'Angle of repose' is a term that is often used in geological descriptions.. It refers to the resting place of rock and other debris in a slide, or the point that is reached where the moving rock reaches an uneasy equilibrium and ceases its journey down the mountain. It's a term that is well-suited to what is often called The Wall, on the climb up Dry Sluice Gap. Over the millenia, the vertical rock formations along this wild stretch of the Smokies have repeatedly cascaded into the valley far below. The entire mountainside is made up of shattered rock that has reached its own uneasy angle of repose, waiting for the next push that will send it on its way to the valley of Porters Creek. I've probably made this climb over 20 times in the 30 or so years that I've been exploring the region, and it's never been the same on any two trips. Slides are common, and huge flash floods often rip through the narrow slot of the Sluice. We spotted trees in one spot that had limbs nearly 15 feet above the ground that had been smoothly polished and stripped of all bark by the raging waters of a recent flood.

In the top photo, Peter Barr scrambles up the Wall about 3/4 of the way up the climb. We were careful to keep a bit of distance between us to give us time to dodge rolling rocks kicked loose by the leading climber.

In the bottom photo, Peter turns to take a quick snapshot of the Sluice below, as our buddy from Indiana and myself work our way upward.