It's been incredibly wet and snowy this winter and with temperatures finally starting to creep back up into the normal range, much of the snow has added to the flow of the already swollen creeks. There are several waterfalls in NE Tennessee that need this to be worth viewing. One in particular I have had on my list was Pete's Branch Falls in Horse Creek Park near Greeneville.

One of the bridges across Horse Creek.

Cascades on Horse Creek.

Pete's Branch Falls is a two mile hike along Horse Creek that crosses the creek several times, you can actually drive to the spur trail that leads to the waterfall if you have a high clearance vehicle but I decided to walk since I had never been there and was unsure of the roads. It was also the first chance I've had to test out the waders I bought a few years ago to help my dad around the barn. I knew that the creek crossings would get my feet wet if I didn't have them and I was right, at the first crossing the creek came just shy of the top of spilling over inside my boots. The old road follows the creek up through the park and it's absolutely gorgeous. There are numerous photo ops of all the cascades and I took my time since I was alone working on some new camera settings I have been studying online. Even though it was a few miles, my legs were on fire from the weight of the waders. They also weren't broke in and had dug into both of my heels rubbing blisters. Even with the discomfort, I was happy to be outside, and even happier not to have any time constraints.

More cascades.

Isolations.

Soon I arrived at the Pete's Branch Trail and the old road turned into a narrow path that started to climb up the mountain the final .6 miles. Even with the heavy rain and snow, Pete's Branch was still rather low, disappointing considering my planning in making the trip. To add to my aggravation, the trail was steeper than anyone had mentioned in their reviews of the hike. Soon I rounded over a small rise in the trail and could see the waterfall in the distance. It's always such a thrill when you see a waterfall for the first time, I forgot all about my heels and tired legs and was at the base setting up my tripod for the first picture. The falls drop off a large set of rock cliffs that span both sides of the creek. As I worked on shooting from different angles I decided to climb along the cliff wall on the right of the falls to get high enough to show the rugged terrain around me. I was peeking between the trees framing the falls with my camera and noticed another drop just upstream from the main waterfall. I hadn't read anything about it in the research I had done and couldn't see enough of the falls to tell if I had even seen a picture. I noticed the rock wall on the left side of the creek eventually met the ridge high on the opposite side of where I was so I scrambled back down and started climbing toward the top of the rock cliff to get a closer look of the falls. It wasn't easy and it was steep but as I started working my way back down to the base of the falls I could tell it had all been worth it. The "new" waterfall was a sliding cascade that eventually dropped near vertical over 20ft to it's base. I had never seen a picture of it so I slid down through the laurel and laid next to the creek trying to get an angle that best represented what I was seeing in person.

Pete's Branch Falls.

Rock Cliffs above the falls. The other waterfall is hidden in the laurel above.

Underneath the cliffs.

The trail I took upstream.

Previously undocumented watefall above Pete's Branch.

I couldn't wait to get home and share my find with my friends on the Waterfalls of Tennessee website. I took several pictures before packing up and carefully climbing back around the cliff at the main waterfall. On the hike back, I stopped at a few cascades and worked on some isolations before packing it in to the truck. I would recommend hiking to Pete's Branch if you had the chance, under the right conditions, it's one of the best in Northeast Tennessee. Until next time, happy trails.

One of last view of my find.

I frequent several forums and facebook pages that are dedicated to my love of hiking and waterfalling and recently a picture caught my eye that I had to go see for myself. Marty Peterson had hiked to Laurel Falls near Hampton, Tennessee during the bitter cold temperatures we had been having and found it nearly frozen solid! Just by looking at the picture I found it hard to fathom that the amount of water that crosses the falls could be frozen, no matter how cold it had been.

The waterfall normally looks like the middle picture.

Another perspective shot, me at the base of the 55ft falls.

Unfortunately, my work schedule was jammed and I wouldn't have a day off before I was sure it would thaw, so I did what any sane person would do, I set my alarm for 4am and decided I would hike there alone, in the dark, in below freezing temperatures, and see it once the sun came up and before I had to be at work at 10am.

