Stir Crazy

I've been going stir-crazy cooped up here at the house. So Carole and I went for a long drive in the mountains yesterday. I'll post some details tomorrow and my impressions on getting out into the mountain air after the surgery. For now, a couple of photos.


The rhododendrons in around the 3400 foot to 4400 foot range seemed to be in full bloom.

Grandfather Mountain. I still have not hiked that peak to the summit. Past time that I did so. My first hiking goal for July.

View through the forests (ravaged by the fires of the drought of 2007) toward Table Rock Mountain. I took this along the Kistler Highway (hardly a highway).

Back from the Gorge

We had a great time hiking today. My first serious hike since my trip to Yellowstone. I'll post some details tomorrow after I've slept.

Self-portrait at an overlook. Table Rock and Hawksbill behind me.

Jack Thyen and Andy Kunkle at frozen Bluejay Falls. Now that's an icicle!

Bagging a Famous Peak

Finally Bagged! The summit of Table Rock!

There are a number of very prominent peaks here in North Carolina that I've never hiked. Sometimes I can't say just why. Generally it's because I ran out of time when I was in the area, or just chose to climb another mountain instead.

My only excuse for never having hiked to the top of the most famous peak in Linville Gorge is because, frankly, I was never on the eastern side of the gorge. In all of my other trips to the gorge, I was either on the western side or the extreme northern inlet of the place. I was just never in the right place to climb to the top of the singular peak we call Table Rock.

I'd seen the mountain plenty of times, but never had been close enough to get to the summit.

On the way in to the Mortimer Campground we saw a sign for the Table Rock Picnic Area. I knew that was just below the summit and accessible via a Forest Service road. So we got in the truck and headed toward Table Rock. What I didn't know was that the picnic area was 13 miles away and that the road was very narrow and quite tortuous. Still, we pushed on and after about half an hour of very careful driving we arrived at the parking area below the summit.

There were quite a few cars and trucks in the parking lot, but I didn't see many people. I later found out that the vehicles largely belonged to rock climbers who were scaling the high walls around Table Rock. But, once again, I found that I had the trail all to myself. This is one place that I really didn't expect to find any solitude, but there I was, hiking alone to the top of Table Rock.

The trail to the summit from the parking lot is only one mile long and it's not tough at all. The day was warm but not hot and whenever I came to a clearing or an outcropping of rock there was a strong breeze blowing that cooled me off.

From a distance, it doesn't look as if Table Rock can be hiked. It looks as if it's surrounded by high cliffs and that a summit attempt could only be achieved by a technical climbing route. However, there is one sloping ridge line to the top that allows you to walk up without having to use a technically challenging route.

In quick order I found myself at the top of Table Rock, which I'd often see from the western rim of the gorge, but had never climbed. It's an impressive 4,000+ foot peak with unlimited views in almost every direction. Since it sits perched astride a wilderness there is lots of territory to see untouched by the hand of Man. But looking to the east I did see one single structure poking out of the green. Normally I'd have been pretty pissed off at this, but I'm relatively certain that the building is the Outward Bound School, which is pretty cool.

After hanging out on the summit for about half an hour I headed back down the trail to collect my wife (who was sleeping in the cab of the truck). And I encountered a number of the rock climbers also returning to their vehicles.

The hike was quite an easy one, but I'm glad that I finally bagged Table Rock Mountain. I recommend it, but the next time I go there I hope to get to the summit via one of the longer trails from another part of the Linville Gorge Wilderness Area. The drive to the picnic area was tiresome and I wouldn't look forward to doing that again.

Trail head at the parking lot.

Early on, looking toward the south half of the Gorge, I could see the distinctive formation known as The Chimneys.

A telephoto shot of The Chimneys.

The rocky top of the peak begins to lift out of the trees as you approach the summit area.

The trail winds through tortuous terrain.

Not sure, but I think this might be Shortoff Mountain, or Hawksbill.

A stitched panorama shot I took from the very summit. (Click to embiggen.)

That's the Linville River carving out the gorge a couple of thousand feet below my vantage point.

Familiar heath growing in the exposed top of the peak.

Bagged! Another of North Carolina's famous peaks!

Is this the Outward Bound School? I'll have to ask someone.

A large boulder along the trail on the way down.

On Table Rock's Summit Looking East.

Yes, you can walk up this peak. (Taken in March 2009 from the opposite side of the gorge.

Me and the Boys

Me and the Boys.

Jack Thyen on the left. Me and Boone the dog in the middle, Andy Kunkle on the right with his back turned. This was a great little beach and swimming hole along the Linville River. Just over the bank up in the trees is the best campsite I've yet seen in the gorge. I'll have to go back there in the summer and camp.


I took this one along the Rock Jock Trail. A lot of the trail travels through forests totally ravaged by the fires in 2007. These fires were so intense that they were able to even burn the rhododendron and consumed the peaty soil. It's going to take decades for the forest to recover from those fires.

Andy Kunkle and his dog, Boone in Split Rock along the Rock Jock Trail.

Remember the old saying about not looking down? I kept looking down and it freaked me out so much that I hauled ass off the balanced rock. It was just too scary. I'd asked Jack to take three photos of me on the overhang, but I chickened out as he took the third one.

Sometimes I can scarcely believe that I'm lucky enough to live in a state that has this kind of scenery. This is Table Rock Mountain as seen from Dogback Mountain. Believe it or not, you can actually walk to the summit of Table Rock. Doesn't look like it can be safely done, but the trail's not too bad, from what I've heard. I've yet to hike it.

This strange little waterfall was right beside the Rock Jock Trail. I was very thirsty at this point and feared running out of water (which always results in me getting severe leg cramps). I was tempted to drink deep here and save my bottled water, but one is always fearful of giardia and other microbes. So I passed. Alas!

Andy and I discuss camera batteries as I take a video of part of Daffodil Flats.

More tomorrow...

The Critter Philosopher

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Try it again and I swear on the very fabric of reality that I'll end you.