The Defeat Ridge Manway

Above:  The man eating briers that tried to claw us to death on the manway

  The Defeat Ridge Manway 

Great Smoky Mountains National Park , TN 

Dana Koogler and Dan Heimsoth 

Monday April 23, 2007

12.5 miles round trip 

Difficulty Level = 1 Trip Counts as 2 (first and last)

Starting elevation 1800 ft. at Tremont

ending atop Thunderhead Mtn. 5527 ft. = 3,727 ft elevation gain

Photos are HERE 

 Dan and I had been talking about attempting to climb the Defeat Ridge Manway for more than two years.   We agreed this year was it!  We met Monday morning at the Townsend Wye to place our shuttle vehicles.  We put one vehicle along Laurel Creek Road at the Lead Cove Trailhead.  The other we drove round to the end of Tremont Road. We began our trip at eight o'clock a.m. 

   Before I go any further into this trip report I will share a bit of background for the reader.  A manway is an unmaintained trail in the Smokies.   Some of these are easy to find and they get enough use to stay relatively open and recognizable.   Others seldom see any use and fall into ruin becoming so overgrown they are all but gone.  The Defeat Ridge Manway falls into the later category.     The history of the name Defeat Ridge goes back to a long gone era when the white people were trying to build a road up to the crest of the Smoky Mountains.  Cherokee Indians were hired to work and there were two ridges leading up that were both candidates for the road.  They put it to a vote to decide where the road would be.   The Cherokee language did not have a V in it so they named the winner "Bote Mountain" and the loser "Defeat Ridge".   

           There are actually two manways that could be considered the Defeat Ridge Manway.

One begins down at Sam's Creek and runs along Thunderhead Prong and clear to Chimney Rocks .  The other begins along Bote Mountain Trail at an intersection.   It runs across to join the one coming up from the bottom and continues from there to the summit of Thunderhead Mountain.      

    

Below is the little bridge at the start of the manway.  It crosses Thunderhead Prong. This photo was taken in 2009.  

    We began down at Sam's Creek on the Thunderhead manway. He told me it was open, fairly simple to follow, and very scenic.  We found that to be true today.  We had three creek crossings of which two were wades.  We changed into tevas to cross.   We decided to bring trekking poles. I had misgivings about it.  I wondered if the poles would be a pain to keep up with on the tougher portions of the bushwhack? We agreed we wanted to bring them for the crossings of streams.  which during Spring can be fast flowing and slippery.  

Below: a look at Sam's Creek 

Below: our first crossing of Thunderhead Prong

 

     The path begins as a nice gentle forest stroll on an old railroad grade.  It was green, and cool with pretty streams cascading.  We saw some Spring wildflowers along the way.  We encountered traces of former logging operations.  There are a couple old bridge sections visible at the crossings. One or two places you have to hunt to see which way the trail continues, but it isn't difficult to pick it back up again.  We encountered two or three blown down trees and one bad area where a landslide had occurred.  Nothing too difficult so far.  It was a lovely day to be out with warm, sunny weather, blue skies and a slight breeze.  The air smelled fresh and the birds were singing.  

Below: the Thunderhead manway can you see the path? 

     We crossed some swampy areas where seepage springs emerged from beneath the mountainside.   We saw a grove of second growth trees that looked like a post card scene.  We passed through a short rhododendron tunnel to emerge at the final crossing of Thunderhead Prong.   This is where we spotted what is left of an old bridge.  The rock work abutment remains. The logs that once supported the rails and crossties for the dinky line train have become moss covered and slipped off into the creek.  The fording spot has a wide, beautiful pool of water and a small scenic cascade.   We stopped here to filter water realizing from our map that this would be the last reliable water source for the day until we reached the spring on Bote Mountain Trail.

Below: pretty cascade on Thunderhead Prong

Below: Dan sits at the old bridge abutments. he's changing shoes.  

Below: a close up of the remaining bridge timbers with nails sticking out

     We continued our trip which now began to climb the ridge by winding gradually around it and up.   We saw ever larger trees! Tall specimens of yellow poplar, black cherry, buckeye, and beech were all around. We ran into another blow down beech tree, but had no problems climbing over it.  We saw more Spring flowers and ramps.  The Manway up to this point was as easy as any maintained trail.   