Taken from the footbridge as  the sun was first lighting the gorge.

Laurel Falls is the premier waterfall in Northeast Tennessee, it's inevitable that whenever I'm discussing hiking that someone will ask if I have been there. There are two ways to access the falls. The longer route's trail head is in Hampton along the road and travels nearly four miles to the base of the waterfall. The first time I hiked to the falls I took this route and from what I remember it was a pleasant hike and had several nice bridges before finally following the creek up to the base of the waterfall. The easier route is from Dennis Cove and follows the ridge on a level hike before descending a long series of stone steps to the base of the falls. I always hike in this way now, it's much shorter at only 1.5m to the falls. The road into the cove is an adventure in itself, the four miles to the top of the mountain are steep and curvy and the steepest of sections are without a guardrail. I was hesitant on going just because of the road but Amber's friend lives on the mountain and assured me it was passable. As I was driving up the snow covered road that morning, I cussed her on more than one occasion.

Laurel Falls at sunrise.

Upon arriving at the trail head, the moon lit the trail enough for me to see and I started sloshing through the snow and away from the safety of my truck. The forest is incredibly quiet when it snows and it downright deafening in the dark. The only sound was the water flowing under the ice on it's way through the gorge. The creek wasn't completely frozen over so I was worried that I had missed my opportunity but when I arrived at the footbridge over Laurel Fork the thickness of the ice raised my spirits. As I wound up the stone steps that pass through the ridge to reach the trail above the falls the first light of day was lighting the horizon. Normally, Laurel Falls can be heard from the top of the ridge but I was greeted with silence, I was so excited I hiked at a blistering speed and actually broke a sweat. When I made it to the stone steps I had to watch my footing, each rock was coated in ice and I definitely didn't want a broken leg with no one likely to come through for a day or so.

Detail of the ice.

Parting shot.

Sunrise over Hampton, Tennessee. Bays Mountain and Eastman can be seen in top right of photo.

As I drew closer to the falls I could see the ice coating the entire surface of the 55ft monster, and upon arriving at the base, I was in completely stunned silence. The pool was frozen solid and a sliver of water could be seen snaking downstream. The main falls was iced over except for a tiny portion at the base. It was one of the crazier things I've ever witnessed in person. I made sure every picture counted and checked my lens to make sure mist wasn't building up ruining the image, I knew I might never see it like this again. After filling my camera with pictures, I realized I had a tight window to make it home and get ready for work. As I walked in the door at 10am, I knew that no matter what happened that day, it wouldn't wipe the smile from my face. Until next time, happy trails.

I have the worst writer's block. I've started this post several times only to get half way through and delete it all and stare blankly at the screen. It's sad too, considering how many great hikes I've been on recently. The Farmer's Almanac has managed to accurately predict this winter as being one of the harshest in recent memory. Although we haven't seen big snowfall totals, the bitter cold has lingered for long stretches of days presenting a unique opportunity, a frozen waterfall.

Beware of hang gliders!

I've hiked to Red Fork Falls on multiple occasions and have to say it's one of my favorite waterfalls in the area. The hike is short and rarely does anyone else join you. The trail, although short, does present quite the challenge when it arrives at the top of the waterfall. The full 80ft to the base is a vertical descent that parallels the waterfall. The trail is slick and crosses several large rock outcrops where ropes are now secured to assist you down. The lower portion of trail is constantly wet from the spray of the waterfall and makes for slick conditions year round.

Second creek crossing.

