The View From Rocky Top

by Will Shelton on Jul 18, 2009 10:06 AM EDT

If you're running out of ways to keep yourself busy during the final weeks of the offseason, I understand. You can re-read Athlon, Lindy's, and The Sporting News. You can play another year in your dynasty in NCAA Football 10, where by now I'm sure you've returned UT to her rightful place atop the college football world. And of course, you can study every syllable of Rocky Top Tennessee 2009 until you know it by heart.

Or...you can hike to the actual Rocky Top.

Last weekend, three of my friends and I took a 3 day, 24 mile trip on the Appalachian Trail...and this was the highlight. Rocky Top serves as one of the peaks of Thunderhead Mountain, the highest point in Blount County at around 5,500 feet. There are actually two rocky peaks surrounding Thunderhead, and as you can see...well, it's rocky. And awesome.

There's more about the trail here (thanks to hooper for pointing this out to me before I left so I had a better idea of exactly what I was getting myself into on a "strenuous" hike...). You can get there easiest from Cades Cove; we did this on the second day of our hike from Clingman's Dome, ending at Cades the following morning.

And hey, if it's not your thing...you can always stay at the motel in Gatlinburg where the song was written.

Seven weeks, boys. Seven weeks.

(This is the official hiking pose of "I've never done this before but I want to look like I have.")

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Comments

Heh.

Your best “Captain Shelton” pose?

Awesome. I’m dying to get up there myself.

by David Hooper on Jul 18, 2009 10:58 AM EDT reply actions

Ah Tennessee, how I've missed you

I’ve spent the summer interning on the west coast and miss this kind of scenery.

"The man who complains about the way the ball bounces is likely to be the one who dropped it."

by Getoffmyvols on Jul 18, 2009 11:48 AM EDT reply actions

Can't wait to trek again.

“…It’s beenawhile…” We were planning to tackle LeConte this fall but health has mandated a trip to Clingman’s Dome or Cades Cove. This sounded like a great alternative.

by chuckiepoo on Jul 18, 2009 1:04 PM EDT reply actions

It had its moments

We did 12 miles on the second day, including Thunderhead, and gained something like 800 ft. of elevation in half a mile, which was interesting. This was the first time I’d ever done anything more than a one day thing, and those not very often, but I enjoyed it.

Will - Rocky Top Talk

by Will Shelton on Jul 18, 2009 3:03 PM EDT up reply actions

Most impressed

not only with the beauty of God’s country (Smokies) but that you were standing upright. After that much hiking, traction seems like a reasonable alternative.

by memphispete on Jul 19, 2009 7:16 AM EDT up reply actions

I’m seeing that in silhouette with an orange background. We could have a quarterback for football season, a jump-shooter for bball, and Captain Will for the offseason.

Rocky Top Talk

by Joel Hollingsworth on Jul 18, 2009 1:12 PM EDT reply actions