Old Dan Walking

I hope you enjoyed the un-scientific list of my favorite places in the Eastern US (lower-48 to be exact). Time for Part II of my ‘Best of’ list, this time covering the Western lower-48 States of the US. I haven’t spent too much time west of the Mississippi River in my life, but I was blessed to have been able to take a two-week trip with the family when I was 19, and another five-week (RV) trip with my new family in 2007. I also lived for six months in Phoenix on a job assignment. Of course I’ve also taken several business trips, where I almost always made time to get out and see a few sites. It’s not enough time to get a true sense of the West, but I did hit some highlights.

Part 2: My list - The most beautiful places in the western United States

How do you live six months in Phoenix and not see the most famous landmark in all the USA, the Grand Canyon? Well folks, somehow I pulled that off, so you won’t see the grand hole in the ground on my list anywhere. I also have not been to the Canyonlands in Utah, the Black Hills, or Crater Lake, so they are also missing from the list. I hope you enjoy my list of the places I did see, though. (in no particular order)

Rocky Mountain National Park, CO

Like the Smoky Mountains in the East, Colorado’s Rocky Mountain National Park is a showcase of the beauty of America’s purple mountain majesty. Here are a few of my favorite spots:

·         Fall River Valley – The entertainment starts just after entering the gorgeous Park. On my last visit, a coyote family played in the field near a herd of elk.

·         Bear Lake – Like Peaks of Otter in the East, sitting in solitude beside this peaceful high-elevation lake is a great memory.

·         View from the Alpine Visitor Center – Above the tree line in piles of snow, even in June, this VC at 11796’ elevation on Trail Ridge Road is awesome.

·         View of the Kawuneeche Valley – Loved this view (from Farview Curve on Trail Ridge Road) on the west side of the Park

Estes Park - CO

A tourist town on the eastern edge of Rocky Mountain National Park, the views of the majestic peaks of the Park, including 14259’ Longs Peak, form the centerpiece of this picturesque place. Taking a stroll around Lake Estes was a great memory, as was checking out the view from the porch of the stunning Stanley (of Stanley Steamer fame) Hotel, inspiration for Stephen King’s The Shining.

Lake Tahoe, CA/NV

I mentioned that it is hard to pick a favorite from all these beautiful places I’ve been blessed to see in my years, but it is hard to keep spectacular Lake Tahoe out of the top two or three. I remember the view from the slopes of the Heavenly Ski Resort the most. (sorry, no pics L)         

I-90 - Buffalo, WY to Livingston, MT

My favorite western interstate drive, with the deep-green rolling plains standing out against the huge snow-capped Montana mountains…just beautiful.

Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, CA

A walk out on the majestic Golden Gate Bridge affords a stunning view of a Pacific sunset and the Bay view that must have been the inspiration for Journey’s Lights.

Shadow Mountain Lake, Grand Lake, Lake Granby, CO

These high-altitude lakes at the southwest entrance of Rocky Mountain National Park are stunning with the high mountain backdrop.

Sedona, AZ

The gorgeous red rocks of northern Arizona from the artisan town of Sedona are a must-see.

The Oregon Coast, OR

The drive down the California coast is far more famous, but you won’t go wrong with a drive down US-101, the Oregon Coast Highway. Here are a few of my favorite spots:

·         Heceta Head – Gorgeous lighthouse, with bonus sea lions

·         Multnomah Falls – The 620’ fall on the southern edge of Oregon’s beautiful Columbia River Gorge was a highlight for my family.

·         Depoe Bay – Watching whales feed from dry land? Yes, it was quite a sight from the bay at this little village.

·         This spot – I didn’t write down exactly where it was because I knew nothing about blogging in 2007.

·         Seaside – This little tourist town by the ocean was the end of Lewis and Clark’s expedition. This is my all-time favorite picture, capturing the moment my sons (ages 11 and 8 at the time) charged forward with glee to touch the Pacific Ocean for the first time in their lives.

Yellowstone National Park, WY/MT

What can you say about this magnificent 2.2 million-acre treasure? In America, it doesn’t get more must-see than the world’s first National Park and the volcanic cauldron of the northwest, with spectacular sites around every bend. Here are just a few of my top memories:

·         Buffalo jams – You can’t help but be amazed by the thousands of truly wild American Bison roaming free, and sometimes deciding to hold a committee meeting on the highway

·         Lake Yellowstone – The very definition of beautiful

·         Hayden Valley – A rich and fertile former lakebed, now a favorite spot for the buffalo.    

     

·         Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone and Artists Point – The Yellowstone River carves a beautiful canyon and Artist Point is dynamite spot to view Yellowstone Falls.

·         Geyser Valley/The Firehole River – This unique area of several large geysers near the famous Old Faithful was spectacular.

The view of southern California coast from The Coaster train, CA

My family and I rode the Coaster Train from Carlsbad, CA down to San Diego, and it was a special memory seeing the coastal villages, the surfers lined up waiting for waves in the morning, and the sunset on the return trip in the evening.

