Mt. Mitchell

“Read today that the current tower on Mitchell is to be replaced with a smaller 10 foot high one that offers a 360 degree view. New vs whats there....naw..I can't see it....but heck I'm only 1 of many other tax payin outdoors people...oh and for those wondering....no other reason was quoted in the story here for why other than "view".”

“the new tower is supposed to be handicap accessible and less visibly impactible on the environment as the old tower. Still the old tower was a beacon and gave Mt. Mitchell it's character. You could see it from so far away.”

“If you're interested in some of the history of the old structure and what is planned, here's the link to the Highpointers thread discussing it.
http://www.network54.com/Forum/message?forumid=3897&messageid=1110295837”

“I wonder why a tower of any kind is needed there? The spot is the highest point around and is very open.

I suppose the foot path from the parking lot to the tower would need reconstruction as well for the handicapped to even reach the location of the tower.”

“they say it will be a lot like the one on Clingmans Dome”

“

I really thought it was a neat looking tower sitting up on top of the summit, above everything else in the east.”

“$700,000 would sure create a lot of scholarships for students.

Too bad...

When my housebound late grandmother could not walk anymore, we carried her to a car along with her wheelchair.

WASTE of almost 3/4 of a million dollars, imho.

Follow the money.”

“They should erect a large, condo complex. This would match the environmental view from Grandfather's Mountain.”

“they could put the condos on Mt. Craig and disrupt NC's most alpine environement.”

“I think they should put a tower on top that is 7,808' high that would make Michell higher than Whitney. 8D”

“I agree, $700,000 could be better spent for wildland acquisition, a tower is not really needed there or anything more than a minimum of roads and facilities in what should be kept as a natural place and so discouraging casual visitors who merely want to ride around and burn gas.
last edited: 7/19/05 12:49:09 PM”

“As long as it's there, they should have grandfather'd it in and let it remain.

That said, I'm of the opinion that the entire road system to the summit of Mitchell should be busted up and seeded with trees. Make them walk!

Why is it that every "highest point" in the East has to have a flipping road to it? Get rid of the roads!”

“Mt. Marcy in NY is roadless. I just hiked to it last week and there's plenty of people who go there without a road. That said, I grew up near Mitchell and remember many fun trips to it in the car.”

“Mount Rogers in Virginia is another without a road to the summit.”

“I guess they just want to get the platform above the trees, which doesn't take much, because they are pretty stunted on the summit of Mitchell.”

“Mt. Mitchell is NC's most popular and profitable State Park, so I don't forsee them tearing out the road anytime soon. Although, it is quite interesting, when you finish a hike on the Crest Trail and stop at the snackbar for a Coke and chips, the looks you get from the tourons.”

“{sarcasm = font} I think Mount Mitchell needs a cog railroad like Mount Washington {/font}”

“snackbar for a Coke and chips, the looks you get from the tourons.”

Thats the TRUTH. When I came off the trail there from poppin a 6er or 2,3 or 4...you'd a thought I had three heads. the looks as I continued across the parking lot on my way to the next peak got worse..."tourons" must believe if you have a pack & look dirty you must be homeless.”

“at one time there was a train that went to the summit, I believe. I think they had a resort hotel 1000 feet down from the summit at Camp Alice too.”

“The old tower is wornout from age and the severe weather. The new tower must comply with ADA legislation for handicap accessability. I'm not sure how profitable the state park is, there are no entrance fees. I believe the most visited park is Fort Macon.

The old logging RR never made it to the summit, only to about 5800 elevation line on east to Maple Camp Bald and west side to Deep Gap (and over toward Balsam Gap?). It came up from Black Mt NC. Most of the grade still exists. The hotel was at Camp Alice, at 5800 feet, midway between Steppes Gap and Commissary Ridge.”

“In the early 20th century, paper products were most easily made from spruce and fir trees so railroads spread thru the Blacks, Pisgahs, Balsams and Smoky mountains to feed 2 large paper mills in the vicinity and likely would taken almost all said spruce and fir trees but for the development of processes to make paper with pine trees and later with hardwood trees or so I have heard.

About 90% of the Mount Mitchell State Park boundaries (original tract) are at the old railroad grades. For awhile starting about 95 years ago trains shuttled tourists up the mountain from the town of Black Mountain and also horse drawn coaches brought tourists up from the Cane River side.
last edited: 7/22/05 10:02:10 AM”

“They had better protect Dr. Mitchell well during demolition... maybe I'll weld him up a steel inclosure during such activitys!”

“The tourist came via Big Tom Toll Road from Cain River. A great h20 source now @ Balsam Gap.”

“On the NC map tool I posted in another thread, zoom in at Mount Mitchell with the appropriate layers and categories refreshed to see and identify conservation properties in the vicinity. Note - Several tracts over toward Balsam Gap now state owned sperated from the main tract of Mount Mitchell State Park.”

“Yeah, the lardass car tourists far outnumber day hikers and backpackers, for damned sure. However, when I've done the Crest Trail and come back to my vehicle, it's always been close to dark or in a deep mist and I have encountered no one else. My last trip there (which nearly did me in), I tried to go to the restaurant to eat, but after cleaning up and putting on fresh clothes I got to the door at 7:56 (they close at eight) and they wouldn't let me in.”

“damn, there's currently a -20 degree windchill up on Mt. Mitchell right now.”

“yikes!”

“Roam, you're such an eastern boy! What are you doing out west? :)”

“snowshoeing, now that there's an average snow cover of about 3-4 feet up in the mtns.”

“it's not quite snow shoe season here in the east yet, but as December rolls around, the snow levels will rise in the Mtns.”

“We'll take some pics for you this weekend :)”

“Just found out the BRP will be closed from NC 80 to Mt Mitchell access road 11/9/05 to 4/28/06 due to construction on the twin tunnels.South Toe road will not open until next year. That means if the weather is bad (the parkaway is snowed or iced over in the Craggies), there will be no vehicular access to the park. Be ready to walk. Hope to be up on Tuesday. (I'm glad I found out b/c I was going to access from the north.)”

“

It's looking beautiful up on Mt. Mitchell today!”

“Cool pic...thanks.”

“here is Katahdin..
”

“Even up there yesterday, I think it was mostly a sleet and ice event with that plow track thru the parking lot in the picture making it look like a lot of sleet and ice.

Here, 10 miles away and one mile lower, about 2" inches of sleet and ice.”

“Typical view from mount washington

”

“ pretty foggy up there though, looking north.

-

It's been cold, werry werry cold on MT. Mitchell the last few days. Looks like a pretty good deal of snow.”

“lol Zac!”

“I like this photo better

”

“man couchtater, you had to bring up the live cam of Borah, didn't you?! you know I've been wanting to get up to that mountain. lol

That's perty nice!”

“Thanks guys! I'm bored of other threads today. More pics, more pics!”

“Cant really see much of longs peak today....

”

“hey Em,
Remember this sunrise?

I miss Deep Gap”

“ah, yes! I think I have the same picture!

I want to do that trail sometime again!”

“ENS, anytime you're ready I'm ready. Chicken Out Ridge is like nothing either you or I have experienced. Along with 5,500' gain in 3.5 miles.”

“where is chicken out ridge? It sounds awesome!”

“I did the Knife Edge on Katahdin this past August.”