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LeConte Lodge-Alum Cave Trail with Ed Wright and Bullhead Trail October 25th, 2008 by Connie Houk

It seems that the more I hike the Alum Cave Trail the more I like it and the more I want to hike it. I never seem to tire of it. After meeting Liz at Burger King in Pigeon Forge she followed me to the Rainbow Falls Trail parking area where we would leave her car and take mine on to the Alum Cave parking area. Sevier County had received a lot of rain and high winds that night and there were lots of broken limbs lying along side Cherokee Orchard Road baring evidence of the storm. It was still misty but the forecast was calling for the clouds to move out by noon. We were hoping for good weather.  As we pulled into the parking area at Alum Cave , Rick Leihgeber pulled in right behind us. His wife, Barb is one of my co-workers at the bank. She had planned on hiking also but could not make the trip. A gentleman (from Tennessee , not sure what part) was there waiting on the rest of his group....about 25 to 30 young rangers. The trail would be crowed today. We wished him well, loaded our packs and walked to the upper parking area where we didn’t see any of the Wright clan. We were supposed to meet at 7:30 a.m. and were running about 15 minutes behind schedule; we assumed they had already started. We were on the trail at 7:45 a.m. The rain had really brought the water level up and it sure did look good!  It was a cool brisk morning but we soon warmed up as we started to hike. It was not long at all before a man overtook us and come to find out he was looking for the Wright’s too. It was Mike Williams and we recognized one another from Ed’s website. He hiked on and said he would tell Ed we were coming. We then came upon Cindy, Austin, and Charlie at the 2nd foot log. I think they were salamander hunting. After introducing Rick we started on up to Arch Rock, where Ed, Bob, Mike, Susie (a friend of Cindy’s), and Debbie (a friend of the Wright’s) were waiting. It was good to see everyone.  I completely forgot to introduce Rick to the rest of them but I think they took care of it. Sorry...!  Us three had warmed up and had to take our long sleeves off. After visiting for a few minutes our group of eleven started up the trail. I got this picture of Austin with Charlie in the background as I walked across the foot log and this one of Liz on the 4th foot log. Some of my pictures were disappointing as they were blurry and had to be deleted. It was really a pleasant surprise to see all the water at the 1993 Washout. When I had come through a week ago it was dry as powder, but now it was running like a normal creek bed. I don’t think I have ever seen water there before. I snapped this picture of Charlie as he was coming upon the Washout. It must have been to cold for the salamanders because there was none to be found. Then it was on to Inspiration Point where we took a short break. The clouds still had everything socked in at that point and made the mountains have a mystical look to them. Just before the steps to the Bluffs big drops of water were dripping off the rocks on to the trail. I stepped off the trail to go around not wanting to take a shower. My hair already looked like it had been washed from all the moisture in the air. Then, after climbing the steps and just before the handrail, a long row of water droplets coming off of the bluffs was hitting smack dab in the middle of the trail.  There was no going around so I covered my camera and hurried as quickly as I could. Three male hikers that had passed us earlier at Arch Rock were at the Bluffs. As I was resting and catching my breath I took this picture of Cindy, Charlie and Austin taking a shower. I had noticed that Tillroe was not with the group and asked Ed about him not making the hike. He said that Tillroe’s wife was ill and not doing well. Please remember her in your prayers.  Austin was videoing one of the little boomer squirrels begging for handouts. By this time Ed had a large group of admirers surrounding him and took turns having his picture made with different ones in the crowd. I took this picture of Cindy and Rick as they were walking under the bluffs. Then it was on to Gracie’s Pulpit. It was10:10 a.m. and we took a nice break there and saw the first glimpse of blue sky. Every now and then a mountain peak could be seen through the breaks in the clouds. I overheard Susie, Debbie and Mike having a conversation about jalapeño peppers. Mike said he had some in his pack for lunch. When I told him how well I liked jalapeno peppers he assured me he would give me one when we got to the top. That would go great with my bologna sandwich. After our break, Ed thanked me for the use of my sitting pad but said to bring one with a back on it the next time. Ed..Ed..Ed. It was chilly going through the saddle. Actually, it was a little uncomfortable with short sleeves on but I knew it wouldn’t last for long so I didn’t bother putting on more clothes. Between the lower and upper steps the views were gorgeous with the clouds moving out. Looking up at the balsams against the blue sky was gorgeous.  Liz spotted a tree with water drops on the limbs glistening as the sun hit it. There were still lots of water on the trail. The most I have seen in a long, long time. The ones in the front stopped at the upper steps to wait on the rest of the group. That is where the young rangers started passing us. We had wondered when they would catch up to us. They looked none to weary but I couldn’t say that about some of the adult chaperones. Three nice young adults came down the trail that had spent the night in the LeConte Shelter. They shared the shelter with 8 dentists who had passed dentist jokes back and forth all evening. How funny would that be! Some of us mentioned that Ron Valentine had not passed us yet and about that time he and his friend Pam came walking down the trail. It sure is a small world. When Ed asked him about his number of LeConte hikes he confirmed what he had told me once before. He would tell when Ed died but it didn’t look like he was going to any time soon. Ed said he didn’t plan on dying. Great answer!! That brought a smile to everyone and the number of hikes still remains a mystery. Two legends on the mountain...what a treat. There was lots of water spilling over the trail at Trout Branch.  