Black mountains North Carolina

[mookie]

So,
I will be vacationing in Asheville North Carolina in early November. Setting aside one full day to hike. I am just looking to get a good trail map of the Black Mountains and my internet searches are not doing me right. I found the map of Mount Mitchell state park but was hoping to have another map for reference. Anyone know of a place to get a good map? My plan is to hit the black mountain crest trail which would bring me over Craig, Tom, Cattail, Potato Hill and Deep Gap. From what i have researched, the trail is 12 miles from the summit of Mitchell, so i need to figure out what trail i want to take up Mitchell. Any info on the area would be greatly appreciated. Most likely will be alone from Mitchell on.
thanks in advance.

 

[Gris]

Yeah

I've camped at Black Mountain (nice campground) before and there's a system of trails that goes right up from the back of the campground, kinda follows what looks like a drainage in the beginning. Nice open woods on that side of the mountain, but... you really need to find a map. We got turned around a couple of times and there is no signage, just different color blazes. Be prepared for weather once you hit the crest, you're up kinda high and parts are rather exposed. Seems like there was little to no water once on the crest as well. If you have time try to hit Linville Gorge as well.

 

[nartreb]

start here:
mt mitchell

Within the text there's a link to a state park map in PDF format. In the left margin you'll find links to descriptions of a couple of trails up Mt Mitchell, plus a link to an interactive USGS topo map ("MyTopo map"). I find the MyTopo map tool annoyingly small, so go to acme mapper instead and type in Mt Mitchell's coordinates (or search by name).

The USGS maps are sometimes out-of-date, but at a popular state park like this there's no risk of trails disappearing, or even being moved very far.

 

[mookie]

thanks

thanks Gris,
from what i have read that ridge is supposed to be the toughest and most rugged down south, wondering how it compares to the whites?? anyone??
I read the trails are unmarked which kind of stinks, which is why i want to get a couple of maps from different map makers and study the area before i get down there. The weather can definately get pretty nasty down there in November but i will be prepared for that. My friend that i am visiting down there says nothing at all like the whites (which i kind of figured), but am in no way going to under estimate the potential for bad weather.

 

[Gris]

from what i have read that ridge is supposed to be the toughest and most rugged down south, wondering how it compares to the whites?? anyone??

Not tough at all. Doesn't begin to compare to the Whites. But it is a bit of a grunt getting up to the top of Mitchell from the campground - easy footing but a long way and some altitude gain on account of it being a big mountain. We did it on a nice early Nov. day and it was hot at the bottom and cool at top. Only scarey thing was there were scads of very provincial looking deer hunters everywhere. They were camped ALL along that little access road that runs from the campground to the Mt. Mitchell road.

 

[Kevin Judy and Emma]

Maps, books, etc.

Gris is right, no comparison to the Whites. Mount Mitchell has full grown trees on the summit, not to mention a parking lot and concession/gift shop, but that is the only way it compares to Mount Washington. It will probably be closed for the season when you're there. We drove along the parkway to the summit, hiked down to Black Mtn. CG, then back up to say we had climbed it. Only took a5-6 hours, kinda like a walk in the woods. You might want to check out Grandfather Mtn. while there, a little more like the Whites.

I have maps and books on the area that I would be willing to LOAN to you as long as I get them back! If you PM me I could mail them to you.

KDT

 

[BlackBuffalo]

I did a lot of research before my trip in late April based on where I'd be and when. Smokies turned out to be rainy and foggy, we were able to find plenty of sort hikes. There's a lot there though for nice weather.
Considered Mt. Mitchell, but construction up top had me reconsider. You may want to see if all construction is over.
The best weather days were spent at Linville Gorge (west side, very rough, primitive trails into the gorge), Grandfather Mountain (McRae Peak) and Roan Highlands (fantastic).

Maps are available all over, even the corner store. National Geographic has a good one of the region.

Compared NH Whites hiking, less rock. It's very much like New England though, except more diverse in plant and animal life, it has to do with this region being a haven for lots of species during the ice age.

Hope the trip is a goodone, I loved western NC. I'll go back.
The history of western NC during the Civil War was an eyeopener. See the book Bushwackers by William R. Trotter.

DaveG.

 

[moonrock]

ATTENTION PLEASE: IMPORTANT INFO

I live in NC and have hiked a lot in the mountains these last 15 years.
That includes both day hiking and backpacking up Mount Mitchell (from
Black Mtn Campground), and more importantly, backpacking portions of the
Black Mountain Crest.

1) The best trail map I know of is the "South Toe River Trail Map, Pisgah National Forest, NC" (1990) Recreation Guide R8-RG 53 US Forest Service;
It includes all the trails connected with the Black Mtns. NC Parks and Recreation publishes a "Mount Mitchell State Park" map which is smaller and covers only Mitchell to Deep Gap.

2) The above descriptions - hiking Mt Mitchell from the Black Mtn campground, and from Mt Mitchell to Deep Gap - are accurate.
Doing the former, Camp Alice, a clearing most of the way to the summit, is a nice camping spot.

3) The latter (Mitchell north to Deep Gap) is now known as the DEEP GAP TRAIL section (#179). The South Toe map refers to it as the Black Mtn Crest Trail, but that name now applies only North of Deep Gap. The Deep Gap Trail section has LOTS of elevation change and is strenuous but VERY well maintained. There are nice (unofficial) campsites there, but NO WATER SOURCE.

