Driving in traffic is perhaps one of my greatest stresses. I often marvel at the level of stupidity of the people I share the road with and often arrive at my destination with a red face and what I'm sure is unsafe blood pressure levels. For instance, while commuting to a meeting I became trapped behind three cars who felt the need to drive side by side by side driving 10 miles under the speed limit. It's in these times the full appreciation of the outdoors and the isolation they provide are most evident to me.

Trail closed? Yeah right!

The trail as it enters the rock slide area.

Deep pool on Stony Creek.

One of my personal favorites for such seclusion is found in Dungannon, Virginia. Hanging Rock Recreation Area is seldom used but has beauty at every turn. The park has no doubt seen better days but it also serves as a trail head for several nice hikes including the Falls of Little Stony. I consider hiking in from the rec area the "back way" because during the summer you can drive to a short distance above the upper falls and see all the waterfalls in less than a miles hike, but I also prefer the longer route because of the numerous cascades, cliffs, and overall beauty along the 5.2 mile journey.

Cascade at the first footbridge.

Dad heading up the trail.

Awesome cascades.

My dad has become quite the hiker himself, shedding over 100lbs since last April and really being determined to get his life and health in order. I've been amazed at the transformation and blessed because now he can tag along with me without being exhausted. A few weeks ago we headed into the mountains of Virginia for hike up to the falls on one of the warmer days we've had this winter.

Creek side at the cascades.

The tree waterfall.

The trail is in great shape and remains level as it follows Little Stony Creek up the valley. A short distance into the hike is a large rock shelf that has collapsed some time ago and the massive boulders are stuck in the ground like daggers. One of the boulders has split once it hit the ground and the trail snakes narrowly between the rocks. At around half a mile the first footbridge crosses the creek and a large cascade. The trail enters a flat stretch along the left side of the creek with a large rock that stretches for over 100 yards level with the water. I love this area and always stop to take photos from different perspectives. I told dad to hike on and I would catch up with him up the trail. After getting my fill of photos I sprinted up the trail looking for dad, and was surprised at how far he had hiked in a short distance. It wasn't long before we arrived at the second foot bridge which crosses the creek at a side stream waterfall that empties into the gorge.

As the trail gained elevation I noticed large icicles formed along the gorge walls and soon snow started to line the trail. Dad and I took our time and he waited patiently as I would stop to drop the tripod for each shot. I found a nice cascade that was about a twenty foot drop below us and was able to slide down the bank and keep my feet under me impressing him that someone my size was so nimble. A tree has fell over the creek creating a perfect waterfall spanning it's length and by the size of the tree, it will be there for years to come.

Clear skies.

Snow starting to line the trail.

We made good timing and the gorge transformed before our eyes with the cliffs rising steeper and the snow getting deeper. The trail passes under a cliff were icicles hang dangerously above your head. I had to take advantage of such a unique photo op although I wasn't about to make a sound and cause them to come crashing down on me. The trail winds up the mountain away from the creek to avoid some slide damage and eventually drops back down to creek level just short of the third and final footbridge before reaching the waterfalls. On the ridge high above us Bear Rock loomed over the valley and we crossed the longest of the bridges and a short time later we were at the largest of the waterfalls on Little Stony at the observation deck the forest service has constructed. Of course, I wanted to be at the base of the falls and left dad to take a break and headed down the steep bank. I went off trail to get further downstream to include some cascades in my shots. In my haste, I lost my footing and caught my arm in a small tree causing it to get jerked painfully above my head. I wiggled free but my arm hung completely numb at my side! I tried lifting it and it wouldn't budge and used my right arm to pick it up but still nothing. I rubbed my hand over the other one for what seemed like an eternity before my fingers began to tingle and the feeling came back in my arm. Dad had missed it and I was glad as I took photos of the roaring falls. I told him about it once I reached the observation deck and he surmised it could have been a slight nerve strain or rotator cuff issue. He had me do a couple of throwing motions and stretch it over my head before determining I was a wimp and that we should move along.

