My Friend and Mt. LeConte

I was in a rut – a big ol’ nasty rut with work, feeling trapped by the mundane day-to-day. That’s when I got the call from my dear friend Leah. She and I worked together for several years at a nonprofit in Nashville. I’ve always enjoyed Leah’s sense of humor, and we have a lot of the same interests. It’s easy hanging out with her, and each time I come away feeling uplifted by the experience. She moved on from the job before I did, and we kept in touch for a little while, mostly camping or hiking at local Tennessee state parks. Years went by, life changed drastically for both of us, and we lost touch. Such is life, but I always knew we could clip into our daypacks at a moment’s notice. And that’s exactly what happened. She called me out of the blue to ask if I would go with her to hike Mt. LeConte. Our conversation took maybe 30 seconds:

Leah: How in the world are you?

Me: Leah!

Leah: Want to go hike Mt. LeConte with me?

Me: Yep.

Leah: Want to camp out?

Me: Yep.

Leah: Meet you there?

Me: Yep!

That was it. I hollered out to the Universe, “I’m going to Mt. LeConte!” It awoke something within my spirit, and I finally felt alive again. I needed this more than I realized. When the day of the trip came, I called out sick from work, threw my stuff in the back of my Jeep, and headed for the Smoky Mountains. I couldn’t believe just how much I had missed those mountains, and I cried and sang the whole way there.

I arrived first, Leah showed up shortly after, and we laughed and hugged and said we’d never wait 10 years to see each other again. It was a rainy evening, so we decided to go into town and grab a bite at one of her favorite pizza joints in Pigeon Forge. Leah lives closer to the Smokies than I do, so she knows all the good spots for food. We talked about everything, and I was grateful to be reconnected with such a wonderful friend. After dinner, we made our plan for the morning and ended up sleeping in our cars to avoid soggy tents.

It rained most of the night, but the morning brought dry, cold weather. We had our coffee and breakfast by the light of our headlamps, then headed to the Alum Cave trailhead. It was already packed by 7 a.m. Luckily, we got a spot in the parking lot, and then the excited jitters set in from seeing all the other hikers heading for the trail. I felt like we were about to run a half marathon and had to keep reminding myself to let go of the false pressures I create. I do not like competitions. They make me want to puke or poop or cry.

I have a habit of starting my hikes at a faster pace than I should. I can’t help it. The cool air, the rocks, the roots, the mountain streams, and the lush vegetation make me so very excited to be on the trail. My energy level shoots through the roof and I feel most alive in those moments. I love the feel of my backpack and my trekking poles, and my legs are ready to push through the next eight hours. My urge to rush was especially keen this time, since I hadn’t been in those mountains in 11 years.

The Alum Cave Trail is one of my favorites. It’s picturesque, rugged, and offers a variety of scenery. The trail still had ice on it when we got into the higher elevations, and trail maintenance crews had secured cables along the mountainside for hikers to hold on to so they wouldn’t slip and fall off the mountain. It’s a steep climb up Mt. LeConte, but it’s worth all the exertion because at the top is the Mt. LeConte Lodge, a modest lodge with no electricity that was established around 1925, predating the dedication of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. We got the picture and the t-shirt and then continued around the corner and up a ways more to the tippy top. There were signs for bear activity, a sign for the Boulevard Trail (a 5-mile connector to the Appalachian Trail), and about six inches of snow stuck to the tree branches, jutting out frozen in time by the wind. The overlook is magnificent, and we had it all to ourselves for a short while.

Coming down, I saw the trail sign for the Mt. LeConte Shelter, and I couldn’t resist. I ran over and saw the front of the shelter was covered with a big brown tarp. I pushed the tarp aside and stepped in. I hadn’t seen or been inside a shelter since November 2013. It gave me the feeling of seeing another dear old friend. I lay down on the floor and smelled the musty outdoor scent that I had missed so very much. I closed my eyes and, at that moment, I knew I would be hiking the Appalachian Trail again very soon. It was confirmation of my purpose and plan for this next chapter in my life.

In our descent, we got a little sidetracked and accidentally did a small bit of the Rainbow Falls Trail — thankfully, both of our internal trail tracker sirens went off at the same time when we came upon a fallen tree that blocked the entire path. “I don’t remember seeing this tree on the climb up here, do you?”

We got back on the Alum Cave Trail and made our way down. The crowds got bigger the closer we got to the bottom of the trail, and people started asking if we had made it to the top. It’s a different world up there breathing in the heavy scents of pine trees covered in a blanket of white; like stepping inside a snow globe. Making it to the top evokes a powerful sense of accomplishment that feeds and fuels future hiking adventures. I call it the “hiker bug,” and it had been festering inside me for far too long.

We were famished from our experience. Found a little steakhouse on the outskirts of town, and both got a large salad, a loaded baked potato, and a country-fried steak. Ate all the dinner rolls! I mean, when do we permit ourselves to eat all the dinner rolls in the basket? I do love the hiker hunger. Riding around town, eating a big meal, and feeling my sore muscles brought back so many memories of resupply stops in towns along the Appalachian Trail.

We slept in our vehicles again that night out for ease and efficiency. It got pretty cold, but I stayed warm in my sleeping bag and an extra blanket. Slept in my hiking clothes and woke up to the sound of the birds chirping. We had our coffee and discussed the hike, new gear, and future hiking plans. Leah gave me such a gift by thinking of me for this adventure, and it happened so easily like it was already in the stars. I left feeling incredibly inspired by my friend and Mt. LeConte.

Tagged: Essays