Great Smoky Mountains National Park Backpacking (TN/NC) - June 2017
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 8 ก.ย. 2024
- With three hikes in as many months, making for a great start to the 2017 backpacking season, I once again met up with Travis in late June 2017 to do a 3-day, 30-mile hike in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Because of a lengthy closure of the Mt. Le Conte shelter due to bear activity we had altered our original plan to instead do the Big Creek Loop in the northeast section of the park. But just two days before our departure Travis was able to reserve a cabin at the Mt. Le Conte Lodge, fortuitously made available through a last minute cancellation. Travis also worked with the Park Rangers to modify the remainder of our permit, putting us back on our original plan - Alum Cave Trailhead, over Mt. Le Conte, a short section of the Appalachian Trail, then down to Smokemont Campground via the Sweat Heifer Trail with an overnight stay at the Kephart Shelter.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a truly amazing place when you make the effort to get a few miles into the backcountry, away from the throngs of visitors that rarely leave the main roads. Jurassic Park-like vegetation, enormous first growth-size trees, countless streams and waterfalls, and beautiful vistas overwhelm all your senses. When you add the bucket list-worthy Mt. Le Conte Lodge experience and a wonderful night with some great new friends at the Kephart Shelter, this trip turned out to be a very memorable adventure.
Similar to my other recent backpacking videos, this one has about 45 minutes of video followed by a 10+ minute still picture slide show with music at the end. It is meant to be an 'immersive' experience that allows you to come along with Travis and I on the trip. If you aren't interested in 'riding along on my shoulder' for an hour long video, just skip to the last 10 minutes of still pictures and you'll get a good overview of our trip.
Still Camera: Nikon D810 with Nikkor 20mm f1.8 lens
Video Camera: Canon Vixia G40 with Rode Stereo Videomic Pro
Video Editing Software: Sony Vegas Pro 13
Music:
"Once Tomorrow", "A Song", and "Adventures of the Deaf Dreamer" by Josh Woodward. Free download: joshwoodward.com/
![[Live] : ONE 168 วันนี้!! "โจนาธาน vs ซุปเปอร์เล็ก"](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/0jIN65KgJsI/mqdefault.jpg)
This was the first video that introduced me to the world of David Gray. I was at one of the lowest points in my life and my wife had left me and I was very isolated and didn’t really have a lot of people to talk to. I jumped on TH-cam and typed in hiking through the wilderness and this video in particular popped up. David Gray made me feel like he took me under his wing and I went on one of the best hiking trips I think I could’ve ever asked for. This video was a light in my dark place. I don’t know how to explain it but it was and still is one of my most favorite videos of his. Definitely a video that gave me a glimmer of hope to get myself up and get moving with my life again. Thank you David gray you’ll never know really what this video did for me in my life thank you.🤜🏻🤛🏻 ✌🏻
Wow! I hate to hear that you were in such a low point when you found a video of mine, but very happy that it made a positive difference for you at that dark time in your life. My goal with all my videos is to make you feel like you're 'along for the ride' and that is truly how I feel as I'm capturing all the video. I really hope that things are getting better in your life, and if there is anything I can do to help please let me know.
5 dislikes??? How's it possible to dislike this??? I do not understand. I felt like I was taken along for the hike. I had a great time. Thank you for sharing!!!
Well first you take your finger, than you click the thumbs down button😂 jk
My family, wife Jean and 2.4 year daughter Heather, and Wallace family, joined on this hike in fall 1976. Heather hike the whole distance, in competition with Wallace boy. We spent the night, then hiked out Boulevard Trail to Newfound Gap. That was our memory these half century later. Heather now has 14 year-old twin daughters and will be 57 this weekend. As you said, it is a memorable hike and experience for a lifetime.
I love how positive you are on your hiking trips...even when it's a tough climb or less-than-perfect conditions...and that chuckle you have is absolutely contagious. Love your channel, keep up the great work! :)
Seriously, it is so inspirational to see how positive he is!
