When people think of the Appalachian Mountains they think of ranges like the Smokies, the Roans or the Whites. But the Giants of the Appalachians are the Black Mountains. The most 6,000-foot peaks are in this range (19) including the tallest peak East of the Mississippi...Mount Mitchell. Last weekend I went on a backpacking trip that gave me the opportunity to camp in the shadow of these giants.
This was my second visit to the summit and North Carolina oldest state park, but my first time backpacking in it. Since I had to drive over on my own I got there early so I could go up to the summit. Being the tallest mountain in North Carolina means it has the big parking area, museum and unlike Brasstown Bald or Clingmans Dome it has a snack bar. The parking lot sits at 6,578 so it is 116 feet to the top of the Appalachians (6,684 feet).
At the top is the fourth incarnation of the tower. This one is a squat concrete one which is handicapped accessible. You will also notice a big edifice next to the tower. This is the tomb of the mountain's namesake Elisha Mitchell, who died, in 1857, on what at the time was known as Black Dome.
Conveniently our hiked started from the parking area of Mount Mitchell on the Black Mountain Crest Trail past a beautiful picnic area with great views. Vistas would be the theme of this part of our hike as we started up the second highest peak East of the Mississippi, Mount Craig. Standing at 6,648 feet it is just a meager five feet higher than Clingmans Dome, but 36 feet behind it's taller cousin a mile across Craig Gap. Both the mountain and Gap are named in honor of Locke Craig, the North Carolina Governor who helped to secure this state park.
From here it was a short down and up to another 6,000 footer...Big Tom. This peak (6,581 feet) in the Black Mountains is named after Thomas "Big Tom" Wilson who was a guide that was friends with Mitchell and found his body at the waterfall he drowned in.
Once again it was downhill 0.5 miles to the Big Tom Spur Trail. This would be another half-mile, but this would be way steeper about 560 feet in this short distance. Once we met up with the Buncombe Horse Trail we took a short detour (big packless) out to Maple Bald. It was 0.7 miles that offered up some new wildflowers I hadn't seen (Mountain Bush Honeysuckle & Fringed Loosestrife). Once on the bald, it offered a great vista of the Black Mountain Giants...
Then it was back to the trail junction to collect our packs (I wasn't carrying it over a mile if I didn't have too) and half-mile to the campsite, unfortunately, I had a water baby to carry. It was a nice campsite with a wonderful view of Mount Mitchell and Craig. Once there it was setting up, cooking dinner and building a fire and beautiful color in the sky...overall a relaxing evening.
I awoke to clouds over "the Giants" but the clouds were less to the west so I got to enjoy a beautiful sunrise. The first part of the hike out was on the Buncombe Horse Trail. It was a relatively flat, but pretty sloppy. After about two miles we came to Commissary Hill and the end of the horse trail, but where we picked up the Commissary Trail. There are great campsites here.
The half-mile stretch between the Mount Mitchell and Camp Alice Trails had some excellent views. These two trails head up to the summit of Mitchell so this could be a four-mile day hike loop. These paths also share something else...they make up a part of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail, which I got to do about half-mile of.
The final 1.2 miles was one of those continuous uphills I love so much. When I thought it would never end I heard the sound of a vehicle locking. I was relieved to know this wasn't a mirage as the trailhead at Park Headquarters came into view. From there I was shuttled back to a still cloud covered Mount Mitchell for my car and then to lunch in Asheville.
We went to a neo-Caribbean place, Nine Mile West, in the west of town. After I went to a coffee house (Fractals Coffee Shop & Cafe) and I found the TARDIS! Anyway, another great backpack with great people...
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