Ridges and Creek Crossings

View from the Appalachian Trail near Clingmans Dome

Our day started at the Clingmans Dome parking lot at 7:45 AM.  Upon exiting the car we were greeted with a temperature of 35 degrees and wind gusting over 20 mph.  I quickly put on all the layers I brought, shouldered my pack and began ascending the half-mile paved tourist trail to Clingmans Dome.  Right after starting, we noticed snow blowing in the wind.  Soon we reached the Appalachian Trail and headed south toward Welch Ridge.  The AT gradually brought us out of the wind, and we soon began seeing glimpses to the southeast.  Some sections of the trail followed a ridge named the Narrows, providing long views on both sides of the trail.  We could see parts of Lake Fontana in the distance. 

An arm of Lake Fontana many miles below.

We met many thru-hikers and section hikers heading north on the AT.  Most notable was a family of 7 from Texas who were heading for Maine.  Two parents and their five children, the youngest age 10, had come almost 200 miles. They said they had no hiking experience, but they were positive and in good spirits.

As the day warmed, the layers came off one by one.  We reached Welch Ridge Trail and followed it for 1.8 miles to Jonas Creek.  Once we reached Jonas Creek we began our descent over the next 4.2 miles.  The “Brown Book” indicated four creek crossings that likely would be wet.  We began to hear Jonas Creek below us as we descended, and there were multiple small drainages crossing the trail.  With all the rain over the past week, there was a lot of mud on the trail and in some places the trail had become a small stream.  We reached the first major crossing of Jonas Creek, and the rain from the previous week was evident.  We decided to eat lunch and change boots for water shoes.  A tree was down across the creek; too small to walk, but it provided a hand rail as we waded through the swift moving stream.  As we continued, we had three more crossings, each one seemed to be wider with a greater volume of water, and the crossings were trickier.  Everyone made it without falling in, although several places were knee deep. 

The first crossing on Jonas Creek

After the fourth crossing, we decided to leave on our water shoes until we were off Jonas Creek.  It was a good decision since we had two more crossings of Jonas Creek. 

At the trail junction with Forney Creek Trail, Jonas Creek joins Forney Creek.  The combined flow was rolling!  The map showed a footlog across Forney Creek, and indeed there was one, or at least half a bridge.  Fortunately the half bridge crossed the main part of the creek.  We changed back into hiking boots thinking our wet crossings were over.  We worked around one potential wet crossing, only to be met with one more unexpected crossing.  Off came the boots, but this time we waded in bare feet to save some time.

Forney Creek at the confluence with Jonas Creek

In some places the trail was a dry creek bed.

And in some places the trail was a stream.

There were several wildflowers blooming along the trails from the high elevations on the AT to the lower elevations.  We also noticed how we descended into Spring.  The trees at the beginning of the hike were bare, but as the day went on and our elevation lessened, the trees were greener.  A few pictures of flowers, most notably some white dwarf iris mixed in with the purple dwarf iris.

Dwarf Iris 

Note the white iris among the purple.

The rest of the hike was uneventful, following Forney Creek to Whiteoak Branch Trail to Lakeshore Trail.  The hiked ended at the tunnel on the “Road to Nowhere” at the end of Lakeview Drive west of Bryson City.  Here is where prior planning came into play.  We were at least 45 minutes from where we met before the hike.  One of our hikers arranged for her husband to pick us up and shuttle us up to Newfound Gap.  Not having to do this shuttle twice – morning and afternoon - allowed us to complete a long hike with a minimum of driving between trailheads.

The end of the trail is the light at the end of the tunnel.

Recap of the hike:
17.1 miles
2,100 feet of elevation gain
>4,000 feet of elevation loss (from Clingman's Dome to Lakeshore Trail)

Wildflowers in White Oak Sink

A week of rain cancelled two hikes in the Smokies this week, so when Friday's forecast was for drier weather, I jumped at the chance to hike a few trails.  It turned out to be an overcast day, but there was no rain until I drove home in the late afternoon.

This Friday the Margaret Stevenson Wednesday Hikers hiked to the White Oak Sink area of the Smokies on the Tennessee side of the park.  This meant an early wake up and drive for me, but the chance to see the Sinks and get some trail miles in was worth it.  I met the group at the Townsend Wye and the car placement for the afternoon shuttle was organized.  We were on the Turkeypen Ridge Trail at 9:00 AM.  At the trail junction with the Schoolhouse Gap Trail we entered the White Oak Sink.  The Sink is a basin with several sinkholes and caves.  The area was settled by several families and the remnants of many homesteads can be seen.  Today, White Oak Sink is a mecca for viewing wildflowers in the Spring.

