Old Dan Walking

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)

[caption id="attachment_961" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="The Cataloochee Divide"]

[/caption] To skip the chatter and go right to the pics of this walk, click the link below: Big Fork Ridge Loop(Opens in new window) 10 mile loop walk out of the Cataloochee area of the Great Smokies. The walk started and ended at the Cataloochee trailhead for the Big Fork Ridge Trail and included Caldwell Fork Trail and Rough Fork Trail – December 13, 2008 [caption id="attachment_958" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="The huge enclosure used for the original elk release "] [/caption] No recent walks and not much exercise in general lately for Old Dan, but I am thankful for the time to rest and reconnect with family. But with the Thanksgiving Holiday now in the rear view I look forward to working off the turkey, gravy, and endless desserts back in the Smokies sometime soon. For now though, I'll have to look back at a late Fall walk from last year in the BW days (BW = Before Website). Those looking for a nice workout and a relatively short dayhike to go with the short daylight hours of late Fall should check this loop out. It contains many of the typical Smoky Mountain highlights, such as nice creeks, big trees, historical homesites, and of course the famous Smokies elk herd. [caption id="attachment_959" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Views along the trail"] [/caption] The walk starts out on the Big Fork Ridge Trail across from one of the tended fields that is frequented by the elk herd of Cataloochee. The elk weren't there on this cold morning but would be there for a show at the end of my walk. The Big Fork Ridge Trail crosses Rough Fork and passes the huge enclosure that was used to contain and orient the original 25 elk before they were re-introduced into the Smokies a few years ago. After passing the enclosure the trail immediately climbs to the top of the Big Fork Ridge, a ridge that seperates the Caldwell Fork drainage and the Rough Fork drainage. The trail then descends the other side of the ridge into the Caldwell Fork drainage, connecting with Caldwell Fork Trail after crossing the namesake creek. The loop I would do today then turns right and follows Caldwell Fork Trail as it climbs up to the intersection with the the Rough Fork Trail. Don't forget to check out the big old Poplar trees on a short spur to the right (marked with a sign). To complete the loop I then turn right and descend Rough Fork Trail, with the highlight of this section being the restored Woody House about 1 mile from the end of the trail. The Woody House is a milled-lumber homesite that was once a productive farm. The original house was log but was covered with milled lumber once it became available early in the 20th century. Ending the day with a big show from the elk herd is always a treat, and I drove home to South Carolina satisfied with another great day in the Smokies. [caption id="attachment_960" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="A bull elk tends to his herd"] [/caption] Low elevation on my 10 mile loop walk was around 2820’ at the Big Fork Ridge trailhead and high elevation was near 4100’ near the Caldwell Fork Trail/Rough Fork Trail intersection. The walk included about 2580’ of overall climbing. To skip the chatter and go right to the pics of this walk, click the link below: Big Fork Ridge Loop(Opens in new window)

[caption id="attachment_449" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="The view from The Jumpoff"]

[/caption] To skip the chatter and go right to the pics of this walk, click the link below: Appalachian Trail to The Jumpoff(Opens in new window) 6.9 mile out-and-back along the Appalachian Trail - Newfound Gap to The Jumpoff - October 4, 2008 Looking back at last year's adventures, I finally decided which of my 20+ 2008 walks was my 2nd favorite of the year...the 6.9 mile out-and-back walk from Newfound Gap to the spectacular Jumpoff. Views, views, views, and more views, and only a 6.9 mile roundtrip to get there and back. No need to spend a lot of time talking about this walk, because many of you have likely already visited the special spot. Suffice it to say I was blessed with a picture perfect crisp, cool, early Fall day for my walk, allowing for tremendous views from the narrow ridge that extends North from The Boulevard Trail and parallels Mount LeConte. The trail is not an official Smokies trail and won't count towards your Smokies 900, but trust me when I say whether you're a Club seeker or not, this is one unofficial trail you must visit! I'll definitely return this year if possible. This walk also included a slight detour to Icewater Springs backcountry shelter. [caption id="attachment_447" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Icewater Springs backcountry shelter"] [/caption] Mount LeConte on one side, The Sawteeth and Charlies Bunion on the other, and miles of views into Tennessee...The Jumpoff should be on every Smoky Mountain visitor's top ten list. [caption id="attachment_450" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="The Sawteeth and Charlies Bunion from The Jumpoff"] [/caption] Low elevation was around 5000' near Newfound Gap and the high elevation was as I topped Mount Kephart at around 6200'. For pics of this walk, click the link below: Appalachian Trail to The Jumpoff(Opens in new window)

[caption id="attachment_130" align="alignnone" width="400" caption="The USGS marker on Silers Bald - elevation 5607 ft."]

