My best mountaineering buddy, Jeff, and I took the journey to Joyce Kilmer on the advice of a good friend. We traveled to Tellico Plains from Chattanooga. From there we drove east on the National Scenic Byway, the Cherohala Skyway. As we winded along mountain ridge after mountain ridges at an elevation either side of 5000', we crossed over the border into North Carolina. Our first left allowed us descent into Stratton Hollow. The sign at the head
The next mid-morning found us a few miles down the road to the Wolf Laurel Trailhead. Jeff and I were traveling ligh in anticipation of a moderate day hike. The trail swtchbacked up a steep slope, leading us to a hazy, foggy ridge. There were tree obscured views of these majestic peaks to the northeast. There was a narrow ridge that connected these mountaintops with where it appeared we were ascending towards. At about 4800 feet, we junctioned with the Haioe Lead Trail and the Stratton Bald Trail. We decided west along the gently upward sloping ridge to Stratton Bald, among scrub pines and rhodedendrons and lingering patches of spring snows.
Bob Stratton Bald exposed Jeff and I to five or more acres of grassy mountaintop. This and other "balds" were supposedly cleared of trees by natives centuries before to be used as lookouts. For unknown reasons, perhaps climatic changes, these peaks never grew back there loftiest trees. This provided us with a full circle view of the surrounding area, just now becoming visible as the warming of the day burned off early fog.
Haioe peak did not offer much view from its 5500 foot summit. There were many scrub pines reaching 8 feet and obscuring any view around. We took the Hangover Lead Trail east in hopes of seeing another fine vista of this sacred land. The narrow trail cut a swath through a dense forest of 10-12 foot high rhodedendrons. This stretched on for a mile or so, then
