Have camped on top a few times. When in the area I always make sure to get over to Tennent. It has an aesthetic fin shaped top and open grassy / outcroppy land all around. I love this area.
By the time my girlfriend and I got to this peak, we were inside a cloud and it was lightly misting. We ate lunch and then I proposed to her while sitting on the summit rocks. It was wet and chilly but a memorable time.
Climbed 8 peaks in my first trip to the Blue Ridge & Smokies. Tennent and Sam Knob offered the best views of any. Will definitely return to climb some more of the "Southern Sixers" and lesser peaks. Fun!
After pitching my tent in freezing rain the night before: temps hovering at freezing; dense fog/cloud creating 100% humidity levels; driving wind. Some have said the views resemble something from New England-- couldn't tell ya since I could only see 20 feet. Perhaps this was a good description of New England weather?
This has been one of my favorite hikes for a while. The trail out to Tennent is always amazing. The crowds you sometimes find at the summit never seem to go much further north either if you looking for more solitude. A great peak!
Route Climbed: Art Loeb Trail Date Climbed: May 15, 2004
We reached the summit of Tennent Mountain after making the side trip from the Art Loeb trail to the summit of Black Balsam Knob. It was a beautiful mid-May day characterized by crystal clear blue skies and magnificent temperatures. The entire hike was laden with views of the surrounding mountains.
The only drawback was that there were a lot of people on the mountain. This fact though did not detract from the overall pleasure of the hike.