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kevinumberger 
Group: Members
Posts: 3632
Joined: Dec. 2005
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Posted on: Sep. 25 2012, 5:07 pm |
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howdy......
wellllllll...........it's been a long time since i've done a trail report......for varying reasons, i havent gotten around to doing them anymore but figured for this trip, i'd have to....
anyways.......this trip has been on my mind for a couple of years now.........i'm not a morning person, and i knew that if i stayed at Leconte shelter, i'd never see the sunrise from up top as i would never get my ass outta bed.....
so, a night hike was in order..........
got a reservation for leconte about a month ago (in the quest to complete all the backcountry sites, its time to start knocking off the shelters), and figured this would be the time to do it.....
so it was done......
i worked last friday til 7 pm........quickly came home and ate something and fell asleep for a couple of hours....
woke up shortly before 11 pm......watched the news and nightline while packing up the last few items........
then i was outta the house by midnight....
stopped in pigeon forge to at 1 am to get a pre hike omelette and to kill off some time (after all, i didnt want to get to the top of the mountain with a lot of time left over as i would probably pass out).....
on alum cave trail at 2:15 am.......
surprisingly, had the trail all to myself..... 
on way up, turned off headlamp a few times to watch stars and was rewarded by 2 shooting stars.....
got to lodge at 5:15 am.....
at mytle point at 5:50 ish..........and it was cold there as the wind was blowing pretty good.....
layed back and watched the stars for a touch while waiting on sunrise......
watched the whole progression of the sunrise from the almost pitch black, to a sliver of light, to the sun coming over the horizon, to it fully being up.....
needless to say---with the weather we've had this past week----it was friggin awesome....
my plan for the rest of the day was to sleep, eat, and read......and watch the sunset.....
welllll........got to do most of those except the sleep part....
the last people to leave the shelter left at 1030 am and i was in my sleeping bag at 1031 am...
slept for an hour, and was rudely awaken by the ranger who was yelling at me to get awake..........just to check my permit.......
couldnt fall back to sleep as from that point on---every 15 minutes or so, another group of dayhikers would pass the shelter, and talk..............
went to cliff tops around 6 pm and watched the full progression of the sunset..........and it was equally entertaining as the sunrise was...........
and the views were outstanding........could see all the way past knoxville.......
after sunset, the moon, with it being about half, came out and lit the mountain up....
next day, came out boulevard trail with not a cloud in the sky and views for miles and miles and miles....
i didnt take a bunch of photos on this trip, but maybe hope to post one later.....
what a way to see leconte.....
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| Post Number: 3
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kevinumberger
Group: Members
Posts: 3632
Joined: Dec. 2005
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Posted on: Sep. 25 2012, 5:40 pm |
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yup....
and that's why he checked permits 2 other times throughout day....
whats funny is that one of the other people (a stranger to me) that stayed up there---well, him and i talked allman brothers talk and grateful dead talk for a few hours....
turns out, him and i have mutual friends, and have been in various cities seeing the same shows...
he was at my first dead show in 88......along with some of the new york beacon theatre allman shows....
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| Post Number: 4
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cgaphiker
Hen Wallow Falls
Group: Members
Posts: 11003
Joined: Apr. 2006
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Posted on: Sep. 25 2012, 10:02 pm |
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It's a small world ain't it. 
Sounds like an awesome trip.
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| Post Number: 5
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schlanky
Group: Members
Posts: 442
Joined: Oct. 2006
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Posted on: Sep. 26 2012, 10:58 am |
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Cool trip. Sounds like it was well worth the sleep deprivation.
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"Half I'm gonna use to pay this band. Half I'm saving, 'cause I'm gonna owe 'em."
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| Post Number: 6
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pastywhite
Group: Members
Posts: 1558
Joined: May 2009
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Posted on: Sep. 26 2012, 4:01 pm |
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I've managed to wake up for the sunrise only once but it was a great one. I'm not a huge fan of the shelters but that is a good loop. Any time you have alum cave to yourself it's a good day.