Sonoran sunsets – Phoenix, AZ

It’s no secret to my friends and family that I didn’t enjoy my time living in the American Desert, but I do remember the intense beauty of the painted sky during a desert sunset. I probably remember it favorably because I knew with the sun setting the temperature would finally get below 115 degrees F (46C for the rest of the world). J

The Coastal Redwood forests, CA

I’ve seen the spectacular Coastal Redwood forests of California at three spots, and they are all fantastic. I still have yet to see the stouter but shorter Giant Sequoia in person, the largest tree on the planet.

·         Crescent City/Redwoods National Park, CA – We camped amongst the giant redwood stumps and the relatively new growth redwoods at this town on the northwestern tip of California.

·         Muir Woods, CA – A gorgeous smallish grove just north of the Golden Gate

·         Big Basin Redwoods State Park – California’s first State Park

I-70 through Southern Utah and western Colorado

We didn’t get to see the Canyonlands of Utah due to time constraints, but this drive through the southern part of Utah was memorable.

US-89 from Livingston, MT to Gardiner, MT

Another favorite drive, surrounded by high snow-capped mountains and following the Yellowstone River from our campground near Livingston, MT to the north entrance of Yellowstone Park. Have you seen the Roosevelt Arch, whose cornerstone was laid by former President Teddy Roosevelt in 1903? You can if you take this gorgeous drive.

Royal Gorge, CO

A highlight from the trip with the parents in 1983, this bridge over the 1250’ deep canyon was hair-raising.

Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park, CA

I admit that due to travel fatigue, the heat, and the crowds, we did not appreciate the beauty of Yosemite when we visited in 2007. But this overlook, with El Capitan and Half-dome in view, was spectacular.

The view of the Grand Tetons from Jenny Lake, Grand Tetons National Park, WY

The Grand Tetons were phenomenal although we didn’t get to spend as much time as we would’ve liked with so many places to go.

Well, that’s it…one man’s list of the most beautiful spots in the lower-48 United States (to-date). To see the full pictures from our western US RV trip, click here. (link opens in a new window)

I hope there are a few spots you haven’t seen and that this post inspires you to get out there and see if I’m right. Please visit these places and more, write about your travels, and I’ll be happily following you along on your travels.

Happy New Year to all from Old Dan Walking!

-Dan

Hello again long lost friends…after a long hiatus I’m back with a non-hiking related post. Since I haven’t been traveling pretty much at all since April of 2012, I occasionally would find myself virtual-traveling around the internet to help cope with the lack of seat time. In doing so, I started reading different travel blogs that offered their opinion of the most beautiful places they’d visited. It gave me inspiration to think about and ultimately write about my favorites. Come travel with me back into my memories…

Now Conde’ Nast traveler I am not…so I won’t be able to offer up wisdom about exotic spots in Paris, Milan, Machu Picchu, Hawaii, Fiji, England, New Zealand, or the like. Nope, I’m pretty much an average lower-48 American dude, so I’ll offer my opinion of the most beautiful places in the good ole’ lower-48 states of the USA that I can remember visiting in my roughly 40 years of travel memory. I’ve traveled a bunch in the USA, but still haven’t visited some of the country’s showcase places like the Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon, Niagara Falls, Mackinaw Island, the Black Hills, Manhattan, the Florida Keys, or most of the Northeast. Don’t get upset that these spots aren’t mentioned, as I’m sure they are awesome, but this is just a list of places I’ve visited and seen with my own two eyes. Feel free to argue with me on my choices.

I started out with the idea to do a ‘Top Ten’…you wouldn’t believe how hard it is to narrow down your memories to only ten! Impossible. The beauty of it is, as a not-for-profit hobby site, I don’t have to follow the rules of good journalism and can drone on as long as necessary to make my case. So I decided to split my post into two very long parts, first covering the East and then the West. Favorites are in random order, because I have too hard of a time ranking them…I’ve loved them all and am thankful for the chance to be at each and every one.

Part 1: My list - The most beautiful places in the eastern United States

I’m missing big chunks of the Eastern USA in my travels, so much of my most-beautiful list is from the South. As a blogger about hiking in the Great Smokies, I would be remiss if I did not start there…which will probably always be my favorite spot in all of the lower-48.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park, TN/NC

There is no way to just lump the 522,000+ acres of the Great Smokies together as one favorite. In the diverse Smokies, around every corner of every trail is another gorgeous sight. Here is a sampling of what I consider my most beautiful memories:

·         Clingmans Dome – The highest point in the Smokies (6643’), and third highest in the East.

·         Andrews Bald – A spectacular grassy bald on the edge of infinity

·         Gregory Bald – Another spectacular grassy bald overlooking Cades Cove

·         Mount Cammerer Lookout – A former fire lookout with views of the eastern Smokies

·         The Jumpoff – Views and a precipitous drop-off that gives the place its name

·         Charlies Bunion – A gem just off the Appalachian Trail

·         Cades Cove – A gorgeous cove surrounded by mountains of the Smoky’s west side

·         Hemphill Bald – A beautiful 180-degree view from the southern edge of the Smokies

·         The Narrows – A remote, narrow ridge on the Appalachian Trail

The Nantahala Gorge - Wesser, NC

Another place that will always be special, and I’ve watched it grow significantly since my first visit in the late 1970’s.

