LeConte Hike 2008

I am SO BEHIND with my posting, so I'm going to try to make these quick! In July, Kip and I went on our now annual hike to LeConte Lodge in the Smokies. It is a great experience, even for a city girl like me. The lodge at the top is VERY rustic with no electricity or running water in the cabins--and certainly no cell phone service. I have never seen the stars from this viewpoint, and it is amazing! This year we hiked with three other couples--the Holidays, the Mikles and the Geigers.

It was a great hike with fabulous weather (that is KEY after our 3-mile hike in a severe thunder/hail/lightening/rain storm last year). We took our regular 5-mile hike up Alum Cave--it is the shortest, steepest route with breathtaking views. After a warm meal, we enjoyed the sunset on the cliffs and then played cards by lantern-light in the common area. The next morning, we headed out after breakfast, taking the Trillion trail down. It was a less steep 6.5 mile route through the woods--not as scenic, but beautiful in it's own right. Also, we saw the Llama train taking the supplies up to the Lodge--they take this trail up and down several times during the week. We have all decided that this is a trail that our boys can definitely handle, so they will be joining us next year--they are ecstatic!