Clingmans Dome Tower was visible when the clouds would open up.  Liz, Susie, Mike and I waited at the Stairways on the rest of the group. Rick and Debbie had hiked on ahead. I had not thought to tell Rick about having prayer at the Stairways and not sure if Debbie knew but she had to go on ahead to the “Little Girl’s Room”. While we were waiting we watched two people slip on the same rock. We took note to be careful when we started back up the trail. Cindy led us into a nice prayer. What a perfect place to have a special prayer!  There were more views of the Dome and I took a picture of West Point through the trees. We met Allyson and Chris Virden coming down the trail and quizzed them about the lunches that are planned to be offered to day-hikers next year. We walked under Paul’s Face at Cliff Tops and finally the flat section of trail that I am always so glad to see. We came upon the little bridge just before the Lodge to find Debbie lying there waiting on the rest of us. She took a picture of our arrival. Then we claimed our place in the line at the hiker bathrooms. Unfortunately for us ladies, we don’t do well in the standing room only stalls. That was where Rick found us. He had already had his lunch so he hiked up to Cliff Tops while we ate. As I was walking up to the office I met Mike coming back out. He said it was too crowded so he was going to one of the picnic tables. I still had the jalapeño pepper in my mind so I told him to save me and Liz a spot. I found Liz in the warm office next to the heater clinging to two chairs for us. She was not about to give them up to sit outside in the 40 degree weather so I went outside to find Mike. Without any luck I came back inside and ate the bologna sandwich without the pepper. Gosh, was the office crowded! The young rangers plus the other hikers filled the place up. We signed the journal (Ed’s name is visible on there also) and by this time Rick was back from Cliff Tops. Mike came in to give me some jalapenos for later. He said he tried to get my attention outside by waving but I must be blind! (I ate one later that night at home and “oh my goodness”....it was hot! Good but hot! Thanks Mike.) By the time we got outside, Ed and the rest were already gone. I wished we had gotten to tell him “Bye...until the next time.”  We took pictures of the date before heading up the steps for the return trip. We all had put long sleeves back on and kept them on the rest of the day. My gloves stayed on part of the way down. After starting back down on the Alum Cave Trail we took the rocky Rainbow Falls Trail down to the intersection with Bullhead. Liz and I had not hiked this trail in a few years and Liz needed it for her second map so we were looking forward to it. Rick had not hiked it either and needed it for his first map. We met two day hikers from Oak Ridge going to the lodge at the Bullhead Trailhead. One of them was also a bird watcher and he pointed out a blackcapped chick-a-dee perched close by on a limb. After talking to them awhile we headed down Bullhead. This is a nice trail with some great views on clear days. There are a few rocky sections but for the most part it is easy walking, more so than Rainbow Falls Trail. We were still scanning the hillsides for colors but the most color we saw was lying on the ground. There were lots of red maples and various yellow leaves blanketing the trail from the previous night’s winds. I took a picture of Rick as he was going through a rhododendron tunnel and Liz as she was coming through behind me. I took several pictures of the views. We could see the Space Needle in Gatlinburg and the Red Roof Mall in Pigeon Forge. Half-way down Bullhead we came upon the Pulpit, a rock cairn that was built by the CCC. This is a good place to get your binoculars out. Rick spotted a chestnut burr lying next to the trail. I sure hope the chestnut trees make a come back to the Smokies. I took a couple pictures of some bright green moss growing around a tree trunk. Farther on down the trail there were some large rock houses that would be good for shelter if needed. We passed one hiker coming up Bullhead, making a total of three hikers on the trip back down all the way to the car. When comparing that to the busy Alum Cave Trail that morning and it’s almost like you entered into another world. Rick, who was in front, startled a grouse that in turn startled us. Their fluttering wings sound like a little engine starting up. At 5:20 p.m. we came out at the Old Sugarland’s Trail and then .4 mile to the parking area at 5:30 p.m. There was a bear jam on Cherokee Orchard Road but lucky for us the wait was not very long. We didn’t see the bear but saw lots of people out of their cars walking in the woods. Frightening for the bear, huh? We thought traffic would be terrible on the way back to our vehicles at Alum Cave but it had cleared out by that time. Liz drove through the upper parking area to see if the Wrights had came out and their vehicle was gone. Sorry we missed you guys! It was another great day for a hike!! Thanks Ed for including us and I would like to say “Hi” to the Max’s from Memphis whom I met at the Gatlinburg Visitor Center and don’t forget to come visit during your June trip. (Ed, Dan hiked with your group in June of 2007.)

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