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(This hike journal was written 9/30/2001)
Cool weather, low humidity and clear skies--that combination gets me outside hiking
everytime I have the opportunity here in the Smokies. Of course all you folks in the Colorado Mountains have that kind of
weather much of the time (when there isn't snow on the ground). Thursday was already one day into such a spell of good weather
for us here in East Tennessee and after "missing" my chance to get started on Wednesday I could hardly wait to hit the trail
Thursday morning for what I'd planned as a three day trip.
Many of the trails in the Smokies are interior trails with
no easy access via the highways. Four such trails were on my list for hiking this trip: Greenbrier Ridge Trail, an interior
segment of the AT, Miry Ridge Trail and the dreaded Lynn Camp Prong Horse Bog, err, Trail. My agenda was to hike 6 miles to
a back country campsite on Thursday, do a 13 mile day hike on Friday and hike back to the car on Saturday. It worked out to
be a very nice three day trip.
From the Townsend "Wye" I drove toward Cades Cove then a mile later turned left onto
the road that passes by the Smoky Mountain Institute at Tremont. The road soon becomes gravel for about two miles until its
end at the trailhead for Middle Prong Trail--the starting point for this trip. Middle Prong Trail is really misnamed since
it actually runs alongside of Lynn Camp Prong--a stream named by early lumbermen who harvested "Lynn trees" in this area.
The name was apparently derived from the European Linden tree--a species identified in most U.S. identification guides as Basswood.
Middle Prong Trail passes by several reminders of the logging and CCC Camps with an old chimney, rock building foundations
and an old log bridge, each still hanging-on some 70 years after their start in life.
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The trail soon became Lynn Camp Prong Trail which I followed to backcountry camping area #28--my destination for the
first day. As usual, I had the campsite all to myself; I think about 95% of the tourists in the Smokies stay in their cars
and as a result they miss the essence of this wonderful region. My night in the tent was uneventful (no bears), delightfully
cool (mid-30's) and the following morning I was ready for the big loop hike that would take me along three trail segments
I'd never before hiked.
One of the pleasant surprises of this trip was the beauty of these interior trails (Greenbrier/AT/Miry Ridge). Transitioning
from an overused, rough, gravelly and sometimes boggy horse/people hiking trail (Middle Prong Trail) to a people-only hiking
trail (Greenbrier Ridge), the change in character was stunning. This 4.3 mile trail suddenly became smooth packed dirt with
freshly fallen leaves crunching beneath my feet except for the occasional section of hemlock needles and punctuated by two
"barely crossable" mountain streams. Climbing to the 5,000' level of the AT I was treated to periodic panoramas from sections
where fallen trees had created openings in the canopy--usually along steep slopes and on the spine of the ridge. Club moss
was common alongside the trail while Goldenrod, Snakeroot and Wood Aster were the dominate flowering plants. I was impressed
by the brilliant red spikes of a Doll's-eyes plant that had already lost its white berries. Acorns literally carpeted the
trail in many areas. Huge (fresh!) piles of acorn-colored bear poop appeared often enough to keep my head swiveling in search
of the giant bear that was leaving those souvenirs on the trail. The combination of things on this trail made it so pleasing
that I hardly noticed the 2,000' of elevation change enroute to Sam's Gap on the AT.
One of the ridges I crossed while hiking Greenbrier Ridge Trail is named Mellinger Death Ridge. According to my Hiking
Trails of the Smokies guidebook the story goes that back in the days of bear trapping in this area two brothers failed to
follow the local custom of the area which dictated leaving two large "C" clamps beside their bear traps so that if a human
was to accidentally get caught in one he could use the "C" clamps to release the spring tension on the jaws of the trap and
release himself. Hunters also marked the traps and checked them daily. Local lore is that the two brothers set their traps
then a few days later returned to check them and found Michael Mellinger almost dead in one of them! They figured he was too
near death for them to get him to medical care and worried that if they brought him in dead they'd be tried for his death
so they murdered him and tossed his body over one of the rocky cliffs along the ridge. This crime went unsolved for 30 years
until when, on his deathbed, the only surviving brother confessed the evil deed. Sure enough, people found Mellinger's remains
right where the aged, dying brother said they would be.