Being originally from southern Indiana, I've frequented the Smokies quite a bit. You're video of the LeConte trip is as close as one can get to it without
ACTUALLY hiking it. We are now RV-living and presently within a 2 hr. drive of Yosemite and the High Sierra. In November we'll be relocating BACK to Olympia, Washington and Rainier, Mts. Adams, St.Helens, Hood...and of course the Olympics. I'm 65 now, hiking like crazy and feeling most fortunate to be doing so. Keep the films coming! See you on the trail! Dave McLaughlin
What a great video. I was looking through my pics and I made this same hike to Le Conte Lodge Sept. 23, 2016 shortly before the Gatlinburg fire. While this video was being shot I was moving to Colorado to try some 14ers. I enjoy watching my past trails again. The memories are a grab bag of feelings and emotions.
Amazing video quality and great positive style of reportage. My backpacking days may be over but Mt. LeConte is still on my list. Great photographs too; they tell a story.
Great video ! :) Danger from bears sound so scary.
i cant say enough how much i love your videos, and your humbled attitude, thank you david ....
David,
Just did 75 miles, including the Grayson Highlands, shortly after watching your video. I absolutely must add LeConte Lodge to my list! This trip looked awesome!
after years of watching I just ordered my first batch of packit gourmet (of course got some cheese spread)... You help me go on my own adventures. Thanks Man..
My family and I were actually in Gatlinburg the same week/weekend that you were. In fact, I had been down in Bryson City, NC on Saturday the 1st, and drove right by the Alum Cave Trail parking lot on my way back to Gatlinburg late that evening. I noticed all the cars parked there, and commented to my wife that there were either a lot of night hikers that night, or folks were camping. Little did I know that you were in the area! LOL! Thanks for taking us along on that adventure. I'm adding the route that you took to my list of hikes I want to do in that park (the Smoky Mountain National Park is my happy place). Thanks again for another awesome video!
Patrick, there are almost always a lot of cars in the Alum Cave parking lot during hiking season because of hikers who park there, do the hike over 2 days, and stay overnight at the LeConte Lodge.
Thanks David! Another great video, and as others have said, "thanks for bringing me along." Your videos always cause me to reminisce about my own trips I've taken over the years. I still hike regularly, but I haven't been backpacking in years and can't wait to hit the trail again.
Kinda late to the TH-cam addiction trend, but one of the first videos I watched in preparing for Glacier was by David. The enthusiasm and the chuckles remind me of my dad whom I wish was still around to take on an adventure with me. My first real backpacking experience started in Smokemont About 8 years ago and I love this area.
You guys sure can EAT!! I said it, haha.. keep it up, hopefully we will run into each other some day!
I can indeed attest that Sweat Heifer trail is a steady climb up. My dad and I did an overnight at Kephart shelter just over a week ago and we hiked back up it to reach our car at Newfound Gap
My wife and I did it in November 2023 from Newfound Gap up one mile towards Charlies Bunion but took a turn into Sweat Heifer Creek Trail one mile downhill and turned back. Our first hike. The following month, December 24th, we went to Rocky Mountains NP and hiked from Bear Lake to Emerald Lake. We can't wait for May 2024 to hit Colorado and Wyoming.
Ouch... an unplanned detour on the Sweat Heifer Trail is one you will probably remember! Especially, when you realized your mistake going downhill and turned back uphill. That's a trail I still remember vividly, and recall thinking "I'm sure glad we're doing this trail going downhill!" (to the Kephart shelter). Sounds like you've done some great hikes, and have even more planned for 2024 - good for you! Good luck on your 2024 hikes.
Wow! I've been watching backpacking videos for over two years now on 'You Tube' and you are the first to show me 'shelter life'. Thank you and great video.
Awesome video of our beautiful mountains!
Absolutely loved this one! Felt like I was tagging along. Thank you for such an awesome trip experience!
Watching your videos has inspired me to do some hiking. Thanks for taking the time to post such entertaining videos. (Old guy from Arkansas)🇺🇸
Thank you so much for this video, my wife and I done this same trip but stayed at the leconte shelter. I hate the weather sucked like it did but that is TheSmokies. We have hiked to LaConte 4 times and only once it was clear. Awesome Awesome video!!!!!!!!!!!!
