House Mountain Hike #209, Tuesday, 4-21-2026: Shocking Devastation from Recent Fire (published 4-27-2026; article #554)

Introduction

Welcome, dear reader, to a somber article about hiking, the 87th in the Hiking topic section. The article from 4/17/2026 was about the House Mountain fire, which started in predawn darkness three days before, and my preliminary investigation later that week. On Tuesday, 4/21/2026, a week after the fire started, I hiked House Mountain for the 209th time.

This entry includes ten photographs of the fire's shocking devastation along the ridge. Further, it embeds an almost five-minute audiovisual clip, which I recorded near the east bluff.

Last Tuesday, the main parking lot was still barricaded closed, but the connector trail near the park entrance was not blocked. No signage indicated trail closure. Another vehicle was parked in the narrow parking area between the parking lot and Hogskin Road, where I parked my vintage 2006 Frontier. Later, I will mention meeting in the woods the two young men who had arrived in that vehicle.

Up the West Trail

At 1:14 PM, I started heading west on the short connector trail, stepped across the rocks to cross the muddy area, and crossed the wooden bridge. The overnight rain from Saturday, the 18th, to the next morning ensured that the fire was extinguished.

Initially, I thought about hiking up the east trail to access more quickly the fire-damaged areas. Instead, I chose the more challenging west trail. It took 17 minutes to hike through the lowland, up the four lower switchbacks, over the fallen tree, and to start up the six upper switchbacks. Seven minutes later, I reached the final, sixth, upper switchback.

After 12 minutes hiking southwest along the narrow and rugged trail below the ridge, I reached the west bluff at 1:50 PM. The hike up had taken 36 minutes, a minute slower than my “new normal” time.

I did not see signs of fire damage along the west trail. As usual, I enjoyed the challenge, the scenery, and touching the “defiant tree.” (A search on this website for “defiant tree” will bring up several articles.) I didn't photograph any scenes while hiking up. A mostly sunny day, the temperature was in the 60s Fahrenheit. Sweat accumulated in my ball cap and around my tee shirt. I sipped sufficient water from my canteen.

Eastward Across the Ridge

After four minutes of solitude at the west bluff, where I also took a leak, I started trekking northeastward to the east bluff. After a few minutes along the ridge trail, I was between the location where the fire tower once stood and the “picnic rock.” I photographed the following at 2:13 PM:

The image looks northward. The trail to where the fire tower once stood is to my left (west). The ridge trail continues down and to the right (north). The “picnic rock” is not visible to the right (east) of the image. The bulldozed trail in the center was new. To the left of it, I saw and smelled fire damage. The ground was charred, and the smell of burnt wood lingered in the air. I assume that firefighters bulldozed a firebreak to prevent the fire from jumping across the trail and setting afire the east slope.

Four minutes farther northward and down the ridge trail, I took the following photograph:

The private property owners use four-wheelers and four-wheel-drive trucks to access the cell phone tower, which is farther northeastward on the ridge trail. At the location in the above image, bulldozer tracks were evident. Dirt had been moved, and trees had been knocked down to prevent the fire from jumping across the ridge. The charred ground was more noticeable in person than in the above image.

After another four minutes farther northeastward, I took the following photograph at 2:21 PM:

I had reached the connection to the east trail, going down. The view looks northeastward. The bench and trail sign are noticeable to the left. I was glad to see on the right the information board still standing. The trail behind it was bulldozed and new. You may be able to see the charred ground on both sides of the trail. The fire had jumped from the northeast to the southeast slope of the mountain.

Not long after taking the above photograph, two young men, who were hiking out from the east bluff, arrived at the location. The red car, near where I had parked my truck, was theirs. We enjoyed a brief conversation. One young man said that he had used his gallon canteen, filled with water, to extinguish a small fire, which was still burning. I thanked him.

Nine minutes farther eastward, I photographed the following image at 2:30 PM:

The charred ground, burnt and fallen trees, and scorch marks on still-standing trees are more noticeable in the image. The offshoot trail to the left leads to the lower-middle bluff. I took that trail.

Once at the lower-middle bluff, I took the following two photographs at 2:45 PM:

The above image from behind the bluff faces west. An American flag is visible. I know the name and phone number of the man who owns the property below and up to the bluff. The seared ground and trunks of still-standing trees were obvious. A strong smell of charcoal was still present.

A few seconds later, I took a few steps southeastward for the next photograph.

Again, the fire damage and bulldozer tracks were visible. The eastward (left) trail leads up to the upper-middle bluff. I took it.

After arriving at the upper-middle bluff, I photographed the next image at 2:51 PM.

I was standing on the largest rock outcropping and looking southwestward. The far-away west bluff can be seen distantly. Below the outcroppings, signs of fire damage were obvious.

Four minutes later, now heading toward the east bluff, I took the next photograph.

The charred ground was obvious. The fire had crossed the ridge and burned down the southeast side of the mountain. The tree, centered in the image with the fallen tree leaning into it, still had green leaves growing from the higher branches. It looked like it would live.