Below: yellow bellwort along our trek today. We saw lots of this. 

    We passed a side spur to Hornet Treetop, which is a pointed, small mountain.  We continued upward and finally arrived at Chimney Rocks.  These are two large rock monoliths about twenty feet high each sitting right by the trail and slightly above it.  We discovered the map coordinates for this land feature is slightly off.  We sat down here and had our lunch around noon before continuing.  

Above: This is the section of the hike where I had my melt down because I thought I had a spider in my pants.  

   One funny incident happened on this section of the manway as we traveled beneath a canopy of rhododendron.  I felt something drop down the back of my shirt and slide into the crack of my behind.  I went to jumping around swatting at myself like a mad woman.   I was just certain a spider had gotten into my clothes. I finally shook it out and it was only a chunk of bark.  Dan and I both had a good laugh over that. I know I looked a damn fool. 

   I recovered from my panic and we got hiking again..  I immediately took a wrong turn. We chose the right of two paths at a fork selecting the more obvious of them.  We hadn't gone fifty feet when we realized  we had taken a wrong turn.   The trail was angling down.  This was the point where the Defeat Ridge Manway comes across from Bote Mountain to join the Thunderhead Manway.   We corrected course quickly and continued.   From here on out we remained on the Defeat Ridge Manway until we came to the Appalachian Trail across Thunderhead Mountain.   It took us 3.5 hours to hike a little over 2 miles!  That should tell you something about the difficulty level. 

"Off trail hiking isn't measured in miles per hour, but hours per mile. "

 Above: a partial view was to be had after the rhodo tunnel.  

I have been bushwhacking for five plus years. I've climbed Ledbetter ridge Manway in the downpouring snow in 25 degree temps with wet feet, frozen hair and eye lashes.  I've climbed Porters Creek Manway and The Wall and loved it.  I've climbed the Catstairs . Gone down through Bonas Defeat Gorge in 2 1/2 hours and never batted an eye.    I would put Defeat Ridge Manway after leaf out up against any of those for difficulty.  It was slow torture.  

    I would not ever be convinced this was ever an official park trail if not for the points along the way where rock cribbing is still evident beneath deep green blankets of moss.  We struggled through some of the worst rhododendron hells I've ever seen. We were ripped and clawed by greenbrier, rose bushes, blackberry briers, dog hobble, and assorted other punji sticks.    It often required a hunch back stance or belly crawling. I recall one moment when we were struggling with a particularly bad blown down tree. The path of least resistance in this case turned out to be hanging your ass off the mountainside, tiptoeing on the rock cribbing while hanging onto a branch.  I thought to myself "Damn! I'd never consider doing this if a real trail was built intentionally for me to have to do it!"  We both got claustrophobic from being in the rhodo so long.  I've crawled through a lot of it, but it never lasted this long before. 

   The mind and body ache and scream for open space again.  It was eighty degrees and very hot with no breeze on the east facing slopes.  We hoped as we climbed the temperatures would cool, but that wasn't in the cards.   I've been scraped up before in the brush, but not to this degree. The cumulative effect of all the scratches is that after awhile even plants that aren't sharp hurt as they rub over your injured limbs.  We were glad for the trekkers to fend off some of the blows. 

     I have an internal sound track sometimes when we're going on these bushwhacking adventures.  I usually hear John Fogerty singing "Run Through the Jungle" or Axl Rose singing "Welcome to the Jungle".  Today was so insanely bad I had what must have been a sort of nervous breakdown. I recall hearing a psychotic version of the "Cha Cha Slide" as if it were instructions how to get through this mess. Now wiggle to the left.. go around to the right Go over that tree. Duck around that bush. Let me see ya belly crawl. Now slide baby, slide baby cha cha cha!

 

   I laid down on my face in the dirt, but was too tired to laugh.  I felt I must be losing it. We were so hot and running low on water.  We stopped every so often to check our position with the map.   The lay of the land jived with what we were encountering, but we admitted we wondered at times if we were even on the manway? During moments of doubt it was great to have the companionship of a trusted friend.   Two pairs of eyes to try to see this path which at times was non existent like when it followed a dry creek wash.   It was on one of our breaks to check position that we heard the sweet sound of water very near!