The longest bridge on the trail.

Death from above.

Lower falls on Little Stony.

From the observation deck.

A short distance upstream from the lower waterfalls is the smallest waterfall on Little Stony. It's hidden off trail in a rocky cove and I didn't take time to scramble down this time. Maybe a couple of tenths of a mile upstream is the upper falls and one of the nicer falls in Virginia. It isn't very high but free falls into a large pool and can be photographed on all sides INCLUDING behind it! I could tell dad was proud we had reached our destination and was even more excited that he still felt great. I told him that he was just tuning up for our father/son hike to Mt LeConte this coming summer.

Sun peeking over Upper Stony Falls.

Dad and I.

One last look at Little Stony.

If you ever find yourself feeling the stresses of life maybe a trip to Dungannon, Virginia and Little Stony Falls will brighten your day. Hiking always helps me unwind but it also helps me focus on how blessed I am. No matter your situation there is always someone who has it worse than you. Until next time, happy trails!

Finding hiking partners recently has been a real challenge. Not everyone shares my obsession of wandering into the wilderness  at every opportunity, but thanks to the wonderful Internet, I can post where I want to go and wait for volunteers to tag along. Some people would scoff at the idea of hiking with strangers, but I like to think of it as networking and I've always been fond of meeting new people.

When I first decided to hike to Lilybeth Falls I knew it would be a tough sale. Although it's only a few miles round trip, it requires some climbing and negotiating unmarked trails all while being in the heart of bear country.  There was very limited information online and even fewer directions. A local trail legend who goes by Rat seems to be the only one who has went there or at least the only one who has wrote a blog about it. Check out his work at (www.rattreks.com). He referred to the hike as the waterfall tour but took a route that comes down from the top of Rich Mountain and comes out at the trail head for Pine Ridge Falls. I was unfamiliar with hiking that route but figured if I could read his general directions from his post backwards I could get there from the bottom up.

When I shared my intentions on my facebook page, Jon Phillips volunteered to join me. A few others committed but as the hike grew closer backed out for various reasons. I had already decided I was going whether I had anyone with me or not, I was just trying to keep Amber from being too upset with me. Late Friday night, Jon messaged me asking if he minded if Randy Tarpley went along with us the following morning, or as he has known by most of the hiking community, Rat! I couldn't believe that the man who inspires most of my hikes (especially in Unicoi County) would be joining us on trail!

Saturday morning we met at the trail head for Pine Ridge Falls shortly after 8am. The sun was hidden behind some pretty nice cloud cover so I was anxious to see what photo opportunities awaited us. From the moment I stepped out of the truck, Randy, Jon, and I acted like we had known each other for years. Randy led the way telling us of his many adventures in the mountains and pointing out specific ridges and rock formations. He also told us of how he looks for "ninja trails" and as we would later find out, they are very important in the wilderness above Pine Ridge Falls.

The first real obstacle of the hike occurs at a half mile in, Pine Ridge Falls has to be hiked around to continue on to the next falls on Devil's Fork. There is a small natural rock staircase that has to be climbed on the right of the falls. It isn't extremely hard, but it shouldn't be underestimated either, a false step and one would certainly be injured severely if not worse. We all made the climb and I could already feel the excitement of knowing I would soon be at Josiah Falls. I have hiked above Pine Ridge before but without directions and pouring snow, I turned back short of reaching the waterfall. We stuck with the right side of the creek weaving between small saplings that have grown through what used to be a nice trail. The trail leads to a creek crossing that leads to a nice camp site but we stayed on the right side more or less bushwhacking upstream. A short distance later the forest opened up and some logging roads became visible above us on the right. Randy led us through the area to a small but deep pool below a picturesque cascade. We crossed the creek and were met with some heavy laurel but I could see through the trees, we were at Josiah Falls!

Josiah Falls.

A different angle of Josiah.