Looking Glass Rock – Pisgah National Forest, NC

Spectacular view of the Blue Ridge Parkway from this pluton monolith

The Biltmore Estate – Asheville, NC

First of the man-made beauties, you have to see the grandeur of this castle in pretty Asheville in person.

Alpine Helen, GA

First of the ‘not real’ selections. Yes, I know Helen isn’t really a Bavarian village. But thanks to some good foresight, some good carpentry, and a location in the splendid north-Georgia mountains, this cute little town makes my list.

Bay Lake – Walt Disney World, FL

Another of the ‘not real’ places that makes my most-beautiful list. Yes, of all the pretty natural places in Florida, I am choosing Bay Lake, at Walt Disney World, as one of my all-timers. If you travel by boat on this man-made lake and look out at the Disney lights, the Grand Floridian, Polynesian, and Contemporary hotels, and the monorail surrounding you, you might even agree with me.

I-81 through Shenandoah Valley, VA

Of the interstate drives I’ve done around the lower-48, the gorgeous section of I-81 through the picturesque Shenandoah Valley ranks in the top two.

Blowing Rock, NC

A delightful town in the beautiful North Carolina high country.

The National Mall - Washington DC

The reflecting pool, the grass, the monuments, the Capitol..it all works

Point Park - Lookout Mountain, Chattanooga, TN

This place probably won’t land on many people’s most-beautiful list, but I loved the view of Chattanooga and the U-shaped Tennessee River meandering below this historic place.

Table Rock State Park, SC

The view of South Carolina’s Table Rock from this spot is one of my all-time favorites

Blue Ridge Parkway National Park, VA/NC

The 469-mile Blue Ridge Parkway is another ‘place’ that can’t be lumped into one favorite, and you can’t go wrong with any of its magnificent overlooks. I’ve traveled the Parkway from top to bottom, and these are a few of my favorite spots.

·         Waterrock Knob – If you could only visit one spot on the Parkway, this overlook would do the trick

·         Mount Pisgah – I think I like the view of the mountain better than the view from the mountain

·         Richland Balsam Overlook – Great view from the highest spot on the Parkway (6053’)                   

·         Peaks of Otter – You’d be hard pressed to find a more peaceful spot than this place in Virginia

·         Mabry Mill – A pretty little mill in Virginia

·         Craggy Pinnacle – Loved this place just east of Asheville

·         Graveyard Fields – A strange somewhat-barren area with waterfalls

·         Wolf Mountain Overlook – One of the lesser-known places you may pass right by, but a favorite view spot of mine

Charleston, SC

I love the Battery and the architecture of the buildings in this old Southern town

The Outer Banks, NC

I grew up near pristine white-sand beaches and watched the world also discover them and build their high-rise condos crowding the shoreline. But at the Outer Banks, there is still enough beach left to remember what a beach in the East used to be.

World Showcase Lagoon –Epcot, Walt Disney World, FL

Yes, another fake one..but it’s my list. Walk around at the World Showcase Lagoon at dusk and tell me you don’t agree this faux-wonderland is a beautiful place.

Sand Key Beach – Clearwater, FL

Florida’s Gulf Coast has some nice white-sand beaches, including this spot at Clearwater Pass. Unfortunately, over my lifetime the world discovered this area.

Jekyll Island, GA

Pretty little island north of the Florida border

Caesars Head State Park, SC

The view of Table Rock from this spot at Caesars Head State Park is another favorite

Highlands, NC

A beautiful town high in the Western NC mountains

Homasassa Springs, FL

Another childhood favorite, visiting the crystal-clear springs of Homasassa.

Little Round Top – Gettysburg National Military Park, PA

Another spot that probably wouldn’t make most people’s favorites list, but looking out at the view from this historically significant hill in southern Pennsylvania was beautiful to me.

Well, I’m sure there are many beautiful places I’ve forgotten, but that is my list. I wish everyone a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Happy New Year. Click for my annual link to the greatest 1:17 in the history of television.

Next time: My list of the most beautiful places in the western US

1 mile out-and-back walk on the paved Clingmans Dome Trail in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park - June 28, 2012

As everybody that lives in the southeastern US knows, this past week has been a real record-breaker. All-time high temperatures were set all over the southeast, including a potential desert-like 114 degree all-timer in my home city. It was even 100+ degrees in Cherokee, NC where I was camping with the family this past week.