At 2:57 PM, two minutes later, I photographed the next image. The east bluff wasn't very far away.

I had to step carefully over the burned tree, which had fallen across the trail. It fell into the rock outcropping. The scorched earth and smell of charcoal were evident.

After observing the fire damage at the east bluff for a few minutes, I took the tenth and final photograph, which follows, at 3:11 PM.

I was standing on a flat rock outcropping with the east bluff a few feet behind me and looking southwest. I was amazed that the trail sign had not burned. Absolute devastation is the only way to describe what I saw and smelled. Thankfully, wildlife, birds and squirrels, had returned to the area. I believe that the fire, which started in the predawn darkness on Tuesday, April 14, originated farther down on the northeast face of the mountain, far below and to the right of where I was standing.

Audiovisual Record Near the East Bluff

Three minutes after the final photograph above, I was a few yards farther southwest, still on the ridge, and hiking out. The devastation was so shocking that I had to record an episode for my YouTube channel, Appalachian Irishman – Podcasts.

Please check out House Mountain Hike 209, 4-21-2026: Shocking Devastation from Recent Fire (pub. 4-27-2026; ep. 43). As I wrote in the description, “Trees and undergrowth will rejuvenate. In a few years, even observant hikers may not notice signs of the fire. Words cannot fully describe my righteous anger toward whomever started the fire. Everyone, especially hikers, must respect the woods and not start a forest fire, accidentally or intentionally.”

The episode actually includes two segments. The first, almost four minutes long, was from near the east bluff. After it, I continued southwestward on the ridge to head out. At 3:27 PM, I had to pause and add a brief segment, just over a minute, to capture the startling destruction that I saw.

Carefully, I made my way across the ridge to the connection to the east trail. Along the way, I crossed paths with a lady who was hiking in the direction from which I had come. We talked briefly about the fire.

Down and Out the East Trail

I started down the east trail at 3:52 PM. Being a “lame mountain goat,” I am still overly cautious as I descend the six upper switchbacks, especially the first one.

The lady, whom I had met earlier on the ridge, caught up with me along the long and winding trail at the base of the mountain! “Hello, again,” I said. I let her pass me, but I easily kept up with her pace. We conversed off and on until we reached the parking lot. An avid hiker, I hope to meet her again on the trail.

I concluded my hike at 4:52 PM, when I touched the marker near the covered picnic table, which is near the parking lot and the fancy outhouse. Three hours and 38 minutes in the woods, despite the fire damage, was better than not having been there.

Conclusion

Yes, my 209th hike on House Mountain was memorable for the wrong reasons. I pray for the soul of the person who started the fire, either accidentally or on purpose. As far as I know, the culprit has not been found. Certainly, however, God will hold the person accountable for his or her actions.

As mentioned in the conclusion to the article from 4/17/2026, I have offered to volunteer with the Knox County Department of Parks and Recreation to help in the recovery efforts for House Mountain. No one has called me yet. I may contact them again.

Open Letter to President Trump: Your Profane Easter Message and My Encouragement to Saving Faith (published 4-20-2026; updated 4-21-2026; article #553)

2/10/2025 Image of Philippians 1:27-2:4 by Brett Jordan on Unsplash. Free to use under the Unsplash License.

 

Addendum: Today, 4/21/2026, I submitted my open letter to President Trump, included in this article, to https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/. Lord willing, if I receive a noteworthy response, I plan to update this article again.

Introduction

Oh, please! Not another entry, the 74th, on Poly-Ticks (Greek “poly,” meaning “many,” plus “ticks,” blood suckers)! Yes, dear reader, and with an apology, I must get this one off my chest. It has been stewing since Resurrection (Easter) Sunday, 4/5/2026.

As an introductory aside, a brief explanation of the word “poly-ticks” is in order. Our elected representatives were once known as statesmen or stateswomen. Sadly, a majority of them seem to have devolved into many parasites. They infest government at all levels, local, state, and national. These once-noble public servants are now serving themselves with the blood of the citizens, whom they were elected to serve. Fattened by their insatiable appetites, their hosts, we, the people, cannot seem to dislodge them. Their “polytickal” droppings are found everywhere. This is my opinion. You are free to make it yours. A minority of true statesmen and stateswomen are in office.

Professor Harold Black’s Webpage is one of three websites listed under my Folks to Whom I Subscribe section, located down on the right side of this website. A scholar and a gentleman, Dr. Black is a professor emeritus at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Early each morning, he publishes daily articles, except on Sundays, with rare variation. I read every article.

I was unaware of President Donald Trump's crass vitriol on Resurrection Sunday until I read Dr. Black's article three days afterward: “Trump throws a hissy. GOP endorses socialism.” Professor Harold Black’s Webpage, by Dr. Harold Black, 4/8/2026. After the surprise from reading his article, I discovered other online sources, three of which are as follows: “Trump rants against Iran in profanity-laced Easter message,” Baptist News Global, by Mark Wingfield, 4/5/2026; “Trump’s Easter Post Condemned as ‘Utter Disdain for Religion,’” Newsweek, by Jesus Mesa, 4/6/2026; and “Donald Trump’s Easter clash of hell and holiness,” Religion News Service, by Bob Smietana and Fiona Murphy, 4/6/2026.

