Most Ascents, Lifetime
Estimates for Valentine, Huff, and Line are based on their comments in interviews. Among those with documented hiking records, Ed Wright leads with 1,310, and Margaret Stevenson holds the women’s record with 718.
ASCENTS | NAME | YEAR | AGE |
---|---|---|---|
230 | Ed Wright | 1991 | 66 |
130 | Ed Wright | 1997 | 72 |
111 | Ed Wright | 1998 | 73 |
107 | Ed Wright | 1993 | 68 |
104 | Ed Wright | 1994 | 69 |
103 | Ed Wright | 1995 | 70 |
102 | Paul Dinwiddle | 1991 | 66 |
Most Ascents, Year
Yearly and monthly records are based largely on the logbooks of Wright, Dinwiddie, and Stevenson. I am adding others as I find them. If you or someone you know should be added, email LeConteLog@gmail.com. Click here to see the year-by-year leaders.
ASCENTS | NAME | YEAR | AGE | ASCENTS |
---|---|---|---|---|
230 | Ed Wright | 1991 | 66 | 230 |
130 | Ed Wright | 1997 | 72 | 130 |
111 | Ed Wright | 1998 | 73 | 111 |
107 | Ed Wright | 1993 | 68 | 107 |
104 | Ed Wright | 1994 | 69 | 104 |
103 | Ed Wright | 1995 | 70 | 103 |
102 | Paul Dinwiddle | 1991 | 66 | 102 |
RECORDS
I have compiled these unofficial records from published accounts, the Lodge logbooks, and personal hiking journals, including those of Ed Wright (1,310 ascents), Paul Dinwiddie (750), and Margaret Stevenson (718). I am always on the lookout for other journals and yet-to-be-documented accomplishments.
If you or someone you know should be added to these records, email LeConteLog@gmail.com.
Most Ascents, Month
Records for each individual month can be found below.
ASCENTS | NAME | MONTH |
---|---|---|
18 | Margaret Stevenson | Sept.1991 |
23 | Ed Wright | Nov. 1991 |
26 | Ed Wright | Aug. 1991 |
27 | Ed Wright | June 1991 |
28 | Ed Wright | May 1991, Sept 1991, Oct 1991 |
Most Ascents, Week
In June 1999, Tillroe Smith climbed once on Sunday, June 13, and then twice daily June 14-20. In June 1991, Ed Wright made 8 ascents in a span of 7 days: 2 round trips each on Monday the 24th, Wednesday the 26th, Friday the 28th, and Sunday the 30th. Wright also made 7 climbs in a span of 5 days twice: June 10-14, 1988; and Oct. 7-11, 1991. Also see the record below for consecutive days (Paul Dinwiddie’s 11 consecutive hikes spanned 2 calendar weeks).
NAME | DATES | ASCENTS |
---|---|---|
Ed Wright | June 24-30, 1991 | 8 |
Tillroe Smith | Oct. 2002 | 7 |
John Northrup | Sept. 28, 2012 | 7 |
Dewey Slusher | May 17-24, 2021 | 4 |
Tillroe Smith | June 13-19, 1999 | 13 |
Most Ascents, Day
All Tour de Le Conte completers also have 3 ascents in a day.
ASCENTS | NAME | MILES | DATE | NOTABLE |
---|---|---|---|---|
7 | Stan Wullschleger | 50 | Sept. 28, 2007 | |
6 | David Worth | 55 | 2011 | |
5 | Zach Andrews | 78.2 | Oct. 14, 2020 | |
5 | Bill Sharp | 41.6 | June 1, 1992 | |
4 | Bill Sharp | 30 | Aug. 11, 1993 | |
3 | Ed Wright | 33 | June 25, 1988 | 14:50 for 3 trips |
3 | Ed Wright | 33 | June 10, 1991 | 11:45 for 3 trips |
3 | Ed Wright | 33 | Oct. 11, 1991 | 11:32 for 3 trips |
*John Northrup | 65 | Sept. 28, 2012 |
Eldest Climber
James “Pop” Hollandsworth (1915-2013) of Asheville NC may rank highly on this list. The alumni magazine at Asheville School says he made the climb in his mid-80s in 12 hours through chest-deep snowdrifts. This was part of the annual memorial hike for Dr. Charles Lindsley, who died in a fall from Alum Cave Bluff trail in January 1971. See comments on this blog. It’s unclear when Hollandsworth made his final climb. At age 95, he was the base manager for the 2011 memorial hike. When C.L. Baum of Knoxville TN climbed Le Conte on June 6, 1922, Wiley Oakley declared him to be the oldest man to reach the summit. Baum said he was 61, but according to the dates on his gravestone (1863-1944), he was 59 that year. In 1928, Will Ramsey called Samuel Simcox, 80, the oldest man to climb Le Conte.
