On Sunday afternoon, after a leisurly breakfast, Alenda and I went to Holston Mountain for a "little" trail run. We contemplated a 13 mile loop, but decided on a shorter route instead. We had planned to drive up Panhandle road to the Short Spur trailhead. Panhandle was gated, so we started walking. Two and a half miles later, at the top of a long climb, we finally found the trail. Short Spur drops abruptly down the north side of Holston. It loses 1500 feet in 1.7 miles.
This is Holston Lake from the top of Short Spur. We were heading to the valley floor in the foreground. We dropped straight down to the Flatwoods Horse Trail. Flatwoods Horse was relativly flat, but rocky terrain prevented us from running. It took us two and a half hours to reach the Flint Mill Trail. We looked at our map and realized we were in for a much longer day than the three hour run I had promised.
The Flint Mill Trail is the steepest mile I have ever climbed. It ascends 1500 feet in 1.4 miles.
One mile, and one hour later we reached Flint Mill Rock and this incredible view. The trail brought us to an intesection and a decision. We could climb 1000 feet on the Holston Mountain Trail to the fire tower, or we could take what we thought was a service road around the ridge. The problem was that the road was an unmarked horse trail, and our shadows were getting long. We started down the horse trail at 3:00 p.m. It forked several times and we ended up at a dead end. We began contemplating the reality of spending the night on Holston Mountain. We turned around and found the right fork, eventually coming back to the Short Spur trailhead. Relief swept over us. I had a space blanket, lighters, water tablets and extra food, but it would have been a cold, miserable evening under the stars. We finally got back to the truck six hours (and fifteen miles) after we started. Thirty minutes later darkness enveloped the mountain. Next time I try an unknown trail, I will leave early in the morning and give myself plenty of time to spare.
We arrived at Babel Tower to find the river at 2.4, a great first time level for former C1 rodeo champ Brian Miller. Spencer wanted to shoot some video, so we took our time. 
This is death penalty, and the portage around it. It's marginably runnable at high water. 
Riley avoiding a nasty sieve at the first drop of Hallway (aka Jailhouse). 
Dr. Seuss has a high beatdown potential. 
