Posted By auntie on November 13, 2020

5 miles; 900 feet total ascent; Asheville, NC

This wasn’t exactly the route I had originally planned, but I wasn’t able to park where I thought I needed to, so revised the route. I also took a bit of a shortcut, which was harder than I thought it would be, so that was kind of a trade-off.

Sleepy Gap

I picked a starting spot using various online maps (GaiaGPS, Alltrails, and Google) on the Blue Ridge Parkway that I realized once I got there  really wasn’t suitable as a parking place. It was on the outside of a curve with little-to-no shoulder space. So I ended up parking at Sleepy Gap. Also too, I should know by now that any hike that starts on the BRP is gonna involve a lot of climbing. The “Ridge” part of the name is a dead giveaway…

Climb up to Chestnut Cove

I’ve hiked part of this before, and I knew it would be a hard slog. It was. Nice views, though, now that the leaves are off the trees.

Pretty Red Oak

I said most of the leaves were down, but not all. This red oak caught my eye.

This route took in another part of the Explorer Loop trail that I hadn’t been on before. It was just as excellent as the rest of the Explorer Loop. And just as heavily-traveled by mountain bikers.

Sourwood? Maybe?

And speaking of red, this little sapling was visible from a long way off down the trail. I think it’s a sourwood, but I’m not 100% confident of that ID. The color, though, was amazing. Very very vivid.

Little Bridge

The climb up from South Ridge Road, a trail that was labelled “Sleepy Gap,” was pretty intense. I don’t think it was more than 1/2 mile, but coming at the very end of this hike as it did, it felt like 5 miles.

Track (click for details)

You can find out more about this hike from this excellent US Forest Service map (pdf file). As always, click the image above for details about this hike and to download the gps track.

Category: Mountains-to-Sea Trail, North Carolina, Walks and Hikes | No Comments »
Tags: 2–5 miles, Asheville NC, NC, Pisgah NF

Posted By auntie on November 6, 2020

7.7 miles; 595 feet ascent; Asheville, NC

Really beginning to love this trail complex, despite the mad number of mountain bikers who also use it. The second half of the Explorer Loop Trail, which I hiked clockwise, was one of the best walks in the woods I think I’ve ever had. Gorgeous. Soothing. Serene. You just have to keep one ear open for mountain bikers.

Dam from the Other Side

Yeah, once again back to Lake Powhatan. This is the view of the dam I missed the other day. They’ve got it pretty definitively fenced off, though, so this was the best shot I could get.

Always Read the Plaques

I subscribe to the motto of the 99% Invisible podcast “Always Read the Plaques.” But this time, although I read and followed the directions, I didn’t see a sign or an old homestead. I think this was a red herring. And by the way, wtf is the “red herring” thing? According to Wikipedia,

The term was popularized in 1807 by English polemicist William Cobbett, who told a story of having used a strong-smelling smoked fish to divert and distract hounds from chasing a rabbit.

This does not clarify things for me. Why is “red” used to describe a stinky fish? Moar information please!

Delightful Little Waterfall

I pass by many waterfalls all the time, both large and small. I’m hiking in the mountains, duh. But there was something about this little cascade that really caught my eye. It was visible through a break in the foliage off the trail, and I dunno, I just loved it. Could have had something to do with the fact that the part of the trail I was hiking was also so pleasant. The path was covered with pine needles, and crowded on either side with rhododendron and mountain laurel, and was ever so gently descending… Like I said above, it was probably the sweetest walk in the woods I’ve ever taken. If you don’t hike anyplace else in Pisgah, you gotta do the Explorer Loop trail.

Track (click for details)

You can find out more about this hike from this excellent US Forest Service map (pdf file). As always, click the image above for details about this hike and to download the gps track.

Category: North Carolina, Walks and Hikes | 1 Comment »
Tags: 7–10 miles, Asheville NC, NC, Pisgah NF

Posted By auntie on November 5, 2020

6.6 miles; 507 feet ascent; Asheville and Arden, NC

Did my “Lyft” thing today. Parked at the Mountains-to-Sea Trail Parking area off Route 25 and got a Lyft ride to the French Broad Overlook and hiked back. This is much better for me than an out-and-back, because I am so deeply and fundamentally lazy that I will give up and turn around WAY before I get to the spot I previously designated to turn around at.

French Broad Overlook

This parking area on the Blue Ridge Parkway really is a wonderful spot to look out over the French Broad River. It’s quite the view.

Mountains-to-Sea Trail Marker

I would love to do more of this trail, but I have a feeling that there aren’t too many places that it passes through that would lend themselves to the old “Lyft” trick, at least not on its western end. I mean, you need cellphone service. And drivers who are willing to go out into the wilderness.

Crossing Route 26

Like the Blue Ridge Parkway that it parallels, the MTS Trail also crosses Interstate 26. As you can see they’re currently widening the highway. Part of that project will involve re-routing the BRP itself, and moving the bridge over the highway a little to the north.

Left High and Dry

The MTS has a lot of water crossings, but they are all very nicely bridged, thankyouverymuch. I noticed this tiny blue rubber ducky on a rock in the middle of one of those, kind of left high and dry. Wonder if the next rain will let him continue his journey…

Track (click for details)

You can find out more about the Mountains-to-Sea Trail from their website. As always, click the image above for details about this hike and to download the gps track.

Category: Mountains-to-Sea Trail, North Carolina, Walks and Hikes | No Comments »
Tags: 5–7 miles, Asheville NC, NC

Posted By auntie on November 3, 2020

7.5 miles; 563 feet ascent; Asheville, NC

I’ve had this one in my “Hikes I’d Like to Do” list for a while. The first half was great, in that it was exactly the end part of yesterday’s hike around Lake Powhatan. But the 2nd half was all on forest roads, and as I may have previously mentioned, those are not my favorite hiking venue. They are very monotonous and boring. So this particular hike is not going on the repeat list.

