Double Dippin': Back to Back Runs up Mt. LeConte

Mt. LeConte
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
24.5 miles  5hr25min
~7,000ft elevation gain

I've kept telling myself all Winter/Spring that as soon as we get a really nice warm day I'd do a double run of Mt. LeConte. With yesterdays temps reaching eighty degrees, I decided it was time to own up to this foolish notion.

Up Alum, Down Bullhead, Up Rainbow, Down Alum

My mapping software put the total elevation gain around 10,000ft, my best guess is that it's closer to 7,000ft

A terrible idea

In the initial miles, there was the temptation to see if I could lower my PR for Alum Cave Trail. Luckily I quickly came to my senses, realizing that if I was going to enjoy the other 20 miles of the days run I'd better back off the pace. I hit leconte lodge in a little over 57min before making the side trip to the official summit.

Before heading down Bullhead Trail I stopped at leconte lodge to top off the water bottles and say hello to the staff. The trip down Bullhead was sweet. I was happy with my decision to descend Bullhead instead of Rainbow because the footing is exponentially better. In the lower stretches there were also quite a few early season wildflowers.

Let's not be hasty Hepatica

I hit the Rainbow Falls Trailhead 2hrs and 26min into the run. I can't say I was especially excited about the 6.5 mile climb back up the mountain, but I managed to maintain a decent pace until just past the falls. Things got a little ugly after that. The eighty degree heat had me fighting off leg cramps for the remainder of the ascent.

On the initial trip up there wasn't much to see, but by the time I topped out at the summit again things had cleared out.

No side trip to Myrtle Point today

The idea of finding a nice sunny spot to lie down came across my mind more than once while on the summit. Instead I just guzzled some tasty leconte water and shot the breeze with the staff a minute before making the trip back down Alum. On the way down Alum I had a good time seeing some of the folks I ran into on the way up that morning. Despite a few stops and a crowded trail I still made my way down in a little under 55min. I was one happy guy to see the final footbridge.