Mt. Mitchell and the Black Mountain Range, NC Trip Report + pics

[EarthNsky]

day 1 (thursday)

Phantom Soul (Castanza Hiker) met me at my office in York, PA and we headed west to I-81 and then south. Near Johnson City, TN we got on I-26 and crossed the Unaka Mountains. It was dark and we couldn't see anything but it looked like a pretty cool road. Brand new too. Sam's Gap is nearly 4000 feet.

We got to Burnsville around 230am and checked out the Hardees and no one was there so we headed to the Colberts Ridge trail head where Pennsy was crashing and crashed. I never fell asleep and had a hard time getting comfortable.

At 530am Pennsy got up and was moving around his vehicle. It was still really dark. He then got out and hiked up the Colberts Ridge trail with his headlamp. A couple minutes later he came back down and Phantom Soul and I started getting ready for the hike.
Around 640am Blalock arrived and we headed to the Hardees to meet everyone else in the group.

Everyone was at Hardees now and we all had breakfast. We then dropped the Bison mobile at the Pisgah NF ranger station and shuttled my vehicle to Cane River Gap where the hike would end and Ewker's vehicle to Bolen's Creek where the hike would begin.

The trailhead at Bolens Creek is right at 3000 feet and it was cold and the clouds were low. The fall colors were in full force. It was a very pretty fall morning.

part 2
“Bolens Creek Trailhead - Friday

We all geared up and started for Celo Knob. The trail immediately goes up from the get go. First gradual and then it gets steeper. The higher we got the colder and windier it got. For some reason I was having a lot of trouble. I was really tired and took it slow up the hill. We all stopped a few times and passed some people dayhiking on the way up. When we got to 5700 feet we started to see rim ice on the trees and were in the clouds. The wind really started to pick up too.

Just below Celo Knob's peak we all stopped and had lunch. We found a place the was protected from the wind. It was still very cold. The trees and vegitation were all covered in white up top and it was very pretty and surreal.

We then continued along the Crest. The vegitation that hampered us back in July was pretty much dead and we were able to push right through with no problem and the trail was easy to follow this time.

We passed by Gibbs Mountain without bagging the peak (no one bagged Celo Knob either).
We lost the trail at the same place we did last time but were able to scramble back up to it before it got really bad.

The ridge looked different. It seemed that the really sharp part of the knife edge washed out from the hurricanes.
There aren't a lot of trees so the wind really blasted you. At times it was snowing and sleeting.

As we came off the knife edge my back started hurting and every step I took was painfull. I started falling behind and was worried I would have to bail. I caught back up to the below one of Winterstar's many false peaks. I told them I was having trouble and Embear gave me some advil tablets. That really helped and I only had trouble with the big steps after that. We then got to the bottom of the climb up Winter Star. This was my favorate scramble last time. We got a quarter of the way up the rock and there was a huge downed tree blocking the rest of the scramble. The trail was re-routed to the left around the tree. It was still steep and fun to climb but not like last time.

After Winterstar you cross over Deer Mountain and then drop into Deep Gap. It's a long steep descent and there were some good scrambles on the way down. There was a point on the way down where I could see into Deep Gap beneath the clouds and that the entire gap was covered in rim.

We reached the Gap and I'm not sure what time it was. Pennsy had already gone down the Colbert Ridge Trail to meet up with Gemini and Yam at Carolina Hemlocks.

We set up camp and crowded together due to the high winds. Ewker set up his tent last and was up higher and pretty much right in the wind.

Before it got dark views opened up on both sides and were spectacular. We could see Table Rock and Grand Father Mountain to the north east and the Butts to the west.

There was still a cloud over the Black Mountain and was could see the snow coming out of it and melting as it fell towards the valley. That was pretty cool.

It then got dark and Blalock, Phantom Soul, Walkin Dude, Ewker and I stayed up talking. At about 830 we all turned in because it was too cold to stand out side. Plus we were all pretty tired after that hike.

 

[EarthNsky]

Mt. Mitchell trip report Part II

day 3
Saturday

Woke up and heard people moving around camp. Poked my head out of the tent and saw an incredible sunrise cresting the Blue Ridge. That was all the motivation I needed. I got out of my bag and emerged out into the cold windy landscape and snapped a few photos. Everyone else was starting to get up too.