Those of you who regularly read my trail reports know how I'm prone to bad-mouth the Appalachian Trail (AT) because of
its rough surface caused by overuse and horse traffic. The section I hiked Friday was one of those segments closed to horse
traffic and the trail was prime ridge-top hiking! I detoured to check out the Derrick Knob Shelter along the AT--all
overnight camping along the AT in the Smokies is in any of several shelters along its route. More emphasis by the Park Service
is being given these days to keeping food & cooking activities outside of the shelters. Most of us who've stayed in those
shelters in years past can vouch for their nickname as "Mouse Huts." Hopefully the rodents will move out if more people will
keep their foodstuff outside--something that is hard to do when it is raining. Anyway, I thoroughly enjoyed the 2.5 miles
of walking I did Friday along the AT. Many spots along the AT in this area were covered with the distinctive "buckeye" seeds
from giant Yellow Buckeye trees--among the largest I've seen anywhere. In fact, just a few yards farther along from where
I exited the AT there is a spot named "Buckeye Gap." About halfway along this section of the AT I passed-by a Yellow-Jacket
nest that had been unearthed by a bear. The bees were clustered on the remains of the nest, which looks like a hornet nest
except these are (normally) underground. I didn't have the nerve to go back with my camera for a photo so you'll just have
to imagine how it looked (I've had my share of close calls with Yellow-Jackets!!). Just before reaching Miry Ridge Trail the
AT jumped from 4,700' to an elevation of 5,212' in about 1/2 mile as it passed over the top of Cold Spring Knob. I didn't
look for a spring but I did pause there for lunch and enjoyed the warm sun as my sweat-drenched shirt dried quickly in the
breeze. I was careful to look for bear poop & yellow jackets before plopping down on the grassy area beside the trail.
Leaving the AT I followed Miry Ridge Trail along a gradual drop in elevation down to Lynn Camp Prong Trail. Owing partly
to its location in a wetter area, Miry Ridge Trail had a completely different character in terms of vegetation and topography:
There was much more undergrowth (Snakeroot & blackberry) and several sections of "knife-edge" ridges where the trail follows
along the spine of the ridge and affords great views left & right. I encountered what must be one of the few remaining
clusters of Mountain Gentian in bloom and was treated to a show I'd only read about: A honeybee pried open the petals of the
Mountain Gentian and crawled inside for the pollen. A Ruffed Grouse was also spooked along this trail.
Lynn Camp Prong Trail was another especially ugly example of what horses can do to an otherwise lovely footpath. Between
circumnavigating mud bogs and rocky, rooty eroded sections, I was serenaded by a pack of coyotes located somewhere below me.
I doubt they knew I was enjoying their song since the wind was also from that direction. Lynn Camp Prong takes its name from
a lumber camp named after the Basswood tree--aka Linden tree. Lumberjacks called these "Lynn" trees.
Seven hours and
about 13 miles of walking put me right back at back country campsite #28 where I'd left my tent, cookware & extra clothing
(totaling about 10 or 12 lbs). After a very chilly night on Thursday I'd elected to take my sleeping bag with me on the day
hike--just in case I had to spend the night on the trail. That meant carrying the backpack on the day hike. It is amazing
to me how much lighter the backpack feels with only 10 or 12 lbs less weight. Friday night turned out to be warmer than Thursday
although I did stay completely ensconced in my down sleeping bag from dusk at about 7:30 pm Friday night until 7 am Saturday
morning--about an hour before sunrise. Sometime early Saturday (4 or 5 am?) I lay awake listening to what was probably the
same pack of coyotes as they again sang their lovely songs.
I decided to see how long it would take me to eat breakfast, break camp, pack and hit the trail. 70 minutes after getting
up I was hiking back toward the car after having enjoyed a double serving of oatmeal with toast and toting my 2nd cup of coffee
with me on the trail.
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