Now, imagine all that frozen solid. That's exactly what Steve and I were greeted with when we visited a few weeks ago at the height of the polar vortex. The first creek crossing was frozen completely from one side to the other and Steve didn't hesitate to "skate" across to the other side making it look easy. I stuck to the rocks that are in place for crossing even though they were also coated in ice. At the second crossing the creek was once again frozen but with thinner ice and it didn't look safe so I bushwhacked downstream finding a more suitable crossing with more exposed rock. Once on the main trail on the other side it was an easy trek to the top of the waterfall. I could tell from our vantage point that the falls was framed in thick ice but wasn't completely frozen like the falls we had visited earlier that morning. I was still anxious to see it from the base and began the slow trip around the top and to the base. Literally everything had a coat of ice on it and I had to chip away pieces of it just to have a grip or a foot hold. When we arrived at one of the steepest points the ropes to assist us were frozen in about seven inches of ice! Steve tried to swing around the rock with the piece of rope but his feet wouldn't find anywhere that would keep him from sliding out into the side of the waterfall. I scooted around the rock ledge and found a spot I could jump down onto another ledge and then continued around the ridge away from the spray of the waterfall. Although there was snow on the ground, I could see boulders laid out that had to be a former trail and followed it until it wound around safely at the base of the waterfall. The sun was starting to come over the ridge so I hurriedly took photos before the light was too harsh. I was impressed with the ice that had built up around the falls and the fact that we were still intact to see it.

HDR image of Red Fork Falls. One of my favorite pictures. I actually watermarked this one.

Steve wasn't so lucky the second time across the ice. Notice the hole?

I've fallen behind with the blog entries lately, and I apologize. I promise you though, the sights I have on deck are worth the wait. Until next time, happy trails!

2014 is here and I have vowed to blow past last years blog entry total all while working on my first book. So far I've squeezed two hikes into the new year and they have been framed by one of the more rare weather events that we've had in recent memory.

Early Monday morning a polar vortex swept through the region taking temperatures from nearly 60 degrees to the teens within a eight hour period. I was off Monday and hit the woods of Greeneville, Tennessee to visit Margarette Falls. The falls are a relatively easy 1.3 mile hike with minimal elevation gain. Upon arriving at the trail head I was greeted by light snow with an inch already on the ground. I was hoping the falls would be frozen over and as I made my way up the trail the snow increased and grew deeper as I gained elevation. When I arrived at the falls, it was a beautiful scene but there was no ice, the temperatures from the previous day had melted it all away. After some photos, I trekked out to the truck and headed to Erwin for a few waterfalls. Sill Branch Falls is a simple half mile hike to a nice 50ft waterfall. I really enjoy going there and there is rarely anyone else on the trail. Sadly, the ice from the last few days had melted away prior to me arriving but I still had excellent photography conditions with a light snow falling.

Sill Branch North.

Me at the base of Sill Branch Falls.

Yesterday I was off once again and after Tuesday's temps never leaving the teens and most areas dropping below zero overnight, I knew I had my best shot at seeing the elusive frozen waterfall. Steve was off as well and joined me on the trail. We started at Sill Branch Falls. Much of the snow from Monday was starting to fade but the trail was still framed with enough of it to make it a beautiful scene. The sun was starting to come up over the ridge and it's rays shot through the trees and kept us warm despite the temperature still hovering below the freezing mark. The creek crossing before the falls was frozen over and I could hardly contain my excitement of seeing what the falls would look like. I gained a large lead over Steve hurrying to catch the first glimpse of the falls. As I made the final turn before arriving at the base, I couldn't believe my eyes. The falls was gone! In it's place was a mass of ice covering the entire rock face. I was in awe of the difference in less than three days. Here's a look at both Monday and then Thursday at Sill Branch Falls.

Sill Branch Falls on Monday

Sill Branch Falls on Thursday

The stunning difference was almost unbelievable. I ran around  incapable of focusing on taking pictures just snapping wildly. Steve walked over on the large mound of snow and ice at the base, he too, was impressed. As much as I wanted to stay there all day, we had a packed agenda and within twenty minutes we were on our way back to the truck.

Frozen Pine Ridge Falls.

Steve on top of the falls.

