Rocky Top, Tennessee

Julie's birthday present to me this year was pretty epic. She watched the girls while I went backpacking in the Smokies with my good friend (and Yosemite roommate) Gordon. A little adventure is good for the soul! Plus, I think it's good every now and then to have an actual mountaintop experience.


We took the Anthony Creek Trail up to campsite #9 for the first night. Then on the second day, we took the Bote Mountain Trail to the AT and our destination - Rocky Top! Yes, THE Rocky Top.


Entering the Smokies at Townsend, TN.


Self-portrait attempt at the trailhead. I got started about 6:00 in the evening. Gordon was finishing up some stuff, so I told him I'd go ahead and set up camp while it was still light.


The Anthony Creek Trail. Very wide and suitable for horses.


Anthony Creek... we'll be drinking YOU later.


First bridge crossing.


Another self-portrait - sweaty already?


There were a couple of cool, rustic bridges along the way.




Lookin' down.


Intersection with the Russell Field Trail. I kept going on the Anthony Creek.


Getting dark and steamy... heart rate up... definitely out of shape.


I finally made it to campsite #9, where some nice dudes were camped out for the night. Got there about 7:30. I set up the tent first thing, which turned out to be monumentally important. Because as soon as I lit the stove to make dinner, the skies opened up. It poured on me for a solid hour, from 8:00 to 9:00. Thankfully I did have rain gear or I really could have been in trouble. As it was, I basically just stood there in the rain, eating dinner, watching it get darker and darker, wondering where Gordon might be. I got pretty wet - to the point that I realized I'd better get in my sleeping bag before my body temperature started to drop. It was crazy to actually be in extreme conditions, using my backpacking training from years ago. I'm just so glad I had time to get the tent set up, because it did keep the most important things nice and dry.

My blood sugar was doing strange things, too. The psychology of being in a stressful situation can make you go low, which meant that I was low after eating dinner, without even taking any insulin. Yikes. I gulped down a ton of Skittles and hung up my pack on the bear cables... with my emergency Glucagon kit still at my side, just in case. At this point I resigned myself to the fact that Gordon probably got stuck at the trailhead in the rain and either went home or slept in his car. I briefly considered packing up and trying to hike back to the car... being wet, cold, and by myself in the woods... but of course I realized that would be the stupidest idea imaginable. I went to sleep and figured I'd hike out in the morning.

Imagine my surprise when I heard voices and saw Gordon's headlamp coming toward the tent... somewhere around 11:30. He had started up the trail after the rain had passed, but he couldn't be sure it was the right trail. He spent probably half an hour staring at a trailside map trying to find campsite #9. Of course, that color ink on the map had long since disappeared, so he had to just trust it was up ahead. I was very glad to see him.


The next morning - things looking MUCH better. Here's a good view of my REI tent and its two vestibules, which kept my stuff nice and dry during all the craziness. Thanks, REI!


The bear cables. Whoever designed these is an absolute genius!


Home sweet home at campsite #9.


Gordon. He's alive!


Special shout-out to my Coleman stove. This thing boils water in about a minute!


I'm also very fond of this little clamp. You grab the pot with it and then pour. Brilliant!


Starbucks in the wilderness. Mmm...


And blueberry granola.


Anthony Creek next to the campsite - where I filtered some water.


Mountain water - delicious!


Ready for Rocky Top.


Junction of the Anthony Creek and Bote Mountain trails.


Along the Bote Mountain Trail.


A rocky ridge walk up to the AT.




Here we are up at the AT (Appalachian Trail). The AT runs along the Tennessee/North Carolina state line, right through the center of the park. Notice the white blaze.


Gordon finishing the Bote Mountain Trail.


We took a side trip to the Spence Field shelter for lunch and a rest.


We stashed our packs here for the run up to Rocky Top.


Spence Field - grazing land, once upon a time.


First view of Rocky Top, from the AT. From left: Thunderhead, Rocky Top, and "Fake Rocky Top."


Close-up of Thunderhead and Rocky Top.


Awesome ridge hiking!


A view back down to Cades Cove, where we started.




Rocky Top summit!




We made it!


AT white blaze on Rocky Top.


Yes, it is rocky.


Gordon and Cades Cove.


Cades Cove close-up - tough to capture these scenes with a camera.


Looking north.


You can see Mt. LeConte and Clingman's Dome in the distance - I wish the camera could capture all the ridges that you see in person!


Back down to the shelter to grab our packs.




A photo of campsite #9 on the way down.... just because I couldn't find a photo of it anywhere on the Internet. World premiere!


Gordon and the sign that he stared at for half an hour the night before.

What a great hike! Epic in every way. I'm so grateful to Julie for making it happen!