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A Smoky Mountain New Years Eve hike to Mt. LeConte by, Leadfoot

Hey guys, I hope you all had a safe and happy holiday season!  Wanted to share my new year adventure with you....As you know, most people attend various social events this time of year, parties at the local pub, maybe at a friends house, or just snuggling at home with their loved ones near. Well, usually I'm in the first mentioned group of folks, however, this year some friends of mine invited me to tag along on their annual trek up to Mt. LeConte for a celebration unlike any other. And, of course, since this will soon be my "home away from home" I decided to go--what better did I have to do?? We get started around noon, and elect to take the Alum Cave trail, a 5 mile one-way trek up the side of the mountain--literally! Hand cables and all included. We soon find out that we need our crampons immediately. The trail, even at lower elevations, is covered in ice and snow. We manage to stay warm and toasty in this winter wonderland, as long as we are moving, that is... As we make our way up the trail, the views start grabbing at Sherry and I -- begging us to stay and marvel in all that IS the Great Smoky Mountains. Plus, I want to use this as practice time with my new digital camera....Pop's and Pam eventually pull ahead of us and we won't meet back up until we reach the lodge at the top-several hours later. Over the course of the hike, I find myself alone for the last 2 miles or so--other than the falcons flying over my head from the cliffs above--it's just me and the mountain. Which, I'm not gonna complain-I use this time to reflect on all that has changed in my life over the last year. WOW! What a difference a year can make, huh?? I go from a half-way happy married woman, to being a tremendously happy single one! I feel as though the world has been lifted off my shoulders this year, like a bird that has been set free from it's cage, I feel free to chase my dreams and expand my interests--actually DO the things I never thought I would have the chance to do. We all make it to the lodge safe and sound, the sun is setting-it's about 5pm, we have ten inches of snow and the temp. on the porch reads a very warm 24 degrees!!! LOL! Yep--to the kitchen I go for some hot cocoa from Henry--the winter care taker. There are 28 guests here tonight--pretty full considering that the lodge is actually closed for the season, but we all cook supper, play board games and tell stories of our past adventures. Pam and I take to our cabin for a much needed nap, then a few minutes before midnight, we all migrate to the porch to watch the fireworks from downtown Pigeon Forge. Now, imagine being one vertical mile above Gatlinburg and having the ability to see all surrounding cities-Pigeon Forge, Sevierville, Newport, Morristown, and even Knoxville......yeah, that's what I thought! I'm sure glad I came up here! Shortly after, we all turn in for the night and dream of what the new year will bring. Welcome '06!! Good morning and how are you?? We, again, meet up in the kitchen for breakfast--I take some photos of the kids sledding and ask some questions about the upcoming season, Henry takes me on a tour of the cabin that is soon to be my very own. We head down around 12:45 and the temp. is now 42...we are having a pleasant hike down, until about 3/4 of a mile into it--when we get ambushed by snowballs from, what we thought, were our friends!! The kids had hiked ahead of us and waited for us to round the corner.....Oh, but you will NOT get by with that, oh no.....((shakes finger)).....we turn the tables on them just around the next bend..... What fun!! We all make it down safe, sound, and hungry! Smoky Mountain Brewery--here we come! Nothing like some beer and pizza after a hard day of sledding, snowball fighting, and hiking..... So, that was my adventure, hope you enjoyed the story. And, I hope you all had a safe and happy new year!! I want to say that I am SO blessed to have the friends and family that I have surrounding me, I can only hope to be half the person you think I am.....and for those of you that read this faithfully--"thank you" for supporting my sis and her dream of writing! Sis, I love ya, you ARE the best!! And to all of you out there--"Happy New Year and Hike Naked"......Whoo--wee, come on '06!! Leadfoot.

Return to... Guest Hikes 2006.

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