Nice page, I'll be looking forward to hearing about your upcoming trip (I'll be expecting photos;)! I went ahead and linked this page to the Smokies page. It's great to have another Smokies 6000'-er on SP! Great add!
You can bushwhack just past the first major stream when heading from Balsam Corner towards Mt. Sterling. If you keep on walking for another 5 to 10 minutes, there's a flagged bushwhack to the summit.