Last Saturday, Christy, Saucony, and I hiked up to Looking Glass Rock. We arrived at the trailhead at 11AM, which was too late for a real parking spot. We invented one, and hit the trail just ahead of a big group of backpackers. The trail was very well graded and easy to follow. I was thankful for the easy climb, since I was attempting to break in a new pair of boots. Near the top I felt a hot spot coming on, so I switched to tevas.
We reached the rock face just below the summit in time for a long lunch. From the cliffs, we could see Cedar Rock, Pilot Mountain, Silvermine Bald, Black Balsam, Tennent Mountain, and even Mt. Pisgah. On the way down, we explored a side trail to the southwest side of the mountain. It headed out over bare rock to an even more impressive view. From this spot we could see farther south, to John Rock. We could also see a profile of Looking Glass Rock itself.
During our descent we passed a never-ending swarm of people. Where did all of these people park? The day had started out cold, but the sun was out and it had warmed nicely. Christy asked me if the trail was always this popular. "Maybe not on a rainy Tuesday in February", I replied. Despite the lack of solitude, it was a pleasant hike.
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