So on Thursday I took the opportunity to take a walk in the cool high elevations with my son Thomas. Of course we’ve been to 6643’ Clingmans Dome, the highest elevation in the Smokies and #3 in the eastern US, many times before, but this is clearly a place to visit over and over again…particularly when the sun sets on blazing hot June day. On our walk we were treated to a steady chilly breeze and stunning cloud-free skies. Despite the repeat there was one first though, it was the first time I’ve done a Smokies trail in flip-flops. :o)

Most of the following pictures were taken by my youngest son Thomas (13):

For more of Thomas’ pictures, visit the link below:

Clingmans Dome pictures (opens in new window)

To skip the chatter and go right to the pics of this walk, click the link below:

Twentymile to Sassafras Gap(Opens in new window)

11.2 mile lollipop walk from the Twentymile Ranger Station to the Appalachian Trail in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The walk started and ended at the Twentymile trailhead in the remote southwestern Smokies and included Wolf Ridge Trail, Twentymile Loop Trail, and Twentymile Trail – April 22, 2012

Another April Sunday, another long drive north. I was half expecting the actual planned walk to be the lowlight of my 2^nd straight Sunday excursion to the Great Smoky Mountains. You’d think after 630+ miles of walking around those tranquil woods that I’d know better. As it turned out, and just as it always turns out, the walk in the extreme southwestern Smoky Mountains was just excellent. And here I was just looking for an excuse to test out my new-to-me ride.  

Remember last week’s ‘Note to self’? Well, here I was one week later and I was about to do another walk that was nearly as long and with nearly as much overall elevation gain. As Yoda would say “not too bright you are”. But as I’ve mentioned before, a lot of factors besides mileage and elevation gain go into the difficulty of the trail, and unlike last week today’s destination and circumstances were lining up more in my favor. Number one, cloudy and cool skies. In fact, after nearly baking and experiencing the worst dehydration I’d experienced on trail last week, SNOW was in the forecast for the next day or so. Temperatures were at least 30 degrees lower than just one Sunday ago, and the sun was nearly absent all day. Number two, trail gradient. Yes, there was a lot of elevation gain, but the worst of the climbing was on a smooth and boulder-less former railroad grade. Without the constant stepping over and around rocks and obstacles the thighs could concentrate on just moving smoothly up the grade. Downhill is also a breeze on a rail grade compared to the jarring back and knee-crunching typical downhill.

Twentymile Trail and Wolf Ridge Trail

The Twentymile Ranger Station is on the opposite end of the Smokies from last week’s walk. To get here from the south, follow Highway 28 north along the west side of the Fontana Lake and continue north past Fontana Dam. The Ranger Station is tucked in a nice corner beside picturesque Cheoah Lake. It is not far from Cheoah Dam, famous spot where Harrison Ford did a “Peter Pan” to escape Tommy Lee Jones in the 1993 movie The Fugitive.

The trail starts with an easy climb beside Twentymile Creek. The creek is gorgeous as always, with large boulders and high water volume. There are far too many spots to stop and take pictures, which usually helps contribute to my slow speed. The toadshade trillium beside the trail, more abundant here than anywhere else I’ve hiked in the Smokies so far, are noticeably past their peak of bloom. It is two years and one week since my last walk here, and on that day the trillium were exploding in bloom.

Just a quick 0.6 miles later I cross a solid bridge over Moore Springs Branch. Here the trail forks, with Wolf Ridge Trail traveling left and Twentymile Creek Cascades just a few feet further up the Twentymile Trail to the right. I will visit the Cascades at the end of my walk, but for now I go left and follow beside Moore Springs Branch up Wolf Ridge Trail.

The heavy flowing Branch is filled with cascades and provides many more photo ops. Large boulders line the trails right edge. After this, there are 5 crossings of Moore Springs Branch, all on footlog bridges. The first is a bit hairy for me, as it is high above the creek and has a damaged and outward leaning handrail. (I’m not sure what the bungee cord is supposed to do for you if you fall J)

At 1.6 miles I reach the Twentymile Loop Trail, which runs off to the right (east). If you continue north, Parson Bald and Gregory Bald are a few miles of uphill away. Many visiting this remote area continue in that direction to make a tough dayhike or backpack loop up to both balds, returning via Long Hungry Ridge Trail and Twentymile Trail. I did the same walk in 2010 but in the opposite direction. I turn right and follow Twentymile Loop Trail.

Twentymile Loop Trail

Twentymile Loop Trail climbs past that intersection into a nice forest of large trees. Climbing is steady and the forest is pleasant. I laugh a bit about thinking the walk would be the ‘letdown’ on today’s driving tour. Soon a very nice footlog crossing with a nice 3 foot cascade flowing just under the bridge becomes today’s ‘album cover’ shot. Beyond the crossing the climbing up the side of Long Hungry Ridge continues steadily, with an explosion of wildflowers keeping me occupied. Yellow and Catesby’s trillium, foamflower, flame azalea, mayapple, and many others are in bloom. 

 

At around 2500’ I top Long Hungry Ridge and begin to descend into a forest of white pine and hickory. Just past a nice wide footlog crossing of Twentymile Creek and a large patch of Pink Lady’s Slippers, I ascend to Proctor Fields Gap and the three way intersection with Twentymile Trail and Long Hungry Ridge Trail. From here Long Hungry Ridge ascends north to Gregory Bald, Twentymile Trail ascends east to the Appalachian Trail, or a right takes you southwest and back to the Ranger Station via Twentymile Trail.

