Introduction
Three days ago, they should have accepted my invitation to take them to Norris Dam State Park, Big Ridge State Park, or Seven Islands State Park for an outdoor adventure. Instead, my wife and her sister, who lives nearby, chose to go shopping. What did this Appalachian Irishman do? I hiked the scenic House Mountain State Natural Area for the 211th time.
Welcome, outdoor enthusiasts, to the 92nd entry in the Hiking Topic Section. As stated in my September 27 article about the new state park at Kyle's Ford, the strong line of thunderstorms on September 23 temporarily dropped the temperature to seasonably cool fall weather and provided much-needed rain. Until then, September had been too hot and dry for early fall hiking. Unfortunately, the unseasonably warm weather returned last Monday. Still yet, my hike three days ago inaugurated my fall, winter, and spring hiking season.
This article takes you up to the west bluff and includes a photograph taken from above the west bluff. It also presents my audiovisual recording while I was hiking down the west trail, near the Defiant Tree, as I call it. I hope you enjoy reading this entry and watching the embedded YouTube episode. Let's hike!
Hiking Up the West Trail
I thought about hiking last weekend, when it was cooler, but I knew the main parking lot and the overflow parking area at House Mountain would be filled with vehicles. Hikers, as I have done on weekends, even find parking spots along the sides of the narrow Hogskin Road. Three days ago, when I arrived at the park, my 2006 Nissan Frontier became only the sixth parked vehicle.
Before heading to the mountain, the temperature at the house was 78 degrees Fahrenheit. Later, it rose to the mid-80s. The clear blue sky was lovely. An intermittent breeze from the southwest felt good when it hit me.
As I started hiking along the connector trail to reach the west trail, a young couple was hiking out, and we exchanged brief greetings. They were the only hikers I met while hiking in and up the west trail. Aside from God being with me, I was alone in the woods. The birds and small critters (e.g., squirrels) were not stirring in the heat. I started my hike at 1:46 PM, which was a bit later than I wanted to do. (I had kept hoping my wife and sister-in-law would want to go with me to explore another nearby park.)
Sixteen minutes later, at 2:02 PM, I started hiking up the six upper switchbacks. I had already trekked through the lower area and up the four lower switchbacks. Above the lower switchbacks, I was disappointed to see the fallen tree still blocking the trail. I had to again negotiate up and over it.
The trail was dusty and dry. Only one mountain stream, before starting up the lower switchbacks, was trickling with water. We still need more rain. I paused briefly, at times going up the upper switchbacks, to sip water from my canteen and wipe sweat from my forehead. My old light-blue T-shirt was already sweaty. With those delays, I reached the highest (sixth) switchback at 2:16 PM, about six or seven minutes slower than normal. I still compete with myself on the time it takes to hike up to the west bluff, but I didn't mind the delays. A hiker has to stay hydrated in the heat and be able to see through the sweat as it drips from his forehead into his eyes!
My scenic hike below the ridge to the west bluff took only eight minutes. Reaching the west bluff at 2:24 PM, I wasn't too disappointed that it took 38 minutes to get there. I never had to stop to catch my breath or pause because my heart was pounding in my chest (an indication of a too-high heart rate). The delays helped me stay hydrated and wipe sweat.
Photograph Near the West Bluff
At the west bluff, the gentle breeze from the southwest helped evaporate the sweat from my face, hair, and T-shirt. I thought about taking off my T-shirt to let it dry in the breeze.
At 2:32 PM, I took the following photograph, looking west, from a few yards above and behind the west bluff. You may be able to see the trail signs to the left and right in the image. The crisp blue sky was wonderful to see. The leaves were not yet showing fall colors, but some were starting to drop due to the dry weather.
Hiking Down the West Trail
After spending time in prayer to God and spiritual reflection, I decided to start back down the west bluff at 2:40 PM. Have you even met a hiker wearing face paint? I did. I also decided to record an audiovisual clip above and below the Defiant Tree, as I call it. It is located just below the ridgeline and well before the six upper switchbacks.
Face Paint
I had just started hiking down the narrow trail below the ridge when I heard music below me. It sounded like what I call new rock, not classic rock, music. Seconds later, I saw a young lady, dressed in black, hiking up. Her music device may have been attached to her backpack.
Pausing on a slightly wider rock formation to let her pass, I noticed she was wearing face paint! It looked like a cat face. I said, “I like your face paint.” She replied, “Thank you,” as she continued up the trail.
Well, in all my previous 210 hikes on House Mountain, I have never before seen a hiker wearing face paint. I have now! It reminds me of seeing the “best-dressed hiker,” wearing a suit and tie, on House Mountain. My article from 4/13/2009 is about the experience.
Audiovisual from Above and Below the Defiant Tree
Shortly after meeting the face-painted lady, I paused just above what I call the Defiant Tree. Several previous entries include photographs of the tree, most recently the 5/5/2023 article about my 181st House Mountain hike. This time, I decided to record an audiovisual clip from the location.
As I tried to switch my cellphone recorder from recording me talking to the panoramic view, I accidentally snapped the following photograph of my face at 2:49 PM. At least I didn't look goofy, unless you think I did!
Please check out on Appalachian Irishman – Podcasts (YouTube) the episode House Mountain Hike 211, Tuesday, 9-29-2026: Near the “Defiant Tree” (pub. 10-2-2026; episode 47). It is an almost six-minute clip.
My comments include what I call two
treacherous locations on the trail, especially hiking down. Due to my
“bionic” (i.e., surgically repaired) right foot and knee, I often
have to “crab crawl” down both locations with my face up, arms
behind my back, and hands and feet on the rocks. Recently, however, I
have side-stepped down both locations, like I could do before my
near-death injury.
Near the end of the video clip, I
lovingly chided my wife and her sister for being too much like city
girls, not country girls. They decided to go shopping instead of
enjoying an easier outing with me at another nearby state park.
Yesterday, however, they surprised me by accepting my offer to take
them to a nearby state park! The forthcoming article with an embedded
audiovisual link, Lord willing, will be about the adventure. Please
stay tuned!
Hiking Out the Rest of the Way
As I was hiking down the six upper switchbacks, a young mother, her son, and their dog caught up with me. I was taking my time to enjoy the views. The young man, possibly five years old, was quite the conversationalist while they were near me! If his parents raise him right, he should become a fine young man.
Not far below the lowest upper switchback, a 17-year-old young man was standing on a flat rock, resting, and rubbing his eyes. I asked if he had something in his eyes. He answered, “Yes. My hair!” He had a headful of long, curly, black hair. I asked if he was resting. He answered that he was trying to catch his breath. The young man looked to be physically fit and not overweight. I encouraged him to increase his cardiovascular exercise and told him that, at age 66, I never had to stop to catch my breath while hiking up earlier. Thanking me, he said a 42-year-old man (possibly his father) and he were racing to see who could reach the ridge first. The older man had taken the east trail. I wished him luck as he continued up. Who won? I may never know.
Conclusion
I trekked farther across the rolling lowland, down the four lower switchbacks, crossed the wooden bridge, and touched the marker near the covered picnic table at 3:50 PM, ending my hike. It was only an hour and 48 minutes in the woods, but it was better to have hiked than not.
A minute after finishing my hike, I photographed six vehicles in the main parking lot. My 2006 Frontier is the closest on the right. Not every vehicle is visible in the image.
I hope you enjoyed this entry, and I hope you liked the embedded audiovisual episode. Please wait for the next article. Lord willing, it will be about yesterday's adventures of my wife, her sister, and me at Seven Islands State Park. I can't believe I talked them into taking at least a “civilized hike”!
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