Black Mountain Crest Trail Trip July 4th weekend

“sign up it will be a good'un. I have a map and would be happy to mail anyone information.”

“Given the fact that most of the hike is above a mile the temperature should be perfect. When I was there in July in was 100 degrees in Asheville and 60 on the summit of Mt. Mitchell.”

“Description
I want to hike the entire crest trail. This is a very difficult trail. It has been regarded as one of the hardest in the U.S. and is possibly the hardest in the East, definitely in the south.

Despite the stenuous nature of the trail it is quite rewarding. From trail head to trailhead you will have crossed many of the highest peaks in the Appalachians. Those of you looking to bag the southern sixers will want to do this one.

The elevation gain and loss is more than 10,000 feet over 18 miles of trail.

I have hiked the trail from Black Mtn Campground to Deep Gap several times but have not hiked past Deep Gap yet. From what I have heard, the trail near Celo Knob and Winter Star is somewhat of a bushwack.

Dangers include closeness to cliffedges and sheer drop offs, high threat of lightning strikes and alien abductions (jk). The area also has a healthy bear population.

The dates for this hike are right now tentative but will be centered around July 4th weekend. the 4th falls on a sunday. It depends which day my employer gives us off (monday or friday).

The route is firm. Start at Bowlens Creek trailhead and end at Black Mountain Camp Ground. Unfortunately the trail leaves the crest of the Black Mountains on Mt. Mitchell and does not continue south to Potato Knob above the Blue Ridge parkway.

There are three camping areas. Deep Gap, Mt. Mitchell and Camp Alice. I'm not sure which one to camp in yet. Camping is not permitted in any other areas.

It will be a fun hike. I hope alot of people will sign up.

I will email updates to those who are itnerested.”

“the trail from Mt. Mitchell summit to the Black Mtn Campground is actually the Mt. Mitchell trail.”

“Deep Gap maybe the likely camping spot. From Deep Gap it is possible to see fireworks in Asheville. Fireworks may also be seen from the summit of Winterstar. This would be a steep hike out of Deepgap and would be tough at night but maybe worth it.”

“What kind of mileage are you talking about each day?”

“well, if we camp in Deep Gap, the milege for the first day will be about 7 miles and the second day will be 10 miles. The first day will have the most gain though and the second will have the most loss.”

“The trailhead at Bowlens Creek is about 3000 feet and Celo Knob is about 6327. I believe that will be the highest point on the first day. The highest point on the entire trip will be Mt. Mitchell at 6684. There are steep gains and losses between each peak though and they are fairly big.

Peaks bagged on this trip:
Celo Knob 6327
Horse Rock (alt unk)
Gibbs Mtn 6224
Winter Star 6212
(Deep Gap is around 5500)
Potato Hill 6475
Cattail Peak 6583
Balsam Cone 6611
Big Tom 6580
Mt. Craig 6647 (2nd highest in east)
Mt. Mitchell 6684 (highest east of Mississippi)”

“hey, if I made this trip, I'd have the three highest peaks east of the Mississippi.”

“I hiked some of them already. Just now signed up for the trip. Hope I can make it.”

“You would also have Balsam Cone which is the 5th highest, Big Tom which is the 7th highest, Cattail peak is the 8th, and Potato Hill is the 9th. Including Mitchell and Craig you bag 6 out of the top 10 highest peaks in the east.

Roam, have you already bagged Clingmans Dome (#3)? Have been to Mt. LeConte (#6)?”

“I won't let you down this time Gemini.”

“Yep, I've done Clingmans, twice, once though on the paved path from the parking area, once on the AT going South from Newfound Gap - that's one heck of a climb for the last 1/2 mile or so, especially in Jan with ice in the trail.

Have not done LeConte yet.”

“Go to Mt Rogers in Oct and you can grab the high spot in Virginny too nash.”

“now, this is the 4th of July weekend...we will have to celebrate.

roam, we can meet in Columbia and share my car up to mitchell. save $$ and I don't have to worry too much about the directions because I have you :)”

“that might work, unless I'm already in NC - I may wind up spending about a month in Greensboro this summer, prolly starting in July on a work project. It's really tentative right now though.”

