Saturday afternoon: 04/02/05: Leaving Columbus, Ohio was a small challenge due to the inclimate weather. Martine and I were scheduled to leave from work at Macy’s Housewares Dept. at 3 p.m.. I used my lunch hour to organize the car. Having dressed in "Spring" attire for the drive to Gatlinburg made me realize that I was not practicing adverse weather prevention when the buckets of rain mixed with snow made me look like a wet sea lion at Fisherman’s Wharf. Being called the Wild woman of Housewares, because of high energy and love of people, the remainder of my time at work was confined to our stock room, being bored without people, while blow-drying my clothing, hair, etc. Martine did a superior job of covering all bases on the selling floor, while our manager, Nancy Foster conveniently had the day off and missed out on a hilarious Wildwoman Weekend Episode!

Three O’s’ clock arrived and Martine and I hit the 71 south, competing with the elements of Mother nature. Eighty miles down yonder, the sun came out, and it was smooth-sailing into Gatlinburg, with a quick stop in Florence, KY to capture a beautiful sunset.

Sunday morning: 04/03/05: We heard the news that the higher elevations of the Smokies had 7 inches of snow. That explained the back-up of traffic on the 40 westbound last night as we were traveling earthbound to the Gatlinburg exit. The mountain roads were closed due to the heavy snow. Arriving at the Sugarland Visitor Center at 11:00 a.m., we were informed that the roads had just opened; we scrutinized the Alum Cave Bluffs Trail’s snowy conditions, and drove several AT thru hikers to Newfound Gap, who said that the snow and ice "challenged" the hikers coming down from the lodge, based on the reports they heard. Happy Hiker on Ski Mt. Road confirmed the same reports. The staff encouraged us to hike on Monday, but to start later…between 9-10 a.m., giving the snow and ice a chance to begin melting. The remainder of our day consisted of a visit to Neil’s Gallery and a fine supper at Apple Farm.

Monday morning: 04/04/05: We arrived at the Alum Cave Bluffs parking lot and started our hike to the lodge at 9:35 a.m. – temperature was 42 degrees. Bright, sunny conditions prevailed, accompanied by an ocean blue sky, reflecting remnants of snow glistening from the rocks. We both enjoyed the solitude and feeling of peace as we hiked upward through the several inches of snow, listening to the running water from the creek and photographing the gorgeous views thru the leaf-bare trees. As we came to the first footlog, we saw the 1- inch thick ice covering the entire log. It took almost 10 minutes to cross, considering what we were both carrying….(I always take 2 cameras). Arch Rock was a piece of cake going up the 47 steps; afterwards, we encountered more snow on the trail and braced ourselves for the crossing of footlog #2. ). Sun was shining, and we continued on to Inspiration Pt and the Bluff. Martine and I really delighted in our 10 min. reprieve at Inspiration Pt…..you could hear the echoes of the Peregrine falcons while enjoying the spectacular surrounding scenery. Two hikers from Florida stopped to chat with us and were very surprised by all the snow. They were also doing a 1-day trip to the lodge. We paused at the Bluff for several minutes, while still enjoying the sounds of the Peregrine falcons; unfortunately, not a one was in sight! We proceeded upward through the snow. Martine was starting to feel her vertigo and I was being challenged with the ever-present pleurisy in my left lung, (since 01/16/05) causing shortness of breath. While trying to regain my momentum, I noticed the awesome views of Duck Hawk Ridge. 

Pausing at Gracie’s Pulpit to show Martine the first view of the 4 peaks of Mt. LeConte was my favorite moment on the upward climb!  The clarity was at 100%, and the sky was a crystal clear blue. After several photos, we continued our ascent. Before the first set of stairs, Martine created a snowman , and I photographed it, almost passing out from the shortness of breath. Martine was hiking up the trail at a good steady pace, oblivious to any panoramic views because of her vertigo and the narrowness of the snow-covered trail. Both of us are experienced day hikers, able to handle wet, rainy conditions; however, we were unprepared for the time-factor and physical stamina required when hiking up a higher elevation with 4 inches of snow and heavy slush. 

While Martine was becoming more aware of the steep cliffs and slippery conditions over the jagged rocks on the trail, I was stopping more frequently to rest my lungs and take more breathtaking photos of the spectacular scenery  The small running cascades of water crossing the trail at Trout Branch were very clear and fun to splash cross!  Grassy Slide had some snow. I paused at Betty Jane’s stairway and chatted with John, a hiker from Alabama, who informed me that my friend was only several minutes ahead of me. 

We persevered through the snow, finally getting to the Old Horse Gate, minutes from the lodge.  We made it to the lodge at 2:45, after leaving the trailhead at 9:35 a.m. The ground was covered with 4 inches of snow, with a temperature of 52. Martine was so happy to relax. She stayed inside to warm her cold, wet feet, and I tried to get my breathing back on track. I also bounced around taking photos, thriving on the beautiful, pristine views and the sparkling white snow surrounding the lodge. Time flies when one is experiencing the peace of mind and serenity of soul that is derived from being at Mt. LeConte. We signed the register, I purchased the 2005 tee shirt, and we headed back down around 4:20 p.m.