Most posts to this site involve the travelog, but some simpler experiences demand be shared as well. As I’ve said before, Black Balsam Knob is one of my favorite places. I’m in the Shining Rock Wilderness often because of all the loops that can be strung together via the Art Loeb Trail and the extensive hiking/mountain biking trail network between Brevard and Asheville in Pisgah National Forest.
I went hiking there on Sunday with a friend and the experience was spectacular. I stopped to take a picture near Graveyard Fields because the peak of Black Balsam was shrouded in an eerie fog. There was a heavy frost on the flora and it was like walking into a frozen cloud. As we made our way up the mountain, the clouds began to race across the sky and the weather eventually cleared up to the point that I got both wind- and sunburned. It reminded me of the time a surprise storm blew in when I was at Frying Pan Mountain Lookout Tower just a few miles down the Blue Ridge Parkway.
We only did about 7–8 miles because we stopped to lounge in a hammock and enjoy some hot tea in a copse of trees just above the entrance to the Wilderness. I’m trying to stop and smell the roses more, both literally and figuratively. Although I love to challenge myself, not every hike has to feature big miles. Anyway, it was a great day with great views and I deemed it blogworthy, so here are some pictures.
These are just thumbnails. Click any image to enlarge for the full view.
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