Poetic.

Yes, JP, poetic. Your words say exactly how I feel when I gaze longingly up into the night sky. Around here there's a lot of light pollution, even though I'm nine miles east of London,KY. But high above I can usually spot my favorite constellations, and when using my binoculars I can observe even more stars and clusters. When I saw the moon set in the west from the vantage point of Cliff Tops recently it made me long to reside somewhere with less street ights, etc. When, years ago, I worked for a while as a photographer I'd spend countless hours out at night taking time exposures. A truly magnificent sight for my eyes up there. Quiet, too. A person I know asked me the other day why I like to hike, camp, backpack, etc. I said I don't like to backpack, I LOVE to do so !! Why leave the conveniences of technology, the pleasures of urbanity ? What could be more absurd than packing thirty pounds or so through rugged country for days at a time. Isn't it in answer to a call from far back inside us ? Beneath our urbane sophistication, isn't there a strong memory of existing at basic survival levels in wilderness ? Can we believe that the savage within ourselves -- the one who belongs to the woods -- is dead ? It is our savage eye that sees behind the conveniences and pleasures of our world to the earth-spoiling that supports them. Backpacking in wilderness can be a beautiful and highly satisfying way to express the savage in modern times, for some at least. It's a deep recollection of what we once were. The backpacker wants wilderness. Anywhere that roads have not penetrated. Wilderness is pre-eminently the domain of the backpacker. As the pressures of industrial civilization and the rational madnesses of cities increase, the more need is there for the wilderness experience. Wilderness does not reflect insanity well as happens in cities. Stepping into wilderness and looking past ourselves, we see the vivid spaces of great forests, mountains, rivers and deserts. The wilderness experience gives us a standard by which to measure our sanity. I sometimes feel caged in by society and civilization. I hope to be hiking the day I leave this earth. I've in recent years substituted the "lodge" experience for some of my backcountry camping and backpack less frequently on the longer journeys, but I'm always planning one or two, with several shorter day hikes inserted in my plans. Leconte Lodge isn't backpacking to me, buit it's a heck of a good substitute ! Perhaps I've become a little more spoiled in my years ! I do love it so up there ! Can't wait for my next visit, even less so for my next day of hiking ! G'day !

Doug y- beautifully put. You've put words to my feelings once again.

http://www.mtleconte.com/acblocations.html

Drewbe, in case you missed it, try this map for Alum Cave trail.

So beautiful

I love reading your posts; they bring a joy to me that I forget about while driving around Nashville every day. A group of us is hiking up there on Sat and I feel like a kid waiting for Christmas to hurry and get here.

Wow, that's quite a drive for a day outing. And I thought I was a little crazy for driving 500 miles for two days of hiking. Heh!

I love to hear stories like this, though. It show some serious passion. Good for you!

Harry: You sound a bit like me: I'll leave London, KY, drive to the Park, take a day hike anywhere from 5 mi to 12 mi, then drive back home. If I tackle Mt. Leconte or anything longer I'll camp at Elkmont (when it's open ! made me angry when they started closing it for winter !), Smokemont, or Cades cove, using my tent as a 'base camp', etc. Tony Ga: glad you enjoyed my remarks; I tell people that if I die out hiking, they'll find my bones and a great big smile on my face; they won't recover any hair for I have little of that left ! Yeah, going with one's boots on !! Pat L: so true ! Kent: 500 mi !? I give you my admiration; and I gripe because I have only about 150 mi to cover !! Now, after reading all these great ideas and comments, I think I must make preparations to get down to the Park asap !

David; I think you are right on!!

I like the pictures JP keep up the good work!