AGE | NAME | ASCENT | BORN | DETAILS | +DAYS |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
92 | Gracie McNicol | 1983-10-01 | 1891-10-01 | #244 on her 92nd birthday | |
93 | Rev. Rufus Morgan | 1978-10-15 | 1885-10-15 | #174 on his 93rd birthday | |
90 | Lenore Costello | 2016-11-12? | 1926-11-12 | celebrating her 90th birthday | |
90 | Dr. Kip Miller | 2022-05-18 | 1932-03-03 | #255 | 66 |
90 | George R. Fritz Jr. | 2022-05-12 | 1932-03-28 | #25 | 45 |
88 | Henrietta Huff | 1994-08 | 1906-08-28 | widow of Jim Huff Sr., #25 | |
87 | Anne Springs Close | 2013-07-12 | 1925-11-15 | #42, 50th anniversary of #1 in 1963.
With 5 great-grandchildren. | 240 |
87 | Jean Ann Miller | 2022-05-18 | 1934-10-03 | #255 | 197 |
85 | Carole Kistler Fritz | 2022-05-12 | 1937-04-02 | #42 | 40 |
85 | Dick McAliley | 2013-08-09 | 1928-08-05 | died 2014-03-25 | 4 |
85 | Bob Pappel | 2001? | 1926-12-10 | age 85 hike mentioned in obituary 2022-02-10 | |
85 | Pop Hollandsworth | 2001? | 1915-10-04 | In his mid-80s, per published report | |
85 | Leland Straw | 1997 | 1912 | climbed at 85, per his obituary | |
85 | Bill Watkins | 2012-05-21 | 1927? | #5, from Gretna LA | |
84 | Creyl Burns | 1999-08-05 | 1914-08-11 | Week before he turned 85 | 359 |
84 | Ron Valentine | 2017-04-30 | 1933? | This is his last reported ascent.
He may have made more. | |
84 | Margaret Stevenson | 1991-05-21 | 1912-07-17 | #718 | 309 |
84 | Ed Wright | 2008-10-25 | 1925-09-01 | #1,310 | 55 |
82 | Billy Bryant | 2017-06-01 | 1933-09 | 270 | |
81 | Donald Ernst | 1991 | 1910-04-10 | Obit says he climbed at age 81 | |
81 | Jan Bradford | 2017-06-01 | 1935-10 | 210 | |
81 | Myrtle Brown | 2007-08 | 1926-09-04 | ||
80 | Julie Sexton | 2022-02-15 | 1941-05-17 | #23 | 274 |
80 | Tom McLain | 2022-08-03 | 1942-06-29 | Hiked on 80th birthday | 36 |
80 | Samuel Simcox | 1927-summer | 1847-05-21 | Will Ramsey called him oldest climber | |
80 | Ula Rae Mynatt | 2011-09-21 | 1931-09-21 | celebrating her 80th birthday | |
80 | Jim Giffen | 2022-11-05 | 1942-11-05 | #41 | |
79 | Mickey Kilpatrick | 2015 | 1935 | Month before turning 80, per Asheville clipping | 330 |
79 | Mary Ann Holliday | 2017-05-21 | 1937-07-04 | early celebration of her 80th birthday | 321 |
79 | Phil Moore | 2021-08-21 | 1942-07-21 | Despite congestive heart failure | 31 |
79 | Ralph Egli | 2003-11 | 1923-11-28 | days before his 80th birthday | |
79 | Joann Sims Purdue | 2009 | 1930-10-30 | Obit says she climbed at age 79 | |
79 | Margaret Jefferies | 1995? | 1916-12-26 | Obit says she climbed at 79 | |
78 | Linda Love Farrant | 2021-09-30 | 1942-11-02 | One month before 79th birthday | 332 |
78 | Paul Dinwiddie | 1993-09-29 | 1915-09-15 | #750 lifetime | 16 |
78 | Larry Russell | 2022-11-05 | 1944-11-02 | #348 (4th vertical mile) | 3 |
93 | Rev. Rufus Morgan | 1978-10-15 | 1885-10-15 | #174 on his 93rd birthday |
Youngest Climber
Please don’t turn this into an unhealthy competition. I am aware of 2-year-old Kira Mayhew who walked up the Alum Cave Bluff Trail in 2014; as well as several 3-year-olds, including Sophia Height in 2021, Ed Wright’s grandson Austin in 2002, Herrick Brown’s daughter Barbara in 1966, and ranger John Ogden Morrell’s daughter Mary Jeanne in 1938:

Age Thresholds
Ron Valentine told Ed Wright in 2009 that he had made 798 climbs since January 1, 2000, when he would have been 67. Based on the pace he continued until 2017, we estimate he had at least 1,000 hikes after he turned 65.