As usual, AWESOMENESS Dave. Thanks for dragging me along.
Hi David, You were taking this hike while I was RV camping at Balsam Mountain campground nearby. The weather in your video is certainly a great reminder of all the rain we experienced. Thanks for sharing your journey with us. I very much enjoyed the video.
That's awesome. I've only day hiked in the Smokies, every time I've attempted to plan an itinerary for backpacking there, one or another shelter/site is full or closed. Glad it worked out well for you!
Another great trip/video. Thanks for bringing me along. Pretty funny that you crossed paths with someone familiar with your videos. Small world. That lodge and shelter looked pretty cool. The lodge reminded me of the chalets in Glacier, here in my neck of the woods.
Looking forward to your future trips!
The Glacier chalet comparison is exactly what Travis and I were both thinking, also to a lesser extent probably the AMC 'huts' on the AT in the White Mountains. Both of us had been to Glacier multiple times and have been in the proximity of the chalets, but never fortunate enough to actually stay at one.
I'm actually meeting more and more people on the trails that recognize me from the videos, especially in Indiana. It happened twice on this trip. When we were in the Kephart Shelter one of the people we met in the morning had actually been watching one of the videos the night before! Crazy stuff - always brings a smile to me and makes me realize sometimes it's a small world.
What an awesome hike !! A fantasy lodge in the backwoods,incredible. Really enjoy viewing your trail time,don't know how you do it, some trails I can barely walk let alone deal with a camera and talk,,thank you for taking the rest of us along...Stay safe and God Bless...
Your backpack tour images is wonderful.
Thank you for your fantastic and stunning images.
Subscription from South Korea.
Awesome video! My daughter and I did our first backpacking trip this summer, Tow Lakes Trail, and we had a great time. Thanks for making great videos and helping us beginners.
Whatever you're on that makes you smile all the time....I'll buy two bags.
Very nice! Loved the still shots at the end.
Man I hope I get to go to the lodge again. Thats peace up there.
I was there that week also! It rained some every day and was quite warm for the area. Always love going to the Smokies!!! Alum cave trail is one of the best.
Great video!!! That's the way to enjoy a tiny piece of the AT!! That Grayson Highlands lodge looked outstanding.. I can only imagine how that heat felt coming out of the rain like that!!!
After lots of thought I have come to the conclusion that this is my favorite trip you have on your channel. I'm gonna hike this trail. I am going to hike to the lodge and back down though.
It's a great trail, and very accessible, and it would be even better than we experienced on a day where you could experience all the views. A lot of people we ran into were doing exactly what you mentioned - up to the Lodge and back as a day hike. I will definitely be going back myself to catch all the views we missed. If you ever get a chance to stay at the Lodge I'd certainly recommend staying the night - it's a pretty unique experience.
David Gray I would definitely love to stay at Mt. Leconte lodge. Looked like you guys had an amazing time.
Always such awesome videos. Thank you for this and all of your posts - I've watched them all. I love the Great Smoky Mtns Nat'l Park. Just recently hiked to Charlie's Bunion Memorial Day Weekend. We got an early start and very few on the AT but then much more crowded later in the day. I also stayed at Mt Leconte Lodge back in 2014 - just the best hiking trip ever and now with your post I'm ready to go back. The Alum Cave trail is a great hike and the recent trail renovations is so beautifully done. Thank you again for your efforts and sharing.
Phillip
Great journey as always David! Weather like this always leaves the door open for return trips. We're going to take inspiration from your style of videos and hope to give this kind of entertainment value back to the outdoor community as well.
I’d never heard of the LeConte Lodge! I thought the High Sierra Camps in Yosemite were deluxe backpacking but this is over the top!
awesome video man we just stayed at the kephart shelter back in May we actually hiked back out up the sweat heifer trail it was a climb love the smokys headed back in 3 weeks can't wait
I did half of the Alum Bluff trail in Oct. 2017 (Cave and back). The fall colors are startin to show and it was wonderful.
Very nice. Thanks for taking us along!
