Post 900 Hike #78; Grapeyard Ridge (~4 mi. in/4 mi. out)

The hike that I sent out for today was one that had been recommended and one that I thought would sell. However, the hike that I sent out for Otis's group (Charlies Bunyon) was the one that most selected. I rode to Food Lion with Jim Harb; only Lowell Reid and Tom Silas wanted to do this hike and all the others there wanted to do Charlies Bunyon. We proceeded to SVC and although there were a number of hikers there, they all wanted to do Charlies Bunyon too. (In retrospect I perhaps could have predicted this because this past sprig I did this hike--my 2nd time--with a relatively large group.)

Because we had only one vehicle, we obviously could not do a key swap as originally planned. I volunteered to drop the others off at Baskins Creek and and hike into meet them on Grapeyard Ridge; however, Lowell, who also is not working on a second map, volunteered to go with me. The four of us proceeded to Cherokee Orchard Rd. and the beginning of the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail; although it was originally our intent for Jim and Tom to walk to the hike’s trail head ~0.2 mi., since neither had been there I suggested that I just drop them off at the trail head (this of course obligated Lowell and I to drive an extra 3 miles for we would be on a one-way road). I had traveled on that road one time previously with a Ranger, when I was a volunteer at SVC in Spring 05 prior to my ever starting hiking. This rather slow but scenic route helped delay our arrival at the Grapeyard Ridge trailhead in Greenbrier; we did not get started until 1020. (Because of my pectoralis pull I again chose not to use my sticks; however, I did carry them on my pack. I also want to get used to hiking without them, for I plan to take our Vicar and his wife on a more difficult hike and let the two of them use my and my wife's sticks.)

Lowell and I had a good discussion as we hiked. Although I did not have my pedometer (still missing from my Colorado trip), I had a pretty good feel when we would have covered 2.8 mi. and arrive at Injun Creek; it was here that a steam engine fell down the embankment in the late 1920’s. The engine had been used further West to power a saw used in constructing a school; however, on its return it tumbled on a sharp switchback. As we descended on this switchback the engine sort of jumped out at me as we approached it from above; the picture was taken after we had completed the switchback and had a better view. When I hiked Grapeyard Ridge in the spring I totally missed seeing the steam engine; however, I think that I saw it on my first hike on this trail in 2006, but I had not taken a picture of it. Lowell took this picture of me standing on a drive-gear by the wreckage. To my right you can see one of its big steel propelling wheels; obviously this steam engine did not ride on tracks. (If you click the picture twice you can get an enlarged view; I assume that the reader can now appreciate why the area is called "Injun" Creek.)



After a few pictures I decided to speed it up a little and go ahead for Jim and Tom may have expected to see us sooner. After meeting them I reversed my trek and we met Lowell shortly; at this point we figured that we were 4 miles from our terminus (i.e., where Lowell and I started, making it only an 8-mi. hike for for the two of us). We ate lunch a short time later and then went on, stopping briefly so Jim and Tom could view the steam engine.

In the Easterly direction that we were now going, most of the hike is downhill; Lowell and I had done the harder part on our trek West. Tom and I became engrossed in a good discussion and time truly flew. I had figured if the rain came it would be light and would occur towards the very end of our hike; we arrived at Tom's vehicle at 1400 and then it began to rain slightly. Grapeyard Ridge is a very nice trail and hiking with Lowell, Jim, and Tom made it most enjoyable.

Post 900 Hike #77: Trillium Gap to Grotto Falls

Trilium Gap Trail to Grotto Falls

Today’s two hikes were relatively short but commemorative of Margaret Stevenson, the late founder of the Wednesday Hiking Group (a special event following each was to be held at Mynatt Park in Gatlinburg at noon). At our Food Lion meet-up I elected to do Otis’s group hike because I planned to take our Vicar and his wife on much the same hike on the way to Brushy Mountain tomorrow. Although I had planned to drive, I rode with Ron Edlund; his other passengers were Glenn Marshall and TJ Tolnas. I only knew Ron as a fellow member of Vikings of the Smokies; I had hiked with the latter two previously.

