Post 900 Hike #89: Aborted Cades Cove Hike, Middle Prong & Indian Flat Falls +

Today’s hike appeared doable even though it looked as though we would have a little rain; when we left Food Lion at 0800 we did not realize that we would be in light rain for most of the day. My passengers were Ellie Doughty, Theresa Wu, Rita Haynes, and Charlie Bean. In a separate car Richard Ryburn and Dick Ledyard would pick up Jerry Roddy in Townsend. The eight of us planned to do Abrams Creek, Hatcher Mtn, Cooper Rd, and Wet Bottoms trails. In another vehicle Jane Calfee, with John Kennerly and Cecil Rowe, planned to do Rich Mtn Loop. When we arrived at Cades Cove we found that the loop road was closed because of high water and thus we could not get to the Abrams Falls parking lot; we then proceeded to do Jane et als. hike but shortly found an impassable stream (we never like the idea of putting on water shoes in the first mile of a hike). We then went across what in essence was a deer pasture (unfortunately my picture taken there was not clear); when we got to the loop road we realized one of the reasons for its closure was ~2 ft. of water standing on it. We walked back to our vehicles and all three proceeded to nearby Tremont; our new plan was to hike Middle Prong (Middle Prong Little River should present some neat pictures because of high water) with a sojourn to Indian Flat Falls (I did this hike ~one month ago, also in the rain).



I did not keep good time-mileage figures on the way up; the above picture is of Cecil and John standing by Panther Creek; fortunately we did not have to cross it in today’s plan. The Indian Flat Falls picture is of Theresa and Rita. After a quick bite, those in my vehicle decided to make it a longer hike by continuing on Middle Prong 1.5 mi. to Lynn Camp Prong Trail; when we got there we decided to go on to Campsite 28 (~1.5 mi.). In this sojourn we had crossed several streams which do not exist under normal conditions; however, the rains of late have made many stream crossings daunting—the one ~50 yds. below Campsite 28 would have required water shoes so we turned around there.



On the way back I decided to push it since I needed to ice my knee before I drove back to Maryville. At 13:35 I reached Lynn Camp Prong Tr; a 0.25 mi. later I reached the junction of Indian Flat Falls Trail (Note: latter is an unmarked trail—it is about 1.2 mi. above Panther Creek--the wide switchback where it starts was purportedly used as a turn-around for engines in logging days). At 14:06 I reached the Panther Creek Trail junction; at 14:51 I reached my vehicle. I covered the last 2.3 mi. of this flat and easy train in 45 min., despite going off trail in an aborted picture attempt and while stopping to respond to “tourist-hiker” questions. My pedometer mileage was 10.7 mi. for today's amalgam of adventures. I iced my knee, and then while talking to two of the tourist hikers that I had previously talked to on trail, my cohorts arrived.

We then proceeded to Tremont (I got out of my vehicle to take the final picture). We arrived at Food Lion ~16:30.

Post 900 Hike #88: Noland Divide & Noland Creek

Met cohorts (Dick Ledyard, Vicki Watkins, & Rita Haynes) at Food Lion at 0700. At 0800 we were at Sugarlands Visitor Center; at 0825 Dick dropped us off at Noland Divide Trailhead close to Clingmans Dome (Vicki; Rita by trailhead). The hike was scheduled to meet one of Vicki’s needs for her 900; it was also one of Rita’s needs (latter has been hiking with our group for less than one year). Dick proceeded on the long drive to Lakeview Drive out of Bryson City to meet Judy Gross (from Ashville). In Dick’s and my organization of this hike, I had told Vicki that I would never set the pace; thus she and Rita took turns leading. Although there was ~4300 feet of decline in this hike, because there were also a few ups, the actual amount of decline perhaps was closer to 5000 feet. We completed this 3.7 mi. trail at 0942 (2.85 mph).

Next was a 5.1 mi. section of Noland Creek; the Brown Book indicates that there are three un-bridged stream crossings; although because of recent rains there were more, the last two were somewhat daunting. As we donned our water shoes, I volunteered to go first to give Vicki and Rita a better idea of our challenge; the water was quite cold, reached ~17” on my knee brace, and required somewhat of a challenge to step out of the water. The next crossing was not quite as difficult, but the water reached the middle of my kneecap (~18.5”). When we pulled into Campsite 64, two young men (in 20’s) were there; one was drying out his equipment for he fell into one of the two preceding streams on Tues. He said that he had a very hard time getting back on his feet; no surprise for with tent, sleeping bag, and provisions for 2-wks, he was probably carrying ~3 times as much weight as we were. We put our boots back on, ate our lunch, and had a nice discussion with these young men.



The above picture was taken minutes after completing our lunch; we were ready to begin the 4.1 mi. section of Noland Creek while the young men from Michigan were going NW on Springhouse Branch Trail. This section of Noland Creek Trail follows an old roadbed that is adjacent to Noland Creek; all crossings of Noland Creek were bridged. Although I did not take a picture of any of the actual water crossings, I did take a picture of a creek from a bridge. Yes, crossing Noland Creek in water shoes was daunting; again, the water was extremely cold.



We arrived at Lakeview Drive at 1430; Vicki proceeded to the parking lot and I went with Rita as she completed the mile section of Noland Creek Trail extending 1-mi. South of Lakeview Drive. Because Dick had not yet arrived when we got back to Vicki's locale, the three of us walked ~.75 mi. West on Lakeview Drive to Dick’s vehicle in the parking lot below the Tunnel To Nowhere. According to my pedometer, Rita and I had done a little more than 15 miles including the Lakeview Drive element. Since Dick had given me a key, we helped ourselves to crackers and cheese; I also had a soda.

Dick and Judy Gross arrived ~20 min. later. Judy told me of a specific trail need that she had (Fork Ridge); I will schedule it for 11/18. Judy left for Ashville (her trip is on the E-side of the rock slide on I-40, so latter did not affect her); Dick motored us on the long trip home. After picking up dinner at Captain D’s, I arrived home ~1900.