Great Smoky Mountain National Park - Mount LeConte - February 5, 2005 - Member Trip Report
| Hike Name: | Great Smoky Mountain National Park - Mount LeConte |
|---|---|
| Country: | United States |
| State: | North Carolina |
| Trip Rating: |  |
| Trip Date: | February 5, 2005 |
| Duration: | 1 day |
| Trail Conditions: | Poor |
| Trail Traffic: | Heavy |
| Trip Weather: | Sunny |
| Trip Winds: | Light |
| Trip Precipitation: | None |
| Trip Temperature: | High: 41-50, Low: 11-20 degrees Fahrenheit |
| Trip Report: | Saturday (2/05/05) – Hayes decided he wanted to backtrack out today and Lee followed him back down the mountain. With their departure, Brunn and I were the last two guys in the shelter around 9am. DeLisle, Ewing, and Porter took the Appalachian Trail to Indian Gap, but bailed to the road after about two miles. Brunn did the same, but was about an hour behind them. It was rough going on the untraveled route, especially with melting snow and ice falling from the trees. McKinney, Moehlick, and I took the road (which was snow covered to Indian Gap) and beat the others to Newfound Gap. Our beer stash was slightly exposed but untouched upon arrival, and the brew was quite tasty at 11am when I popped the cap. After a lengthy lunch break, I loaded up the water bottles in the rest area and headed up the mountain surrounded by a mob of day hikers. Newfound Gap parking area was slammed with the tourists today who were out in mass to enjoy the warm sun and 6-8" of snow that was lingering in the gap. After an hour, I reached the Boulevard trail and considered stopping for lunch, but I ended up walking down to the Icewater Springs Shelter and took a long break. The lean-to has been remodeled and the views were fantastic, but it sure seemed much longer than a 0.4 mile round-trip. For that reason, the others moved on and I went from the front to the back of the pack this afternoon. The final 5+ miles on the Boulevard Trail were difficult with the snow on the ridges, but taking three breaks made it much easier. |
Trail Map For This Area
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