After our caravan of vehicles stopped at a trailhead-parking lot a bit sooner than I had anticipated, I soon realized that we were going to take Trillium Gap Trail on ~2.6 mi. trek to Grotto Falls rather than the shorter more direct trail. Because of my pectoralis strain from weight lifting, I did not use my sticks. After ~1 mi. at a relatively slow pace, I decided to go down to the road to ensure that I had well in mind the parking area and trailhead for my Thursday’s hike since it had been a few years since I started a hike at that location. On the map the trailhead for the “short” Grotto Falls hike appeared to be anywhere between 0.25-0.5 mi. until its junction with Trillium Gap Trail; when I arrived at this junction I was uncertain if I was ahead or behind most of our group. After going more my typical speed I soon realized that I was ahead of most everyone; since it was 1045, I knew that there was no way that those behind me could get to the Falls, return to their vehicles, and get to Mynatt Park by 1200. Thus I upped my speed a little more to get to the Falls, thinking that those behind would probably decide to turn back; near the falls I found that BJ Perlack was the only one from our group ahead of me. I had also run into Bob Elliot and Bob Mysinger; they had taken the shorter trek to Grotto Falls.

Perhaps ~0.5 mi. below the falls we met remnants and a progression of our group still treking to the falls. I hiked at a leisurely pace with the two Bobs on the way down, and forgot if BJ was ahead or behind me. When we reached the junction where Trillium Gap peels West and the Bobs were going North to the nearby parking lot, I stopped and talked with them a bit. Because BJ had not arrived I knew that she was ahead of me. As she and I hiked together we came to an unmarked trail junction that I assumed might lead to our vehicles; she said that she went on it a bit and it did not. I should have prevailed; we ended up walking to the Rainbow Falls parking lot. When we reached our parking lot via the road, no one had yet returned. Then TJ, a couple with Otis’s vehicle, the rest from BJ’s vehicle, and then the rest from Otis’s vehicle arrived; all but TJ had missed the turn-off. TJ and I became concerned about Ron and Glen; I started to leave the parking lot when they arrived in a vehicle—to make a long story short, they had made a much longer hike.

Individuals from at least two vehicles missed the commemorative program; however, we all had some cake and were able to touch bases with a few whom we had not seen for sometime.

Post 900 Hike #76: Clingmans Dome via AT—3.8, Welch Ridge—1.7, Hazel Creek—16.7, & boat

Got up ~0415; at 0455 I was at Cecil Rowe’s. Also embarking from that point were John Kennerly, John Hutsenpiller, and Bill Broome (talk about having a great friend along with Bill Woodrick who we momentarily picked up) would eventually move Cecil’s van and Frank March’s Highlander from Clingmans Dome (Frank, Steve Edward, & JD from Clinton had started earlier—the latter two were doing Bone Valley in addition to our hike, would meet JD for 1st time after hike on boat) to our hike’s terminus at Fontana Marina. Our next stop was SVC where we picked up two hikers; at least one other vehicle with our kindred accompanied us to the Dome.

Believe 12 of us (others were Carol Anderson, Carol Anderson, Bill Jax, Charlie Bean, Nan Nln, Richard Ryburn, Martha Frink, Martha Norton, & Mary Kay Jones) embarked from the Dome’s parking lot at 0705 up the 0.5 mi. walk to the AT. When you add the 0.5 at front end and the 0.5 to get to the boat pick-up beyond Campground 86, the hike is more than 23 miles; however, it is basically down. It was for the latter reason that I did not wear my HR-monitor; on down hikes my HR rarely gets over 100 bpm. Although this hike did burn a few calories despite the negative work, the heart takes it quite easy; on up hikes I typically lead and endeavor to get my HR to at 150 (3 X resting). (Another reason that I did not want to burn trails is that on Sunday in lifting weights I apparently pulled a little tissue in the area of the origin of my R. pectoralis minor muscle.) At most trail junctions we typically waited until everyone finished the section; moreover, really no point in going fast since we all were going to catch the same boat and there was lots of time.