Brisk Morning

It was cold enough when I started this morning, 38º, that I was forced to dig out one of my visored winter beanie hats to cover my ears. As it turned out, I really should have dug out the blaze orange one, which I found out when I came across a hunter who informed me that this part of Pisgah is indeed a “game land.” Whoops, my bad.

Powhatan Dam

I missed this yesterday too! It’s the dam that created the lake. Nice waterfall.

What? No Bridge?

Not far into the Explorer Loop Trail I came across a pretty wide stream across the path. “$#*&% North Carolina and their bridge allergies!” I muttered. (I’ve never really gotten over that Mullinax Loop experience.)

Stream Crossing

But then I looked left, and lo and behold, there was a very short side trail leading to a bridge! Why this wasn’t, ya know, on the path must remain a mystery. But at least it was there and I didn’t have to wade.

Wildflower? Nope

This pine cone remnant looked so much like a flower that I thought it would make a good Last Wildflower Post for 2020. So watch for that on my Facebook page. There really isn’t much of anything else in bloom anymore, alas. Stay tuned for spring.

Track (click for details)

You can find out more about this hike from this excellent US Forest Service map (pdf file). South Ridge Road is designated 479M on the map. As always, click the image above for details about this hike and to download the gps track.

Category: North Carolina, Walks and Hikes | No Comments »
Tags: 7–10 miles, Asheville NC, NC, Pisgah NF

Posted By auntie on November 2, 2020

4.7 miles; 383 feet total ascent; Asheville, NC

This was a route I basically created using the “make route” function in gaia.gps. The app allows you to draw a route, it snaps to existing trails and roads, so you get a pretty good estimation of the mileage and ascent. The mileage wasn’t entirely accurate, but it did create a route that I could upload to my phone and follow. I like this feature. Anyways, this was an awesome hike, and just what I wanted… shorter but still in the woods. Loved it.

Lake Powhatan

This hike started from the Hard Times Trail Head in Pisgah, which is where a lot of hikes start. There’s a large complex of trails accessible from here. This one I created circumnavigated Lake Powhatan, which is also the site of a large campground. It’s a pretty small lake, as lakes go, but it was nice. Had a fishing pier (that’s the structure you see) and a beach.

Bridge Across Bent Creek

This route crosses and re-crosses Bent Creek, and I was a little apprehensive considering my experience of water crossings here in NC. This hike was a very pleasant surprise in that respect, with lots of nicely constructed bridges. There was one final crossing just before I got back to my car that stressed me out a little, but I got across with not even one wet sock, so that was a win.

Lake Powhatan, again

Again, this was an awesome walk in the woods, with only a very small little bit of road walking where it skirts the edge of the campground. And I hardly noticed the hills, which were minimal. Only caveat is there were lots of mountain bikers, as usual for this area. You gotta keep your ears open, particularly on the narrower stretches of trail. But everyone was nice. Really highly recommend this route.

Track (click for details)

You can find out more about the trails around Lake Powhatan from this Forest Service website. As always, click the image above for details about this hike and to download the gps track.

Category: North Carolina, Walks and Hikes | No Comments »
Tags: 2–5 miles, Asheville NC, NC, Pisgah NF

Posted By auntie on October 26, 2020

5.78 miles; 374 ft. ascent; Asheville, NC

This was a beautiful little hike (under 6 miles for a change) with not a lot of elevation and in the woods almost entirely. It was more reminiscent of hiking in Arcadia. There was a small stretch of boring forest road—I’ve grown to dislike those roads—and much more just a pleasant woodland trail. Lotta mountain bikers though. Really had to keep my ears peeled for the sound of approaching mountain bikes. Still, very nice hike.

Turkey Tail (Trametes versicolor)

Not much still blooming here in Western North Carolina, but there’s a lot of fungus still around. This particular mushroom is used in Chinese medicine as an immune system booster. Hm.

False Turkey Tail (Stereum ostrea)

These two photos were taken on adjacent logs. Wonder what about them caused them to be colonized by different fungi? Mystery!

Old Timey Trail Work

This is some real old timey trail work here! Logs incised for traction across the trail with more log sections sunk on end. Very cool stuff.

Closed Bottle Gentian (Gentiana andrewsii)

And just when I’d decided I wasn’t going to see anything else in bloom, what pops into view but this Closed Bottle Gentian! Passed through a beautiful little patch of these.

Wolf Branch Bridge

Another pleasant surprise was the presence of several actual bridges. I had pretty much given up on seeing anything resembling a bridge here, but this was no make-shift affair crossing Wolf Branch.

Sterling Hayden as Gen. Jack D. Ripper in Dr. Strangelove

By the way, the word “branch” for my northern friends is another term for creek or brook. It always makes me think of General Jack D. Ripper in Dr. Strangelove who drinks nothing but “pure grain alcohol and branch water” to preserve his “precious bodily fluids.”

Fan Clubmoss (Diphasiastrum digitatum)

As always, science is always bloody changing its mind about things. This used to be a Lycopodium but has been reclassified as Diphasiastrum. Still, I found some interesting facts about this plant. The spores are known as Lycopodium powder, and are used as a flash powder. See this Wikipedia page for more info if you’re interested.

Track (see details)

You can find out more about the Deer Lake Lodge trail on this US Forest Service website. You can find out more about the Wolf Branch trail from this other US Forest Service website. As always, click the image above for details about this hike and to download the gps track.

Category: North Carolina, Walks and Hikes | 1 Comment »
Tags: 5–7 miles, Asheville NC, NC, Pisgah NF