Mt Le Conte to Clingmans Dome 2005

This trip begins at the Alum Cave Trail (AC Trail) and ends at the top of Clingmans Dome. Keith, Bob and I have hiked the Smokies on numerous occasions, but decided to try a four day hike from the 2nd highest mountain in the park to the 1st. Our itinerary looked like this:

We were picked up at Clingmans Dome parking lot and shuttled to the Alum Cave Trailhead.
Thanks to A Walk In The Woods for a prompt pickup and delivery, with useful information regarding weather and bear sightings. Apparently, a bear had been sighted a week and a half prior to our trip, hanging out at Mt. Collins shelter looking for handouts. Get to that later.

The day started off with a bit of humidity, as we started at a low elevation. Needless to say, by the time we reached inspiration point, we were soaked. Not the best view as we've been afforded in the past, but it was still once again inspiring to be there.

We ate lunch at Alum Cave. Very windy and a bit chilly, but two chipmunks still managed to visit and beg for scraps. Can't help but envy them, as they will always have a great view of the Smokies from Alum Cave.

An hour and a half later we made it to the top of Mt. Le Conte. Keith made the top first, then myself, followed by Bob. The visibility was not all that good, but just the feeling of being up there again made up for it. We had reservations for the first night at the Le Conte Lodge, rather than stay at the shelter. This being Bob's fourth time up, as well as mine, we figured the best way to enjoy this was to go all out.

Le Conte Lodge is nestled about 50 yards form the Alum Cave/ Bull Head Trail Junction. There are about 3 lodges and 5 cabins. After checking in, the host brought us to our cabin. We were on a waiting list since February, and were able to lock in on a cabin room in May. Very nice digs, with a double bunk bed, a central room with two single beds, and a spectacular view on the deck. We dumped off our packs, found the hot water spigot attached to the kitchen house, and washed the days sweat and dust off.

One nights lodging (about $94.00 per person in 2005) will provide you with dinner and breakfast, with coffee or hot chocolate available throughout your stay.

The dinner bell rings at 5:00 sharp, so that gave us about an hour to walk around and check out other views. We visited Cliff Tops, a tenth of a mile from the Lodge, for a possible photo op of Clingmans Dome. Unfortunately, it was too cloudy, but it was a sight in itself watching the clouds roll into the mountainside, dropping the temperature and bringing in moisture.

It was very relaxing, but as the dinner bell sounded, we were quite hungry and ready for some hot food. The next two meals would be our last "down home kitchen cooked" for four days, so we filled to capacity. The food is great, and plentiful.

That night was spent lounging on the deck, as the sunset was pretty much covered up by clouds rolling in and out. We met some very interesting people and prepared for the next day.

Some advice if you're sleeping at the lodge:
Whoever sleeps on the top bunk, give your blankets to the individual on the bottom bunk. The room has a space heater which works well, but it is on a thermostat. Depending on how cold it is will determine how hot it will be on the top bunk every 10 - 20 minutes. I had to turn down the thermostat, as the heat continuously rose, and the cold air remained down low.

Alum Cave Trail Head Keith and Bob: Dry, happy, hydrated.
Creek Bed The first 3/4 mile of the AC Trail follows a creek bed.
Waterfalls Fantastic scenery. Waterfalls in a variety of sizes and shapes.
Rhododendrons After years and years of growth, these plants are very well established throughout the Park.
Alum Cave I'm on the left side of the picture with the hiking poles.
Mt. Le Conte? I believe that is the high point of Le Conte (left center).

Top of Mt. Le Conte This shot is taken at the top, looking back at the AC Trail. I always photograph this spot when I get to this point. Very scenic.
Split Trails Another "looking back" shot, the AC Trail to the left, Bull Head Trail to the right.
Le Conte Lodge Most hotel lobby's have a Grand Staircase. Le Conte Lodge is no exception. Down the steps takes you to the dining hall. Cabins are on the left and right.
Room With A View Clouds rolled in as this photo was taken from our deck.
Our Cabin Each side of the cabin has a double bed. Two beds and a fireplace are in the center room.
Another Great View Bob at Cliff Tops.


Day 2: Thursday, June 23rd.
The next morning provided clear skies for the most part, with spectacular views in all directions. Keith managed to get to Myrtle Point for the sunrise. We didn't make it to Cliff Tops for a picture of Clingmans Dome, but nonetheless we knew it was there and waiting for us. Breakfast was as good as dinner the night before and there was plenty of it.
Sunrise on Mt. Le Conte After seeing these shots, I wished I'd stayed up to view this sunrise. Keith took these photos from Myrtle Point.