 We could see we were near Deer Hobble Branch.  We took a break to filter water and rest.  The headwaters of Deer Hobble Branch arise from a mossy, trickling spring in the mountainside.  We were refreshed by the cold, sweet water, and glad to have no more worries about potentially having to ration. We discussed concerns about the time we were making.  It was a very real possibility we'd be caught out in the dark.  We decided we'd try to make it at least to Bote mountain trail. With a light and on a real trail under our feet we knew we'd be okay.  

   Just past the creek we saw what we had been longing for.  Open ground!  There before us was a wide open, sloping mountain meadow carpeted with green grass pink and white spring beauties, and yellow trout lilies.  We were hoping the trail went through open ground and we were not disappointed.    We rejoiced in the ability to stand upright and for a brief period to not be clawed by vegetation.   The path went back into a rhodo hell, but finally emerged  in the next section of meadow.   We lay down on the ground and wallered and rested.   We realized we only had a short distance to go and we were going to make it to the summit by 4:30 p.m.   The worries over a descent in the dark were past.   The meadow was level and grassy. It was populated by birch trees. The temperatures had cooled at last.   We rested and enjoyed this spot we would probably never return to.  Finally we forced ourselves to continue the short stretch to the Thunderhead summit.   

Below: where we emerged from the Defeat Ridge Manway

    We passed through a rhododendron tunnel again, but nothing of the torturous nature those east facing slopes held.  We passed rock cribbing that held back the bank above a now dried up spring.   We felt like Alice popping out of the rabbit hole as we emerged from the topmost portion of the Defeat Ridge Manway.  At last we stood on the Appalachian Trail. Hallelujah! We had made it!  

     We turned left and hiked the final 100 feet to the summit.   We saw the rock pulpit here that has been constructed so one can stand on it to see over the heath shrubbery to get a view of the surroundings.   We took photos of the benchmark to prove we'd been there.   We phoned our families to let them know we would be later than expected getting home.   We went onward to Rocky Top next.  

 

Below: the bench mark for Thunderhead Mountain

Below: sign for Thunderhead and its elevation

   There are two Rocky Tops.  The real one and the false one.  You haven't been to the REAL Rocky Top unless you arrive at a boulder where herdsmen of long ago carved their names into the rock.  Look for Red Waldron and Hop Harris. My partner Dan had been to Rocky Top befor or so he thought. He missed it the first time. 

   We had good views of Cades Cove in the distance to the northwest. I could see Walland Gap in the far distance.  It is interesting to note that my house lines up directly with Walland Gap and Thunderhead! 

  below: Views of Cadeds Cove from Thunderhead 

Below: a photo I took on the Bent Arm manway of a meadow with spring beauties that shows what the area up around the top part of Defeat Ridge looked like.  I did not take many photos on that bad stretch of the trip.   

     We had views of Blockhouse Mountain to the south and Fontana Lake.  Far off we could see the sun glinting off the roof of the new Spence Field shelter.   I was surprised how dead everything still was at the summit.   The grass was not green yet.  No leaves on the trees up here.  Yet there was life.  We saw literal carpets of spring beauties and trout lilies of yellow all along the slopes of Thunderhead.   It places trailing arbutus bloomed in the path.   We traveled the A.T. back to Bote Mountain Trail and began our descent.  

   We were very tired and didn't talk a lot.  We didn't have to.  It is nice to know you have a friend you can just be with and not have to talk.   Bote Mountain Trail was very rocky under foot.  We finally arrived at our turn off to Lead Cove Trail.  I was glad Dan suggested this since it shortened our hike up by more than 2 miles.   I hadn't completed this trail yet until today so by choosing this as our path I finished another section on my map.  

Below:  the REAL Rocky Top 

Below: the only photo I have of me hiking in braids.  I don't know why I blacked my eyes out with that bar.  

   We were glad to see Laurel Creek Road and the car come into view.  As we sat down in Dan's subaru I turned to him and said "I don't know about you, but I'm going to the nursing home tomorrow!" then we both had a fit of laughter.  We looked wild and wooly especially me where my braids had been pulled by the briers. I had bark and sticks in my hair.  It was quite an experience and one neither of us will repeat.  

Below: a photo of me and two friends sitting on Rocky Top from a different trip we made Labor Day weekend I think it was. 

Below: the last photo I took today was of a perfect cluster of mountain bellwort. It is a favorite wildflower.