...and 30

Regardless of icy trail and cold weather I had it in my mind that I was going to make my last trip of the year up Alum Cave a quick one. Within 50yds from the trailhead though I ran into a string of about 30 hikers making their way up the trail. Early on a December Monday morning you don't expect to see a group this size, so I asked the folks pulling up the rear if someone messed up and left the gate open. After chatting a minute I realized I'd met most of them before on past trips up and down LeConte. My initial disappointment at not being able to run the "easy" section of the trail was more than made up for with getting to cross paths with a bunch of local folks out enjoying the park.

View of Cliff Top from The Pulpit

The rest of the ascent was near perfect, with enough ice to make the upper sections extra challenging and some of the best visibility I've seen up top in quite some time.  I had arrived at the trailhead with thoughts about how fast I could hit the Lodge, but by the time I got there I didn't even bother to check my watch. There were numerous windless, sunny spots that I had to linger in first.

This run made thirty trips up the mountain in 2011. A few folks have asked me why 30. No, its not a record for ascents in a year, not even close. 30 trips up the mountain isn't even a big hiking month for someone like Ed Wright. And yeah, there are hundreds of other miles of trails and peaks. Many of which I've yet to do. 

When I decided to hit the summit of LeConte thirty times this year the number seemed to be the right balance between over-saturation and under-appreciation of the mountain. Making 30 my goal number has certainly caused me to see more of my favorite place in the Smokies, but it's never felt like a burden. Throughout the course of the year I've had ample time to explore other sections of the park, various races, and other locales. The trips have varied from hikes with first-timers, friends and family, park visitors from across the country, and solo runs just to see how fast I could go. The trails leading up the mountain have been a source of both pride and humility, always managing to leave me closer to the center than when I began a particular day on the trail. My true goal for chasing 30 summits of LeConte this year was not to thump my chest and prove how many times I could run or hike the mountain, but to provide a focal point for my experiences in the park.