Cataloochee Divide 1.8 pd, Hemphill Bald 3.0 n, Caldwell Fork in & out 1.7 n & 1.7 pd, Caldwell Fork 1.4 n, McKee Branch 2.3 n (1.5 + 1.5 in/out Rd)

Dave Bassett and his son Stephen (~11 yrs and strong) arrived at my house at 7:00; we picked up John Kennerly at Lakeside Market on U.S. 129 in Louisville and after ~1 hr. Dennis McAdams at Shoneys in Newport. We arrived at Purchase Gap ~9:00 and then walked ~1.5 mi. on gravel road and then Manway to the Cataloochee Divide trail; ironically McKee Branch ends at this point. I had written out a hike plan wherein we would start McKee Branch at this point and then end with Cataloochee Divide (i.e., do a CC-loop {with an in-out leg} rather than do a C-loop); we did the latter and I believe this factor contributed to my error after finishing our last trail and then going to the Manway (to be described).

The first pic is of Stephen, Dave, Dennis, and John on the grounds of The Swag; when Cataloochee Divide ended at Hemphill Bald, we proceeded on the NW section of this trail which was relatively easy. At 3 mi. we turned on a 1.7 Caldwell Fork trail in a Westerly direction and ate lunch at Campsite 41. Dennis then proceeded to our terminus (he had done this 1.7 mi. section and planned to scout the grounds of the Applachian Highlands Science Learning Center at Purchase Gap. John, Dave, Stephen and I completed an in-and-out on this section; that is Stephen standing beside a giant poplar in this area. We then did a 1.4 mi. section of Caldwell Fork in a NE direction; this was followed by a difficult 2.3 mi. on McKee Branch Trail (1800’ gain in 2.3 mi. with very few switchbacks). When we reached Cataloochee Divide I took the lead again for I typically like to speed up towards the end of our last trail. Unfortunately we were already at the end and I had not even looked for the unmarked Manway. After John and I had gone ~0.25 miles, we looked at my map because things did not seem familiar. We then realized that we had already passed the Manway. We backtracked and John explored the 1st Manway leading off our trail; it was not the right one and I explored the 2nd one. I realized it was the correct one but I had to retreat to tell the others; this error which I led probably added ~30 min. to our hike. For Dave and Stephen who do not hike that regularly, it was longer hike than desirable. (One minor good point: Stephen set his own PR with a hike of ~16 mi.)

Dennis was waiting for us and we then trudged back to my vehicle. We stopped at the “apple store” in Cosby; I then dropped Dennis off at his car in Newport. We then proceeded to Louisville and dropped John off at his car at the Lakeside Market. As we came up my driveway at ~7:15, four deer ran in front of us just after I had told Dave and Stephen that I had my bright lights on to ensure that I had a better chance of seeing deer should they cross my path. Stephen was very impressed and this was perhaps one of the hi-lites of the trip for him.