Last weekend was something of a reunion hike. We hadn't seen Myron, Dorcas, Bob, or Laura for months. Finally everyone was able to get together. We met at the entrance to Grandfather Mountain to discuss our route. We had originally planned to do a traverse from the Parkway to the Swinging Bridge, but Myron had his dog Izaak with him and was concerned about some of the ladders. Instead, we decided to start on the north side on the Profile Trail and hike to the Swinging Bridge. That way we would avoid the worst of the ladders.
After some grueling early morning mathematics we figured out our plan. Bob and I purchased full price admissions (up to $12!) and drove to the trailhead parking area. Everyone else bought $6 hiking passes. Bob and I returned in his car, and we took it and Myron's vehicle to the Profile Trailhead. By 10:45 we were ready to start.
We hiked the profile trail along the Watauga River. After 1/2 a mile or so, the trail turned and climbed away from the river. We climbed steadily for the next hour or so on a well-designed trail. We passed a couple of nice viewpoints and a small cave. We reached Shanty Spring at noon and debated lunch. It was a cold and windy day, but we decided to hold out for the summit. The last stretch of trail to the ridge crest was through a boulder field reminiscent of Maine. Once on the crest, we took a side trip up to Calloway Peak. Some climbing, boulder scrambling, and a few small ladders brought us to the summit by 12:30. The wind was brutal but the sun was warm, so we had lunch on the peak. It was a clear day, so the views were spectacular. It was the first of October, but the fall colors were only beginning to show.
After lunch we backtracked, and I stopped at Watauga viewpoint. The vista of Roan, Beech, and Snake Mountains made it worth it. I hurried to catch up with everyone, and met them at the Profile Trail junction. We only had a couple of miles to go, but it wasn't your average hiking. Boulder scrambling, rocky chutes, tunnels, and ladders got us over Attic Window Peak. Along the way were balsams, alpine meadows, cliffs, and stunning views. We reached the base of McRae Peak, and Myron, Dorcas, and Izaak opted for the bypass trail. The rest of us continued up more ladders to the summit. The views here were the best so far, with Table Rock, Hawksbill, and the Black Mountains dominating the vista. The wind was brutal though, so we didn't stay long.
The descent from McRae was the biggest challenge of the day. It was a long series of cables and ladders at awkward angles. We made it down though, and met Myron and Dorcas on the far side. From there it was an easy hike to the Swinging Bridge. Christy talked me into buying hot chocolate, while Bob demonstrated that he had been out in the sun too long by getting ice cream. From the gift shop we hiked around and under the bridge and down through the woods to the car.
The biggest adventure of the day was piling 6 people, 6 packs, and a dog into a Toyota Corolla. We headed out, but stopped briefly at the animal habitats. We viewed the bears and cougars, but were disappointed that the otters didn't make an appearance. Afterwards we squeezed back into the car for the ride back to the Profile Trail. It was a great hike, with incredible scenery and challenge. Although it was only about a 6 mile hike, the rugged terrain was more than enough to leave me sore.
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