HIKING THROUGH THE SEASONS
My work schedule frequently gives me unique hiking
opportunities. At other times, it
wrecks havoc with my plans. This week
is an excellent example of this. First,
I was supposed to work in Nashville all week.
I was looking forward to the trip, since it would give me a chance to do
some hiking on the Cumberland Plateau on the way there or back. Then the schedule changed to a Tuesday
start. So, I decided to drive out on
Monday and stop for a hike somewhere on the way. The Tuesday start changed to Wednesday, with a stay over in
Nashville over the weekend. I wasn’t
crazy about this, but hey, at least that would mean 2 full days of hiking out
there. Then the whole thing was
cancelled. I was given a one-day
assignment for Wednesday, but then it was moved to Thursday. In the end, all I managed was a dayhike on
Tuesday.
With all of those
last-minute changes, I didn’t have much time to decide on a destination. Recently I’d read that Mount Mitchell State
Park is closed because none of the roads leading to the park are open. The Parkway is usually closed in the winter,
and the back way, forest road 472, is closed at the Black Mountain Campground
due to flood damage. It occurred to me
that this would be the perfect time to go there. It had been several years since I’d climbed Mount Mitchell from
the Black Mountain Campground. Plus, I
knew Saucony and I could use the exercise.
We got a late start, due to
some work-related delays. That’s not a
good thing when you’re embarking on a 12 or 13 mile hike with more than 3000’
of elevation gain in the winter. When I
arrived at the trailhead across from the Black Mountain Campground, I was
surprised to see the parking lot full.
It didn’t take long to find out why.
Construction on the campground facilities is underway. I’m guessing that all of the cars there
belonged to construction workers, not hikers.
I gathered my gear quickly
and Saucony and I crossed the bridge into the campground at 10:20. We hiked through the construction area, but
quickly left the noise behind as we followed the South Toe River upstream. At the far end of the campground we passed
an odd sign. It informed me that Mount
Mitchell was 5.5 miles ahead, but warned that the speed limit is 15 miles an
hour. I must say, anybody that can
average 15 miles-an-hour on the trail to Mount Mitchell has my utmost
respect. What is that, 4-minute miles?
Before long we left the
river, climbing out of the valley. It
was a sunny and surprisingly warm day, and it wasn’t long before I had to stop
and shed my long-sleeve shirt. A few
minutes later I conceded to the elements again, stopping to remove my pant
legs. I couldn’t believe I was hiking
in the Black Mountains in January in shorts and a T-shirt! Was it spring already, or just a
long-lingering autumn, with winter still waiting for us around the corner?
I ascended steadily on a
good trail that was challenging but rarely steep. I passed the alternate trail through Higgins Bald, and planned on
returning that way for variety. After a
minor stream crossing, the climb got tougher.
A handful of fallen trees across the trail added to the challenge, and
it was a relief to reach the sunny, grassy meadows of Commissary Ridge. It was windy and rather chilly here, 2000’
above the trailhead. I put my pant legs
and long-sleeve shirt back on. It was
12:30, and I was hungry, but I wanted to have lunch on the summit. I had a quick snack and hiked on.
I left the sunshine of
Commissary Ridge behind for the deep shade of spruce / fir forest. I was nearing the summit when I found the
first ice. There was no snow on the
ground, but much of the last ½ mile of trail was ice-covered. I probably should’ve put on my ice cleats,
but I didn’t want to take the time getting them out. In the end, they probably would’ve saved time. I moved slowly over the last ½ mile,
avoiding the iciest places.
We finally emerged from the
woods and hiked up the steps to the summit tower. The wind was howling across the summit, and I quickly began to
question my decision to wait for lunch.
I climbed the steps inside the tower, and felt it sway with each gust of
wind. When I emerged from the
staircase, I was nearly blown back down the stairs. I thought I’d find shelter on the lee side of the tower, but
there was no lee side. The wind was
whipping around the tower, and there was no getting out of it. I briefly enjoyed the endless views,
uninterrupted by clouds or summer smog.
Below the tower I enjoyed the sight of the parking lot in its purest
form – without cars. This was
great. I felt like Clark Griswold in
Wally World! It’s too bad I couldn’t
ride a roller coaster back down the mountain.
I took a couple of quick photos, and then hurried back down the stairs.
The wind wasn’t nearly as
bad at the bottom, and I found a sunny place for lunch. It was still frigid though, so I put on a
fleece coat, hat, and gloves. I
couldn’t believe I’d started this hike in shorts and a T-shirt!
I had soup from my thermos,
which would’ve been much more enjoyable if I hadn’t left my bowl and spoon on
the kitchen counter. I ate the lukewarm
soup like a dog. Then I repacked my
gear and started back down the mountain.
It was probably the shortest visit to a major summit that I can recall!
I started back down at
2pm. It had taken me a little over 3
hours on the way up, so I figured I’d get back down in 2 ½. I was wrong. On the descent, I took the alternate trail to Higgins Bald. That added a nice meadow, campsites in a
spruce grove, some limited views, and about ½ mile to the hike. By the time I rejoined the main trail, I was
pretty tired. For about a minute, my
right knee throbbed alarmingly. Then I
turned my left ankle by stepping awkwardly on a rock. I resorted to some Advil and pressed on.
I reached the campground a
little after 5pm. I stopped at the
river to “ice” my ankle, but was surprised to find the water milder than
expected. I reached the car a couple of
minutes later, and began the long drive home.
I’d like to hike to Mount Mitchell State Park again, preferably when
it’s closed. After all, I hadn’t seen
another person on the trail all day.
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