The next stop of the day was just up the road at the parking area for the Long Arm Branch Trail. I had been reading a lot in the area in the previous days and had found that above the first waterfall off of LABT there were two more waterfalls I had never seen! The problem was that to get to them we had to climb over rocks on the side of Pine Ridge Falls and any fall from them would be disaster. Once we took the half mile hike to Pine Ridge Falls, it too, was covered in ice. The waterfall is normally about 20ft high but with the ice accumulation making a large bowl at it's base it was only about five feet high. My excitement was short lived when I saw the trail that we needed to take to continue upstream to the other waterfalls. It was steep and the rocks to the right of the falls were narrow and now caked in a few inches worth of clear ice. I told Steve it wasn't worth it to me and I was unsure how far or if we would have to get our feet wet to see them. Steve would have none of it and clumsily clinged to the rock cliff as best he could and started climbing upward. It took a few minutes but to my surprise and relief Steve made it to the top. I strapped my camera bag down tight so that I would have both hands free to work with. My legs are longer and I too made it across the waterfall without much problem at all. We both took a few minutes to stand at the brink of the falls and celebrate our accomplishment. Looking down into the deep ice bowl made a chill run through my body and I turned upstream to find a faint trail on the right side of the creek, we were on our way to Josiah Falls!

Top of Pine Ridge Falls.

"Yep, there's no trail up there!"

Creek surface frozen solid.

The first few minutes of hiking passed quickly and with ease as we followed the narrow path through the snow. There were no footprints making us feel even more manly than usual. The trail came to another iced over creek crossing but luckily we had a tree to use and both made it being able to stay dry. The trail on the opposite side began to fade and soon we were greeted with thick laurel and no trail. I thrashed my way upstream but soon I determined the only way to continue on was to get our feet wet and wade up the creek. We still had several falls to visit and we decided to wait to see the falls another day. We soon arrived back at the Pine Ridge Falls crossing and it was just as difficult going down, if not a little harder. I opted to jump off the rock to avoid sliding and rolled my ankle pretty bad. Between the cold and adrenaline I kept hiking however. I could my feel my heart beating in my throbbing ankle but I knew the day wouldn't get any easier, we were on our way to Red Fork Falls. To be continued...

Since tackling the Dismal Gorge, I have been in constant pain. There were so many falls that day I can't pinpoint which one was responsible for my misery. At my yearly physical, my doctor told me I had a neck that was out of line with my spine and some ribs that needed adjusting. He asked with a puzzled look on his face, "Exactly what do you do when you go into the woods?" I laughed and drifted into thought before answering. Finally, it came to me, "I live."

Feeling better and having a day off, I decided to go hiking. I even felt nice enough to let Steve pick the destination. He hasn't been on any of the Smoky Mountain hikes I've took so of course he chose the hardest hike in the park, Ramsey Cascades. Ramsey is a real grind of a hike that takes you four miles deep into the mountains near the Greenbrier entrance of the park in Cosby, Tennessee. I had hiked there early in the year and thought I would turn back before wearing down. The four miles wouldn't be so bad if each step wasn't uphill and on the day we chose to hike, in the snow.

Little Pigeon River

In a way, the weather made the hike more appealing for me. Photography in the mountains with snow is something I've always found to be beautiful, plus the crowds of tourists would be thinned with 30 degree temperatures and a light snow. When we arrived at the trail head there were only three other cars, as opposed to when I visited earlier having to park in an overflow half a mile away from the main lot. The trail leaves the parking lot crossing the Little Pigeon River immediately on a large suspension bridge. The snow was sticking to the bridge and starting to lay on the rocks in the river. I had recently started using a tripod so I took time to set it up on the bridge for a few shots of the river before moving on.

Ramsey Prong.

Steve crossing the foot bridge.