I then called Pennsy and he said that he was heading up the Colberts Ridge trail with Yam and Gemini. I slowly got packed and walked around Deep Gap and took some more photos. The views were outstanding. Everyone got packed and we headed south on the Crest. Bison and Embear stayed behind to wait for the Pennsy group.

Climbed the steep 900 foot climb outta Deep Gap to Potato Hill. The higher we got up the icier the trees were. It was awesome. There was even a dusting of snow on the ground.

The views on Potato Hill were amazing. The fall colors were in full force down below. We stopped to peak over the cliff edge on Potato Hill and then continued on.

The drop off of Potato was not high but quite steep and then there is a short climb to Cattail Peak. The sign along the trail isn't the official peak. Walkndude and I found the peak and bagged it and there was a nice view to the east from there. We looked to the south and could see that Balsam Cone was completely socked in along with Mitchell and Craig. This would be the last view until after Mitchell.

Next was a short steep climb over Balsam Cone and the really steep and deep drop into Big Tom Gap. The climb up Big Tom has a lot of scrambling and is one of the best climbs on the trail. I got up to the top and waited on Phantom Soul and then we went to Mt. Craig. Decided not to look for the crashed plane due to it was really cold and windy. Mt. Craig is a bald and completely exposed so the wind really smacks you there. They are really strict about staying on the trail there due to the rare and fragile alpine plant life.

It's rocky coming off of Craig with alot of scrambles and then the final climb up to Mitchell. When you get to the gravel path you know you are almost there.

I got up to the snack bar and Blalock notified me that Pennsy and group had to turn back due to Gemini's injury. I was trying to reach him but my cell phone wasn't getting reception after Deep Gap.

took some pics on the peak which was still completely socked in and then went up the tower. The stairwell was full of snow and ice and so was the deck. Stepped out and nearly got blown away. There were tourons up there in shorts and talking about how much they deserved hot chocolate when the got back down. I said my silent congrats to them, their cars worked really hard to get them there.

The wind on the top of Mitchell was harder than anywhere else on the range. The temp. was 30 degrees and the windchill was probably less than 10. I didn't check to see what the wind speed was but I bet it was over 50.

We then decided to head 2 miles down the Old Mitchell trail to the Restaurant and left a message for Bison and Embear with the ranger.

While on the Old Mitchell trail the sky opened up revealing Mt Mitchell above and the valley below. The sky was a deep blue and it was amazing. I took my time and enjoyed the most excellent scenery along the trail.

When I arrived at the restaurant everyone was seated at the bar. I sat down and ordered. then we packed up our gear and got ready to return to the trail.

As we were leaving we ran into Embear and Bison. Tried to give them directions but none of the trails between Steppes Gap and the Mountains to Sea Trail were on the map. We decided to drop the plan to bag Potato Knob and take the forest road up to Mt. Gibs and then take manways to the MST. I told Bison I would mark the trail as best I could. It was getting late even for us. Only 7 miles to go though.

Back on the Old Mitchell trail and up towards Mt. Hallback. Bagged the peak with Phantom Soul and Blalock and then we went down to Steppes Gap.

At Steppes Gap we crossed NC 128 at the Ranger Station and headed up the forest service road to Mt. Clingman. We de-packed. The vies along the road were awesome. Walkindude, Blalock and I bagged Mt Gibbs. Just Below Gibbs UNC has a weather station and we checked that out.

We then turned into the woods on a narrow manway. For more than a mile it was like walking thru a spruce and fir tunnel and then opened up to a small meadow where there was a cabin. We were on private property owned by the descendents of Big Tom Wilson, famed Black Mountain man. We then skirted the border between the Big Tom preserve and NF and ended up bagging Potato Knob after making a wrong turn. We turned around and thought about heading back to Mt. Mitchell. Blalock then found the correct trail and we decided it was much easier to stay the course. We only had about 4 miles left and Blackstock Knob was in view.

We then hiked to a clearing in the forest and Blalock dropped his pack and disappeared in the woods. He returned with great news. He had found the MST. We were leaving markers the whole way up to this point. For the short bushwack to the MST we tied orange tape around the trees.