The Boulevard A 5.5 mile hike from Mt. Le Conte to Ice Water Springs Shelter. Moderate to rugged, with great views.
Southern Exposure About the only spot on this trip which could have proven to be a hazard. It was a slow gradual slope that although one could self arrest, the thought of the rocks chewing on the legs would make anyone consider using the cable strewn across this point. I have tried locating the name of this area to no avail.
Tranquility If you try real hard, your cell phone cannot get any reception at this point.

50 Miles Away? Our destination, Clingmans Dome, is dead center, the highest point in the photograph. It looked unbelievable far off.
Ice Water Springs Shelter at Last This was our quiet moment. As the day moved on, the shelter filled to capacity, with some thru hikers sleeping outside the shelter in tents.
View From Ice Water Springs Looking to the left of the shelter, this is the sunset.
Motley Crew (left to right) Bob, Rob, Dan, Jesse, Keith (kneeling). Rob, Dan and Jesse were thru hiking the AT.

Day 3: Thursday, June 24th.
We awoke around 7:00 with the sounds of thru hikers getting ready to move. For some, it was an 8 mile day (Peck's Corner Shelter, for others it was 13 miles (Tri Corner Knob) and at least 3 were trying for Cosby Knob, a grueling 23 miles. It was an incredible morning. It was probably the clearest of all the days we were hiking, with the temperature in the mid 70's. We decided to stop and make breakfast at Newfound Gap Road. It was a good hike, 3.5 miles of mostly downhill. Very easy on the legs and eyes, as the views were clear and the legs were getting a much needed downhill workout. The uphill climbs over the last two days certainly were taking their toll, and Keith reminded us the worst was yet to come. At Newfound Gap, we washed up. This was a must as we were sending off an odor even the bears would avoid. We spent about an hour there, admiring the variety of motorcycles going by (it was Honda Hoot Week). After cooking and eating breakfast, we started off for Mount Collins Shelter, our final stop for that day. The next section of trail was pretty rough. It was close to 5 miles to the Mount Collins Shelter from Newfound Gap Road. Add 2.7 miles from Ice Water to Newfound Gap Road for the total mileage for the day. This day was filled with a lot of up and down hiking. Possibly the toughest to this point. Keep in mind Alum Cave is pretty much a continuous uphill climb, and the Boulevard is more of level hiking along a ridge. But this portion of the AT will test your legs. A bit of trail maintenance and trail activity was going on between Newfound and Mount Collins Shelter. We ran into three volunteers working on assorted sections, as well as two other hikers heading towards Newfound Gap. Upon arriving at the Mount Collins Shelter, we discovered a lot of amenities that were not afforded us as the previous shelter. Nonetheless, it still was a welcoming site as we were pretty tired from this round of hiking. The shelter at Ice Water and the Mt. Le Conte have great views, have been refurbished with skylights, an open porch for cooking, pegs for hanging packs, and the fencing removed from the front of the shelter. I would imagine this shelter will get the same makeover, in time. In front of the shelter, about 30 yards are a few trees that have tumbled over. It looks like this occurred within the last year. In the picture on the right, you can see just how large these trees were. Bob and Keith are five feet off of the ground, with a set of roots unearthed behind Keith. Amazing the height of the root system when upturned. There was apparently a bear sighting at this shelter a few weeks back. Eric, at A Walk In The Woods mentioned this as well as the Rangers at the GSMNP Office. At each shelter is a guest book, nothing more than a weathered, beaten college rule notebook. In previous entries, a bear was spotted hanging around this shelter for a few days. But he/ she was not stopping by for a visit with us. Maybe next time . . . The spring for this shelter is bit down the path, about a quarter mile. It is no more than a small stream coming out of the rocks. I highly recommend treating this water, as the low elevation can bring many contaminants to this supply. After dinner we had a little more peace and quiet than what we were afforded the night before. Their was a father with his three teenage kids sharing the shelter with us.			Front Yard of the Shelter
Rhododendrons Another pic of this all too familiar Smokies foliage.
Heard a Hog Upon descending to Newfound Gap, we heard a Harley Davidson rolling through the valley below us.
State Line Bob and Keith at the line.
A Lot of Elevation Changes Keith working his way up.





Day 4: Saturday, June 25th.
Today was our last day. The trek consisted of a 3.2 mile jaunt from Mt. Collins to the top of Clingmans Dome, the highest point in the park. It was a steady mile to mile and a half , followed by an extreme uphill hike. Although, by this point we were quite pungent and tired, this was the most satisfying portion of the whole trip. This was a true test of what we could accomplish on our own, without assistance or amenities. When we reached the top, it was a bit cooler than the previous mile. Photos were shot of the tower and a few cloudy, yet scenic shots were taken too.
One Minute in the Clouds . . . A shot of Clingmans Dome observation tower, our final destination.
. . .The Next Clear
Observation Tower
Observation Tower 2
On the Way Down Bob and I: Soaked, spent, de-hydrated. Certainly a great hike, would strongly recommend it to anyone.