AGE | ASCENTS | NAME | YEARS |
---|---|---|---|
81 and older | 100 | Rev. Rufus Mogan | 1967-1983 |
70 and older | 489 | Ed Wright | 1995-2008 |
70 and older | 472 | Paul Dinwiddie | 1985-1993 |
65 and older | 1114 | Ed Wright | 1990-2009 |
65 and older | ~1000 | Ron Valentine | 1998-2017 |
65 and older | 707 | Paul Dinwiddie | 1980-1993 |
89 and older | 22 | Rev. Rufus Morgan | 1979-1983 |
Most Days With Multiple Ascents
CATEGORY | RECORD | NAME | DETAILS |
---|---|---|---|
Lifetime | 128 | Ed Wright | 3×3, 125×2 |
One year | 103 | Ed Wright | 1991: 2×3, 101×2 |
Consecutive Days Climbed
Most Miles In 24 Hours
DAYS | NAME | DATES |
---|---|---|
11 | Paul Dinwiddie | July 16-26, 1991 |
8 | Tillroe Smith | March 13-20, 1999 |
7 | Shirley Henry | Sept. 5-11, 1991 |
5 | Margaret Stevenson | Sept. 19-23, 1991 |
5 | Mick Meister | July 2012 (training for Kilimanjaro) |
15 | Tillroe Smith | October 2002 |
Consecutive Months Climbed
MILES | NAME | DATE |
---|---|---|
65 | *John Northrup | Sept. 28, 2012 |
55.6 | Scott Anderson | Oct. 16, 2022 |
55 | David Worth | 2011 |
51.7 | Nathaniel Klumb | Oct. 14, 2019 |
51.1 | Ash Walsh | June 26, 2020, July 20, 2021 |
51.1 | Matt Johnson | July 20, 2021 |
78.2 | Zach Andrews | Oct. 14-15, 2020 |
Hiking Your Age In A Year
Consecutive Years Climbed
MONTHS | NAME | SPAN |
---|---|---|
160 | Ed Wright | Aug. 1986-Nov. 2000 |
135 | Paul Dinwiddie | Apr. 1981-June 1992 |
78 | *John Northrup | Jan. 2016-June 2022 |
ASCENTS | NAME | YEAR |
---|---|---|
130 | Ed Wright | 1997 as he turned 72 |
111 | Ed Wright | 1998 as he turned 73 |
107 | Ed Wright | 1993 as he turned 68 |
104 | Ed Wright | 1994 as he turned 69 |
103 | Ed Wright | 1995 as he turned 70 |
102 | Paul Dinwiddie | 1991 as he turned 76 |
81 | Paul Dinwiddie | 1990 as he turned 75 |
80 | Ed Wright | 1992 as he turned 67 |
78 | Paul Dinwiddie | 1984 as he turned 69 |
78 | Margaret Stevenson | 1991 as she turned 79 |
56 | Dewey Slusher | 2012 as he turned 53 |
55 | *Austin Funderburg | 2021 as he turned 24 |
230 | Ed Wright | 1991 as he turned 66 |
YEARS | NAME | YEARS |
---|---|---|
15 | Paul Dinwiddie | 1979-1993 |
72 | Ron Valentine | 1946-2017 |
52 | Steve Oliphant | 1971-2022 |
51 | Rev. Rufus Morgan | 1928-1978 |
48 | Robert L. Morrison | 1973-2020 |
42 | *Tim & Lisa Line | 1977-2018 |
41 | Charles Engelbracht | 1979-2019 |
41 | *Jack Huff | 1920-1960 |
38 | Pop Hollandsworth | 1971-2008 |
36 | David Overbay | 1984-2020 |
34 | Bill Yeager | 1987-2020 |
30 | Richard Northrup | 1992-2021 |
30 | Charlie Brady | 1991-2020 |
29 | *John Northrup | 1994-2022 |
28 | Amy Slifko | 1994-2021 |
26 | Ed Wright | 1983-2008 |
25 | Tim Webb | 1997-2021 |
24 | Steve Gamble | 1997-2020 |
23 | Barbara Ann & Don Grove | August each year |
22 | Howie Peebles | 2001-2022 |
20 | Larry Mefford | 2003-2022 |
Tour De LeConte
The Tour de Le Conte involves completing all six trails on Mount Le Conte in a span of 24 hours. Click on the link to see a list of completers.
