Post 900 Hike #60: Alum Cave (5) & Trillium Gap (8.8)

About two years ago Sharon McCarthy of Charlotte NC came across my blog on hiking in the G.S.M.N.P. She indicated then that she planned to hike all the trails and would do so when her youngest son began college. Back then I sent her our group’s weekly hiking schedule; however, we sort of lost contact. About three weeks ago she advised me that she had already made several 2-4 day hiking outings in the Western part of the G.S.M.N.P. After looking at her blog (sharon@smokyscout.com) I realized that she was trying to hike all trails in a 365-day period; I could not help but want to assist her in this gargantuan endeavor. After her planned hikes for Feb. 14, 15, & 16, she advised me that she wanted to do a hike in the Mt. Cammerer area or one including Mt. LeConte. I encouraged her to do the latter and suggested that since it would be her 4th day in a row of hiking, that we make it a little easier by starting with Alum Cave Trail to LeConte (only 5 mi.) and return by Trillium Gap (the trail that she needed, 8.8 mi.). I advertised this hike and had four takers (Charlie Woodward, Leslie Toney, Richard Ryburn, and Frank March).

I picked up Charlie, Leslie, and Richard at Food Lion; Frank met us at Wear Cove; we then proceeded in two Highlanders to the Trillium Gap/Rainbow Falls trailheads. After physically meeting Sharon for the first time, we proceeded in her Honda Pilot to the Alum Cave Trailhead (this was a logical choice since she could carry up to 8 in her SUV & at day’s end she could then proceed to NC on US 441 South).

It was ~20 degrees when we started at 08:45; Frank shot this starting picture (from L-R Richard, Leslie, me, Sharon, & Charlie). As we reached elevation ice on the trail became more problematic and we put on crampons; this picture (compliments of Leslie) shows an icy trail and a cable hold. Shortly thereafter Charlie and I decided to up our speed and we arrived at LeConte at 11:45. The third picture was taken ~1 mile prior to reaching LeConte.

We ate on the sunny porch of the lodge; we donned coats for the temperature was 26 degrees (From L to R: Frank, Leslie, Sharon, Charlie & Richard). We kept our coats on for ~the first half of the Trillium Gap Trail; this section of the trail is rocky and was in the shade (and of course we were not burning nearly as many calories on our trip down as we burned on our way up LeConte). We reconnoitered at the Brushy Mountain intersection, leaving 5.2 mi. easy miles to go. Since I would need to ice my knee prior to driving, I decided to push it and arrived at my Highlander at 1600 hours. I entertained myself by racing a couple who were walking on the closed Roaring Forks Motor Trail that somewhat parallels the latter portion of the Trillium Gap Trail. (It was interesting to find that with my state of the art pedometer that only 73% of my 29,606 steps were aerobic; I believe that most of the variance could be accounted for by my gingerly steps taken when I walked on ice.)

When everyone reached the parking lot, Charlie went with me and Sharon as I took her to her vehicle in the Alum Cave parking lot. Then Sharon proceeded South to NC as we proceeded North to the SVC to pick up Leslie and Richard. We arrived at Food Lion ~1800 hours.