Jakes Creek trail starts from Elkmont

@ Jakes Gap

An icy ooze from the side of Dripping Spring Mountain on the Miry Ridge trail

Camp at site 26.

Nurse stump. A very healthy beech tree about 15 feet tall growing from this old stump.

Silers Bald shelter

AT trail blazes on a rock at Silers Bald (elevation 5607 ft.)

Views from Silers Bald

Silers Bald is not maintained by the Park Service.

It now mostly grown up, but you can tell by the size of many of the trees around the bald that it used to be a rather large, grassy area liek many other Southern Appalachian balds. I believe that Gregorys Bald and Andrews Bald are the only areas that are actively kept clear.

Sunrise from the Silers Bald

I think I had my camera settings messed up, but it made for an interesting shot.

A Legacy of Unpreparedness and Poor Planning

When I was at Derrick Knob during Thanksgiving week 2004, I heard stories from hikers who had come across a husband, wife, and two children who were warming themselves by a fire at the Double Springs Gap shelter. Apparently they had set out from Clingmans Dome and had not made it to a shelter before dark. They slept on the trail without any shelter and it rained about 2 inches that night. They simply dumped their wet clothing and sleeping bags on the trail and headed back. They were suffering from moderate hypothermia, but as far as I know, they finally made it out.

Mt. Leconte (elevation 6593 ft.) from Miry Ridge.

The Solitary Walker

Clingmans Dome (elevation 6643 ft.) from Miry Ridge.

The peak just to the right of center is Mt. Buckley, and just to the left is Clingmans Dome. If you look closely you can barely make out the observation tower at the Dome.

One of the many small cascades on Jakes Creek