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.