“Would absolutely LOVE to go on this trip, but I'm house/dog-sitting for that week : (”

“anyone know anything about the Bowlens Creek trailhead and the parking there? I've been to the Black Mtn Camp ground trail head parking lot. It is big enough for 10 or so cars. It is also lighted and patroled and the ranger station is right across the South Toe River.”

“bummer Scorch!!”

“Mt. LeConte is a treat. That is my favorate mountain.
I plan on doing the Rogers hike this October. Maybe one day bag all the 50 state high points.”

“Would absolutely LOVE to go on this trip, but I'm house/dog-sitting for that week : ("
ScorchFire

bring the pooch.....

DOI!”

“July 4th is bad luck...”

“naw man, July 4 is the coolest holiday all year!

had a great trip a couple of years ago over the 4th, did get lost, but found our way again,,,,, hmmm, ran outta water too, couldn't cook breakfast, found some on down a ways though”

“I am working! Darn I'm out.”

“I love July 4th. No better way to spend it than with good company and the wilderness around you. I did the trail last July 4th and had a great time. I am now going to make it a yearly event.

Strat are you coming?”

“july 4th '99, i got hit by the storm of the century in the bwca, july 4th '03 a tree fell on my house...”

“ouch. Maybe this July 4th will bring good luck.”

“ya, that was bad luck simer”

“Elevation in Black Mtn Campground is 3000 feet, there is a 3700 foot loss from Mt. Mitchell to the campground in 5 miles.

The official milege is 6.5 miles from Bowlens Creek trailhead to Deep Gap, 4 miles from Deep Gap to Mt. Mitchell and 5.5 miles to Black Mt Camp Ground.

There are alot of rock scrambles, steep climbs where you have to use all fours, Balds, and I have heard that the ridge around Horse Rock is a knife edge.”

“links to photos that I have taken on this trail in the past.

http://community.webshots.com/album/123943353WgCQLZ

http://community.webshots.com/album/124039701UzbFFc”

“nashvillehiker 1

nashvillehiker 2

there, linkage”

“that early morning photo in the first album is really cool.

makes me homesick almost.”

“thanks Roam.

I was wrong on the elevation gain. It will be more in the area of 7000 to 8000. The first day will have the brunt of the elevation gain. There are some really steep climbs in between the peaks. The go straight up and straight down. There are not alot of switchbacks.

I was thinking of calling this trip the Black Mountain Ball Breaker.”

“bring the pooch.....

DOI!"

You mean all THREE HUGE labs?? They each constitute 2 labs in each that's how big they are. And very misbehaved.”

“where are you from originally Roam?”

“I've seen alot of dogs along this trail.”

“I grew up in West TN, in the river bottoms. But lived for a while (adult) in the Western NC mountains and fell in love with it.”

“http://www.ils.unc.edu/parkproject/visit/momi/home.html


yeah I love western NC. I would love to live in Asheville. Backpacker heaven.”

“yeah, it's kinda a hippie town, cool stuff there, surrounded by Nat'l Forest.”

“They aren't my dogs or I'd consider it.. altho my dog isn't too well behaved either.”

“mutant dogs?”

“hell hounds”

“I won't be able to make this trip. We usually go to the beach that weekend. Thanks for the invitation though.”

“I like this hiking on all fours thing.

Maybe I could catch a ride with you, nashvillehiker.

Does Potato Hill look like a potato?”

“Going somewhere COOL for 4th of July is a coool idea.”

“This is a cool trail MarkO. Yeah you could ride with me.”

“I don't care to go to fireworks events anymore.

The traffic jams and sweating on a blanket among the masses while mosquitoes chew my ass has no appeal.”

“I would love to do this hike but it's too much elevation change for me. That's the one thing that really kills me, is going uphill.”

“the relatively low mileage balances it out for - I'll go slow, but I get to take more pictures that way.”

“It the downhill stuff that kills me.


I've got to get with the stairs.”