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| Post Number: 7
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kevinumberger
Group: Members
Posts: 3632
Joined: Dec. 2005
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Posted on: Sep. 26 2012, 5:34 pm |
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i'm not a morning person and that was mainly the reason i did this as a night hike.....
i knew that if i stayed at the shelter, i would never wake up or want to wake up to see the sunrise........it just wouldnt happen......
and, hence, figured it would be easier for me to do at night.......
and yeah.......one big bonus was having alum cave to myelf..........
i did kinda think maybe i'd run into one person coming down maybe around 4 but that never happened.......
and likewise---not a big fan of shelters for a few reasons but it was a place to stay in the park...
only 2 more shelters to stay in and i'll be done with them.........
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| Post Number: 8
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pastywhite
Group: Members
Posts: 1558
Joined: May 2009
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Posted on: Sep. 26 2012, 10:59 pm |
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I actually enjoyed Laurel Gap. Not crowded and the walk to it was awesome. Pretty Hollow Gap was hard but the rest of the loop was easy.
Best thing about the LeConte shelter is the handicap bar on the privy. I told my park employee friends I thought this was a little rude If someone can hike to the top leconte with ANY disability I'm pretty sure they can manage a privy without the need for a support bar.
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| Post Number: 9
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cgaphiker
Hen Wallow Falls
Group: Members
Posts: 11003
Joined: Apr. 2006
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Posted on: Sep. 27 2012, 12:56 am |
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I did the AT, Boulivard, Alum Cave loop back in the '90s and had Boulivard and Alum Cave and trail to myself. Two other hikers stayed in the shelter. That was nice hike.
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| Post Number: 10
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Kayman
Group: Members
Posts: 309
Joined: Jul. 2003
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Posted on: Sep. 27 2012, 11:18 am |
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A few years back I stayed at the LeConte Shelter on the 4th of July. I was thinking it might be possible to catch some fireworks displays looking out towards Knoxville.
Didn't happen though. Rain set in late in the afternoon and continued into the early morning hours.
I did wake up to some 'BOOMS' somewhere around midnight.
Never did figure out if it was fireworks or thunder.
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| Post Number: 11
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| Post Number: 12
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kevinumberger
Group: Members
Posts: 3632
Joined: Dec. 2005
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Posted on: Sep. 27 2012, 2:54 pm |
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i dont think you'd be able to see the gatlinburg fireworks from leconte...
i think g burg is too much around the "corner" of cliff tops to see the fireworks and i think from the lodge---one is looking more towards pigeon forge....
but, see the flash of the colors.....
i know that it's kinda tough to see the fireworks from the bypass as it seems like they set them off on the north ish end of town.........
the other night---we did try to see if we'd see the fireworks from when UT scored.......but we werent sure exactly where the stadium was......
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| Post Number: 13
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pastywhite
Group: Members
Posts: 1558
Joined: May 2009
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Posted on: Sep. 27 2012, 4:27 pm |
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Other people have told me you can see the ones that go high and you can see the flash from all of them. i
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| Post Number: 14
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kevinumberger
Group: Members
Posts: 3632
Joined: Dec. 2005
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Posted on: Sep. 27 2012, 5:18 pm |
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only one way to find out...
i'll meet ya up there next july 4th......
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wornoutboots
Group: Members
Posts: 454
Joined: Jun. 2010
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Posted on: Oct. 03 2012, 2:53 pm |
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That had to be a crazy night hike!! Sounds Invigorating!! Thanks for the Report!
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Take time to watch the trees dance with the wind......then join in
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| Post Number: 20
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pastywhite
Group: Members
Posts: 1558
Joined: May 2009
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Posted on: Oct. 03 2012, 7:53 pm |
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(wornoutboots @ Oct. 03 2012, 2:52 pm)
QUOTE
(pastywhite @ Sep. 27 2012, 2:48 pm)
QUOTE
(Kayman @ Sep. 27 2012, 11:18 am)
QUOTE A few years back I stayed at the LeConte Shelter on the 4th of July. I was thinking it might be possible to catch some fireworks displays looking out towards Knoxville. I did this recently too but got the date wrong. The Gatlinburg parade is on the night of the 3rd but the fireworks don't happen until the night of the 4th. I went on the 3rd  I think that was the night I stayed up there with ya Pasty? I had hiked up for Roaring Fork.
Yup. That was the night.
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