That was a fine video. Most enjoyable. Electro glide in mellow. Thanks!
Thank you so very much for sharing your hike. It is so beautiful and reminds me of my son and me on our hikes in Ohio. If you haven't gone to Hocking Hills State Park in Logan, Ohio you , have got to go. It's great!
Just stumbled upon your video and love it . Now I am dying to go and Hike the Smoky Mountains. I have been there twice as a tourist , but never as a hiker. I am just beginning to Hike different places here in Indiana and learning the in's & out's of Hiking / Backpacking . I am definitely adding this to my list of to do's . Thanks for sharing your adventure
Another great trip David. I understand the call of civilization after a few days backpacking.
I enjoyed every minute
Hey guys....great documentary-video....I really enjoyed it...thanks to you I tried the hike this past weekend end of August 2019...took a trip to Gatlinburg Tn....it was absolutely amazing..and keep up the good wotk
We had missed this one, since you were in the smokies twice. Its like finding $20 in your jacket! 👍🏻
My favorite TH-cam channel and my bucket list hike-- SWEET! Thanks again for taking us along. BTW- I tried the cheese spread from Packit Gourmet this past weekend while hiking the Black Mountain Crest Trail (AWESOME hike). The cheese spread was as good as you said.
Yes, the cheese spread is good stuff. I just wish it was about half the price, but I have never found anything like it. I always let it rehydrate for a lot longer than the 10 minutes they call for in the instructions - especially if the weather is chilly (it will still be good with less rehydration time, but a little 'crunchy'). I'll checkout the Black Mountain Crest Trail - I'm not familiar with it, but always looking for new destinations.
The Black Mountains in western North Carolina are the tallest mountains east of the Mississippi, with Mount Mitchell being the tallest. The Black Mountain Crest Trail is both beautiful and very challenging. If you get a clear day, the views are amazing and would make great video. Some younger folks can do the crest trail in one very long day, as I did years ago, but this time we backpacked and stayed overnight on top of the ridge. It's worth checking out.
I have stayed in Kephart shelter, and made the trek UP Sweat Heifer trail. It certainly lived up to its name.
David , Thanks for sharing your hike with us . Great video and content .
To me, that is perfect weather for a hike.
I made the hike up and over the mountain in march, but that was just with a packed lunch and water of bottle on my back, I cant imagine having to carry all the gear you guys are hiking with.
I really enjoy your videos. Absolutely one my favorite TH-cam channels. I hope we see more
"Magical place indeed"! Nice to you see you and Travis, thanks for sharing. Yes, its Tah-pah-tee-o =D, yum.
haha Carlos G, I thought the same thing. But I can see how he got it mixed up by the pronunciation on the bottle. It's more like the sound when saying tapas..so it's tapa-tee-oh. But who really cares. Thanks David Gray for making this video. I'm living in San Francisco now but I moved from eastern TN and I'm familiar with this hike. It made me a bit homesick.
I hope you keep making these videos.. you have one one of the best backpacking channels on youtube!
First time I have seen one of your videos. Awesome! Heading to the Smoky Mtns early Oct to see the leaves in full color.
Dude ....I was up in the same area just the week before Bryson City N.C. !!! Outstanding work again with the shots as well as the edit !!!!
Great and fun adventure! Awesome video!
Great hike. Love the Smokey Mountains. Going to check out your other hiking videos .
This was an awesome hike and your video was great! Such a pretty place - really green, great trails, so much nature. Another great job! Thanks for the hard work and for sharing!
Dave, you are a genius with the camera. Please show your gear and techniques sometime.
Thank you very much, and that's a great suggestion. I'll take advantage of these long, cold months (in Indiana) in the 'off season' to put a short video on my video/camera gear and the techniques I use. I've always wanted to do a 'making of...' video which would show primarily the post-production stuff (editing, etc.) but just haven't pulled the trigger yet. A gear and technique video would fit together nicely with a 'making of' video.
Awesome video, hoping to make it down to this park next summer.