The first two miles passes quickly and is deceptively easy despite the gentle uphill grade. I've always found trails to be easier when they follow a river or stream with the sound of the water keeping me lost in thought instead of being able to hear my heavy breathing. When the trail meets the Ramsey Prong, a sign displayed states that you are 2.5 miles from the falls. The trail also narrows significantly as it shadows the Ramsey Prong and elevation is gained at a much faster clip. The roots and rocks keep your eyes locked on the trail and the snow was beginning to intensify. Steve stayed in the lead and kept a blistering pace for the conditions. I was falling behind from stopping to line up pictures and fog was rolling in quickly causing me to lose sight of Steve ahead of me on the trail.

Tree hugger!

The largest of the tulip poplars.

I caught up to Steve at the first of the two foot bridges crossing the creek. The foot bridges are a nice highlight of the hike being constructed of large trees split in two with a hand rail on only one side of the bridge. As I crossed the log bounced beneath my feet and with a thin layer of ice and snow I could feel the nerves at it's highest point above the creek. Safely across the creek, the trail winds uphill through more boulders before entering the old growth forest. Three large tulip poplars line the trail and Steve and I were ants in their presence. We took some time among the giants and set up the tripod capturing the following image of us to scale their size.

Entering the old growth forest.

I felt refreshed after our rest at the trees and we kept a nice pace up the mountain. The snow was now over two inches deep and the woods were eerily quiet. Steve usually doesn't show any signs of being tired but he eventually doubled over holding his knees on one of the many flights of rock stairs. I asked him what was wrong and he only stared at me knowing I already knew the answer. I said, "just remember, you wanted to come here" He rose to his feet and continued on readjusting the tripod in the pack while mumbling as I lost sight of him in the fog again. The trail left the peaceful sounds of the creek and entered my least favorite part of the hike, a long grueling uphill trip around a ridge before it swung back toward the prong short of the falls. Each step was hard, slick, and painful. I had a cramp in my side but I focused on one foot in front of the other and not falling and soon the trail leveled and began descending back toward the sweet sound of water. I met Steve in a maze of boulders and helped him cross the side stream at the base of Ramsey Cascades. A sign warns to control children with the current death toll of four written in red paint.

Narrow passages over the foot bridges.

Rock stairs near the falls.

Although we had made it to the falls, there was still a sloped rock to negotiate covered in ice. I made sure to use extra caution considering my camera was strapped to my back and a fall would shatter it beneath my weight. Steve pulled me up on the large boulder that separates the upper cascade from the lower drops and we rested in the ice cold mist from the falls. The fog was thick and so was the mist. I was almost hesitant to remove the camera from the safety of my bag, but I HAD to have a picture. I didn't bother with the tripod because the lens would be soaked in seconds. Instead I shot free hand with a slight shutter speed of half a second. I wasn't sure if any would be salvageable but I snapped away. I noticed a couple of hikers on the right side of the falls hidden behind some rocks drinking warm soup. I was jealous they had something warm, my hands were ice cold and my feet were wet from holes in my trusty hiking shoes. I made a mental note to have a thermos of something warm the next time I hiked.

Ramsey Cascades.

Steve at the cascades.

Steve had regained his usual jovial mode and marveled at the size of the cascades. He went through the usual speech of how he couldn't believe we hadn't been there before now and how we would we back in the summer for swimming. I however was struck with sadness, Steve will be a father by then and his responsibilities will change completely. In my mind, I have already been preparing to do my hiking alone. I didn't mention it to ruin the moment so I nodded somberly and said, " I can't wait, buddy."

The cold has a way of quickly rattling you back to reality and I zipped my pack and used the Jeff Forrester method for getting safely off the boulder by sliding on my backside down to the trail. Steve joined me and we hiked triumphantly back to the warmth of the truck over four miles away. Maybe it was my sadness, but I savored that hike as much as any I've been on. No detail escaped me and I kept my pace below normal to make sure I had every possible picture I could want. We both were exhausted when we finally made it back to the trail head. We had worked long hours on the days leading up and had done this hike on our only day off before the Christmas holiday. I was equally impressed with Ramsey Cascades on my second visit. Although conditions weren't the best for photography, it was a beautiful trip and good to spend time with my best friend. Hopefully we will return in better weather and get that much anticipated swim in, until next time, happy trails.