CATEGORY | RECORD | NAMES | DETAILS |
---|---|---|---|
Longest route | 78.2 miles | Zach Andrews | Oct. 14-15, 2020 (23:38) |
Eldest | 68 | Lane DeCost | Oct. 4, 2022 |
Youngest | 15 | Samuel Runyan | Aug. 23, 2021 |
Most tours | 4 | *John Northrup | 2010, 2013, 2014, 2015 |
Fastest | 8:03:38 | Anthony & Elias Groft | Nov. 27, 2020 (45.3 miles) |
Off-Trail Ascents
Dave Landreth probably would lead this list if he kept count of his hikes. In a 2015 interview, he called Alum Cave Bluff “the trail that I use most often when I’m returning from some of my favorite off-trail rambles, so I’ve hiked it at least one way hundreds of times over the 40 something years that I’ve been hiking the Smokies.” Click here for a map of off-trail routes by Dr. E.C. Jones. Paul Dinwiddie’s 750 climbs included 25 routes, 19 of them off-trail. The late Jenny Bennett also climbed all 12 creek drainages on Le Conte.
Title | OFF-TRAIL ASCENTS | NAME | DATES |
---|---|---|---|
85 | Dr. E.C. Jones | 1980-2020 |
SPEED RECORDS
* Indicates Lodge crew
Fastest Ascent via
Alum Cave Bluff Trail
(trailhead to Le Conte Lodge staircase)
Fastest Ascent via AT/Boulevard
(from Newfound Gap to High Top)
Fastest Descent via
Alum Cave Bluff Trail
2021-TIME | NAME | DATE | DETAILS |
---|---|---|---|
0:49:26 | Seth Orme | 2018 | |
0:54 | *John Northrup | 2012-08-27 | |
0:54:06 | David Riddle | 2021-04-21 | per Strava |
0:54:59 | Taylor Scarbrough | 2017-07-22 | per Strava |
0:55:06 | Danny Kratzer | 2017-10-15 | per Strava |
0:58:20 | Jakob Mueller | 2021-03-14 | per Strava |
0:57:25 | Matt Johnson | 2020-10-24 | |
0:59:36 | Zachary Andrews | 2020-08-11 | per Strava |
1:0036 | Mike Walwro | 2021-05-23 | per Strava |
1:01:48 | Brian Williams | 2015-09-05 | per Strava |
1:03:45 | Bobby Herrington | 2020-07-10 | per Strava |
1:04:49 | Michael Glaser | 2020-07-11 | |
1:05:22 | Brian Vermillion | 2022-06-23 | per FKT |
1:05:59 | Mary Sketch | 2020-11-07 | per Strava |
1:06:00 | Bill Kenyon | 1948 | Knoxville Sentinel 1948-10-18 |
1:06:00 | Ryan Anderson | 2020-07-02 | |
1:08 | Ash Walsh | 2021-01-24 | |
1:12 | Philip “P-Nut” Clarkson | 2021-04-23 | |
1:15 | Adam Gravett | 2018-06-09 | |
1:15:21 | Sarah Hansel | 2019-10-13 | Round trip 2:06:33 |
1:21 | Adam Ozment | 2019-09-30 | |
1:25 | Timothy Massey | 2020-08-31 | |
1:25:53 | Benjamin Gans | 2020-09-22 | |
1:26:03 | Steve Matthews | 2019-09-22 | Turned at Trillium TH |
1:30 | Joe Cagley | 2019-05-31 | Round trip 2:35 |
1:32 | Ed Wright | 1991-10-18 | Round trip 2:49 |
1:37:24 | Larry Russell | 2021-07-03 | PR at age 77 |
1:39:57 | Karen & Randy Hatfield | 2021-07-25 | |
1:40 | Bill Yeadon | 2020-07-04 | |
1:43:71 | Chris Dover | 2022-09-24 | |
1:45 | John McHugh | 2021-05-26 | |
1:46 | Melissa Coatney | 2020-03-18 | |
1:47 | *Scott Leslie | 2021-07-03 | 1:52 to High Top |
1:54 | Paul Dinwiddie | 1983-07-10 | |
1:55 | Mary Therese Jardina | 2022-09-02 | |
1:58 | Allyson Virden | 2010-06-15 | |
0:45 | Stan Wullschleger | pre-2014 | per High On LeConte blog |
Vertical Mile
Gatlinburg riverfront to High Top and back
For a list of all completers, click here.