 

Twentymile Trail to Sassafras Gap and the Appalachian Trail

The difficult portion of today’s climb lies ahead on Twentymile Trail. I fuel up a bit and begin to climb up the former railroad grade for the Kitchen Lumber Company. A hawk is startled from his morning meal beside one of the stream branches and flies slowly overhead to rest in a fraser magnolia tree. Hog rooting damage is abundant at the trail margins. After a crossing the forest abruptly changes character to a dry variety, with pine, laurel, and blueberry. I am thankful for the cloudy skies, because the wide trail would be in full sun otherwise.

The climb up the side of Twentymile Ridge is constant yet manageable, especially with last week’s climb to compare against. I spook a Ruffled Grouse and it flies off through the fog. Views of Twentymile Ridge come into view to the south and east, but the ridge is shrouded in clouds so I cannot find Shuckstack Tower. Before too long a backward sign means I’ve once again reached the Appalachian Trail.

This is Sassafras Gap, at 3600’ in elevation. The cold front is coming through and it is downright chilly. Sassafras Gap explodes in wildflowers: White and Catesby’s trillium, mayapple, and hepatica.

I look north and think about the thru-hikers I passed last week on their way to Maine. None pass me today. Looking south, only 0.2 miles of uphill would lead to Shuckstack Tower, but it would not be worth a visit in the clouds today. Lost Cove Trail descends eastward from this spot to meet up with Lakeshore Trail and Fontana Lake in 2.7 miles. Another loop for another day as I haven’t yet tackled that climb. I’ll choose a clearer day for that one and make sure to visit the tower.

Twentymile Trail and Twentymile Creek Cascades

The descent down the Twentymile Trail railroad grade is fast and furious. No need to worry about tripping over rocks and roots or jamming back, knees, and toes. Back in the lowlands I have the first human sighting of the day…3 backpackers from Columbia that had just spent a chilly night on Gregory Bald. I stop for a quick look at Twentymile Creek Cascades and then quickly finish the 11.2 miles at the now-busy Ranger Station. Although only 0.6 miles and 800 feet of overall climbing less than last week’s climb, there is no comparison in my physical and mental state…today I feel could almost run a marathon. Maybe next week? J

Low elevation on my 11.2 mile lollipop walk was around 1350’ at the Twentymile trailhead at the Twentymile Ranger Station and high elevation was around 3600’ at the Sassafras Gap on the Appalachian Trail. Shuckstack Tower is at 4020’. The walk included just over 3900’ in overall climbing.

Also includes a few shots from the Blue Ridge Parkway and Hwy 28 overlooks.

For pics of this walk, click the link below:

Twentymile to Sassafras Gap(Opens in new window)

To skip the chatter and go right to the pics of this walk, click the link below:

Chestnut Branch Trail to Mount Cammerer(Opens in new window)

11.8 mile out-and-back walk to the Mount Cammerer Lookout in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The walk started and ended at the Chestnut Branch trailhead and included a tough climb along the Appalachian Trail – April 15, 2012

Last week’s return to the Smoky Mountains on a camping trip with the family stoked my too-long-dormant desire to get back on the trails again. Once you’ve spent time on her trails, just driving around in the high hills just won’t quite fit the bill. So I glanced at my hiking log and am shocked that is had been nearly 10 months since my last official walk. Wow…time to dust off the boots and get out there again. But the next time I have a bright idea like the one I had Sunday, somebody please feel free to knock some sense into me.

Note to self: The next time you decide to do one of those…drive 3.5 hours up from South Carolina, hike all day, drive 3.5 hours home - days, don’t chose one of the toughest climbs in the Smokies as your ‘hike all day’ destination. Particularly if it’d been 10 months since you’d last hit a trail. As those who’ve done organized sports or events can attest, there is a big difference between ‘practice shape’ and ‘game shape’. I’d ‘practiced’ minimal cardiovascular activity over the hiking hiatus, but there is no substitute for the ‘game’. Being April 15^th, it was fitting that I would be taxed to the max in climbing from the Big Creek area of the northeastern Smokies to the stunning Mount Cammerer Lookout.

Chestnut Branch Trail

The Big Creek Ranger Station has a large parking area that is on the outside of the gate that can close off the rest of the Big Creek area. It includes a kiosk that contains trail maps, information, and backcountry permit information. It helps if you don’t miss your exit like I did, being exit 451 to Waterville, NC. If you’re heading east toward Asheville, it’s the last I-40 exit in Tennessee. If you’re heading from Asheville toward Knoxville, the exit is seconds past the Tennessee State Line. Road work at the exit threw me off, leading to a 20 minute diversion to start my long day.

All of today’s mileage would be a repeat for me, as I had been on Chestnut Branch Trail on a walk to catch the northernmost miles of the Appalachian Trail in March of 2010 (story opens in new window). But today’s walk would have 10x the wildflower show as that day. It started right out of the gate, with yellow trillium and squawroot starting out the show. Later, as the creek leaves the trail, an incredible show of dwarf crested iris and wild geranium helped me forget the heat, lack of breeze, and steady climb. There was even a pink lady slipper sighting. As is typically the case, I felt pretty good so far…but it wouldn’t last.

