Our hike started at Snoopers Rock, a wonderful view of the Tennessee River gorge. Despite the cold temperatures in the 20s, the sunshine and lack of wind, it was tolerable, and clothing layers were soon shed. We headed down the Pot Point trail, past the intersection with the Ritchie Hollow trail, to our destination Natural Bridge. This was our lunch spot, while some hikers slid down a crack in the bluff to get a up-close view of the arch.

Back up the Pot Point trail to the intersection, we chose to descend Ritchie Hollow to visit Blowing Wind Falls. The waters had frozen to massive icicles giving the area a cathedral look.

Finally, we shuffled through the leaves to return to our cars parked near Snoopers Rock. We trod 8.2 miles with an elevation gain of 1348 feet.

What is a group of turkeys called? Not TTA hikers! We saw a rafter of turkeys driving out of Prentice Cooper. No, the turkeys were not driving.

If you would like to see a bunch of really good pictures, click here or on the picture above.  

I just know the toddler stole my pen.  It's written all over his face.  

Cascade Falls 11.26.2024

 Nine of us carpooled from East Ridge to Dalton, GA on a chilly November morning to experience a trail that only one of us had been on before, and it wasn’t hike leader Dave Graham 😱  However, Larry Lunsford was our stabilizing force as we enjoyed a pleasant stroll through the woods with glimpses of Dalton State and the steady hum of I-75 below.  Unfortunately, the recent drought did not allow us to experience water in the “cascades”, but the Fall colors were spectacular and made for a worthwhile trip.  In addition to Dave and Larry, we were also joined by; Julie Roberts, Betsy Darken, Tim Booth, Will Latham, Lee Prichard, Susan Kroll, and Tom McElhone

If you would like to see another picture taken during this hike, click here.  

Well, to be Frank, I'd have to change my name.  

Covenant College 12.3.2024

Eight hearty Scenic City hikers braved the first sub freezing temperatures of the season to explore the Covenant College trails atop Lookout Mountain.  We were charmed by beautiful little ice sculptures which had formed around the base of a number of plants.  

These ice sculptures are usually called Frost Flowers or Ice Flowers.  They form when water flows down a plant stem into the not yet frozen ground.  The water freezes and pushes up through the unfrozen ground.

Earl

If you would like to see one more picture, click here.  

My girlfriend told me I had to quit impersonating Flamingos, so I had to put my foot down.  

Daddy's Creek 11.30.2024

 I don't have a trip report for this hike but it looked clear and cold.  

If you would like to see a few really nice photos taken during this hike, click here or on the photo above.

Shredded Cheese ------The key to Grate-ness

Ozone Falls 11.23.2024

 Small group; big adventure! Four hikers tackled the Ozone Falls to Black Mountain segment of the Cumberland Trail. This is a beautiful trek but a tough one!

We started atop Ozone Falls to see the falls up close & to view the gorge from above. Next, we carefully worked our way down to the bottom of the falls. Surprisingly, even in drought conditions, the waterfall had a respectable amount of water flowing. Of course, this waterfall is absolutely stunning at full flow! After spending some time at the falls, we began our long journey up to the top of Black Mountain. The 7.5-mile trek provides a little bit of everything: rocky areas where you need to closely watch your footing, easy wooded sections where you can just enjoy the fall leaves crunching under your feet, dozens of zigzagging switchbacks, & sections so steep that you wish you had switchbacks. The trail is like riding a roller coaster. We went up & down so many hills & mountains that we lost count. When we finally arrived at the top of Black Mountain, we had gained almost 2,000 feet of elevation!

Our reward was the wonderland of sites at the top of Black Mountain. Not to be missed is the incredible overlook that overlooks Grassy Cove & a good bit of the Cumberland Plateau. On a clear day, Mt. LeConte can be seen in the distance 72 miles away! Boulders & bluffs also line parts of the mountaintop. Our group had fun taking a group selfie & individual pictures in the ‘Stone Door’ area where a narrow staircase has been built in between two gigantic boulders. We got in an additional 1.5-miles on the Crest Loop Trail making our grand total for the day 9-miles. The day started out cloudy & frigidly cold but the sun came out later & provided some much-needed warmth. It was a beautiful day on the trail with a great group!

Hikers included: Jennifer Davis (hike leader), Tom McElhone, Betsy Darken, and Kim Bowers.  

If you would like to see a few pictures taken during this hike, click here.  

The inventor of autocorrect ded.  The funnel will be hed tomato.