4) Deep Gap, a sort of col, has one or two springs that are the ONLY KNOWN WATER SOURCE (apart from the Mt Mitchell visitor center) along the ENTIRE
summit crest. The spring is located at the base of a steep cliff on the east side of the main clearing (where you may see evidence of campfires). I did not see it and instead filtered from a seep at the first switchback along a logging road that descends west from the same clearing.
Deep Gap no longer has a shelter but is a popular backpack camping spot. Most people hike north to Deep Gap and back from Mitchell. Some backpack the entire crest from the north (Celo Knob) through Deep Gap to Mitchell (a significant car shuttle).

5) HOWEVER, from Deep Gap to Celo Knob, the BLACK MOUNTAIN CREST trail section is VERY DIFFERENT. While spectacular, it is the rough and poorly maintained section you heard of. And again: no water source.

In Sept 2006 a friend and I packed up the Colbert Ridge Trail to Deep Gap from the east. We were to meet three friends coming down from the north end of the Black Mountain Crest trail. Camping in Deep Gap, we met a lady who had worked on local trail crews. She sympathecically informed us that "Your friends won't be here tonight".
She was right. 11 AM the next day we headed south, enjoying our workout on the Deep Gap trail to Mt Mitchell. After inquiring and leaving a message at the visitor center, we hitched a ride back north to my car.

The others callled us at 7 PM: They had gotten totally lost in the maze of poorly maintained/false trails and nearly hiked off the mountain on a logging road. After considerable bushwhacking and distress, they re-acquired the BMC trail, rationed water and camped out midway. They said that without a good GPS unit and/or aerial photos, it was almost impossible to navigate, even given the N-S direction of the ridge. They missed us at Deep Gap by an hour.

So, the Deep Gap Trail is excellent but you need to carry plenty of water, and even the spring(s) at Deep Gap may be dry or hard to find. The northern BMC section is not a very friendly place. I have also heard that it is one of the roughest trails east of the Mississippi; one person used it to train for her trip to Rainier. Not recommended without experience, good GPS, map and navigation skills.

Other considerations:

1) The Blue Ridge Parkway section south of Mt Mitchell (toward
Asheville) is closed this year for repair of a retaining wall failure.

2) For more than a year, the NC mountains have been in an "Exceptional" Drought (worse than extreme), affecting rafting, waterfalls, and MANY SPRINGS. Currently the remnants of TS Faye are giving them much-needed rain, and hurricane season appears to have returned to "normal" this year.
But you will need to carry lots of water, in any case.

3) The Black Mtns create their own weather. Afternoon T-storms in warmer weather, but high winds and heavy snow in winter. The crest is not as exposed as Washington (treeline - theoretically - would be at 8000 ft) but it IS higher above sea level, and you'll feel it.

Here is the photo link to my trip
http://outdoors.webshots.com/album/554237493bSnhvi

That's what I know. Hope it's useful.

MR

 

[mookie]

awesome!

thanks for all the information guys.
keep in coming!!
moonrock, now i want to hike down there more than ever. thanks for the photos.

 

[moonrock]

BTW: I loaded those website photos before I learned to resize everything to 800 pixel height. Now it takes a long time (for me) to view them; is that just my computer, or did others also have to wait a long time ?? If so, I'll re-create the album.

You see a lot of dead evergreen "skeletons" on the Black Mountains (and in the Smokies, to the southwest). That's a tragic combination of acidic fog pollution (from far-away coal-fired power plants and automobiles) and the wooly adelgid, an exotic insect pest.

The Southern Apps were not glaciated like the Northeast, hence no cirques scooped out of the summits. There WERE glaciers here, but almost a billion years ago, before most Appalachian (but not Adirondack) mountain rock existed, and back when eastern North America ran just south of the equator (!!)

Historic footnote: A lot of people do not know that many folks in the mountains of western NC were abolitionist before and during the Civil War.

If you want my take on the other places that are mentioned in this thread pls let me know !

Here's Linville Gorge:
http://outdoors.webshots.com/album/551376276sigTKV


MR

 

[weatherman]

One more plug for Linville Gorge

Having lived in the Northeast all my life except for four years in NC, I have one photo poster in my house of fall foliage, that I display in a prominent place. Guess where I took it? Linville Gorge, late October, 1988. Early Nov may be a little late for peak foliage but still well worth it. And my take on NC mountain weather in November is roughly equivalent to central NH (not as cold as the Whites, but I have been snowed on more than once).
Enjoy.
Weatherman

 

[moonrock]

Yeah, Linville Gorge is amazing. Despite wildfires that burned for weeks (or even months !) in recent years. Permits are required to camp there on weekends in the warm season. Lotta hunting in the fall.
[Backpack permits also required in the Smokies]

In the NC and VA mountains, the green rhododendron understorey nicely highlights/contrasts the Fall color above. But IMO it does not approach the intensity if the northeast - more yellows and orange, less brilliant red (or smaller red leaves). I still try to get to the Adirondacks in Fall.

Near the Blue Ridge and Smokies, elevation really makes a difference in both foliage and the winter weather. In a normal winter, sections of the BR parkway are closed due to snow accumulation. Also, groundwater seeps freeze and accumulate ice inside the many (short) rock tunnels, closing short sections (mainly south of Asheville).

Asheville is worth a visit in its own right - it has awesome eateries, and swings pretty far left of most of NC; Asheville has been described as "Vermont, On Steroids"