Warning! The references cited above include vulgarity. The following is my open letter to President Donald Trump. I hope it finds its way to him.

Open Letter to President Trump

Dear President Trump:

Mr. President, I bid you greetings in the name of Christ. Your presidency is better than it would have been under the other option on election day. Your commendable actions include securing the borders, upholding the biological reality that only two genders exist, male and female, and protecting the right to life of unborn children.

Your verbal and written demeanor, however, often make me grit my teeth. A recent example was your profanity-laced message on Resurrection (Easter) Sunday to Iran on your Truth Social platform. I was shocked to learn of it three days later.

At least you did not proclaim Resurrection (Easter) Sunday to be Transgender Day of Visibility, as your predecessor did two years ago. (Please reference my article from 4/12/2024.) An appropriate message would have honored the vicarious death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus the Messiah.

Dear Mr. President, during your first term in office, you called yourself “a non-denominational Christian.” (Source: “President Trump’s Q&A with Religion News Service,” Trump White House: Archives, 10/26/2020.) I, too, am a Christian only, non-denominational.

Knowing that it is God who will judge us, and with respect to your office, the tone of your verbal and written words concerns me. In humility, as a sinner saved by grace, may I encourage you to repentance and truly saving faith?

A Christian strives by faith to be Christ-like in thought, word, and deed. As a Christian, I fail to do so daily. In daily repentance, however, I strive for the high and heavenward calling in Christ Jesus (cf. Philippians 3:13-14).

Brother Trump, may I encourage you to humble yourself, as I try to do daily, before the Lord, and he will lift you up (cf. James 4:10; 1 Peter 5:6)? As an aside, my saintly mother used to say, “Self-braggers are half scoundrels.” Further, may I suggest that you, “Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone” (Colossians 4:6, NIV)?

As a Christian, I want everyone, believers and non-believers, to see Jesus living in me. As the inspired apostle Paul wrote so eloquently, “I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20, NIV).

Please, Mr. President and brother in Christ, live, speak, and write so that everyone will see Jesus living in you. Humility is not weakness. Bold humility is accomplished through Christ.

With respect and in Christian love,

Marion William Ferrell (pseudonym M. Fearghail, the Appalachian Irishman)

Conclusion

Finally, this article on “poly-ticks” is off my chest. My prayer for President Trump is that he will humble himself before God so that God may lift him up. Further, I pray for wisdom in his words and deeds. Finally and prayerfully, I hope that he centers himself by following the Constitution of the United States and the biblical values upon which it is based.

Thank you, dear reader, for tolerating another article on “poly-ticks.” I dislike writing them. I had to write this one.

Tuesday, 4-14-2026, Fire on House Mountain: 100% Contained, but Still Closed for Hiking (published 4-17-2026; article #552)

Introduction

On Tuesday morning, three days ago, my wife called at 7:18 AM to break the news, which she heard on a local radio station while driving to work. At the time, I was in my home office and passively listening to a local news station on the living room television. The station had not yet aired a segment about the fire. A few minutes after my wife's call, however, WVLT-TV, Knoxville, aired a brief segment, which is not available online, about the fire on House Mountain State Natural Area.

This 37th entry in the Appalachia - Northeast Tennessee Topic Section serves as a public service announcement to hikers outside the Knox County, Tennessee, area. It is about the fire, which was contained the next day. The hiking trails, however, are closed for the time being.

The Fire

Last Tuesday afternoon, I found online “Fire burning on House Mountain,” WVLT-TV (Knoxville), 4/13/2026. (The date is incorrect.) The actual 4/14/2026 audiovisual episode (updated at 1:02 PM) is almost five and a half minutes in duration and describes the fire and the efforts to extinguish it.

From Knox News: Data Central: Fire and Smoke: Knox — House Mountain, I learned that someone discovered and reported the fire at 2:58 AM last Tuesday. What started the fire? The cause is still under investigation. The recent dry, warm, and windy weather could certainly kindle any spark into a fire. The park is open from sunrise to sunset, but it closes after dark. Before sunset on Monday, did a careless hiker drop a lit cigarette, which later ignited the fire? In the early hours after midnight, did a pyromaniac ascend the steep slopes of the mountain to intentionally start the fire?

As an aside, I recall hiking on House Mountain several years ago, not long after a fire on the northwest face of the mountain was extinguished. I saw scorched ground, fallen trees, and burn marks on standing trees. My hiking record does not include notes about a previous fire on the mountain. Online, however, I found the following article from June 2020, which mentions a fire: “Rural Metro: Fire on House Mountain contained.” WBIR-TV (Knoxville), by Staff, 6/21/2020.

My Investigative Visits to House Mountain

So far, I have made two investigative visits to House Mountain. The first visit includes three photographs.

Wednesday, April 15th

On Wednesday morning, a day after the fire started, local news media reported that the House Mountain fire was being contained. Several acres had burned or were still burning.

