Just wanted to let you know that my wife and I hiked up to Mt LeConte by Alum Cave Buff Trail this past weekend and it was great. We started on the trail at 7:30 AM. and as you know from experience, it was cold. My wife says the next time, she will wear gloves. By the time we got to Arch Rock, we were nice and warm. You are right, there are some great views going up that mountain.

Just before Alum Cave, there were "issues". There was an older lady & family who were coming up behind us. And we knew it because they were very loud. I think they thought they were at a rock concert or something. We could hear them & to be honest, it kind of ruined the atmosphere.

Well, about 100 feet below Alum, they caught up with us. Now my wife & I are walking very fast to keep ahead of them (our mistake). By the time we reach Alum, we were tired. My wife's face was beet red & I would guess mine was as well. My wife stated she was not going any further. We were going back down the hill. And after that rush walk we just did, I was in agreement. Well, guess who sat down next to us? Our new lady friend. She still was talking very, very loud. She now was yelling down the trail to the rest of her group.

My wife was getting mad & I was afraid she was about to say something. She finally looked at me & asked if we could go up the trail farther to get away from this lady. That was fine with me. So we started up the trail & had to go over 100 yards before we could no longer hear that lady and her group. But the surprising thing is we did not stop. We kept on walking. I kept waiting for my wife to stop but we didn't. After a while, we started meeting people who were coming down from spending the night and we would talk to them. That kept us energized. Before we knew it, we were almost there and there was no way we were going to stop then.

We finally reached the top around 10:30. And when we saw the cabins, we both just stopped and stared. The area was just so pretty. We ate lunch on the porch of the dinning room. It was so quiet and peaceful. My wife and I looked at each other & knew this would not be the last time we came up there. We are now trying to figure out the best time to make reservations to spend the night next year. We bought t-shirts as well.

Some excitement coming down the mountain was we passed a couple of groups who stated there was a bear hanging around the trail just above Alum. One guy told us he saw the bear below the trial in a valley just about 100 feet ahead of us. When we got there, there were 2 ladies looking down the valley for the bear. But neither they nor we saw anything. About 5 feet past this point, was a bend in the trail that you could not see around. As we headed for that point, all of a sudden, we heard a "huffing" sound. Both my wife & I froze. That bear was on the trail & what were we going to do? No place to go other than back up the ledge, etc...

Now I am peeking around the corner of the trail to see what it was when a guy and a girl came around. It was him "huffing and puffing". Our hearts finally slowed down about 5 minutes later.

The rest of the trip was not bad. We got down to the car about 2:15PM. Are we going to go up again? That is a great big YES!!!

But a couple of questions for you. The narrow ledges did bother me some. Plus it was a little rugged for my wife. Would you recommend any other ways up? We wondered about the way the llamas go up. I know it is longer but is it as rough? Are there any ledges?

Thanks for any advise you came give.

P.S. Our lady friend and group did make it to the top of the mountain. But we were able to keep away from her and the noise.

P.S.S. I was surprised but we passed 2 different young couples who were going up to spend the night with young babies in backpacks. That seemed a little different.

Our names are Rhonda and Wayne Burgin of Newport KY. We hiked up to LeConte on Saturday, 08/07/04 and I cannot wait to get back down there.  I have told my brother about the lodge and now he wants to go up to see it. This thing just growing and growing.