To put it mildly, 2011 was a roller coaster year of running. Despite the highs and lows, the year ended on a very high note with three outings in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee and Pisgah National Forest in North Carolina over a two day period. Each outing got better and better.
Friday, December 30, 2011
For a couple years it has been a goal of mine to run to the summit of Mt. LeConte, located at 6,593 feet in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. For a variety of reasons this had not yet happened, so I set Friday as the day. The weather had been quite warm in the Smokies, making a running ascent possible this early in the winter. Looking out at Mt. LeConte from my parent’s cabin it appeared that the mountain was free of snow and ice. I would quickly discover on Friday morning that this was incorrect.
I opted to take the Rainbow Falls trail 6.5 miles to the summit of Mt. LeConte due to its close proximity to the cabin, allowing me extra time on the trails rather than in transit to the trailhead. Plus, seeing Rainbow Falls has also been on my checklist. My “run” began at 5:45 a.m. by light of my headlamp. For almost two hours I climbed in the dark. I passed Rainbow Falls early in the run, but could only hear it. The solitude and absolute quiet in the pre-dawn woods was peaceful and very enjoyable. Occasionally the trail would open up to views of Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge below, and it was awesome to see the lights of the city fade smaller and smaller as I climbed. After two miles snow and ice began to appear on the trail. At first it was just in spots, but as I climbed it became quickly apparent that footing would be a real issue for the remainder of the run. I fell at least a half dozen times and almost fell countless others. Sounds frustrating, but it was actually quite comical and I laughed each time. When Luke falls at the house he quickly pops up and says “I’m okay,” so I did the same each time, even though no one was around to hear my proclamation of non-injury. Talking to myself is a favorite pastime of mine.
The sun appeared around 7:45 a.m. and I was finally able to get a real view of my surroundings. Snow covered the mountains and the scenery was breathtaking…or was that the change in elevation? Hard to say. I completed the final climb to Mt. LeConte and arrived at the lodge a bit after 8:00. The summit and lodge area was completely covered in snow and the temperature was easily in the low 20s, if not lower. I lingered up top for a bit, snapped a few pictures and then proceeded back down the trail. The descent was faster, but the ice/snow made it really tricky. I managed to make it back to the trailhead in one piece, stopping only to get a good look at Rainbow Falls, which was beautiful. I finally saw the first people two miles from the trailhead and over three hours into my journey. I did stop briefly to ask a hiker to take a picture of me, and he seemed confused when I told him I had already been to LeConte and back. I thought nothing of it, as looks of confusion are frequently directed at me in all areas, not just running.
This outing was amazing and I had a blast navigating the icy trails. My GPS registered 12,667 feet of elevation change in 12.5 miles, an average of over 1,000 feet of elevation change/mile. Explains my slow pace!
Saturday Morning, December 31, 2011
I was tired on Saturday morning after Friday’s run and an afternoon at Dollywood with the family and almost decided to bail on Saturday’s run. I’m glad I chose to get up. As good as Friday’s run was, Saturday’s was better! I started at the same trailhead at 6:45 a.m. and took the Trillium Gap Trail to Brushy Mountain at just under 5,000 feet. The climb was still rough, but not as bad as Friday’s, so the run seemed fast by comparison. After Friday’s slow crawl up Mt. LeConte, Saturday’s climb seemed like 5k pace. Only an hour of darkness on Saturday morning led me to Grotto Falls as the sun was beginning to rise. Grotto Falls was spectacular. The trail leads under the falls, which is a neat feature. Rainbow Falls was majestic, Grotto was peaceful. Two very different falls, but each one unique and beautiful. The trail was relatively ice/snow free, which made the ascent much quicker. At mile 5 the trail met up with the Brushy Mountain Trail, and after a short climb I reached the top of Brushy Mountain, an overgrown brush area with amazing views of Mt. LeConte and the entire Smoky Mountain ridge. The sun was rising over the mountains and the views were inspiring. I stayed here for several minutes before returning back down the trail to end Saturday’s run.
The views from Brushy Mountain far surpassed any from the summit of Mt. LeConte. Hard to even describe the beauty of this part of the park. Saturday morning’s total was 8,794 feet of elevation change in 11 miles, an average of almost 800 feet of elevation change/mile. A ton of climbing, but seemed flat compared to Friday.
Saturday Afternoon, December 31, 2011
So, Saturday morning’s run was more enjoyable than Friday’s, but the best outing was still to come. After lunch Sally and I loaded up Luke and Anna and made the drive from the cabin to Pisgah National Forest in North Carolina. Over eight years ago I proposed to Sally from the top of Max Patch Bald and we decided to return with the kids. The area is accessible by taking a forest road off of I-40 and then hiking approximately ½ mile up to the bald, which is a clearing located at 4,700 feet with 360 degree views of the mountains. There may be a better view in the Eastern U.S., but I am not aware of one.
Luke was excited about climbing his first mountain and Anna was excited about eating fruit snacks at the top. They both did great making their way up the hill and Luke did the whole climb and descent by himself. At one point on the climb a couple passed us and Luke sped up saying “I have to pass them!” I explained that it wasn’t a race, to which he simply replied “Yes it is.” Who am I to argue? He even celebrated with a GU at the top.
Verse: "For the Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods. In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land." -Psalm 95:3-5