Trails wind through the Sink taking hikers up and down sinkholes, by homesteads evident by open clearings, and leading to stands of wild flowers.  The National Park Service has had to close off the caves and some parts of the Sinks due to the White Nose Syndrome, a fungus that is killing bats in the caves.  Signs are posted near the sensitive areas and orange net fences have been put up to keep people out of the protected areas.  Even with these restrictions we were able to wander over 3 miles on trails and manways.  We were not alone either.  We met many wildflower enthusiasts and photographers taking advantage of the day to see the display.

I am not a wildflower expert by any means, but several on the hike identifed the many species we saw.  Pictures with the names follow.  I hope I get the names correct! These are but a few of the many we saw.

Yellow Trillium

White Trillium

Dwarf Iris - these covered areas along the trails.

Yellow Ladyslipper

This pink lady slipper was our centerpiece at lunch.

Little Brown Jug - note the jug-like flowers at the base.

Shooting Stars

Shooting Stars

Showy Orchis

Flowers were even growing in the trees.

Phlox

Evidence that people lived and worked in White Oak Sink.

In addition to exploring White Oak Sinks we hiked several trails over 12.5 miles.  All the trails were new miles for me, so I added 8.7 miles to my Smokies trail map.  I am nearing 375 of the 800+ miles of trails in the Smokies.

 

The West Prong of the Little River from the footlog.

Thanks to everyone who made it a good day to be hiking in the Smokies and walking among the beautiful wildflowers.

Four Trails and a Short Section of the AT

The picture above is a little dark, but it was 7:00 AM and just getting light at the Jakes Creek Trailhead near the Elkmont campground where I began a 19 mile hike using four different trails plus 2.4 miles on the AT.  The climbing began on a well graded road, but soon gave way to a steeper climb over 3.6 miles of the trail.  We had views of Jakes Creek and only one crossing without a bridge.  Since I am "once bitten twice shy" on rock hopping, I used water shoes and waded across. "Better safe than sorry" for me!

I chose to wade this crossing rather than rock hop.

A short break at the Miry Ridge trail junction and the climb continued up toward the AT.  The 5 miles up to the AT was a combination of short steep ups and more gradual ridge hiking.  As I hiked, I was frequently dodging wet boggy areas of the trail.  I began to wonder if Miry Ridge was so named because you can easily mire up in mud in those wet places.  Sure enough, reading the "Brown Book" - Hiking Trails of the Smokies - confirmed that was the origin of the trail name.

Miry Ridge Trail to the AT

On the Miry Ridge Trail

Along the trail there were views of surrounding mountain ridges including Clingmans Dome, the highest point in the GSMNP.  A little more up and we reached the Appalachian Trail a little before 11:30.  We had climbed 2700 feet over 8.7 miles; a good morning workout! A short trail lunch and conversation with a half dozen students on Spring Break, and we were moving south on the AT to the junction with Greenbrier Ridge Trail.  Along the way we met several hikers heading for Maine. At this point they were under 200 miles from Springer Mountain, GA - the southern terminus of the AT, and over 1,000 miles to go to Mt. Kathadan, the northern terminus.  Many miles to go, but today was a beautiful day under blue skies for a hike of any length.  Good luck to all we met.

8.3 miles to go. At least most of it is downhill.

The 4.2 miles of the Greenbrier Trail began a gentle descent from the AT elevation of around 5,000 feet.  The day was warming, and as we lost elevation the forest floor began to show green poking through last Fall's leaf litter.  A variety of lily and other wildflowers became more and more noticeable, an soon a small white flower carpeted the sides of the trail.  Another sign of descending was the sound of rushing water.  Two water crossings awaited us before we reached Middle Prong.  The first was easy to cross on well-spaced, flat rocks just above water level.  The second was a different story.  Once again, I changed into water shoes and waded across a wide and in some places deep crossing.  

The rocks on the right are saying, "Hop on over!" My better judgment said, "Wade across on the left."

After the crossing.

Only 4.1 miles to go.

The fourth trail of our quartet was the Middle Prong Trail.  All the miles are on a fairly wide roadbed that gently followed the Middle Prong of the Little River.  Rocky in places, it was fairly easy hiking to end the day.  The best part of the trail is the sight and sound of the Middle Prong as it rolls and tumbles down the mountain.  There were numerous cascades and waterfalls along the way.  When I have more time, a hike from Tremont up this trail will afford more time to stay longer at the waterfalls and cascades.  But today, the last few miles were starting to wear on my feet.  I was ready to get out of my boots and give them a rest.  

A few of the many scenes along the Middle Prong.

One of the biggest drops along the Middle Prong.

