Post 900 Hike #107: Old Settlers Trail--15.8, Madron Bald--1.2

This was a hike proposed by Doug Jerger; he is one of several whom I have endeavored to help attain their 900 Miler certification. Selfishly I must admit that this is a trail that I needed for my Geezer Map (i.e., doing the 900 miles after age 75).

After Doug announced this relatively arduous hike, four responded including me. I then called one of my best hiking buddies BZ Lane, who played a most critical role in my completion of the 900 miles; he said that he would be most willing to do this hike even though it is not one needed for his second map. Readers of this blog will note that I hike with BZ quite frequently; he is a very strong hiker and one great guy. I should mention that most do this hike in two sections with the Noisy Creek Manway as the division line; however, Doug, who is also my X-C ski buddy and has run marathons, does not shy away from arduousness.

I arrived at Food Lion ~07:15; I rode with Doug and Dave Amendt was also a passenger. We arrived at SVC ~08:05; besides BZ, Dana Murphy and Ramsey Roth (both of Gatlingburg--BZ and I met Dana last week as she hiked ~17 mi. alone) were also wanting to do this hike. BZ, Doug, Dave, and I went in Dana's SUV to the Old Settlers trailhead in Greenbier; Dana and Ramsey went in BZ's SUV to the Madron Bald trail head relatively close to Cosby.

We were on the trail at 08:55; this trail goes through what was part of the most densely settled area of what eventually became the GSMNP. The trail is relatively easy except for length; it includes nominal gains as well as declines in altitude with numerous stream crossings that for the most part are relatively easy. It also includes many chimneys and rock fences that remain from the late 19th and early 20th centuries.



At ~12:10 we met Dana and Ramsey; our group backtracked a bit so that we could all eat lunch together. (Regret not taking a picture here, Dana would have brightened up the group of old men.) Assume we started back on trail ~12:30. Shortly we came to the most impressive stone fence (there are many) that parallels this trail; by my pacing the one pictured is ~350 feet in length (Brownbook states that it is >100 yds).



This most unique fence took an inestimable number of hours to construct. I assume that every member of one family (and probably descendents) took part in its construction.

Close to the end of our hike we took ~0.2 mi. sojourn to a barn estimated to have been build ~1876. Attached to it but not seen in the picture is what appears to be very well constructed corn (or other grain) storage compartment.



We arrived at BZ's vehicle ~16:00 and I iced my knee. It was then back to SVC and into Doug's SUV; I arrived home ~18:00 after stopping to pick up dinner. It was a great day and a good hike; it's length and difficulty was about the same as last week's hike (rock-hopping stream crossings instead of elevation were its bane).

Pedometer trivia:
16.67 mi.
35,217 steps
33,124 aerobic steps (with all the stream crossings, some steps quite short and not interpreted as being areobic.
1,308 kcal burned.