Pocket Wilderness 3.14.2023

  This hike was rated as moderate and it was, at least for this hiker.  We met at one of the usual spots and then carpooled to the Pocket Wilderness and the hike to Laurel falls.  There, 17 of us gathered for this hike.  It was a bit cool with a cold wind blowing.  We hiked along Richmond Creek and passed where Morgan Creek intersects.  Then we hiked steeply for a short distance to entersect another trail that would lead us past some cascading lower falls, past the turn off for Snow Falls and, climbing some more continued toward Laurel Falls.  Along the way, we had to scramble through a small cave before continuing upwards to Laurel Falls.  The falls were really roaring and provided and excellent view.  The overall distance of this hike was 5.45 miles 

If you would like to see some pictures taken during this hike, including maps and altitude graph, click here or click on the picture above.  

Ban pre-shredded cheese.  Make America Grate again!

Coke Ovens 3.11.2023

  17 hikers participated in our hike at the Coke Oven Park in Dunlap Tennessee. The weather and trail conditions were perfect for this particular hike. We started the hike with a tour of the museum given by the museum curator, local resident and constable of the park – Carson Camp. Because of Carson's long involvement with the park, he was able to give us all a good understanding of what the history of mining was like and its impact on the local area over the years. The park has around 7 miles of trails and they are all pretty easy to hike on. The one exception is the incline trail which goes to the top of Fredonia Mountain. The trail is 3900 feet long with a 1000 foot rise in elevation – straight up. That makes for a pretty steep climb. Most of us made it to the top of the trail and then 7 other hikers continued to the top of the mountain. The seven hikers were rewarded with a spectacular unobstructed view of the valley below. I recommend picking up a walking tour map at the museum if you plan on hiking the trail at a future date. The map uses a numbering system to match the markings on the trails. The numbering system, a substitute for blazes, works pretty well. I would rate this hike as easy to strenuous depending on whether you include the incline trail in your hike. The museum is only open Saturday and Sunday between Easter and Thanksgiving unless you make arrangements with the museum to open for a private tour. I also recommend attending their bluegrass festival in June. It is their primary source of income to support the park. It is a nice park to visit at anytime. We finished the hike around 1:30pm EST, which is fairly early for a Saturday hike. Therefore, some us met at a local establishment in Dunlap and partook of some liquid refreshments to fill in the time.

If you would like to see a few pictures and maps from this hike click here.  

Electricians have to strip to make ends meet!