Keown Falls & John's Mtn.

Another great hike.  There were 15 of us stout would-be mountain climbers on this day.  The day started out kind of gloomy.  It was an hour drive to the parking lot at Keown Falls.  Of course there was a little mixup between drivers, but everyone arrived safely.  As it was kind of cool at the start, everyone was pretty well bundled up.  This soon changed as the first half of this 5.1 mile hike was a steady gentle uphill climb as can be seen on the altitude graph.  At each resting point hikers were seen removing their packs, then their coats and jackets, then putting the packs back on minus the warmed layers.  This hike lasted 4 1/2 hours, but 2 1/2 hours were spent stopped as we took multiple breaks on the way up and at the overlooks.  The overlooks on John's mountain were breathtaking as can be seen in the photographs.  The hike took us around the mountain and then a different trail back to the parking area.  There were many many things to look at along the way with water falls and incredible rock formations. 
If you would like to see some great photos from world renowned photographers, including maps and altitude graph, click here.  If you are trying to view the photos using the TTA website and having trouble, please go directly to the BLOG at www.sdctta.blogspot.com.  Google Chrome is the preferred browser.
This weeks joke...Bumper Sticker...Just because I'm doing 80 in a 35 mph zone doesn't mean you have to tailgate me.  And those silly flashing blue lights on you car look silly. 

Brady Mountain

    Saturday's 8 mile hike on the Brady Mountain Trail was another primo hike.  Weather conditions were perfect. The temperature was in the upper 30's at the start and the sky was clear.  We (4 hikers) departed the Brady Mountain Trailhead on Rte 68 at 9:50am.  We began our ascent to Brady Bluff Overlook.  The ascent was a strenuous 2.3 mile climb with a 900' elevation gain.  The trail was well blazed and covered with freshly dropped leaves, so we proceeded cautiously.  We arrived at the spur to the bluff and decided to proceed to the 4 mile inward point of our trek and return to the bluff for our lunch break.  From this point to the conclusion of our inward portion of our hike, the trail along the crest of the mountain was poorly blazed.  Also, the trail was not traveled as heavily as the trail from the trailhead to Brady Bluff and was therefore hard to make out.  We never-the-less were able, we think able, to find the Lost Overlook which was at the 4 mile inward mark.  The overlook is listed as having an obscured view of Grassy Cove and it lived up to it's description.  We then returned to Brady Bluff for our lunch break.
    We arrived at the bluff around 1:15pm and met up with I believe was the Plateau Chapter of the TTA. They were hiking this same trail, but departed an hour after we did and were going to do the entire trail to the Jewett Road Trailhead and return. The Brady Bluff Overlook is rated as one of the best overlooks on the Cumberland Trail.  I believe this to be the case.  As I stated earlier, the weather was perfect and we could see across the Tennessee Valley all the way eastward to the Tellico Plains.
   We finished our break and began our exit of the trail.  This part of the hike is where we exercised the most caution due to the leaf covered trail's steep descent.  We arrived at the trailhead around 3:15 tired, but well rewarded for our efforts.
This hike is rated strenuous and I would agree.  This is one of the best times of the year to hike this trail because of the temperature and increased visibility afforded by the thinned out foliage.
  If you would like to see some pictures of this hike including maps and a video, click here.  If you are trying to view the photos through the TTA website and having trouble, please go directly to the BLOG at www.sdctta.blogspot.com.  Google Chrome is the preferred browser.