The section of the AT done is innocuous. Believe it was on Welch Ridge that we had our first rain; this made some of the down on it and Hazel Creek quite slippery. Hazel Creek has ~13 bona fide stream crossings; today they were augmented by rain. I am not sure how many I rock hopped and I possibly rock-hopped more than I should have. There was one in particular that after jumping on too a large rock and then bracing myself behind it, I was able to extend a stick to the one following and assist him on the last hop which was not a long hop but was a bit of up). After ~7 stream crossings the individual leading fell into the water; it was at this point that rest of us in this contingent donned our water shoes. From there on we just sloshed across the streams; it was typically below knee level (but not for all).

Three of us (Carl Muse, Charlie Bean & me) were looking for a place to eat but did not stop until we covered the 8.1 mi. section of Hazel Creek (i.e., Cold Spring Gap’s junction with Hazel Creek at ~1330). Frank was there for he did not elect to do Bone Valley with Steve & JD (Frank had finished the 900 2-3 months ago); Cecil and Bill arrived shortly (the latter via the Cold Spring Gap trail). Besides eating lunch here we endeavored to dry our feet (next time my 2nd pair of socks will be in a zip-lock). At 1422 we set out and left a note for those following. The last 6.6 mi. of Hazel Creek is as boring as hell; it just follows an old roadbed with very few inclines. Of course at this stage of the game on a long hike, even I do not object to having any serious climbs. Shortly it was just Carl and I leading; for first time ever on a hike I collapsed my sticks and carried them in one hand (my pec was bothering me).

Remnants of the logging mill of Proctor were the most unique aspects in our last 0.5 mi. When we came to the Southernmost Hazel Creek Bridge (1650) we instead went straight; Frank was sitting on the porch of the Calhoun house and we joined him. He told us that Steve and JD chose to wait near the boat landing. Others straggled in; at ~1720 we walked the 0.5 mi. to the boat landing; fortunately it was early and we pushed off ~1745 (15 min. earlier than intended). Pictures: (1)primarily shows those passengers sitting aft and (2) almost ready to leave--Cecil is closing his back van door. Not sure when we got back to our vehicles; assume we all pulled out of the marina by 1830. Then we had the long ride back (including a bit on the dragon). Believe we arrived at Cecil’s ~2045.

Post 900 Hike #75: Clingmans Dome to Newfound Gap

I hiked with Richard Ryburn, Dick Ledyard, Frank March, and Jerry Roddy; the hike was one several groups were doing but this group planned to do an additional 2.5 mi. following old U.S. 441 (not sure when this road was replaced by our present U.S. 441—in late fall and winter this old road can be seen from our present U.S. 441 just below Newfound Gap in NC). Because Frank had just flew in from the D.C. area ~0300 hrs, we took a much later start than usual. I had contemplated hiking “up” from Newfound Gap after dropping everyone off at Clingmans Dome; however, we needed to go in three cars since there was some uncertainty relative to who would do the 2.5 mi. add-on hike. I rode with Richard; when we arrived at Newfound Gap ~1300 to leave two of the cars, we saw a few of the others who had just finished the hike. We rode to Clingmans Dome in Frank's Highlander.

At 1345 we had completed the 0.5 mi. of up to get to the trailhead; the 0.5 mi. is quite popular because it is used by anyone going to Clingmans Dome observation deck. Going from the Dome to the Gap is basically down so we did not try to cover the distance quickly. The first picture is of my hiking buddies as we took a break which allowed Frank to eat his lunch; they are Jerry, Frank, Richard, and Dick. Richard and Frank are really into noting nuances that many ignore and/or are not aware; thus a nominal hike such as this can be quite interesting in addition to the typical discussions one can have in hiking.



If you look carefully you'll note in the second picture the limestone wall of the original U.S. 441. It is my intent to incorporate a picture that Dick took of what is left of an old mountain road.