[/caption] To skip the chatter and go right to the pics of this walk, click the link below: Appalachian Trail to Silers Bald (Opens in new window) 10 mile out-and-back along the Appalachian Trail - Clingmans Dome to Silers Bald - August 31, 2008 I won't be walking the Smokies this weekend, so I thought I would look back at some of my favorite 2008 walks from before the website was live. Sounds easy, right? But picking favorite Smokies walks turns out to be harder than it would seem. Every trail has its unique qualities. From the high-country forests that make it seem like you are walking in Maine instead of Dixie, to the thick towering old-growth, abdundant and diverse wildflowers, wide streams and numerous cascades and waterfalls of the mid and lowland trails, each Smoky trail is special in its own right. I had covered 171 total miles of that Smoky Mountain ground in 2008 on 23 seperate walks, with almost 80 of those miles being unique to me. So picking a favorite would be tough. But...if I had to make a choice to start with.... and I do, because I can't write about all of them in one post, I choose the 10 mile Labor Day weekend hike along the Appalachian Trail from Clingmans Dome to Silers Bald as #1 of 2008. I would not at all be surprised if the beautiful trail between Clingmans Dome and Silers Bald is the second-most traveled section of the AT in the Smokies (second to the Newfound Gap to Charlies Bunion section). I don't know for sure that it is, but because of access, cool high-elevations, the famed and oft-visited Clingmans Dome, and the fact that you can make a nice day-hike out of this trip, I would put a few bucks in it. But if you've read my previous posts you probably know that doesn't matter to me. The more the merrier, as long as you carry out up your Reeses wrappers. In fact, so far my Smokies walks have been mostly solo, so I enjoy seeing other folks out there on the trails. The majority welcome a quick conversation and are interested in where you're going or where you came from. From what I remember August 31, 2008 was a clear day and the humidity prevalent these last two hot and drought-stricken summers was starting to lose its grip. The air had a cool crisp early Fall feel to it, which energizes a walker even more. So I arrived at the Clingmans Dome parking lot at my usual late 10 AM, and immediately was distracted by the stunning views that can be rare this time of year due to clouds and fog. No problem today... [caption id="attachment_132" align="alignnone" width="400" caption="Views from the parking lot before my walk"] [/caption] So after spending several minutes going "Wow...look at THAT view" and snapping pictures left and right at the Clingmans Dome parking lot, I decided I better get started on my walk. I made my way to the start of the paved trail that leads up to the Dome. Today I would take that path up to start the hike and the Clingmans Dome Bypass Trail on the way back. "WOW...look at THAT view"...ok, one more shot before I go... [caption id="attachment_133" align="alignnone" width="400" caption="The heath balds on the side of Mount Buckley as seen from the Dome parking lot"] [/caption] I don't care what kind of workout stud or studette you are..the paved path up to the Clingmans Dome observation tower is steep. Benches are strategically placed up the path so you can sit and catch your breath. No time for that today, I had places to go. Near the top you branch off to the left on an access trail through thick blackberry bushes to connect up with the Appalachian Trail. You start the trek left (west-northwest) away from the tower along a very skinny ridge. The Tennessee-North Carolina state line runs along this ridge. I think as I walk my right foot is in Tennessee and my left in North Carolina and there isn't much room for anything else. Soon you reach the junction with the Clingmans Dome Bypass Trail on the left. I'll return to the parking lot that way this afternoon. After a small uphill you reach a nice rocky and grassy area on the west side of Mount Buckley. I pause here to sit on the ground with a rock back support and take in the beauty of the views of balds on Mt. Buckley and distant mountains to the south. From here the trail travels mostly downhill through beautiful high-country forest. Along the westward trek clearings on both sides occassionally show the long-range views into both states that would be abundant today, a big reason this hike ranked #1 on my list for 2008. After a few miles of nice downhill you reach the intersection of Goshen Prong Trail on the right. Many people do a two-car shuttle walk from Clingmans Dome down the Goshen Prong Trail to the Elkmont campground area, around 14 miles. I suppose those looking for a big challenge hike it the other direction, and if so they would be treated to around 4400 feet in elevation rise from the campground! I'll have to try that one someday when I'm in better shape. I recall that trail intersection being an unusually peaceful and scenic spot among the towering trees, probably noticing because I had just walked downhill instead of uphill. More on that later... [caption id="attachment_134" align="alignnone" width="400" caption="The Double Spring Gap backcountry shelter. It has since been renovated."] [/caption] A few minutes later I reach a nice clearing and the Double Spring Gap backcountry hiking shelter. I have traveled about 2.8 fairly easy miles at this point. This shelther had the old chainlink fence enclosure style, but since I visited it has been renovated to the new open style. I guess having it open gives people more incentive to use the nearby bear cables to hang their food instead of eating in the shelter. At the shelter I talked with a man visiting the Smokies from Croatia that was resting on the logs around the fire pit. I noticed his backpack seemed unusually stuffed and he was carrying enough camera equipment to film a documentary. He said that his pack weighed 80 pounds! On my return trip from the Bald I would pass this poor gentleman grimacing his way towards the Silers Bald shelter. I didn't have the heart to tell him about the steep section he was about to face before the Bald. Westward from this point the trail passes over an again unusually scenic section of Jenkins Knob. This marks the western end of the range for the red spruce and fraser fir forest in the Smokies. From here westward the forest is dominated by beech and mountain ash trees, and today one noticeable mountain ash would still have a large cluster of its late summer red berries. Again I had not read about this trek before walking it, but I distinctly remember noticing the abundance of beech leaves littering the trail. At the time I didn't really notice there was no more spruce-fir forest. Another real nice section of this trail was "The Narrows". Yep, it's just like it says, narrow. One place there the ridge was so thin you could barely stand on it, and to the south was an incredible view all the way to Fontana Lake. A few steep downhill parts here, and once I completely lost my footing on a 45 degree dowhill angle rock and fell flat on my back. Fortunately a) nothing in my pack was damaged, and most importantly b) nobody saw me. It must have been pretty comical. Soon I would reach the intersection with the Welch Ridge Trail. This trail is another popular but long downhill ridgetop day-hike that features exceptional views. I'll try that some other day. My destination was a short 0.4 miles away...piece of cake, right? Not so fast my friend...This 0.4 seemed straight up. Fortunately, I reached the top of Silers Bald and wondered, "is this it, wheres the Bald?" [caption id="attachment_135" align="alignnone" width="400" caption="The boulder marking the top of Silers Bald."] [/caption] Silers Bald doesn't look anything like it did when Jesse Siler grazed cattle here years ago. The forest has reclaimed much of it, and only a few yards of grass encircle the boulder that has the USGS marker embedded in it marking the official Bald at 5607 feet. I assume my great-grandkids will have a hard time finding the boulder if they visit here some day. Standing on the boulder, I could see a nice view looking back at the rain on top of Clingmans Dome...wait..rain on Clingmans Dome? Yep...hopefully it would be gone when I returned. And it was. From here you continue a few tenths down the trail to reach the Silers Bald backcountry shelter. This shelter has already been renovated to the new style. I met two nice gentlemen that were hiking the AT through the Smokies on this Labor Day weekend. We talked for a while and they offered me snacks and a gel. I didn't accept the snacks but did take the gel, which I wound up not using. They left before me, but I would catch up with them later at Double Springs Gap. Bears were apparently very active in this area, but I didn't see any. [caption id="attachment_131" align="alignnone" width="400" caption="Silers Bald shelter, newly renovated"] [/caption] Now it was time to head back. I may have mentioned that the trail toward Silers was reasonably easy except in a few spots. Well, not so fast on the way back. I typically like to walk up the ridges towards the spine of the Smokies on my day-hikes, so that I'll have the psychological boost of knowing that "it's all downhill from here." for the return trip. Well, on this trail, the majority of the uphill is on the way back. This made the return trip very difficult for me. After meeting up with my new friends at the Double Springs Gap shelter and admiring a few deer grazing at the Gap, I walked with these two guys back towards Clingmans. I was able to keep up with them until the final brutal uphill over Mount Buckley. Despite their heavier packs, they had to go on without me while I sat at the top of Mount Buckley gassed. After a long rest, I finally trudged down Clingmans Dome Bypass Trail to the intersection with Forney Ridge Trail. Although it's only 0.1 to the parking lot, I felt that last little uphill on Forney Ridge Trail would do me in for sure. I survived, and laid on the grass next to the parking lot recovering before making my way back to home base in Cherokee. All in all, a beautiful Labor Day solo walk on the Appalachian Trail. Today's low elevation was around 5400' near the intersection of Welch Ridge Trail and the high elevation was of course Clingmans Dome, at 6643'. For pics of this walk, click the link below: Appalachian Trail to Silers Bald (Opens in new window)

