have been nothing we could have done about it, and you would not be reading this account. Prayers and progress continued. Finally, we reached the cairn, but just beyond it my pole sank very deeply into the water. The bottom here was the deepest yet, but this close to the edge, the current was significantly diminished. We waded through it with no trouble. Once on the other side, we all embraced--relieved, shaken, but fine. We had made it across. Thinking that this still wasn't the last crossing because it bore no resemblance to what we had seen in that spot weeks earlier, we quickly continued down the trail. I cannot possibly relate to you the wave of relief that washed across me when I saw that trail sign at Camel Gap! No words can communicate that feeling. I approached it and laid my hand on it just to confirm the reality of its presence. We were finished with Gunter Fork; we had survived the crossings, and we would make it out at last, at least, that's what we hoped. 

Aggressive bear activity had closed campsites 36 and 37 which we would walk right past on our way down Big Creek trail, but I don't think any bear in his right mind would have approached us that day. We were absolutely not in the mood for any tomfoolery out of any bear! Wherever he was, I am thankful he decided not to mess with us. We made our way down Big Creek Trail, while the creek began to rage and froth violently. We realized that any ten minute delay for us at any point of this day and we would have been stuck on the other side of Big Creek with only our daypacks, probably for the night. The longer we walked, the more wildly the river raged. I began to honestly worry about whether the bridge just above Mouse Creek Falls could take the abuse that this now raging river was dishing out. We hiked as fast as we could on diminishing energy levels that were waning as our adrenaline rush wore off. Water levels reached within only a few feet of the trail in some spots, much higher than we had ever seen it before. The rain had long since subsided, but the river continued to rise and the trail remained a small stream itself in places. Finally, when we approached the large steel bridge that spanned Big Creek, it still stood solidly providing us safe passage over a river that no one would survive in now.  Too much water and too much force was exerted. We crossed the bridge, looking out over this scene:

Beyond this point, we were able to relax and simply walk the last couple miles of the way out. We did take a quick stop at Mouse Creek Falls which was extraordinary with this much water flow. We looked for Midnight Hole, but to us at least, it was unrecognizable in the raging currents. I must admit that I was pretty thrilled to see the trail sign at the end of Big Creek and the car that our kind shuttler, Steve, had driven around all day to come and pick us up at the end of our hike. It would be a bit of an understatement to say we were glad to see him!

Not only did he pick us up, but he brought us a nice buffet of snacks and treats to bolster our spirits as he listened to our tale of adventure.  

I did make a decision on this hike, though. I have firmly decided that if I am lucky enough to finish hiking all the trails in the Smokies and become a member of the 900-Miler Club, I will only do it once.  I will never, EVER, step foot on Gunter Fork Trail--not ever again in my lifetime. If you see me on Gunter Fork, call a doctor, because you can rest assured that I have lost my freaking mind!