Some two weeks ago when I was making my schedule, I knew that I would only have one day off to do as I please, so of course, I would spend it hiking. I called up Strickler and we settled on Thursday and hiking back to one of our most difficult but favorite hikes, Dismal Falls. In the 10 days leading up to the hike I watched the weather for Cashiers, North Carolina every day and it looked like we would be hiking on an overcast but unusually comfortable day temperature wise considering it's late November. Somewhere during those 10 days, our friend Forrester AKA Old Man Winter asked if he could tag along with us as well. Jeff had never hiked with us in North Carolina so I went from excited to ecstatic. The threesome threw off the normal driving arrangements slightly and Jeff volunteered to drive his wife's minivan as long as we weren't doing any off-roading.

In the pines.

This morning I awoke to beautifully clear and sunny skies in Gray, TN and took one final glance at my weather channel app for Cashiers. The forecast had changed slightly calling for a 10% chance of a morning shower and clearing skies in the afternoon. Steve and Jeff arrived at the house before 8am and we loaded up the van and hit the road. Jeff's van was a nice change, with plenty of leg room and a smooth ride the miles clicked off quickly. As we barreled down the North Carolina side of Interstate 26, Jeff got the opportunity to meet one of the many state troopers that lie in wait of inattentive motorists.  A nice $218 welcome present (speeding ticket) was exchanged and we were on the road once more, although at a much slower pace. On the west side of Asheville the skies began to cloud up and I once again found myself daydreaming of how awesome my pictures would turn out with my tripod set up at the base of Dismal Falls.

Large hornets nest downed along the trail.

Somewhere around Brevard, the skies clouded a little too much and a light rain began to fall. Both Jeff and Steve showed some concern hoping the weather would break before we had to hike. I reassured them that the skies would clear but we should be thankful for the cloud cover because it would help taking photos in the gorge much easier. As the rain continued for 45 minutes and all the way to the parking for the trail head, I too began to feel the dread and the already difficult hike would now be downright dangerous.

Tree growing out a rock nearing the unnmamed falls on West Fork.

I only brought a t-shirt and a long sleeve pullover so when I exited the van the rain and the colder than normal temperatures caused me to shiver. Jeff and Steve loaded their packs and we hit the trail. Only a short distance in, I was cold, but Jeff had an extra sweatshirt he let me borrow and although it didn't fit the best it was enough to keep me warm and heading toward the waterfalls. The leaves were thick and slick, as we hiked along I didn't see signs of anyone being on the trail in recent weeks. The rain was constant but light and the forest canopy shielded us from the majority of it. We arrived at the spur trail to Aunt Sally's Falls and a short uphill hike takes you to the base of the 40ft waterfall. I was somewhat stunned at the low flow of the waterfall and honestly disappointed. I didn't bother to take my camera out of the pack and waited as Jeff snapped off a few shots before we continued back to the main trail. When the trail crosses the West Fork of the Pigeon River the climbing begins, and as we would find out, so would the falling. I had a terrible time with footing and relied heavily on using tree limbs and roots to climb and pull myself forward. My first layer of clothing was soaked and I was already cold again as we arrived at the 30ft unnamed waterfall on the fork. It's a nice cascading waterfall that has a large dead tree across it. The flow of water was a little better so I took a few pictures but didn't waste too much time standing in the open with my camera out. Steve and I make good timing hiking and Jeff was falling off the pace somewhat so we would stop and wait, after a few minutes when he didn't join us, Steve went back looking for him. He had got turned around at the waterfall and was hiking back toward the van and along the way had took his first fall of the day. Eventually I could see them both hiking back up the steep slope to join me. It was slow going and we all alternated falling and pulling ourselves back up as the trail became more gnarly approaching Rhapsodie Falls.

