Video: GSMNP / Mt. Sterling loop in Februray

**TNhunter** · 02-22-2016, 23:40

My son and I did this same loop this past weekend. Left the CRV around 10:30pm and got to campsite 37 and in the hammock at 1:30am. Started sprinkling rain on the way up to the summit. Rained on and off all day. It was so foggy once we got to the fire tower you could barely see the ground from up in the tower. It rained most all night long. The weather broke slightly for about an hour around 7:30 Sunday morning allowing us an awesome view of the Smokies. Stopped at the spring that is .4 miles from the summit and filter d some water and made breakfast. Once we finished breakfast it began to rain again and poured down on us most of the way down the mountain. It was an awesome hike and hang. The DIY ponchos I made on Friday were the MVPs of the trip.

**TallPaul** · 02-23-2016, 09:55

Originally Posted by TNhunter

My son and I did this same loop this past weekend. Left the CRV around 10:30pm and got to campsite 37 and in the hammock at 1:30am. Started sprinkling rain on the way up to the summit. Rained on and off all day. It was so foggy once we got to the fire tower you could barely see the ground from up in the tower. It rained most all night long. The weather broke slightly for about an hour around 7:30 Sunday morning allowing us an awesome view of the Smokies. Stopped at the spring that is .4 miles from the summit and filter d some water and made breakfast. Once we finished breakfast it began to rain again and poured down on us most of the way down the mountain. It was an awesome hike and hang. The DIY ponchos I made on Friday were the MVPs of the trip.

Sounds like quite the trip - glad you enjoyed it. When the sun broke, were the clouds/fog still in the valleys?. That is one of my favorite experiences.

**TNhunter** · 02-23-2016, 22:11

There was still quite a bit of fog and clouds. Awesome view.

**litefoot** · 02-23-2016, 22:21

Nice Video Paul. My first backpacking trip was to MT Sterling got to experience my first bear encounter at Walnut Bottoms.

**TallPaul** · 02-24-2016, 10:22

Originally Posted by litefoot

Nice Video Paul. My first backpacking trip was to MT Sterling got to experience my first bear encounter at Walnut Bottoms.

I can see that either being wonderful (creeks, tower/views, bear) or challenging (packweight, elevation gain). How did you fair?

**litefoot** · 02-24-2016, 20:48

I did okay I was a lot younger then. We made a loop out of Cosby campground and I think it was around 40 miles. We spent 5 days in that amazing place.
I am so glad that a friend talked me into it. That was the beginning of my love of the woods around 30 years ago.

**KSC** · 02-24-2016, 23:40

Thanks for sharing your trip Paul. I enjoyed the video.

You can't beat the view you had from the tower.

**Caminante** · 04-25-2016, 13:22

Having enjoyed and been inspired by TallPaul's video, I hiked this loop with a buddy last weekend. We got to 38 Saturday afternoon mostly in clouds, but by Sunday morning it was clear and beautiful. Indeed, there were clouds/fog in the Cataloochee area as the sun crested the mountains. This was the fire tower view just before the sun crested. I'll try to pull together a proper report once I wade through all my pictures.

**TallPaul** · 04-25-2016, 15:27

Originally Posted by Caminante

Having enjoyed and been inspired by TallPaul's video, I hiked this loop with a buddy last weekend. We got to 38 Saturday afternoon mostly in clouds, but by Sunday morning it was clear and beautiful. Indeed, there were clouds/fog in the Cataloochee area as the sun crested the mountains. This was the fire tower view just before the sun crested. I'll try to pull together a proper report once I wade through all my pictures.

Glad to be an inspiration. I bet this was a great weekend for the trip... no water bottles froze I'm guessing

**Caminante** · 04-25-2016, 15:40

Originally Posted by TallPaul

Glad to be an inspiration. I bet this was a great weekend for the trip... no water bottles froze I'm guessing

It worked out pretty well since we got there from Raleigh around 5:30 and waited for the line of storms to go through, made it to 37 dry and right at nightfall with moderate temperatures and a few stray showers in the night. Hiking up to 38 with some cloud cover was actually kind of nice, and while it was in the upper 30's early in the night, it actually seemed to warm up by dawn with a crystal clear sky. Got a little sunburn on the middle third of the way down.

The only thing today is that I just can not find a comfortable position sitting at my desk for my forty-something knees...