Woke up well before dawn and broke camp and hit the road. I really needed a cup of coffee through the winding road back through Damascus. Finally got the caffeine I craved at a gas station near the I-81. Arrived at Clingmans Dome about 10am.

One of the many navigational hazards on the east approach to Clingman's Dome.

An easy, but fairly steep (for a paved route) path leads from the parking area to the summit. I passed a lot of people on the short walk up, including many who looked like this was too much for them. One older woman cried out, "I'm not going to make it!", as if her comrades should abandon her and honor her memory by continuing on.

No USGS marker at the summit, just the saucer-like lookout tower and spiral access ramp. As clouds and haze are the norm in the Smoky Mountains, I was pretty surprised with the mostly clear morning.

Traffic was hideous back to the interstate, it took over 2 hours to drive from the Clingmans parking lot to I-40. Most of the delay was getting through the extended strip mall honored with the designation "town", known as Pigeon Forge. Very tacky, extremely touristy, Pigeon Forge is sacrilege to the natural beauty of the Smoky Mountains.

View of the lookout tower.

View from the lookout tower.

Sherpa or Dad?

In one respect Clingmans Dome might be considered my first highpoint. My parents brought me here when I was 1 1/2 years old. Being a newbie mountaineer in 1976, I was hauled up the mountain by the sherpa guides. Or maybe that was Dad. Looking at the pictures, I'm not at all sure I actually set foot on the summit.

Hovering above the highpoint.

Approaching Clingmans Dome on the AT.

Chris arriving at the lookout tower.

Chris and Birdie enjoying the views.

The lookout tower ramp.

Arrived on the summit at the start of a backpacking trip on the Mountains to Sea Trail with Christina. We started at the parking lot and took the Forney Ridge Trail to the AT to Clingmans (the normal paved pathway was under construnction). No views, lots of clouds and thunderstorms.