This waterfall isn't on any topo maps and doesn't have a name.

When we got to the base of Rhapsodie it was also at much lower levels than I had seen it last time but the pictures still were turning out fantastic.Steve sought refuge under some thick laurel and Jeff joined me taking pictures. Although it would be the perfect spot to stop, snack, and rest before the climb around the Dismal Gorge wall, the rain pushed us on. The trail begins a steady climb out of Rhapsodie Falls and meets the main trail at an intersection that will either take you into the lower Dismal Gorge or begin the climb to the top of the ridge and then into the gorge at the base of the main falls. Shortly after passing the lower Dismal trail the footing was spent. I couldn't get any traction to continue on using the trail. I instead left the trail and climbed the ridge where the leaves were much deeper and used whatever bush or tree I could get my hands on to continue upward. Although there was many reasons to turn back and be discouraged we all pushed on, most of the time we were actually laughing at each other as we took turns falling and sliding back down the trail only to have to get up and do it again. A 300 yard climb took us almost 45 minutes!

Rhapsodie Falls.

Seeking shelter at Rhapsodie Falls.

As we crested the ridge, the trail begins a steep, nearly vertical descent into the gorge below. As fate would have it, the rain had turned from a drizzle to a downpour. As I waited on Steve and Jeff to join me, I swear I could see wet snow mixed in with the downpour. I was in the lead so I could make the decision to turn back or go forward, and I really hesitated here because it was cold, we were soaked, and if we were hurt here, we most likely wouldn't survive the night. I decided to push on and I will admit, it was a stupid decision. The best way we found to get down was to sit down and slide from tree to tree. It was hard to control our speeds and I ended up slamming my knee against a tree and was in pain the remainder of the hike. It still took us another 30 minutes to make the 190 yards to the base of the falls. I was the first to step out into the creek at the base and the falls were fantastic. The flow was good and there wasn't any downed trees to ruin photos (this happens a lot here) I had packed a surprise for Steve and Jeff and grabbed three beers from my backpack. When we opened them, they spewed wildly and we all toasted our accomplishment in the pouring rain. There was some skeletal remains of a large animal at the base and we surmised that it probably fell to it's death from the main drop some 100ft upstream. I didn't even bother unloading my tripod and had to almost crotch down shielding my camera lens from the rain as I took pictures. We had some snacks and each posed for pictures before packing up and heading out of the gorge. The climb out was much easier but required much more strain on our arms as we used anything we could hold onto to pull out. The backside of the ridge was less kind causing us once again to slide from point to point trying to control ourselves as best as we could. At one point, Jeff had the misfortune of sliding right through a spot where Steve had earlier relieved himself, thankfully, he brought a change of clothes! I thought Steve would need rescued from laughing himself to death, both he and I laughed the entire way back about it. Jeff didn't find it as funny. When we finally passed the forest gate at the trail head and saw his van parked there, I don't think I've ever felt a greater sense of relief, we had somehow beat the odds and made it back safely.

Climbing the ridge toward the Dismal Gorge.

Forrester with his celebratory beer.

Only picture I got of the falls without water drops on my lens. The 150ft Dismal Falls.

Dismal Falls will always be one of my favorite hikes. It requires as great an effort as any hike you will do, but the satisfaction you feel from doing it can not be explained. Although my pictures will not be the best, they will serve as some of my all time favorite memories from our rainy day in the wilderness. The conditions of the hike in the rain made it the most difficult I've done and the most dangerous. If you take anything away from this blog, I hope it would be that even the most seasoned hikers can find themselves in dangerous situations with something as simple as rain. Always put safety ahead of adventure and as always, happy trails!

Fall is my favorite season with the bright color and cool weather there's nothing to dislike about it. I've spent most of my off days this fall in and around the Linville Gorge. Being about an hour from my house, it's not a bad drive and there's literally something new to see each time I hike there.Steve and I have feverishly knocked off the waterfall challenge list from the Carolina Mountain Club and were excited to complete the Grandfather Mountain area portion with one last waterfall.