Absolutely love your videos. Have been watching them all evening (while walking on the treadmill 😅). Wish I wouldn’t have found them. Jk. I’m addicted. Love all the pictures at the end of them as well. Spectacular.
Thank you for sharing your hiking adventures. This one brought back memories of my Leconte stsys. Love your videos!
Great video! Thanks for sharing! 😁
Just found your channel today and subscribed. What a great video and trip! I've read a lot of books about travels on the AT so it was exciting to see some of the places I've read about. I'm more familiar with hikes in the NE area - Adirondacks, White Mountains, Maine. Time to spread my wings. Thank you for sharing this magical experience.
Awesome! I love getting your point of view. It reminds me of Nick Symmonds video on summiting Mt. Hood. What great videography!
Nicely done. Always enjoy your videos, great pic's.
Great video!!!!!!!!! Thank you.
Awesome trip, we had to deal with remains TS Cindy about a week or so before you guys so no Mt Sterling. Big Creek campground was great and did a little of the AT.
David... I enjoyed this video very much... Thank You!
One of the best David ,..really enjoyed watching that Thankyou.
I'm glad I found your videos because you are very informative and I feel like I'm actually tagging along
We’re going November 1st!!! Great video!!!
" A photographer's paradise," looking forward to our trip end of October. After seeing your video we may have to make a second trip to visit Mt. Leconte ! We will be doing short day hikes skipping about the whole park! Hope we have better weather though and leaves still on the trees! I'm also trying to figure out how to make a stop at Grayson Highland State Park on our home! Again thank-you for sharing!
Julie, if you are a photographer who is going to explore the GSMNP, I'd highly recommend an e-book on the Great Smoky Mountains by a veteran local photographer named Nye Simmons. You can find it via an internet search. It is over 120 pages and covers the best spots in the different areas of the park from a photographer's standpoint in terms of time of year, time of day, etc. I am an avid photographer who lives an hour and fifteen minutes to two and a half hours from the various sections of the GSMNP, and have used the e-book as a reference. Simmons also has a very good book (and I think a more current -e-book) covering the entire Blue Ridge Parkway. FYI, the end of October will be too late for much color on the Alum Cave hike. The best color in the last 10 days or so of October would be at lower elevations like Cades Cove and Tremont.
Thanks for the info. Don I will look into that e-book. Both my husband and I are avid photographers though our 3 year old often puts a crimp on our shoots and hiking distance. Hoping to get a camera in his hands too, maybe that will make shoots a little easier.
i did the alum cave trail to lodge and back in a day trip and it was a mesmerizing experience
Excellent video David! Awesome footage and that lodge was very cool
Although I've lived here in Cullowhee, on the edge of the Richland Balsams and about 20 miles east of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, I have not backpacked in the Smokies. Instead I spent my backpacking days in the adjoining mountain ranges. I'm not certain but think I built a wood fire in the cabin in 1976. Gas heaters are certainly more suitable and perhaps safer.
Great stuff as always David Gray! I have just recently started filming my backpack adventures, and aspire to have the quality of videos you produce someday. I plan to use some of your trips as beta's for future trips, and continue to enjoy nature in its finest while sharing the beautiful landscapes our country offers with others. Now its time to watch this one, Happy Trails!
Hey, good for you! There is so much that nature has to offer that there can never be too many people sharing it with others. If there is anything I can do to help you feel free to reach out. Good luck, and I look forward to watching yor videos.
Good stuff DavGra...gimme that beer!
you can climb the stairs of a multi-story building to train for big climbs. thanks for the great vid!!!