Fishing is now open on the Middle Prong and we saw several people in the water or walking up the trail looking for the "sweet spot" where the Brook trout were biting.  Several mentioned an abandoned chimney off the trail that seemed to be a marker of a good spot.

When I reached my car my GPS showed a little over 19 miles and over 3500 feet of elevation gain.

All the trail mile were new for me, so my total miles of trails hiked in the Smokies is now over 350.  Only a little over 450 new trail miles to go!  Thanks to everyone who made it an outstanding day to hike in the Smokies.

Back in the Smokies - Hiking with Friends

Tuesday found me on the trail back in the Smokies - the first time since December.  While it was not a bright sunny day, the forecast of 70% rain showers never amounted to much.  We had a little rain before and after lunch and the rest of the time was overcast, cool and damp.  Not all days can be sunny, and you expect some rain if you spend any time hiking in the Smokies.

My friends on this hike were the Friends of the Smokies; specifically 18 hikers who turned out for the first hike in the 2015 Classic Hikes in the Smokies series.  These hikes are held on the second Tuesday each month from March through December.  They are open to anyone who wants to hike.  There is a nominal fee for Friends of the Smokies members.  If you are not a member, the fee for your first hike enrolls you as a member.  Danny Bernstein - hiker, author, and blogger - leads the hikes each month.

This month's hike was a loop hike starting and ending at the Smokemont Campground near the Oconaluftee Visitor Center on the NC side of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.  This is a good hike to start the season and to get me back into the Smokies.  We started on the Bradley Fork Trail at the north end of the campground.  Despite the rainy forecast for the week there were a few campers there.  The trail follows a roadbed along Bradley Fork which was running fairly swift from rain and the snowmelt from higher elevations.  At 1.7 miles we turned off the trail to cross Bradley Fork on a log bridge to link up with the Smokemont Loop Trail.  The bridge is a typical of the Smokies; a narrow timber running from bank to bank with a handrail on one side.  This one seemed a little longer and higher, mainly due to the volume of water rushing beneath it and the wet surface of the bridge.  Everyone seemed to take their time crossing.

Trail sign at the trailhead.

Crossing Bradley Fork

Once across we began the climb of the day.  A little rain fell while we hiked up to our lunch spot at the top.  Everyone climbed at his or her own pace, so the group spread out along the trail.  The overcast skies hid most of the views, but the clouds did part enough to reveal a few surrounding peaks.

Smokemont Loop Trial on a cool, wet day.

After lunch we were all ready to get moving again.  The temperature in the 50s with the dampness cooled everyone down.  It was downhill toward the campground and the miles went by quickly.  Toward the bottom we took a short side trail to the Bradley Cemetery.  Only a few headstones were engraved, the patriarch's and matriarch's graves and a few others.  Most were simple upright stone slabs marking the head and foot.  

The patriarch and matriarch of the Bradleys.

A short walk from the cemetery and we were back at the campground.  We covered 6.5 miles and had a good aerobic climb before lunch.  On the way out of the campground we stopped by the Lufty Baptist Church, as named by one sign, or the Smokemont Baptist Church, as named by another sign.  The church is open for inspection.  There is no steeple on the church, only a flat roof over the belfry.

The official Friends of the Smokies hike ended here, but there is another trail in the area, so I got a ride with Danny to the horse stables and hiked back to Smokemont on the Towstring Horse Trail.  This trail exists to get horses and riders from the stables to nearby trails without them having to ride through the campground.  While most people would not hike it, since it is on the official trial map it is one that must be hiked to the Smokies 900 challenge.  The trail was wet and had several steep ups and downs.  Being a weekday so early in the season I did not see any horses on the trail.  

Leaf covered Bowstring Trail

Once back at the campground I loaded up and headed home.  It was a good day to experience the forest with low clouds, dampness, and occasional rain.

On the Trail Again - Finally!

It has been a long while since I was on the trail for a longer hike.  Wednesday I hiked with the Carolina Mountain Club on an 11 mile hike at Table Rock State Park, South Carolina.  The park is located along the escarpment of the Blue Ridge Mountains and is dominated by Table Rock (elevation 3,124 ft.) - not to be confused with North Carolina's Table Rock located on the east side of the Linville Gorge in Burke County, NC.  The location of the state park might lead one to think the trails will be fairly level or moderate due to the location in South Carolina.  This hike will quickly change that wrong impression.  Over the 11 miles we had a cumulative elevation gain of 3,726 feet; a good reintroduction to day hiking for me.

