Conquering 'Mount LeHope'

 We are always happy to hear from those who have overcome physical challenges to reach the mountaintop. Two of these milestones happened on September 1, the birthday of Ed Wright—who overcame heart and knee surgery on the way to his record total of 1,310 hikes. 
 Glenda Coker posted this on the Le Conte Lodge website in 2012: 

Hi. I would like to thank you for the awesome experience of hiking Alum Trail last yr. I have hiked Mt. LeConte in the 90’s but this was my true mountain top experience. Sept 01, 2009, I had the right lobe of my lung removed due to a rare bacteria. Due to complications, I had a 2nd surgery in Nov. In very critical condition, Mt. LeConte was my vision to set a goal of my favorite mountain. I spite of all odds, many medications and a faith I could hike it again my dream was fulfilled. Against ALL odds, there was a cancellation last yr. on the very date I had surgery previously. I was at the top of my Mt. LeConte my dream fulfilled in everyway, 9/1/2011. Because I made it to the top, it has been a beacon of others who have on the same journey I was on. Mt. LeConte is more than a physical mountain to me. It is Mt. LeHope!! A vision that came true. I did get to see the other side of the mountain in more ways than imaginable! Thank you so much. I will be back.

 Ronnie Holbert of Morristown, Tenn., chose Wright's birthday in 2019 for his first summit hike after he underwent double knee replacement surgery. Wright (1925-2009) made his last 43 hikes after having double knee replacement in 2001—not to mention 132 climbs after heart surgery in 1999.
 Dr. Kip Miller of Jackson, Tenn., made his 100th hike in 2000, just 24 days after he had heart bypass surgery. The last I heard from Kip and his wife Jean was in 2018, when they made their 254th climb.

 Dick McAliley climbed Le Conte five times after suffering a stroke.

 At least three visually impaired hikers have climbed Le Conte, including Rev. Rufus Morgan on his 93rd birthday in 1983, a 1969 hiker known as "Cousin Joe," and Beth Winkler on Sept. 6, 2020. 

 Terry Tinnell climbed the Trillium Gap trail in a wheelchair on his 55th birthday in 2013.

 Daniel Bice climbed the Bullhead Trail in 2019 on a prosthetic leg.
 Amanda Ratliff has overcome two cardiac surgeries to climb Mount Le Conte twice and Mount Cammerer three times.