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| Route 1: 45 miles (plus 8.5 road), 39.7 new; 16:00 (plus 14:30 @ BC 41) |
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| +9,425' -9,425' |
A pleasantly mild forecast led to a spur of the moment decision to drive up the day after Christmas to GSMNP to start the
Great Smoky Postman project. I chose the route on my spreadsheet just off Exit 20 on I-40 in the eastern corner of the park. Fittingly, this is the first one I solved years back using the
postman algorithm. Originally called "Cataloochee Challenge," this 45+ mile route would certainly be a challenge to complete in one day.
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| Caldwell Fork |
Just a few days recovered from my 19th
ALTAR, I opted to break it up into two days. After parking at Cove Creek Gap at 7:30 am, I jogged 5 miles down into the Cataloochee Valley. The road started off as gravel and there was no traffic. I didn't mind the speedy descent winding in and out of the rich cove forests and opted to bushwhack down through the woods to rejoin the road where it switched back about half a mile.
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| Warming up among the ruins of Boogerman |
I made it to the frosty Caldwell Fork TH in about an hour. The sun was still a ways from cresting the ridge. I noted an advisory at the TH about the many creek fords to come. Four crossings had thigh-deep water and slippery uneven footing. One awkward maneuver strained my left hip and I really didn't look forward to immediately repeating this section after circling back on the Boogerman.
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| "mossome" |
The sun was doing a great job of warming up the valley by the time I finally left the creek and climbed Big Fork Ridge over to Rough Fork TH. A short ways up this trail brought me to Woody House. I took a brief lunch break on the porch of this century-old structure before continuing up the ridge past a family of equestrians and to the junction of upper Caldwell Fork.
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| Woody House |
Unlike the slower going along lower Caldwell Fork, the upper section was fast and smooth sidehill down to BC 41. This is where I had a reservation for the night, but I wasn't yet finished with the day. So I hung my food on the bear cables and continued down Caldwell Fork to McKee Branch for a little reality check.
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| BC 41 |
At almost a marathon into the day, a nearly 2,000-foot climb in two miles had me feeling the burn. The wintertime views on either side of Cataloochee Divide more than made up for any hardship. All the same, I was happy to make it back to camp by about 5 pm and promptly got a fire going and dinner cooked as both sun and temperature dropped.
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| morning light on upper Rough Fork |
I was up before dawn heating a couple packets of ramen and coffee for breakfast. By 7:30 am, I set out up Caldwell Fork to resume the ascent up Rough Fork to Polls Gap. I startled some deer as I wound in and out of the majestic coves. The morning light had me smiling as I entered the spruce toward Polls Gap.
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| Enjoying the view from upper Flat Creek |
Once at Polls Gap I tackled a nearly six mile loop up Heintooga Ridge Road and back down Flat Creek. The road was closed for winter and I enjoyed a quiet run up and back down. Back at Polls Gap, I set out for the final 12 mile push to the car with the goal of Hemphill Bald for lunch.
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| Hemphill Bald |
I made it to the summit by noon and enjoyed taking in the panoramic views and watching the skiers while feasting on nuts, crackers and dark chocolate cranberries. In another two hours I was back to the car and ready for the 3.5 hour drive east. This inaugural outing of the Great Smoky Postman surpassed my expectations and I can't wait to get back out there!
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| lichen hikin' |
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