See the Best of the Smoky Mountains on This One-day Only Historic Train Ride msn.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from msn.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
The morning fog is barely lifting at 8 a.m. when a group of five women meet outside Kathy Odvody’s home in Waynesville. I add my fully loaded backpack.
The view from Mt. LeConte. Courtesy Swain TDA
Why do we seek the high places? The easiest explanation for going to the mountains is for the scenery. Even so, there must be something ingrained in the human experience that draws us to lofty summits and places where we can look out over the landscape. The reasons vary from the practical to the spiritual.
High places represent safety and security. Elevated vantage points have been used throughout history for human survival. From the heights, an approaching enemy can be detected from a long distance, or an attack more easily fended off. A path through unknown territory might be scouted out as waterways and passes can all be seen better from a high perch. Hunters are better able spot herds of animals from an overlook. Migratory animals often use mountain ridges to travel long distances. Surely the Cherokee utilized ridge tops in their network of trails connecting villages and hunting grounds.