Our hike began along a rushing stream with several waterfalls and cascades.  Once on the Pinnacle Trail, we began a serious 4 mile climb up Pinnacle Mountain.  It is the highest mountain located entirely within South Carolina.   Sassafras Mountain, located about five miles from Pinnacle, is the South Carolina state highpoint.  It is located on the SC/NC border.  Along the way we met a denizen of the park seeking a little warmth a few feet beside the trail near a small stream.

We think a copperhead.

Two hikers passed without noticing it, the hiker in front to me pointed it out, and it obliged us in photographing it before slipping off away from the trail.  Not feeling threatened by us it chose to escape, but we wondered where the rest of the family was.

Sunny skies gave way to fog as we reached Bald Rock, obscuring the view of Table Rock Mountain.  The fog remained as we crested Pinnacle Mountain, the highpoint of the days hike.  The temperature cooled in the misty fog, so we stopped for a group picture before going on.

We followed a ridge trail to Panther Gap and the junction with the Table Rock trail.  As we lost elevation it warmed and the sun began to burn through the fog.  By the time we began ascending Table Rock it had cleared, and we looked forward to some good views from the top.  There were several steep climbs on the way up, including a couple places where steps had been chiseled into the rock.  

Steps made climbing the wet rock face a little easier.

Looking east from Table Rock.

The descent to the parking lot was three miles of down, down, down including the steps on the rock face we came up.  Along the way there were several more cascades along creeks beside the trail.  Some of then were a series of steps formed by rock ledges.  We passed through areas with huge boulders scattered about and some rock faces that make up Table Rock.  

Tree meets rock.

It was good to get back out on the trail.  I felt myself being a bit more cautious than usual, especially on stream crossings and crossing the rock faces.  The hike was good for me in two ways; it tested my ability to complete a long, strenuous hike and it helped me gain confidence on negotiating steep ups and downs and crossing streams.  Thanks to Randy who led the hike for the CMC and the three other hikers who made for good company on a good day on the trail.  Up next, a hike in the Smokies next week!

Patience

If anything, my thumb injury and surgery has taught me patience.  Up until this, I really didn't let too many things slow me down.  Not having an opposable thumb on my dominant right hand has slowed me some.  Lots of routine tasks like buttoning a shirt, shaving, opening anything with a lid are done more deliberately and slowly with my left hand.  I must admit I have become a little more adept with my left hand.

Hiking with the Carolina Mountain Club or the Margaret Stevenson Wednesday Hikers each week has been a weekly event for several years for me.  I have not been on a trail since December 3, but I have walked on the the greenway and at the Y some.  While I have tried to patiently wait for healing, I am restless to get on the trail.  I have missed several hikes in the Smokies and ones closer to home.  I have decided to get away this Wednesday for a short hike in the Pisgah District, the 4 mile Daniel Ridge Loop.  It is a benign trail that offers good scenery, a stream with several cascades (and no crossings), and a good waterfall at the end of the hike.  I'll take it slow and easy, and I plan not to fall!

While I have been sidelined two projects have also been on hold; at least my active participation in them has been.

First, my Smokies 900 challenge has been stuck on 326.5 miles for 2 months.  Along with that, I have not been able to add trail miles for Rotary International's End Polio Now campaign.  Soon I will be rejoining my friends in the Smokies and getting back on the trail to add new miles for my Smokies Trail Map and to raise money for End Polio Now.

Second, I have not been able to hike trails for the 100 Favorite Hikes project with the Carolina Mountain Club (CMC).  In the late 70s, the CMC in association with the Smoky Mountains Hiking Club produced a map of "100 Favorite Trails" in Western North Carolina.  The map and descriptions are being revised and updated for publication at the end of the year.  Several CMC members are hiking these favorite trails and writing descriptions and getting new GPS tracks for each one.  I have several trails I will be doing as soon as I can.  Meanwhile, other CMC members are stepping up to hike the trails and provide descriptions.

One can use down time to dream of new adventures, and I have been doing some dreaming.  In fact, I have already turned a few of the dreams into concrete plans.

In March, I will be spending some time in Arizona visiting my sister in Tucson, hiking a couple days at the Grand Canyon, and visiting Prescott to scout a project for our college students in May.

I hope to do a little backpacking in the Smokies in June along a section of the Appalachian Trail through the national park.  Following that, I hope to be in Peru hiking the Inca Trail and visiting Machu Picchu with a group from National Geographic Adventures.

September will have two national park trips.  One close to home - an overnight at Mt. LeConte Lodge  with the hike in and the hike out on two different trails.  The other is a week visiting Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park and Pinnacles National Park in California.

Hopefully I will make good progress with regaining the full use of my thumb.  It has been more of a nuisance than anything.  I have a lot to be thankful for.  I hope to see some of you on a trail some time.