Chestnut Branch climbs 2 miles up from the Big Creek area to meet the Smokies main crest at the Appalachian Trail. The area had many homesites in the pre-Park days, and there are occasional artifacts along the path. The creek comes and goes from beside the trail and thins to a trickle as the climbing gets tough near the top. Chestnut stumps are alongside the trail in many areas, reminders of the former dominate tree of the forest that gave the branch its name. The mid-20^th-century blight wiped the behemoths off the map.

Appalachian Trail – Thru-hikers galore

The last few tenths of Chestnut Branch Trail are a pretty stiff climb, and I was relieved to see the backward sign at the intersection with the Appalachian Trail. Ah, back on the AT again. As I rested, the first thru-hiker of the day whipped by me on his way northbound (NOBO) to Maine. The friendly but hurried 6’7” man didn’t break stride as he whipped past me at 100 mph, but did fire back his trail name… ‘Squatch’. He also said “I’m doing 30 (miles) today”.  

I started southbound along the AT towards the tower, and that was when the flood of thru-hikers starting coming. If you’re on the AT in the Smokies in April, northbound thru-hikers are a common sight. Most start at Springer Mountain in March and all are in great spirits at this point in the journey, roughly 250 miles into this 2200 mile trek-of-a-lifetime. I was not graced with the gene that gives this plethora of folks the desire to walk north for months. But they all seemed very friendly and driven, some pausing to talk, others more interested in keeping going. Trail names I picked up were ‘Squatch’, ‘Bunny’, ‘Loops’, ‘Mr Incredible’ and his female companion..you guessed it..’Elastigirl’. Another thru-hiking guy at the lookout said “I’m just Joe for now”. He didn’t want to name himself. I dubbed him “Just Joe”, but I doubt it will stick. J Best of luck and Godspeed to all on the journey to Katahdin.

Mount Cammerer Lookout

The 3.3 mile climb up from the Chestnut Branch Trail to the Mount Cammerer Trail intersection is pretty brutal. There are some views of ridges both to the south and to the north, but truthfully there isn’t much of interest to take your mind off the tough climb in most stretches. There were a few patches of wildflowers, star chickweed and more iris, and also a few large trees beside the trail. One huge dead hemlock is particularly impressive. I pause briefly at the Lower Mount Cammerer Trail intersection, remembering the long loop out of Cosby in 2009 (story opens in new window) that included this trail and my first near-miss with an impressive timber/canebreak rattlesnake. Amazing it was almost 3 years ago…wow.

I also pause at the impressive area of boulders at the base of Mount Cammerer…the views are much better today than they were on that August day. The heat is really draining me, as there is no real relief from the sun on this exposed section with a constant climb. I’m rationing my water and contemplate turning back, but the change to the spruce forest, occasional talk with a day-hiker, thru-hiker, God, or myself, helps me keep going. I’d never been so relieved to see the double-blaze indicating I had finally reached the intersection with the Mount Cammerer Trail. 0.6 up-and-down tenths brings the impressive lookout into my view for the first time in 3 years. As exhausted as I am, I’m feeling certain that this is the last time I’ll see this place.

When I visited the lookout perched atop 4929’ Sharp Top (now Mount Cammerer) in 2009, I knew I wanted to come back and visit. First, the views from this vista on the northwest corner of the Smokies are incredible. Second, with me being an acrophobic, it is one of the few lookouts that I can handle easily. Mount Sterling and Shuckstack are the type of tower lookouts on the opposite extreme. I say no thanks on those. That leaves the only problem being the difficulty in getting here. Be ready for a taxing experience, with many miles and thousands of feet of climbing to get here. But if you come, your return on the taxes will be worth it.

Low elevation on my 11.8 mile out-and-back walk was around 1640’ at the Chestnut Branch Trail trailhead at the Big Creek Ranger Station and high elevation was around 4966’ at the Mount Cammerer Trail intersection. Mount Cammerer Lookout is at 4929’. The walk included a grueling 4730’ in overall climbing, a taxing day under normal circumstances but particularly challenging in the heat of this Sunday and after a 10 month hiatus from the hiking ‘game’.  

For pics of this walk, click the link below:

Chestnut Branch Trail to Mount Cammerer(Opens in new window)

 

 

To skip the chatter and go right to the pics of this walk, click the link below:

Appalachian Trail to Shuckstack Tower(Opens in new window)

Approximately 8 mile out-and-back walk at the southwestern end of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The walk started and ended at Fontana Dam and was along the Appalachian Trail – November, 2008

It’s pretty easy to tell I’ve been on a long hiatus from walking in the mountains this year. Being so busy around town with my boy’s events I simply don’t have the time for the 8 hours of up-and-back driving that typically are necessary on a hike weekend. The hiking legs and lungs I worked so hard to build since May of 2008 are long gone. I’ve missed my favorite time of year in the Smokies for the first time since moving up to South Carolina. So all I can do is look back at nice Fall walk from 2008.

