Alum Cave Bluffs

GTM Day

Today's hike was on the popular Alum Cave Trail, with a possible goal of reaching Mount Le Conte. We didn't get on the trail till late morning (the elevation change and days of driving really wiped me out!), and there was still a chill in the air below the massive old-growth (I think?) trees. We sure don't see trees this big back up in Harriman or Stokes. The trail followed a fast-flowing stream and there were lots of breaks in the trees and bushes and outcropping of rocks around the stream to allow for wathcing the water fly over the mini-rapids. We crossed a few branches of the stream via bridges made of very thick logs cut in half. Super sturdy, but railings only on one side (but not good for bridge-chickens like H). The trail took an interesting turn upward after another bridge, and follows a staircase (thanks trail maintenance folks) set under a rock arch. Not quite the caliber of Utah's arches, but beautiful nonetheless. Up to this point we met up with at least a dozen hikers who were coming back from summitting Mount Le Conte. Ooff. What time did these determined souls rise this morning?! The trail veered away from the stream at another log bridge and switch-backed all the way up to a scenic vista just short of the cave that's the trail's namesake. M dropped some carbiners into a prickly bush but with unusual dexterity managed to rescue them with his trekking poles. Good job, M! Leave no trace! A small trickle of water dropped down on us from atop the Alum Cave, making the trail slip-slidey in this spot. We ducked under the cave briefly to get a sense of its size (huge!) and moved on up the trail, looking for a lunch spot away from some chatty (where're you from??) day hikers. Finding nothing but more climbing and deciding not to keep going all the way to Mount Le Conte, we turned around and passed the cave and found a lunch spot with a nice view into the valley. A barking red-coated squirrel quickly claimed that turf as his and tried to make off with our spicy nits and other lunch snacks. He didn't succeed, and we sure didn't feed him, though doubtless others have. The walk back down the trail was uneventful. A couple who had jumped ahead of us on the trail disappeared into the woods, or so we thought. We finally caught up with them at the car parking area. They must have run to keep ahead of us! Overall a good hike.



(written by H)