We have different agendas today.
Hans plans a strenuous longer hike, even with predictions of possible thunderstorms and rain. The Great Smoky Mountains are so beautiful and with more than 900 miles of trail, there are plenty more to explore.
Di plans a Girly Day and catch up on all those body things, like waxing, facial and massage. The morning is all set, with an appointment at About You Salon in Gatlinburg at 9.30am
We drive up and over Newfound Gap and on the way stop to investigate the repairs made to the road, which prevented us from getting to the Gap on Sunday. The repairs were significant. They lost the road for over 3 months in early January during extremely heavy rains.
We reach the Alum Cave Nature Trail trailhead just beyond Newfound Gap and inside Tennessee this time.
On the board is an overview of the hike up to Mount LeConte. Note the elevation difference from where the hike starts (at 1169 meters) to Mount LeConte (at 2010 meters), some 840 meters to climb. Too easy... :-)
Just after 8am, Hans waves goodbye to start his hike.
Bye...
The Alum Cave Nature Trail has a huge variety of surfaces and is very interesting and climbs for pretty much the whole way of 5.5 miles (about 9kms). There are several "bridges" over the rivers and creeks.
A couple of location shots...
An early highlight is the Arch Rock. These stairs go through... an arched rock.
Hans reaches Alum Cave Bluffs after around 1 hour of hiking.
Alum Cave Bluffs is a destination in itself for many, and for others like Hans it is perfect for a break, although the views were better at other places of the Alum Cave Nature Trail.
On the way you get nice views...
The Alum Cave Nature Trail sometimes even hugs the edge of the mountain with wires to hold onto.
Continue climbing...these stairs are cut from one tree per section.
Mount LeConte is actually a resort of kind rather than a hiker's shelter as Icewater Spring was yesterday on the Appalachian Trail. Hans didn't get that from the map and from the Visitors Center.
The cost per person to stay at Mount LeConte is $138.19 as Hans overheard somebody asking one of the staff. Yep, down to the cent. Double that if you're a couple. Not cheap.
However, how do they get supplies in here? There is no road for quite some distance, but there is another trail there from the road where horse riding is allowed. So supplies has to arrive either by horse or by hikers (assuming helicopter is not a viable alternative). Here is the dining room and it does look like one in the inside.
Hans, of course, has his own lunch with him, so he takes advantage of Mount LeConte's facilities to feed himself...
A nice break then the Alum Cave Nature Trail back down again, which was faster, of course.
Di agrees to meet Hans no later than 2pm at the trailhead and then drives down to Gatlinburg.
Di's morning went as planned and was very very nice. Yes, leg waxing is not fun but the rest was 2 hours and delicious and relaxing. Di feels pampered like a princess and her body is grateful. Very girly.
The drive from Newfound Gap to Gatlinburg is very steep and windy, more so than from Newfound Gap to Cherokee. At one place the road does a 380 degree turn (yep, you read that right). No photos but to explain, it curls a long loop over a bridge then back under itself through a tunnel. A photo below of just one of the right angle corners. Hairpins also included.
Arriving back at the trail head at 1pm (an hour early) Di waited for Hans and nibbled on lunch.
It's beautiful in the Great Smoky Mountains aka Smokies (we may have mentioned that about 5 times already) but the clouds soon roll in as predicted. And then thunder followed by the rain ...
Hans was still out there...
All is well as Hans jumps in the car 15 minutes later around 1.15pm. He was not too wet as the rain only started during the last km of his hike.
Hike in total: 17.1 km over 5 hours and 16 mins including lunch and all breaks. 2128 calories burnt according to Runkeeper. Elevation difference up and down: high. Di is impressed!
We then decide to swing by Clingmans Dome Observation Deck, which is off the Newfound Gap Road next to the gap itself, hoping the weather will shift by the time we get there. The drive there is a bit slow...hmmm
We have reached our destination, but we don't think so...
Our car is about 5th one on the right - or is it?
Oh well, we've had some great views on our walks so we don't think we are missing much.
Back to the motel so Hans can have a shower and clean up a bit. Lazy afternoon and why not?
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