It may not be too late

It seems like yesterday that I did the tough little out-and-back along the Appalachian Trail to the Shuckstack Tower. At that time my walking obsession was in the early stages, and I was trying to get one last walk in before the all of the leaves were gone and Old Man Winter set in. I was pleasantly surprised by all the late season color I saw on this day in early November. I have no idea what the colors look like this year up in the Smokies, but if you think you are too late to enjoy the colors, you may want to try the southwest corner and see if the explosion of reds, yellows, and browns is still in force.

Low elevation on my 8 mile out-and-back walk was around 1850’ at Fontana Dam and high elevation was around 4000’ at Shuckstack Tower. The walk included about 3000’ in overall climbing.

 

For pics of this walk, click the link below:

Appalachian Trail to Shuckstack Tower(Opens in new window)

Editor’s Note: For guest journal #3 we head back out West for another look at the grand Rocky Mountains of Colorado. Co-worker Jeremiah Schwartz spent a day during a recent visit to his relatives in Colorado climbing around the tree-less heights of the majestic Rockies, bagging three separate 14,000’ peaks, known to those tough enough to conquer them as 14ers, in one hike. Enjoy his description and pictures from a day spent above the clouds:

Thanks Jeremiah for the excellent journal and pictures! -Dan

Triumvirate of 14er’s

 

Greetings! When Dan is not out wandering the hills, he is my taskmaster in the real world (yes, he has an actual job! :-). Thanks for the opportunity to share my latest hike with your readers Dan!

 

The access road from Alma as viewed from the summit of Mount Democrat

 

I was out in Colorado for a family reunion, and we started our day very early so as to avoid the afternoon thunderstorms. We had intended to get to the trailhead at first light, but the drive up the access road was slow going due to the above average rainfall washing out parts of the road this year. The access road originates in the quaint town of Alma where I hear they have replaced country music with reggae at the local bar. Alma, population 179, is on state highway 9 a little ways out from Breckenridge. Having engaged my 4-wheel drive I was feeling pretty rugged and manly until I discovered the Mustang and Mazda 3 already waiting for us at the trailhead.

 

 I had climbed Mt. Lincoln three years ago, but there had been low-lying clouds that time around. The net result was not all that different than if I had stuck my head in a bucket full of dry ice for a few hours (all while climbing a steep grade at high altitude of course). Thankfully we had clear skies this time, and the views were awe inspiring. Our plan was to climb Mt. Democrat (14,148 ft) and then a few of us brave (or foolhardy?) souls would continue from the saddleback up Mt. Cameron and from there on to Mt Lincoln (8^th highest peak in the state at 14,293 ft). Mt. Cameron, by the way, weighs in at 14,239 ft. The saddleback between Cameron and Lincoln does not swing sufficiently low, however, for Cameron to be considered a true 14er in its own right. But hey, it sounds better to say we climbed three 14ers in one day, so I’m going for it!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kite Lake at the Trailhead to Mount Lincoln and Democrat

 

Kite Lake provides a scenic start to the hike, nestled in the amphitheater created by Democrat, Cameron, and Bross. Bross, at 14,172 ft, constitutes the third (true!) 14er of this triumvirate located in the Mosquito Range. We did not get around to Bross this time, opting instead to save that one for our next reunion. The trailhead follows a stream that feeds Kite Lake for a stretch on the way up to the saddleback between Democrat and Cameron. After working up a good sweat, we met with a very chilly wind blowing over the top of the saddleback. I am pretty sure some ice crystals formed on my brow while waiting for members of our troop. The moral of the story is to dress in layers because it is necessary to add and subtract along the way.

Mount Bross as Viewed From the Spine Leading to Mount Cameron

 

 

From that first saddleback we went on to a brutal ascent up Democrat. Near the end you crest a rise that previously looked like the summit, only to find a relatively flat section leading to the true summit. Once you have reached the “false summit,” however, the remainder of the climb is tame in comparison.

Mount Lincoln as viewed from Mount Cameron

 

The climb from that first saddleback to Cameron and then to Lincoln is longer than the climb of Democrat, but also more gradual. For anyone planning to do both in one day, I recommend they conquer Democrat first and then move on to Lincoln (or, alternatively, Bross, which is also on the opposite side of Cameron from the first saddleback). Otherwise, plan on crawling on all fours at the steepest part of the trail up Democrat. And speaking of all fours, there were quite a few little rodents, called picas, which greeted us along the path. We also saw a few marmots about the size of tomcats. Alas, I did not get a good picture of the marmots to share.

Pica along the way to the first saddleback

 

According to my cousin’s GPS, the entire trek was about seven miles. Toward the end we saw and heard the thunderstorms off in the distance, but we only encountered a few stray raindrops where we were at. We were good and worn out when we arrived back at the trailhead, but with that great sense of achievement that always accompanies an excellent hike.

Summit of Mount Lincoln

Editors Note: My second guest journal is from back east in the Smokies and comes from the 13-year-old veteran outdoorsman Zachary Ott. Zachary is the son of my co-worker Randy Ott, who has appeared on Old Dan Walking before. Randy and Zachary often camp at the Smoky’s highest elevation frontcountry campground, Balsam Mountain Campground, where I hear Zachary prepares some mean foil pouch pineapple upside-down cake over the fire. On a previous trip they’d walked nearby Flat Creek Trail, and since I missed that opportunity to have Zachary describe his day on the trail, I didn’t want to miss his take on his most recent Smoky Mountain adventure. Enjoy!

