Of Sweat and Rain

I parked at 6am at the trailhead. It was only 65 degrees but I started to sweat as I stood alongside my Subie. The humidity…oh, the humidity!

Within 10 minutes I had my pack on and was heading up the semi-dark trail. It was light enough to see in some places, but with heavy rhododendron cover and tree canopy, a little headlamp light was nice…and I hoped it would alert the bears that I was heading their way. (I only smelled one).

The top of Mount LeConte was my destination, but I had concerns about lightning. The forecast looked okay for the morning, but early afternoons have been the lightning-bringer. Rain I was prepared for, but we’ve had so many pop-up storms lately and being on the ridge or summit of a 6593’ mountain…just brought really bad memories of a hike last summer at Kuwohi.

My friend Amelia and I hiked from the parking lot at Kuwohi, up the Bypass trail, then took a left on the Appalachian Trail and hiked to Siler’s Bald…5 miles from our start. We had a nice break and lunch at the bald and when we stood up to leave saw a massive storm over Fontana Lake below us. And of course it came our way. We were hiking back up to Kuwohi and ended up having lightning crackling overhead as we hiked. It was terrifying. 

Given that scary experience last summer, I was being extra careful. You don’t have cell service to check radar to monitor storms. So….

There were a couple folks ahead of me, but not in my view. And I knew others were behind, but again…not in my hiking bubble. I had the trail to myself and even had Alum Cave to myself for a little while. But just above the cave, it got darker and started sprinkling. By the time I reached the 3.5 mile mark (out of my 5.5 destination), sheets of rain were falling. My rain gear was keeping me dry, but I wondered if lightning would be far behind.

I was feeling great, taking my time to enjoy the beauty of the trail but I live so close to this magical place, I can return easily another day. And every inch of trail I continued to hike up, I had to hike back down. So, I weighed my options and felt I’d be extra careful and start back down the trail as the rain created a small creek of water rushing down the trail.

I’m not someone who gives up on a goal easily and I absolutely love this hike. I’d already done what I consider the hardest part of the hike…but if you hear thunder, you’re already at risk and I want to be able to visit this place many more times.

There was still some decent elevation gain of 1673 feet up and 1709 feet down (how can you hike more down than you do up…I never understand that) and I hiked a total of 7 miles. So good workout and nearly four hours of expansion and beauty and communing with Nature. A couple hours since finishing and my body feels amazing….clear, aligned, sparkly, grounded. Joy is bubbling up within as I sit typing with Buddy curled up against me.