Early that afternoon, driving north on Washington Pike, I saw smoke rising from the northern side of House Mountain near the northeast bluff. Additional smoke was ascending from the middle bluff and upper-middle bluff on the northwest side of the mountain.

I parked outside the upper parking lot, which was barricaded closed. Only official vehicles were in the parking lot. The scent of smoke was noticeable. I walked down two-tenths of a mile to the lower parking lot. Empty of vehicles, it too was barricaded.

After walking back up to the upper parking lot, I photographed it at 2:04 PM:

The view looks west. My silver 2006 Frontier is parked outside the lot. The U-Haul van may have contained supplies and equipment for the firefighters. I did not see anyone in the area.

I decided to drive east down Hogskin Road and turn left (north) onto Idumea Road. After a few miles, I parked across the creek near a barn and walked back across the bridge, which spans the creek, to where Idumea Road and Childs Road intersect. At 2:30 PM, I photographed the following view of the northeast bluff and northeast side of House Mountain:

The view looks south. I was standing under shade trees and in front of a gate, which opens to the field in the foreground. The wind blowing from the south smelled of smoke.

Back in my truck, I continued north to where Idumea Road comes out onto Washington Pike. Turning left, I continued west a few miles on Washington Pike.

Turning left onto Stephens Quarry Lane (a dead end), I stopped to take the final photograph below at 2:42 PM:

The view looks east. The smoke is noticeable coming from near the upper and lower middle bluffs on the ridge.

Thursday, April 16th

Yesterday, Thursday, I returned to the upper parking lot at House Mountain, parking again in the same location as the day before. The barricades were still in place.

Before leaving home, I left the Knox County Department of Parks and Recreation (865-215-6600) a voicemail. Further, I tried to reach someone at the local Tennessee Division of Natural Areas – East TN Office (865-594-5601), but the line never did ring.

I had not been out of my truck long when a man, perhaps in his 50s, and his dog arrived. He parked outside the parking lot, near my truck. An avid hiker, he is trying to reach his goal of hiking every state park in Tennessee. His dog and he were from Watertown, Tennessee, 40 miles east of Nashville and 10 miles southeast of Lebanon. The drive from Watertown to House Mountain took around two and a half hours.

The man had not known about the fire and temporary closure of the park. A congenial gentleman, he and I talked about nearby trails and our hiking experiences for a few minutes. His truck bed camper was decorated with scripture references from the Bible. I was glad to meet a brother in Christ who also enjoys hiking!

Undaunted, the man and his dog ventured onward in search of another nearby state park, which they had not yet hiked.

Conclusion

My wife and I live under 10 miles away from House Mountain, which is a main reason why I hike there often. If we lived farther away, such as the man I met yesterday, I would be disappointed to drive a great distance to learn that the park was closed.

That's why this article serves as a public service announcement for hikers outside the Knox County, Tennessee, area. Before you plan a trip to hike House Mountain, please call the Knox County Department of Parks and Recreation (865-215-6600) to find out if the park is open again.

Last evening, this area received a much-needed rain. Over this coming weekend, I plan to take the short drive back to House Mountain to see if it is back open for hikers. If so, Lord willing, I hope to publish an article about my 209th hike on my mountain. Please stay tuned, dear reader!

I almost forgot to mention that today the Knox County Department of Parks and Recreation returned my voicemail from yesterday. I offered my assistance as needed. Hopefully, someone will call and ask for my help.

Recently Interesting Serendipities: Wheelbarrows and Truck Milestone (published 4-16-2026; article #551)

Introduction

Call them coincidences, serendipities, or simply interesting connections in time; this Appalachian Irishman experienced two of these moments recently. The dynamic tapestry of life has occasions that make you pause and reflect.

Welcome, dear reader, to the 117th entry in the Life (such as it is) Topic Section. This article recounts two recent instances of interesting serendipity. After each, I had to pause and ponder for a moment.

Wheelbarrows

Late last summer, on Sunday afternoon, 9/28/2025, I loaded our red wheelbarrow into my truck bed and hauled it over to my father-in-law's house. (At the time, he was still living and doing fairly well. The article from 2/13/2026 commemorates his transition.) Our adult niece, the daughter of my wife's sister, wanted to borrow it to spread wood chips in her yard. She and I managed to slide and fit the wheelbarrow into the hatchback of her sport utility vehicle (SUV).

It must take over six months to spread wood chips. Last Saturday, 4/11/2026, was set aside for doing yard work at my recently deceased father-in-law's house. (My wife is the oldest of three siblings. Her sister, next to her in age, and a first cousin of theirs still reside there.)

Beforehand, I bought brush-killing spray and a new blue wheelbarrow at Lowe's. (Our old wheelbarrow became a gift to our niece.) With no wheelbarrow at my wife's homeplace, I needed one. I wanted to pile bush and tree clippings into it and dump them in a brush pile near the creek behind the house. After several hours of sweaty work, during which my “long-suffering” wife helped, a few brush and tree trimmings remained to haul off.

