Old Dan Walking

It seems that everybody and their brother publishes an end-of-year review, so here’s mine…some of my personal highlights and lowlights from 2010

Old Dan’s raw stats for 2010:

                Total walks: 19 (down 13 from 2009)

                Total Smoky Mountain walks: 12 (down 16 from 2009)

                Total miles: 173.3 (down 115.3 miles from 2009)

                Total Smoky Mountain miles: 129.9 (down 136.9 miles from 2009)

                Total time on the trails: 107.3 hours (1.62 mph)

                Total time on Smoky Mountain trails: 79 hours (1.64 mph)

                Total Elevation climbed – 45451 feet (down 38848 feet from 2009)

                Bear sightings: 0 (down 5 from 2009)

Like the economy, my time in the woods, trail mileage, and total elevation climbed were way down from 2009. Many factors contributed, and I guess I’m in need of a personal stimulus package because I think I’ll be down even more in 2011. The only upward trends were ‘money saved on gas’ and the size of my waistline. K I hit a wall in 2010 with regard to the amount of time and driving necessary to reach my walking destinations, and we’ll see if this extended break helps me recharge for 2011.    

The highlights -- Best of 2010

Ranking the top 5 is always difficult, because most any day in the woods beats a day on concrete in my book. Below are my choices for 2010. (Chronological order)

1)      Twentymile to Gregory Bald – A rugged climb in the remote southwest corner of Smoky Mountains with a tremendous payoff at the top. Gregory Bald is on my ‘must-return’ list.

2)      Maddron Bald – Another rugged climb into the spruce-fir forest, which included gorgeous creek crossings and the old-growth forest of Albright Grove.

3)      Craggy Pinnacle – A short walk with my boys to some tremendous views, just off the Blue Ridge Parkway at Craggy Gardens.

4)      Andrews Bald – A true Smoky Mountain Hall-of-Fame destination, and another great day with my boys. We had unusually clear weather at the Bald too.

5)      Table Rock Summit – I encourage any of my readers from East Tennessee to make the trip over the hill to South Carolina and see our version of Table Rock. You won’t be disappointed as this beautiful trail and the payoff at the end are worth the drive.

The lowlights of 2010

It wasn’t all wine and roses, as some days in the woods were a grind. Here are a few lowlights:

1)      Poinsett Passage – This walk on a lightly used section of the Palmetto Trail was a forgettable one for me.

2)      Hughes Ridge – Back pain ruined this long day.

3)      Mountain Bridge Wilderness Area – I changed plans midstream, starting an error-filled day in Jones Gap.

4)      The website hack attack - A hack attack killed the first incarnation of my site, causing lost readers and a lot of work to recover.

Clearly the biggest news in the Smoky Mountains in 2010 was the end of the road-to-nowhere saga with a $52M settlement for Swain County in lieu of the building the road. Most who read this site applaud this decision; however I’m not one of them.

I’m thankful for the time I was able to spend in the mountains in 2010, especially considering how bad my back was hurting late in the Spring. Today, I’m doing great and I look forward to getting back out there on the trails in 2011.

I wish everyone a happy and healthy 2011. Happy New Year!

(Old) Dan DeSetto

I finally got back to the Smokies for the first time in almost three months, and it was a real mess up there. I couldn't believe they actually opened Newfound Gap Road for a short time, as conditions were pretty treacherous and the snowpack was as impressive as I've seen it. Here are a few pictures from the quick afternoon drive.

Scotts Creek in Dillsboro, NC

The Tuckaseegee River at the former spot of the Dillsboro dam, which was removed in 2010.

The Oconaluftee River with snow-covered boulders. 

Snow-covered Smoky Mountain ridges

See the rest of the pictures here. (Opens in new window)

I didn't make it onto a trail this trip, so now I can officially say I've completed all the miles I'll do for 2010. My next post will review the 2010 stats.

Well, it wasn't officially the first recorded white Christmas in my town here in the South Carolina midlands because it didn't start snowing until after midnight. But we're not complaining about a white day-after Christmas, it is beautiful.

Thomas and Old Dan with "Flakes" the snowman

"Flakes", distant relative of Frosty.

To my two or three readers out there (I'm being generous)....Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! I offer the annual link to the greatest 1:18 in the history of television.

A trip to the snow-covered Smoky Mountain backcountry probably sounded like a great idea at the time, but I'm sure two hikers from Louisiana are extremely relieved to be off the mountain and out of the waist-deep snow and miserable conditions unharmed today. Be careful out there folks, this has been one brutal late-autumn season. I can't imagine what it will be like when winter arrives.

Read the story here.