Fort Mountain State Park

Rain forecast for the weekend, so we loaded the camper instead of our backpacks. Headed South for Georgia, Fort Mountain State Park, just a two hour drive, and we had never been there.

When we got to the Park we blew past the camper check in, and found the campground, and the gate that required a code. The campground host gave us the code and said to pick our site, don't set up, you have to go back to the entrance and do the camper check in. We saw a lot of empty sites down by the lake and picked 3. Drove back to check in. They are site specific and our first choice was "taken" so we picked #47 with a lake view. We were hoping that our neighbors would not show up.

We got set up and had started our lunch when we heard a noise. After some investigating, we found water running out the side of our camper. Someone, when draining the water tank, forgot to close the blow off valve. I then noticed that the water heater was heating with gas. I had to turn the breaker back on for the electric water heater.

After lunch we took off to see what we could see. We hiked the trail around the lake first where we saw a kiosk with a sign saying "Tower open 1-4 on Saturday". Well, we had to check that out.

We drove to the Cool Springs Overlook for the view and then drove to the Tower trail which is also the Stone Wall Trail which has a lot of info about the "Moon Eyed People" that may have built the wall, and the Cherokee Legend, and the studies that have been done on the rocks to "date" them. MAYBE prehistoric?

The wall was basically a long rock pile which didn't look that old to us, but what do we know? When we got to the tower, the door was locked. So much for our tour. We drove back down to the lake checking out the cabins for rent and hiked the Big Rock trail.

When we got back to the camper it had started to sprinkle. We enjoyed an evening playing Battle Ship and Pay Day. Lora had never played either and it had been at least 30 years since I had. It was a nice evening.

The next morning after breakfast, we hiked to the Goldmine Creek trail. From there we caught the Gahuti trail hiked it back past the lake and up to the Campground Loop trail at the North end of the campground. It sprinkled on us the whole way.

We got back to the camper, ate lunch, and then packed up to leave. Great weekend.

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Graysville Mt. TTA

Crystal and I met the Upper Cumberland TTA hikers at Roaring Creek/McGill Creek Trailhead in Graysville. The sunshine must have followed them from Cookville. Lillian, Janet and Dr. Womac got there and so did the CT Volunteers; Don and Carol, TC and Judy and two furry friends, Bob, Mark and Teresa, and Jan and her friend, and two furry friends. They got started ahead of us. We stopped at what looks like a mine opening covered with icicles. Then uphill and across the road, to McGill Creek. We caught up with the other hikers and chatted with them, checking out all the new bridge parts waiting to be put together, cables strung across the creek, waiting on the workers to show up. Not sure what the schedule is to put the bridge together but it will be neat for this segment to be completed. As we were going back along the creek we saw bluebirds and some yellow ones too but not sure what they were. Maybe goldfinches.

We hiked back to the parking lot and then hiked up the roadbed to Polecat Falls. There was a lot of ice in the creeks, and on the walls and you could see where the other streams come just by all the ice on the hill sides. The rock overhang at Polecat Falls was covered with icicles and it was a cool view looking out from under at the falls.

Back to the parking lot and everyone headed home. It was a beautiful day with good friends.
Hiked about 7.5 miles.



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MLK 2018

Garnett scheduled another great long weekend at Roscoe's Retreat. 12 hiking ladies: Nora, Marietta, Cathy, Dianna, Nancy, Gloria Dale, Sue, Kathy, Linda, Betty, Carol, and me. Garnett's recent knee surgery kept her from being there and we missed her so much. We Face timed with her to keep her updated on activities. Nancy did a super job scheduling hikes but Mother Nature decided to throw a few snow showers and a little rain in the mix and the Park decided to close some roads. Thursday's hike was part of Old Sugarlands Trail. I didn't get there early enough for that one. I did get there in time for supper.

Friday we hiked Twin Creeks, and then the Gatlinburg Trail which somehow led to a rustic restaurant for some hot coffee and hot chocolate and the BIGGEST cinnamon roll I have ever seen. Almost like trail magic.

Saturday Plan B due to road closures, was Cove Mountain, passing pretty Cataract Falls, seeing views of Mount LeConte  and following the boundary of the Park. Not sure how far we hiked in, and then back out. The snacks were ready for us when we returned to the cabin and a few ladies got a little hot tub soak in with the refreshing 18 degree air out on the deck.

Sunday we drove to Tremont Institute to leave cars for a shuttle. There was a lot of snow on the road driving in, but the closed gate kept us from getting to the Middle Creek Trailhead. Plan B, no shuttle required. Lumber Ridge trail out and back. This is really pretty winter time trail, with the views into the Middle Prong of the Little River Valley, and Walker Valley. Not too far from the saddle of the ridge, I spotted 3 wild hogs, big and solid black. Marietta and Betty were with me, ahead of the others, so we were the only ones to see them. We turned around at Buckhorn Gap at the junction of Meigs Mountain, and Meigs Creek Trails. It was a quick lunch stop, as was all the other lunch stops, too cold to sit for long. Back at the Institute, 3 of us wanted some more hike time, so Marietta, Nancy and I hiked to Spruce Flat Falls. The Falls was just beautiful with all the ice. But the views along the ridge line were worth the climb up. All the timber in the upper elevations was frozen and snow covered and the sun was making it sparkle. Breathtaking! We had to stop and soak up this scenery.
Back at the cabin, more snacks awaited the hungry hikers. A little football watching and some Mexican Train domino action made a great evening. And a little Victoria on Masterpiece.

Monday's forecast was more snow coming to Nashville, so we packed up, cleaned out the leftovers for breakfast, some of our ladies headed for home. The rest of us headed to Trillium Gap Trail. Gloria Dale and I both need this one for map marking, to the junction with Brushy Mountain. It was another cold start but the sun was shining. We saw a large buck, 6 point I think, and a few does. After climbing for a while, 3 of our ladies said goodbye and turned back, and 4 of us kept trekking along. We got to Grotto Falls, which was absolutely gorgeous, and ice covered behind the falls, and  ice and snow covered part of the rocks intended for rock hopping across the creek, and 4 wise ladies decided it wasn't a good day for crossing the creek. We turned around with lips pooched out, disappointed at not being able to finish this trail. The pouting didn't last long, it was too beautiful of a day to pout. We started back carefully crossing the smaller creek only to see Marietta jump in the creek to save her hiking pole. Tough ladies, my hiking friends are. We met a lot of people hiking up while we hiked down. Saw the deer again at the bottom. We said our last goodbyes at the parking lot.

Another great weekend filled with good friends, good food, and fun times.
And I got two more trails marked off my map!

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