[caption id="attachment_40" align="alignnone" width="400" caption="Kephart Prong Trail, Old Dan\'s first \'official\' Smokies walk"] [/caption] I'm not sure of the exact reason I decided to start walking the Smokies "for real" in 2008. I think I was worn out from all the driving around these mountains since purchasing a (since sold) cabin in Georgia in 2000. Watching the mountains fly by out the window only goes so far, I wanted to see my favorite place on Earth in a different way. Whatever the reason, I'm glad May 10, 2008 happened. That beautiful Spring day I decided it was time to start walking and chose the Kephart Prong Trail. Take a walk there one day and you'll understand why I was immediately hooked. I returned every chance I got through the year and finished 2008 with 171 miles of walking, all on Smoky Mountain day-hikes. It takes a very patient and understanding family (remember gas was about $4 a gallon at the time), and the grace of God to have the means, the time, and health to do it. I'm blessed in so many ways...truly blessed. As I got more into my walks I discovered a couple of great websites that inspired me to start my own. There are a lot of great sites out there for hikers, but two of my favorites are from Al Smith/Janice Henderson and Smoky Scout. Al's site is chock full of great information and Smoky Scout is hiking all 900 miles of official Smokies trails in one year for benefit of the Girl Scouts. Links to their sites are below: Al Smith's informative site (Opens in new window) Smoky Scout's inspiring story (Opens in new window) [caption id="attachment_34" align="alignnone" width="400" caption="Views like this one on Sweat Heifer Creek Trail are what kept me coming back"] [/caption] You can review my photos of the 2008 "before website" walking adventures at the links below: Summer 2008 (Opens in new window) Fall 2008 (Opens in new window) Winter 2008 (Opens in new window)