Ascent of House Mountain on 2011-03-16| Date: | Wednesday, March 16, 2011 | | Ascent Type: | Successful Summit Attained | | Peak: | House Mountain | | Location: | USA-Tennessee | | Elevation: | 2080 ft / 633 m |
Ascent Trip ReportThe two Knox county high point contours are located in House Mountain State Park about 20 minutes northeast of Knoxville. The two 2,080+ foot contours are on opposite ends of the ridgeline about a .8 of a mile apart.
After a hearty meal at the Tomato Head in downtown Knoxville we headed up to House Mountain, arriving about 2:00 PM. We ascended the Westover Look Trail (.8 miles), walked the Ridgecrest Trail end to end (1.5 miles) and then back to the junction with the Mountain Trail (.7 miles) and then down that trail to the parking lot (1 mile). Total trip was 4 miles and we returned to the parking lot a little before 6:00 PM.
The high points are all as reported before (tower gone at south point and large boulder at the north point). The best views are a few hundred feet west of the northern point looking north over Knox county with Union in the background. The trails Scott Surgent mentions that are not on the topo are old logging roads that are not maintained. Overall, the trails are well maintained and pleasant to walk on (particularly the Ridgecrest Trail). There are a few benches built as part of a Boy Scout Eagle project and they seem to have done some trail maintenance as well.
To reach House Mountain State Park, take exit 329A from I-40 to Rutledge Pike/US-11W and head east 10.1 miles. Turn left on Idumea Rd (at this point you should see signs for the park). Bear left onto Hogskin Rd after .6 miles (following the signs) and park in the lot on the right side of the road. There is a picnic area and pit bathrooms that are unlocked during daylight hours.
Knox House Mtn - north 2085 ft 36.11988 -83.75884
Knox House Mtn - south 2085 ft 36.11179 -83.76661
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view from the north side of House Mountain near the Knox county high point (2011-03-16). Photo by Tom Owen.
Click here for larger-size photo. | | Summary Total Data | | Route Conditions: | Maintained Trail | | Gear Used: | Ski Poles |
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