The next afternoon, Sunday, I decided to “get the ox out of the ditch” (cf. Luke 14:1-6). Thus, I spent a few minutes moving the remaining cuttings to the brush pile.

Later that afternoon, I wondered when I bought that first wheelbarrow. Our financial software provided the answer. Just over 22 years ago, I bought the original red wheelbarrow at the same Lowe's location. The cost including tax was $32.51. The purchase date was Monday, 3/29/2004. Back then, our newly constructed home was less than a year old. (We moved in on Saturday, 6/7/2003.) I had needed a wheelbarrow for yard work.

Immediately, my mind fast forwarded twelve years from 3/29/2004 to Tuesday, 3/29/2016, which was just over ten years ago. Twelve years to the day from when I bought the first wheelbarrow, I almost died when the uninsured 18-year-old female failed to yield to my right of way. The Topic Section My Bionic Life — since 3/29/2016, which includes 19 articles so far, focuses on that day, which lives in infamy in my mind, and my recovery.

Thank you, Lord, for not granting me foreknowledge on 3/29/2004 that I would almost die twelve years later on 3/29/2016! In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus stated, “Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof” (Matt. 6:34, KJV).

Truck Mileage Milestone

Photograph by M. Fearghail, Monday, 4/13/2026, at 9:54 AM

My 20-year-young, vintage 2006 Nissan Frontier was nearing the 200,000-mile milestone. I wondered where, on which road, I would see the odometer roll to that mileage.

Last Monday, 4/13/2026, was the anniversary of Papaw Marion Ferrell's birthday in 1880. That day, I had an appointment for a routine six-month dental cleaning at 10 AM at the Lakeview Dental Studio. The location is just behind and above the Fountain City Park.

Greenwood Cemetery on Tazewell Pike is where my mother-in-law's and father-in-law's physical remains await the second coming of Christ. Their souls, however, continue to be blessed everlastingly with unspeakable joy in paradise.

Instead of taking a shorter route from Tazewell Pike, I drove past the cemetery. Keeping a close eye on the road and the odometer, the mileage clicked to 200,000 exactly at the main entrance to the cemetery. A tenth of a mile later, farther southwest, at 9:54 AM, the red traffic light at the intersection of Tazewell Pike, Jacksboro Pike, and Sanders Road allowed me to take the above photograph.

The serendipity was stunning! On Papaw Ferrell's birthday in 1880, my truck reached 200,000 miles at the main entrance to the cemetery where the gravesites for my mother-in-law and father-in-law are located.

Conclusion

Have you ever experienced similar serendipities in life, dear reader? These were two recent examples in my life. I remember several others. I wonder if God's providential hand causes some of these reflective coincidences. It may. Of course, sometimes life simply makes you pause, connect the dots, and think for a moment.

As a separate point in conclusion, two days ago, Tuesday, 4/14/2026, a fire erupted on House Mountain State Natural Area just after midnight. Yesterday, I drove to the nearby park, which was closed to hikers. I took three photographs of smoke from the still smoldering fire, which had been 100% contained. Lord willing, a forthcoming article will focus on the fire.

House Mountain Hike #208, Tuesday, 4-7-2026: Listen to the Mountain Stream! (published 4-12-2026; article #550)

Introduction

Welcome to the 86th entry in the Hiking Topic Section, dear reader! This article describes the Tuesday afternoon hike, my 208th, on House Mountain, the highest elevation in Knox County, Tennessee. It is located about 7.5 miles east from our house. Conveniently nearby, I often hike there. The trails are challenging, and the views are spectacular.

Having limited time, I only hiked up and back down the west trail. (The upper-middle bluff, however, with its spectacular view, was calling me.) The weather was sunny and pleasant with the temperature in the 60-degree Fahrenheit range. The focus in this article is on my impromptu conversation at the west bluff with a fellow hiker and the sound of the mountain stream while I hiked down and out. I had to record the tranquil sound!

Before sharing the story about my hike, however, I must rant for a moment about the psychobabble, which urged me to the woods. I needed outdoor alleviation!

Before Hiking: Bureaucratic Psychobabble!

Before heading for the mountain, I was on the phone with my dentist's office and my health insurance company. In January, my health insurance provider dropped my dental provider and several others from its network. My dental group had asked the insurance company to provide its fee schedule. Afterward, my dental provider would complete the requirements to return to the health insurance network. Three months have passed, and the fee schedule still has not been sent!

For about an hour and a half in total, I was on the phone with my dental provider and then my health insurance company. The female representative from the health insurance company even connected a staff member at my dentist's office and me in a three-way call with her. After a while, however, the representative dropped off and left the lady with my dental provider and me still on the line. We were amazed!

I, however, found out the reasonable cost for my upcoming six-month checkup and confirmed my appointment with the staff member. My health insurance provider is well known. The bureaucratic psychobabble from the representative, however, drove me to the woods! I had to get some relief!

