Tuesday, March 20, 2018

52 Hike Challenge: Hike #14

Hike #14:  Great Smoky Mountains National Park 14a- Chestnut Top Trail (25 mins.)  14b- 1.1 miles to Turkey Pen Ridge Trail; 1.1 miles on Schoolhouse Gap trail to Schoolhouse Gap road and back
Time: 2 hours and 20 mins. 
Distance:  4.6 miles
Temperature: 50's--layers shed and still sweating


JP took a couple of days off over our spring break.  Today, we headed to the mountains before the snow comes in later.





We started on the Chestnut Top Trail and vertiginous feelings got the better of most of us.  Chestnut Top Trail gains about 300 feet in the first leg on a very narrow stretch of roots and rocks.  Oh my, it felt so high!  In a joint decision, we decided to turn around and hike the trail that we originally planned. 


The views going DOWN... Michael starts singing "Amazing Grace" and "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot", which I pointed out were not particularly fitting songs in this situation.  "A band of angels coming after me..."















As soon as we made the decision to turn around my panic (due to my slight fear of heights and fear of  children falling down the sides of trails) subsided and I was able to focus on some of the beauty of the trail.   




Trail #2 




Tree face:




Hike #14 



We made it to the end of the trail!  It was mostly downhill on the return trip.  After spending 20-25 mins. hiking on the first trail and then another 2 hours on this one, we are officially spent! 



A little walking in the stream...



Picking up pizza on the way home seemed fitting!   The introverts have all found their own little corner to recharge and I imposed quiet time on the other one.  Ahh...spring break! 

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