TIME | NAME | ROUTE | MILES | DATE |
---|---|---|---|---|
3:30:00 | Joe Miller | Rainbow, 19.7 | 2021-03-27 | |
3:11:51 | Luke Bollschweiler | Rainbow, 20.5 | 2021-05-08 |
Fastest Round Trip via Alum Cave
TIME | NAME | DATE | TURNING POINT |
---|---|---|---|
1:27:23 | Alex Garcia | 2017-03-24 | 9.9 miles via Lodge steps |
1:49:03 | Brian Vermillion | 2021-11-21 | |
2:06:31 | Cass Lynch | 2021-08-30 | |
2:06:32 | Kara Molitor | 2020-11-29 | all the way to High Top |
2:06:33 | Sarah Hansel | 2019-10-13 | 10.6 miles via High Top |
2:17 | Adam Ozment | 2019-09-30 | |
2:35 | Joe Cagley | 2019-05-31 | |
2:49 | Ed Wright | 1991-10-18 | all the way to High Top |
1:26:03 | Steve Matthews | 2019-09-22 | turned at Trillium TH |
Fastest Ascent via Rainbow Falls to High Top
TIME | NAME | DATE |
---|---|---|
1:56 | Ash Walsh | 2020-05 (6.6 miles) |
1:48 | J.N. “Nick” Robinson | 1930-04 (4 miles) |
TIME | NAME | DATE | DATE |
---|---|---|---|
1:57:18 | Timothy Massey | 2021-07-17 | 7.87 miles |
2:00:00 | Pauline Huff | pre-1940 | |
1:39:00 | Ash Walsh | 2022-09-16 |
TIME | NAME | DATE | DETAILS |
---|---|---|---|
0:33 | *Tim Line | pre-2012 | |
0:50:33 | *Philip “P-Nut” Clarkson | 2020-03-02 | |
0:56 | Adam Ozment | 2019-09-30 | |
0:56 | *Austin Funderburg | 2021-04-19 | |
0:57:28 | *Scott Leslie | 2021-07-03 | |
1:05 | Joe Cagley | 2019-05-31 | |
1:17 | Ed Wright | 2019-10-18 | |
0:26 | *John Northrup | 2012-08-27 |
Beer Mile
(Lodge to Gatlinburg and back with a 6-pack)
TIME | NAME | DATE |
---|---|---|
2:50 | *Tim Line | |
1:54:48 | *John Northrup | 2012-08-27 |
WEATHER RECORDS
Record Snowfall
OFFICIAL | UNOFFICIAL | DATE | EVENT |
---|---|---|---|
60 | March 1960 | 60-inch drifts | |
48 | April 1997 | ||
36 | March 13, 2010 | ||
56 | 63 | March 12-15, 1993 | Storm of the Century |
Extreme Weather
DATE | DETAILS | SOURCE |
---|---|---|
2021-04-22 | 7F low at the Lodge with snow | |
1996-07-04 | July 4: 39F high at the Lodge (49 at Alum trailhead) | Ed Wright’s journal |
Most Snow In A Winter
SNOWFALL INCHES | WINTER SEASON |
---|---|
133 inches | 1977-1978 |
120 inches | 1980-1981 |
106 inches | 1978-1979 and 1986-1987 |
101 inches | 1991-1992 |
143 inches | 2009-2010 |

Low Temperature
High Temperature
Earliest Snow
Latest Snow
TEMP | DATE |
---|---|
81.4 | June 29, 2012 |
80.0 | July 1, 2012 |
81.5 | June 30, 2012 |
EVENT | DATE |
---|---|
3 inches | Oct. 4, 2010 |
Flurries | Sept. 27, 1985 |
TEMP F | DATE |
---|---|
-32 | Jan. 21, 1985 |
-22 | Feb. 4, 2009 |
-37 | Dec. 31, 1925 (per Paul Adams’ book, Smoky Jack) |
EVENT | DATE |
---|---|
Flurries | June 1, 1983 |
0.5 inches | May 22, 1993 |
0.5 inches | May 16, 2014 |
Flurries | June 2, 1958 |