Hiking Up the West Trail

Ah! Relief! The woods and the relative solace freed me from the earlier gobbledygook. Getting outside in the sunny and warm weather helped. Starting my hike at 2:21 PM, I challenged myself once again to see how long it would take to reach the bluff. The recent rain on Resurrection Sunday (Easter) had left muddy runoff, around which I gingerly found a way along the connector trail.

While hiking up the four lower switchbacks, a young lady complemented my canteen as she hiked past me. (The next section includes our conversation at the west bluff.) Embarrassed by being passed by a faster hiker but undaunted, I continued through the lower area of the trail, negotiated around the fallen tree, and started hiking up the six upper switchbacks at 2:38 PM. Seven sweaty minutes later, I reached the final switchback and started west along the trail below the ridge. I had only paused briefly to sip water from my canteen. Remember to stay hydrated!

At 2:56 PM, I reached the west bluff. Once again, it took 35 minutes to hike up to the bluff. Will I ever be able to return to my once-usual time of 24 to 28 minutes? Those hikes were before I acquired the 25 pieces of surgically implanted metal in my left shoulder, right knee, and right foot. I am still a “lame mountain goat.” I keep trying! My strength, lung capacity, and heart have not weakened with age.

Photograph and Conversation at the West Bluff

When I reached the west bluff, the young lady who had out-hiked me on the way up was reclining on the rock outcropping and listening to music on her cell phone. With earbuds in her ears, she didn't hear or see me at first.

Once she noticed me, I introduced myself. Her first name is Nova, a young orthopedist from Boston who has moved to Knoxville. It was her first hike on House Mountain. I encouraged her to hike to and enjoy the view from the upper-middle bluff. Nova and I shared our hiking adventures. As an avid hiker, her friends and she may explore other nearby locations such as Norris Dam State Park, Big Ridge State Park, Panther Creek State Park, and Cove Lake State Park. Our pleasant conversation continued for over 30 minutes.

After Nova headed east along the ridge trail, I took the following photograph at 3:37 PM:

The view looks south. The rock formation is where Nova had been relaxing. I wondered if the distant haze was due to the current abundance of tree pollen in the air.

Hiking Down the West Trail: Recording of the Mountain Stream

Seconds after taking the above image, I started hiking back down and out on the same west trail. I had not gone far and was still on the trail below the ridge when my sister-in-law, who lives nearby, texted me at 3:50 PM, asking if I had called the cemetery! (Later, I learned that the text was for my wife.) Two young men happened to be hiking up at about that time. Jokingly, I asked, “How should I reply to my sister-in-law, whose text asked if I had called the cemetery? I didn't know that I was supposed to call them.” Neither they nor I had a clue!

As an important point about my recovery, there are two rock formations, close together, on the trail below the ridge. Before I was almost killed on Tuesday, 3/29/2016, I could easily step down those formations. Once my recovery from near-death allowed me to hike again, I have had to crab-crawl down those formations, using my hands, feet, and backside. On this 208th hike, I stepped down along both formations, placing my left hand on the rock formations as I did so! That was a significant accomplishment for this “lame mountain goat.”

The trek down the upper switchbacks continued without further textual interruptions. I simply enjoyed the experience and the views. By the way, hiking down, my “bionic” right knee is able to “apply the breaking system” as well as my normal left knee. It has taken ten years to do so.

Before descending the four lower switchbacks, I paused at 4:13 PM to photograph the fallen tree, mentioned in the first and second articles from 3/31/2026.

The tree had fallen exactly across the trail. The easiest way to get around it is to step carefully up, over, and down that nearly 45-degree slope.

After hiking down the lower switchbacks, I paused at the mountain stream, which crosses the trail, to wash off dirt and dust from the soles of my warm-weather hiking shoes. Shortly afterward, I had to pause to enjoy seeing and hearing the gentle flow of the mountain stream.

Would you like to hear and see for yourself? Appalachian Irishman – Podcasts (YouTube) presents House Mountain Hike 208, Tue., 4-7-2026: Listen to the Mountain Stream! (pub. 4-12-2026; ep. 42). The brief clip, just over two minutes, enjoys the tranquil silence as the mountain stream trickles nearby. It relaxed my mind, soul, and body. I tried to keep my comments brief.

Touching the sign near the picnic area at 4:40 PM ended my hike. Before driving back home, I picked mud out of the soles of my warm-weather hiking shoes and let my tee shirt dry in the gentle breeze.

Conclusion

Nova was not your stereotypical Bostonian. Her accent was even southern. I wish her well on her hiking journey through life. The mountain stream helped me relax and overcome the health insurance psychobabble from earlier in the day.

Two hours and nineteen minutes in the woods last Tuesday was better than not having been there. My next goal is 225 hikes on House Mountain. By God's grace, I hope to reach it.

House Mountain Hike #207, Sunday, 3-29-2026: Tenth Anniversary of My Near-Death Accident (published 3-31-2026; article #549)

Introduction

Hello again, dear hiking enthusiast, and welcome back. You may have already read my first article today about my 206th hike on House Mountain last Saturday. A day later, on the afternoon of Palm Sunday, two days ago, I returned for my 207th hike on the highest mountain in Knox County, Tennessee.