Once on the MST we all started cooking up the trail to Blackstock Knob. The views from Patton Knob (sub-peak of Blackstock) were awesome. We could see what we had done and it was quite a feat. It was a decent climb up Blackstock but we were all on the move. We dropped packs at the top of Blackstock for a short time and then made the steep descent into Balsam Gap. We were officially racing the clock and beat it.

We got to Balsam Gap before sunset and pumped water 1/4 mile down the jeep road. When we got back the sun was beginning to set. Trekkngirl was a little behind so WalknDude, Ewker and I waited at Balsam Gap while Phantom Soul and Blalock went down the Big Butt trail to search for a camp site.

I walked up the Parkway to search for a spot to watch the sunset. It was pretty nice. There was a cool view of the moon too which was just a sliver.

When I got back to Balsam Gap Trekkngirl was emerging from the darkness. We then met the others in camp. The spot was awesome. small clearing in the woods that was very grassy. We set up with the little light that was left. By the time camp was up the sun was completely down and it was dark. We all at dinner. Ewker passed around some amazing cheese. yum. Phantom Soul and Blalock were drinking some of Kentucky's finest bourbon. I had a sip and nearly spontaniously combusted. The convo was great. We watched the stars and joked around, saw a satelite navigate the sky and chatted about trips to come and trips gone by. It was getting cold fast and we all decided to go to bed.

day 4
“Sunday

Got up just after 7. Everyone else was already up. It was warmer and sunny, very sunny. This is good because mucho importante view was to be seen this day.

We all had breakfast and packed up and left out of camp peice meal. I was the last to leave. Half mile up the trail ran into Bison and Embear. How the, what the?!?!?! They somehow teleported there. jk, glad they got the ride from Pennsy. Finding there way through those manways in the dark would have been impossible and accidently wandering into the Big Tom preserve was not an option.

I then continued on my way. I was by myself and the Big Butt Trail was blow down central. There was a blown down one after another. The trail kept disapearing and then reappearing. It was less maintained than the manways. I lost the trail on a knob before Little Butt. The plan was to meet up on Little Butt and soak in the most awesome view of the Blacks. I looked all over for the trail and couldn't find it. I could see a gap in front of me and then the rise to little Butt. It looked steep. I decided to bushwack down into the gap to see if I could find the trail. It was steep and the vegitation was thick and when I got down to the bottom there was no trail.

I then started yelling "hello, hello.... " but did not hear a response. Hope I'm going the right way. I looked up towards the top of Little Butt, it was steep and rocky and covered in thick rhodedendron. I proceded. It was all but impassible and I pretty much belly crawled up the entire way. I got 3/4 of the way up and started yelling hello again. I wanted to be sure I was going the right way. I started to hear the group yelling back. I knew I was going the right way and continued the bushwack up the side of the peak. Got to a rock wall and had to go around it thru really thick brush but managed to break through and when I did I found the trail and then I saw Walkindude walking down the trail towards me. Man that wore me out. That stuff is tough to push through. We got up to the top. I de-packed and Blalock showed me the view. The Black Mountain Range was completely sprawled out in front of me, from Celo to Blackstock and it was good! To the north you could see Roan Mountain. I was in awe. We stayed there for a bit and then continued on the trail towards Big Butt. There is a portion of the ridge that was the width of the trail. That was cool. We even got a view towards the south east and could see Asheville, Craggy Dome and the Great Craggies and the Great Balsams.

The trail went around Big Butt and we decided not to bag it due to time constraints. Big Butt is just short of 6,000 feet at 5970. After Big Butt the trail turns into a jeep road. We took that for a while and kept our eyes pealed for a quick left turn that drops off into the woods and is hard to find. The jeep road goes down into Big Tom preserve and you don't go down in there.

We found the left turn and the trail switchbacks like crazy down to the Cane River Gap trail head. We got there around 12:45 and then it was the almost infinite 81 north. Rolled into York, PA at 1215.

 

[EarthNsky]

here are the pics

http://community.webshots.com/album/209671262pzxvZP

 

[Rik]

Nice trip and report. Was on Mt. Mitchell this summer and it made me want to hike more in that area. Your report is more fuel for this fire.

 

[EarthNsky]

thanks

I've hiked in the Black Mountains a bunch of times and I really enjoy the Black Mountain Crest Trail. I may go back down there this winter and do some hiking. It's definitely a great place to hike and backpack.