Yes, agreed. And there are actually some decent 300-500 foot climbs even in Indiana that mimic the tallest buildings you can do stairs on. But my point was that nothing can prepare you for a 5 hour non-stop climb like you'll be doing when you hit a 3000 vertical foot climb like Le Conte (and many other similar climbs in mountains). Even climbing 1000 feet of stairs doesn't compare because eventually you'll get to rest those 'up' muscles and use the exact opposite 'down' muscles during the descent, even if you do that same climb over and over. In Indiana the longest climbs last about 15 minutes compared to the five hours we climbed Le Conte. I'm certainly NOT suggesting you shouldn't train on whatever climbs you have available (and I certainly did, and do, before each hike), including stairs in multi-story buildings, but the point of my comment was that nothing can completely prepare you for a 5-hour, 3000 vertical foot climb other than a 5-hour, 3000 vertical foot climb. I was darn glad that I had trained pretty hard with a full pack for many weeks in the hills of Indiana prior to this trip, but even so after about 3+ hours of non-stop climbing my 'up' muscles were begging for a break and my 'down' muscles were begging to be used - that 'imbalance' in muscle fatigue causes some pretty unique strains in the body (or at least my body!). Certainly not a big deal, but something I thought was worth commenting on for those who haven't experienced that sort of extended climb.
I love the Smokies.
awesome video david. Im glad you've made it down to God's country! ha I took my father and brother in law up the alum cave trail about a month before you.... same kind of weather unfortunately.... but thats why the call it the smoky's i always say. You only have about 800 more miles of trail to explore in the park!! two of my favorite areas - gregory bald loop, and a loop around mount sterling! (my profile pic is taken in its fire tower) But every trip is special. Keep up the good work!
Thanks for sharing another great hike!!
Great video. One of my favorites of yours. Thank you for sharing your adventures!
Great video. Me and a friend were just south of y'all that same weekend. Winding stair to Nantahala Outdoor Center. I've got to do the LeConte lodge definitely a bucket list trip.
I was just planning this trip for myself! Great post.
Another great video... I really love that you are posting more often, I hope you can continue. So many great parks to hike and never enough vacation time. Sorry to hear you couldn't get your permit for the Wonderland trail, the Northwest is truly an amazing place. Have you ever considered the Superior Hiking Trail? I haven't hike it but did a week long vacation there and was very impressed with the waterfalls and Lake Superior.... beautiful rugged terrain.
Actually, I hadn't considered the Superior Hiking Trail specifically, but I have had the Pictured Rocks area of the North Country Trail (east of the Superior Hiking Trail, in Michigan) on my backpacking destination list for quite some time, and plan to do that section sometime in the next few years. I've also wanted to do Isle Royale in Lake Superior 'forever'. I'll do some more research on the Superior Hiking Trail and try to work it into my destination plans in the coming years.
25:31 you said it... I've hiked that trail several times, but every time it feels like it never ends
Awesome video!
Going next year on a road trip from Austin Tx. Great video
just returned from Gburg yesterday, stayed in same microtel up from the space needle....... Update for next trip: Visit Gatlinburg Brewing just opened not too long ago, Steve makes really really good beer and the best brick-oven pizza around. Locally owned (unlike Smoky Mt. Brewery) down on the corner of 321 at light #3
Oh, craft beer and brick oven pizza! Sold. I will certainly pay them a visit the next time I get there. Thank you for the tip.
Hey Thanks Dave great video and views
A really great video ! Felt like I was there ! Enjoyed the photos at the end, you have a good eye ! I subscribed !
At some point you need to try out the Eagle Rock Loop in Arkansas. Great 27 mile hike that goes across 6 mountain ranges and weaves in and out of the Little Missouri River. Good 2-4 day hike depending on how fast you want to hike it.
I will check out the Eagle Rock Loop. I've hiked in Arkansas a couple times and loved it, but never did a backpacking trip there. I'm always looking for new destinations so I very much appreciate the suggestion.
No problem keep up the good work. I can only get out a couple of times a year but watching these videos makes me want to gear up. October is usually when I take my son. Perfect time to go.
David, If you want to hike more miles than afforded by the Eagle Rock Loop in AR, you can add miles on the Ouachita Trail which is 223 miles long. From Queen Wilhelmena State Park in AR hike west into OK and finish at Horsethief Springs, which would be a 30-32 mile hike. Do it in Nov or March
Thinking about taking this trip early to mid March
muito bom, passeio muito legal . Beautful place.
Awesome video! I'm stoked to be exploring the Smokies for the first time, come October!
On a random note, you remind me of Dan Akroyd. Lol
Love your videos, keep them coming
Great video