I hope that you enjoy this 85th entry in the Hiking topic section. This is also the 19th entry for the topic section My Bionic Life - since 3/29/2016. The embedded audiovisual link below explains why this article is also included in that topic section. In short, this hike celebrated the tenth year since my near-death accident.

Hiking Up the West Trail

After morning worship and my noon meal, my 2006 Frontier and I arrived to see the main parking lot almost full. After managing to locate a parking spot, I saw a younger couple examining the trail map on the information board. Greeting them, I learned that it was their first time to hike on House Mountain. With interest, they listened as I described the trails and the view from the upper-middle bluff. Starting out ahead of me, I noticed that they chose the east trail to arrive at the bluff more directly.

At 2:12 PM, I touched the marker near the covered picnic area and started my hike up the west trail (as the day before). Warmer than yesterday, the temperature was in the low 60s Fahrenheit when I started hiking. A few passing clouds colored white sections of the crisp blue canopy.

The low-lying wet and muddy area was dryer than yesterday. I quickly ascended the four lower switchbacks. After getting around the recently fallen tree, mentioned in today's first article, at 2:28 PM, I started up the six upper switchbacks, reaching the highest one eight minutes later.

As on the day before, after twelve minutes of hiking the narrow and rocky trail below the ridge, I reached the west bluff at 2:48 PM. It was a minute slower than yesterday's hike. At one of several rocky areas, I had paused to ensure that a fallen hiker was okay. Two other hikers were with him. Still seated on a rock, his companions assured me that he was fine and just resting from his fall.

Photograph and Audiovisual Clip from Above the West Bluff

A young couple was already at the bluff. Giving them their moment, I hiked a few yards northeast on the ridge trail, waited a while, and enjoyed the views.

At 2:58 PM, with the young couple nearby but not in the frame, I took the following photograph:

The view looks southwest. The rock outcropping, centered and farthest away in the image, is where the young couple had been standing. You may be able to see my trusty canteen hanging from the trail sign to the left in the image.

Just over 15 minutes later, at 3:16 PM, I recorded the 41st episode of Appalachian Irishman – Podcasts (YouTube), titled House Mt. Hike 207, 3-29-2026: Tenth Anniversary of My Near-Death Accident (pub. 3-31-2026; ep. 41). The brief audiovisual clip of just under three and a half minutes pans the horizon to show what my eyes enjoyed seeing directly. Further, I mention that I was almost killed ten years ago on Tuesday, 3/29/2016, around 5:15 PM. An uninsured driver failed to yield to my right-of-way while I was driving home from work.

Hiking Back Down the West Trail

Tempted to continue northeast to the upper-middle bluff, I decided to hike back down and out on the west trail, up which I had hiked. I thought that I would join my wife, who was visiting with her sister, who lives nearby.

At 3:12 PM, I started trekking down the west trail. On the trail below the ridge and near what I call “the defiant tree” (recent photographs of which are in the articles from 5/5/2023 and 12/30/2024), I met a large group hiking up. It was also their first time to hike House Mountain, and they appreciated my suggestion of how to reach the upper-middle bluff for the view and hike out the east trail.

From 3:32 to 4:06 PM, 34 minutes, I completed the hike down and out. I touched the same trail sign near the picnic area to end my hike.

Beforehand, however, I caught up to the three hikers, mentioned earlier, whom I had met while hiking up along the trail below the ridge. I learned that the man, who had fallen earlier, is 59 years old and has battled multiple sclerosis since 2001. He is only three years younger than my brother, next in age to me, who contracted multiple sclerosis in the late 1990s. I offered a prayer for this brave man. He, in turn, offered a prayer for my brother.

Conclusion

As the earlier article today explained, before last weekend, I had not hiked House Mountain since my 205th hike on Sunday afternoon, 1/4/2026. I needed to get out and into the woods last weekend. The exercise and the views were beneficial and inspiring.

With thanksgiving to God, who granted my recovery from the near-death wreck ten years ago, I hope to continue hiking, especially on House Mountain. My next goal is 225 hikes on House Mountain.

Easter, or Resurrection Sunday, as I prefer to call it, is this coming Sunday. The resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus the Christ should be celebrated daily and every Sunday. As a Christian, my everlasting goal is to continue “hiking” upward toward heaven. Is that your goal, dear reader? If you are “hiking” downward and would like to converse with me, please email me using the Contact Form on this website. I am just a former hungry beggar who found the Bread of Life. I am very interested in sharing that Bread with you.

House Mountain Hike #206, Saturday, 3-28-2026: It Was About Time! (published 3-31-2026; article #548)

Introduction

Greetings, hiking enthusiasts, and welcome to the 84th entry in the Hiking topic section. This article highlights my 206th hike on House Mountain (my mountain) on Saturday, 3/28/2026.

Previously, my 205th hike was on Sunday afternoon, 1/4/2026. The article from 1/9/2026 was about that hike. The two articles from February were about my father-in-law's transition from temporal to everlasting life and the snow, which delayed his graveside service. The three earlier articles in March focused on yard work at the homeplace and a dusting of snow. Obviously, other more pressing matters kept me out of the woods for the last two months.