Josiah Falls is gorgeous, it's surrounded on either side by steep terrain and is well hidden by the rock boulders before the base of the falls. All of us strategically unpacked and picked out where we would set up for shooting the falls. Although the sky was cloudy, the open canopy above the falls made for some tricky photography conditions. Randy was disheartened to learn we didn't have ND (neutral density) filters for our cameras but thought we could get some good images nonetheless. Jon's camera was a real gem in comparison, a Canon 60D, and when I saw his images, I wished I had saved my money to purchase one myself. A ND filter helps control the amount of light that your lens get, much like how sunglasses work for the human eye. We spent around thirty minutes shooting Josiah before packing for yet another difficult task.

Randy climbing above Josiah

Cascades at the split above Josiah Falls.

On the right side of the falls, the terrain is nearly vertical, compounding the problem was a large tree that had blocked the preferred path up and around the falls. Randy led us up the steep grade digging his hiking poles into the loose dirt and holding on for dear life. I followed close behind and used the limbs from the fallen tree to help pull myself uphill. After a short but grueling climb we were able to swing around the ridge above Josiah Falls. Surprisingly the waterfall is much larger than can be seen from the base with a long sliding cascade snaking through the laurel before the main drop. Randy and Jon stayed to the right of the trail and I took a small goat path around the cliff above the falls that led to an easier path up the ridge and upstream to what is known as "the split" Two streams converge just short of the top of Josiah Falls in a beautiful setting of numerous cascades and slides. Unfortunately, a massive pine tree has fell in the middle of it marring much of the photo potential.

More cascades at the split.

Cliff before Lilybeth Falls.

The Devil's Slide.

Sitting below the cliffs at Devil's Slide.

From the split we stuck with Devil's Fork which is on the left. The laurel really come in handy here as we used them to pull up, over, and around the still very steep creek banks. Soon after I could see a large rock cliff and we arrived at it's base a few minutes later. I found a perfect rock under the shade of the cliff and unloaded my pack for a break. Randy told us around the corner out of our sight was the area known as the Devil's Slide and that he was oblivious to it's existence for years as he hiked right on by between the other waterfalls. After our break, we followed along the rock wall on an uphill slant through some slick leaves and more blow downs. Once we were on top of the cliffs I could see the short distance upstream to Lilybeth Falls. I shot ahead and slid down the bank at the base of the falls while Jon and Randy set up behind me using the laurel to frame their shots. I don't know exactly what it was about the falls that I was so entranced with but I was in heaven. Cliffs rose steeply above the top of the falls and Randy pointed out the tree he stood at to look over 100ft down to where we were at the base. Hearing Randy talk about his previous trips and to see the look of excitement on his face when describing them was a joy for me, sometimes I wonder if anyone else gets it, and he most certainly does. He was also a team player when it came to pointing out prime photo angles at the falls even laying flat on his stomach at one point to photograph some small cascades. Time was the furthest thing from my mind and I still can't say how long we were there, but we eventually started hiking back out. We made a small pit stop below the Devil's slide and had brunch with the various goodies we had brought with us. I found a slanted tree to prop myself up against and sat with my feet spread out in front of me. As the sun peeked over the ridge above the small falls I couldn't have been a happier person. Jon worked with his camera while Randy continued on with conversation,  I had found two wonderful new hiking partners. When we passed Josiah on our way out, we paused for a group photo, using Jon's camera of course!

Lilybeth Falls.

Side view of Lilybeth Falls.

Jon working on a shot.

and Randy working on his shot,

As we approached the top of Pine Ridge Falls, we saw another group of hikers at their base. They seemed surprised to see us coming out of the wild but it was nice to know we were closing on safety and once Jon made it down from the rocky cliff, I felt that relief even more. My first ever waterfall tour was complete and the added bonus was having the man who invented it hiking with me. Jon was the perfect fit for the group as well being a lifetime outdoorsman. It's nice to know that people can still get along in a world that seemingly gets crazier by the day, maybe that's why I love the sanctuary of the woods so much. Until next time, happy trails!

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...