Ramsey Cascades (4 in & 4 out)

Met at Food Lion at 8:00. I rode with Paula, TJ, & Betty; we arrived at Greenbrier shortly before 9:30 and trail head ~9:45; the day was beautiful. At the trail head I waited for Bob to arrive; although he and I were last to depart, we were the first to arrive at Ramsey Cascades. It is a more arduous trail in the last mile; however, the cascades are perhaps the neatest of all the falls in the GSMNP. Most of us ate lunch on one gigantic boulder just below the falls; there it was cool and still many traces of snow. (A few remarked about my last e-mail wherein I said that I might be hiking MWF beginning in April; I believe I will get a few takers.)

Some from our group arrived while we were eating lunch; on our downward trek we met a few who had not yet made it plus a fe others. BJ, Bob and I were the first back; the others drifted in groups of 2-3.

Rainbow Falls (6.0), Mt. LeConte (.5 + .5) & Bullhead (5.9) & Old Sugardlands (0.4)

For my Friday hikes this week had one taker on the LeConte one (actually 2 others would have gone too but had to back out). Jim Harb wanted to hike Rainbow Falls, LeConte in & out, and Bull Head. Although I had advertized this hike, the only new trail for me was Bull Head.

We were at Rainbow Falls trail head at 9:30. Initially we came upon three deer, one was very friendly. Towards the end of the 6 mi. Rainbow Falls Trail we encountered hard packed snow and ice; this carried over to the 0.5 mi. to LeConte. After we ate lunch at LeConte I gave Jim one of my crampons (LL Bean Stabilicers); thus we each had one foot that could handle the ice. (As we were leaving LeConte a couple arrived via Alum Cave Trail; neither had poles--I hoped that they made it.)

The Stabilicers enabled us to move rather well on our downward trek. We saw a rather unique arrangement of snow on hemlock needles and rhodoendrums; we called this arrangement "snow feathers" for they had a feather shape. One picture shows it in essence hanging upon itself; neither of us had ever seen anything like this. Towards the end of Bull Head we came across some most unique and large rock formations.

We did not reach my car until ~5.15; it was a long day.

Curry Mtn (3.3), Meigs Mtn (1.9), Lumbar Ridge (4.1)

Met Liz, Anne, & BJ at Kinzel Springs at 9:00. Liz et al. took my car to Tremont (close to Lumbar Ridge trail head); I drove BJ's car to Metcalf Bottoms (close to Curry Mtn trail head) and met Bob Bolinger there (he lives in Sevierville).

The hike was not too consequential. Met up with Liz et al. along Meigs Mtn trail; we exchanged car keys and ate lunch. Although there were some good views of Thunderhead Mtn, none were very clear. Bob and I arrived at Tremont ~2:00; after icing I drove him back to his car at Metcalf Bottoms.