The Cat Stairs serve as the west and north faces of Greenbrier Pinnacle and have forever been a storied part of the Great Smokies. Seen from a vantage point like Mount LeConte, The Cat Stairs appear to be huge rock stairs serving as the ascent to the Pinnacle Ridge. Wrapping around the northwest corner of Greenbrier Pinnacle, The Cat Stairs provide endless opportunities for exploration. This excursion will begin at the Road to the Ramsey Cascade Trailhead. The trek will follow the road that the settlers once used to ascend to the Barnes Place where we will pause to pay our respects at the cemetery and homestead. At this point, the fun will begin as we ascend the steep boulder fields on our approach to the main cliffs of The Cat Stairs. After passing through the cliffs, we will catch the views that are offered before plunging down the Cable Route to the Lunch Spot for superior views and possible falcon appearances. Total trip: off-trail 5.5 mile, on-trail 0 mile, 8 hours, drive 100 miles RT. This off-trail trip is rated difficult.

Leader: Greg Harrell

To register, contact the leaders directly. You can find contact information in the February 2025 newsletter writeup for this hike.