Thanks Zachary for the great journal and pictures! (you can click on any picture to enlarge it) -Dan 

Newfound Gap to Charlies Bunion

Round trip: 8.1 miles 

My name is Zachary Paul Ott, my dad and I hiked a trail his boss, Mr. Dan DeSetto, recommended to us. That weekend we had camped at Balsam Mountain Campground above Maggie Valley, NC. It was an hour long drive to Newfound Gap through many tunnels. We finally got there, and in the middle of road was a sign saying:

I couldn’t believe we had come this far, so we parked and got packed up and ready to go. We had a hard time trying to find the trail, it wasn’t on a sign.

So we started off on Boulevard Trail, (editor’s note - actually it was the Appalachian Trail)  it was all uphill for the first two miles, it was torture. We saw some grouse, but they were too quick to take a picture of. I kept asking how far we had come, my Dad kept saying “don’t think about it” 

( I had a hard time with that, heh heh).

We came to a sign that said we had come 1.7 miles and Ice Water Spring Shelter was 1.3 miles away. We found a lot of backpacking campsites, and planned a backpacking trip to Maine when I was in college. That only gives me five years to train!

After a while we came to the shelter it was a crude stone shelter, but hey… it was a shelter. About a fourth mile later we saw Ice Water Spring; a thin plastic pipe had water bubbling out of it. It was correctly named… burr! There were some crossroads and we got lost.

Soon, we saw some great overlooks through the trees.

We finally got to Charles Bunion, it had an amazing view.

It had a small cliff to climb,

 

…so far we had come 4.05 miles and climbed 1600 feet. 

The way back was painful. I fell on a rock and hurt my knee, which made us go two miles per hour slower than we could have, not to mention the uncomfortable rash and the blisters on my feet. Every one and a half steps it was, hurt, burn, squish … hurt, burn, squish. When we finally got back, I felt like passing out.

Editors Note #2: Congratulations Zachary, as you can see by the elevation profile this was no easy ‘walk in the Park’. You conquered 4 miles of the Appalachian Trail (8 r/t), a 6000’ mountain, and 2900’ of climbing overall…great job! Keep bugging Dad to bring you back to the Smokies for camping and hiking. J

Editor’s Note: I’m pleased to announce that Old Dan Walking will be featuring guest journals of three different friends on three different hikes in the coming days. In the recent weeks I’ve become Old semi-retired from walking Dan and I thank my three friends for filling in and providing stories of their wilderness treks. The first journal comes from longtime friend of my wife and I and former Florida flatlander Jodi Patton, now living full-time at 9200’ in the Colorado Rockies. Jodi is quite the outdoorswoman and has enjoyed many treks around the high mountains of Colorado. Enjoy:

Thanks Jodi for the great journal and beautiful pictures! -Dan

August 2011 hike to Devils Thumb and Devils Thumb Lake, near Winter Park Colorado

 

Hi Everyone I am Jodi Patton and am a long time friend of Dan’s. I recently sent him some pictures from one of my hikes where I live in Winter Park, Colorado. He asked me to be a guest writer this week…..thinking you might enjoy a different perspective from the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. 

Winter Park, Colorado is now considered the highest town in the US since we recently annexed The Winter Park Ski Resort.  The town sits at 9200’ and the ski resort rt peaks around 12,060’!

 

The Hike I did this past weekend is known as the Devil’s Thumb Trail. There are a few choices of trails to get there and I chose the one accessible from the Town of Winter Park, Colorado via Corona Pass Road.  Corona Pass Road is an unimproved non-maintained forest road that will knock your teeth out if you are not paying close attention to all hazards on the road. The road is slow going and takes about 45minutes of travel time to access the trailhead. This trail is approximately 8 miles round trip and follows along the continental divide on the western side before dropping down on the eastern side to a couple of lakes. The peak elevation during the hike is about 12,236’.

 

Devil’s Thumb – A Historical Note

 

According to local lore, Native Americans named Devil’s Thumb – a rocky outcropping that towers high above the town. As legend goes, after the warring Ute and Arapahoe tribes settled their differences in the Ranch Creek Valley, they buried the devil, but left his thumb exposed to remind them of the evils of war.

And YES! That is snow in the pictures. We still have quite a bit along the divide from our heavy snowfall this past winter. The views from the trail are spectacular and the wild flowers were in full bloom.  Of course don’t look to long at the flowers because you don’t want to loose your footing on the many steep ledges required to get there. 

Columbine is the state Flower as seen in this picture.

And as always, I like to have a reward once I get to my destination. Here’s my catch of the day out of Devil’s Thumb Lake. Don’t worry I put him back so he can continue to enjoy that pristine alpine lake until the next angler comes lurking. 

A Colorado Cutthroat Trout

 Jodi’s dog Nick takes a break and checks out the view