Saturday's weather was clear, crisp, and perfect for hiking. House Mountain was calling. It was about time. I had to go! Please enjoy hiking along with me on my 206th House Mountain hike by reading this article.

Hiking Up on the West Trail

Delays: Early Saturday morning, I did a load of laundry. Later, around 11:15 AM, my sister-in-law, who lives nearby, drove over to pick up Mrs. Appalachian Irishman. Jamie, a family friend from Athens, Tennessee, had turned another year older the previous Wednesday. My wife, her sister, and our niece went on a girls' day trip to Athens to celebrate Jamie's birthday. Also around that time, Kevin, our mower guy, arrived to mow. I waited until he finished before driving the short distance in my 2006 Frontier to House Mountain.

Leaving home, the temperature was 55 degrees Fahrenheit with light breezes at times. At the parking lot, my 20-year-young truck registered 199,773.6 miles. Touching the marker near the covered picnic area at 1:56 PM, I started hiking up the connector trail. Before reaching the bridge, the low-lying area was wet and muddy. Smooth rocks, however, provided stepping stones. Across the bridge, I turned left at the junction to go up the west bluff.

After ascending the four lower switchbacks, a recently fallen tree forced me to crawl on hands and feet to go up and over it. Thankfully, I didn't come across any other obstacles. At 2:12 PM, I started ascending the six upper switchbacks, and, seven minutes later, I reached the highest one. My upper layers were a tee shirt and a thin pullover long-sleeve shirt. I almost shed the long-sleeve shirt while hiking up the upper switchbacks. They provided another excellent cardiovascular workout!

Twelve minutes later, at 2:31 PM, I had negotiated the trail below the ridgeline and reached the west bluff. Only pausing at times to sip water from my canteen, I had made the complete trek up from the base to the bluff in 35 minutes. I still enjoy the spectacular views of the rock outcroppings on the trail below the ridge. Further, I am still able to cautiously scale up the two rock formations, which require crawling up on hands and feet.

Trekking Across the Ridge to the Upper-Middle Bluff

At the west bluff, I conversed briefly with a younger man, who had been hiking up just behind me. It was his first hike on House Mountain. Not yet fully recovered from a viral infection, the younger man planned to keep in mind my description of the bluffs on the ridge trail. At the moment, however, he was still weak from his recent virus and planned to hike back down the west trail.

After cooling off and enjoying the view, I continued northeast along the ridge trail at 2:37 PM. Not wishing to delay my arrival at the upper-middle bluff, I avoided exploring around the foundation where the old fire tower once stood, the dilapidated two-seater outhouse, and the rock formation, which I call the “picnic rock.”

A few minutes after passing the trail junction that leads down the east trail, I passed by the lower-middle bluff. An American flag was flying along aside the rock formation. Around five minutes later, at 2:58 PM, I reached the upper-middle bluff!

Already at the bluff were a young woman and her two daughters (ages 9 & 20 months). As requested, I photographed them using her phone camera. She said that her husband and their two sons were adventuring elsewhere.

After they left to hike back down and out, I took the following photograph at 3:20 PM:

I was sitting on a rock formation behind me. The spectacular view looks northwest toward the Cumberland Mountains, which are farthest away in the image. The lush and expansive valley was below me. Not in the image, I counted at least four hawks circling nearby. Do you understand why I enjoy the challenging hike up to see this view? I thought so.

Hiking Down and Out on the East Trail

Five minutes after taking the above photograph, I started the trek out and down along the east trail. Like the west trail, the east trail includes six upper switchbacks. The highest one, eroded over the years by inconsiderate hikers, remains a challenge for my surgically repaired right knee and foot. Crawling down on my backside, using hands and feet, I safely negotiated the area.

Just after descending the upper switchbacks, I was pleasantly surprised to meet Maurice and Angela again. They are mentioned with high regard in the articles from 10/26/2023 and 12/1/2023. A finer couple you could not meet on House Mountain.

At 4:15 PM, as I was meandering southwestward along the low-lying trail, my “long-suffering” wife called my cell phone. Her sister had dropped her off at the house after their girls' day trip to Athens. Unfortunately, my wife didn't have her house key with her! Undaunted, she decided to await my return on the front porch. Molly, our 11-year-young “puppy,” of course, entertained her.

At 4:48 PM, I touched the same marker near the picnic area to end my hike. Two hours and 52 minutes in the woods was better than not having been there! It was a great “man day out.”

Conclusion

Yes, once at my truck, I called my dear wife to let her know that I was leaving. Arriving home just before 5 PM, I saw my wife wandering around in the front yard. Not angry at me because she forgot to take her house key; she was merely glad to be able to go indoors.

In the future, dear reader, if you have a spouse who enjoys hiking, you may want to take your house key if you are out and about on your own. Who knows? Your avid-hiker spouse may have decided to go hiking!

Please stand by, dear friend. I hiked House Mountain again the next afternoon on Palm Sunday. That forthcoming article will follow this one.