Road heading toward Gragg Prong.

More fantastic views from the road.

The waterfalls on Gragg Prong are a short four mile drive off the Blue Ridge Parkway with the parking area being next to the creek you follow the 1.5 miles to the top of the first waterfall. I'm not sure why we picked the waterfalls last or if we have any reason at all behind the order in which we visit each one. The weather was perfect for hiking that morning with the sun being high in the clear sky with cool temperatures, however it wasn't ideal for photographing waterfalls with the settings I usually use on my camera. I didn't mind though, I was in the woods and wasn't wearing a tie, all my problems were gone for the day.

The trail folowing the creek downstream.

The first portion of the hike follows the creek and the trail literally runs through the creek bed but the water levels were so low we were able to keep our feet dry. Gragg Prong is a beautiful little creek with small cascades and deep pools. The water is so clear you can easily see the trout swimming and there are several creek crossings along the way to up the adventure factor. The last crossing requires a leap that would be impossible for most people but with long strides I was able to stick the landing on the narrow rock and keep my feet dry. The trail continues to parallel the creek and the sound of water grows louder as you follow it downstream. Soon a faint trail leads out onto the exposed bedrock along the creek and you are at the first waterfall. It's not very high or powerful but the overall setting is fantastic. The first part of the waterfall slides only a few feet before emptying in a large deep tub shaped swimming hole. If it had been summer I would have been it head first! The lower portion of the waterfall is about a 12ft cascade that sweeps around a large boulder that rests in the middle of the creek. As I looked around I couldn't help but think of how wonderful the scene would have been just a week earlier with most of the leaves still on the trees. Steve walked up to knock me from my daydream raving about the swimming hole. Although the rock was kind of steep around the waterfall it was dry and we could climb around on it without any trouble. I found a large tree limb around 10ft long and stuck it into the swimming hole as far as I could without being able to touch anything! Both Steve and I stared into the depths knowing we would be back as soon as temperatures would cooperate.

The epic swimming hole at the upper falls.

Upper waterfall on Gragg Prong.

We left the first waterfall feeling wonderful and excited for what awaited us just a short trip downstream. I had read the lower waterfall was much larger but didn't have a height listed because of it's sweeping cascade into the gorge below. The trail travels through a nice campsite and a young couple was there and greeted us as we passed through. They both had already been to the waterfall and told us of how wonderful it was. We quickened our pace and soon we emerged onto the steep sloping rock above the lower waterfall. I had seen pictures but in person it was huge! It had a vertical drop at the very top but then cascaded wildly approximately 70ft downstream. Steve made his way down the left side of the waterfall near a large steep slide to the bottom. He didn't give it a second thought before sitting down, throwing his hands in the air, and sliding down the rock like a kid on playground slide. Just before he would land in the creek he rose to his feet and did an awkward run to regain his balance. I'll have to admit it was really cool. I could hear his cackles as he walked out of sight briefly leaving me to decide if I wanted to do the same move with a $1000 worth of camera gear strapped to my back. I've never been one for spending much time on fretting on what to do so I too took the slide to the base. In fact, it was so fun we both done it several times. The waterfall itself was also fantastic, even though it was sunny there was enough color to make some good photos from downstream. Steve continued to play as I lined up photos and we both were in great spirits and realized that it would be one of our last hikes until next year with our busy holiday season schedules.

Top of the lower waterfall.

...and Steve on his way to the bottom.

From the base.

The waterfalls on Gragg Prong are absolutely wonderful. I can't do enough justice to these two waterfalls with words. It's an easy three mile round trip hike to see them for yourself, so if you are near the Blue Ridge Parkway around Grandfather Mountain make this short trip and I promise you won't be disappointed! Until next time...happy trails!

Further downstream on Gragg Prong.

Reflections on Gragg Prong.