Noland Creek, Springhouse Branch (in/out, 7/7mi)

This hike was Noland Creek (4.2) and a section of Springhouse Branch (2.8) in and out. Shortly after we got into NC Judy stopped her car and asked me to get my camera out of my bag in her trunk; we really saw the "smoke" there. The other hikers were Barbara Slover, and Gary Niebar. The Noland Creek section that we did would be great for cc-skiing if only there were snow at that level. On Spring House Branch I went ahead both in and out, thinking that I'd have a better chance of seeing wildlife but to no avail.

Turkey Pen Ridge, Bote Mt, Finley Cane (8.5 miles)

This was a rather larger group for the hike was short. From Food Lion I rode with Bill Broome; Tom Wainner also rode with him. The trail started prior to Cades Cove from the Schoolhouse Gap parking lot. We went up Turkey Pen Ridge (this would be excellent for cc-skiing if there were snow at this level), and back down via Bote Mt and Finley Cane trails.

Rain Bummer

This hike started at the Cosby Campground; that was ~ 70 mile trip for me since I realized too late that there was one other (Amy) from Blount Co. The Knoxville hikers meet up at the Cracker Barrel at Strawberry Plains. I arrived at 8:50; a Park Ranger came ~9:00 and suggested an alternate hike for me to take if I were going solo for the one scheduled was quite arduous (particularly considering that I would be alone). When I was about ready to give up Liz Etyner came with three other women; within two minutes Manfred Grote came with Amy.

Because of the weather, Liz (who recently had written a hiking book on the Smokies) thought that the scheduled hike was too much so we did an alternate. We stopped this prior to getting to a bona fide trail head and then retraced our steps. Although I will mark it on my map, I think that my 9 miles in the rain was for naught.

Old Sugarlands, Twin Creeks, Gatlingburg Trails (~9 miles)

Hike 11-9-05

This was a relatively short hike that was scheduled to mesh with Mike Miller’s completion of the 800 miles of trails celebration at Twin Creeks Pavilion. For this reason there was an extremely larger group of hikers (30-40) and a relatively short hike (~9 miles).

For most hikes those in the vicinity meet at Food Lion on 321. I volunteered to drive; my passengers were Jim Harb (with whom I hiked previously), Nancy Olsen (new to our group) and Mike Miller (have done many with Mike—he rode with me only to Sugarlands Visitor Center (SVC), from his celebration picnic he would ride home with wife Pam). The ones that I hiked and talked with were Dale Teague, Bill Broome, Jim Harb, and Gary Niebar.

I had completed the Old Sugarlands trail alone on my first day at Sugarlands VC when I visited Dan Lawson who volunteers in the Back Country Office (June 05). It looked quite familiar but now the trail was lined with leaves and really was more scenic. This time from its terminus we walked against Roaring Fork Motor Trail until we arrived at Ogle’s Cabin. Then we went on Twin Creeks trail and proceeded to Twin Creeks Pavilion and ate. After a long lunch we proceeded to Gatlinburg, walked through the edge of town, and then got on the Gatlinburg Trail. The latter is a 2-mile trail that leads to SVC; it is a nice easy trail and somewhat scenic except for a long stretch that runs adjacent to parking etc., for Park maintenance vehicles.

Noland Divide (11.5 miles)

Met Barbara Slover and Gary Niebart at Sugarlands at 7:00 a.m. (Barbara is shooting to complete the 800 next summer—Gary completed the 800 in July and is one with whom I did my early hikes). Noland Divide was the objective; its trail head is 1.5 miles short of Clingmans Dome. Although I had done the first 3.7 miles of it previously, this time we went from trailhead to terminus at Deep Creek. Although it started off cold (I even wore gloves and there were traces of snow around near the Dome), finished in a long sleeve T-shirt. Mike Miller picked us up at Deep Creek; then we preceded through Bryson City and Cherokee in NC, back to the Gap and Noland Divide trailhead. It was a relatively easy hike, only ll.5 miles.