Grassy Ridge Bald and Roan High Knob

It's been a busy past couple of months since my last outing. Not much has transpired since Grace and I got back from our cross-country extravaganza. Haven't really had the time to venture out into the local wilds to see what's up. But now things have settled down a bit, the pace has slowed, and I find myself with opportunities for escape. Last Friday, on the 24th, I had one such opportunity. 

My family and I had been up to this place called Carvers Gap a few times this year, mostly for the fun drive and to take pictures next to the "Welcome to North Carolina" sign. I still hardly know anything about the area, but I find that a good way to learn about a place is to get out there and experience it. There's plenty of fresh air and exercise, plus it's a lot more fun than spending hours scrubbing the net for articles and history and such. So, on a bright and clear Friday afternoon, I elected to drive back up to ol' Carvers Gap and check out some sights. 

The 2,197.4 mile long Appalachian Trail passes through Carvers Gap. I figured I'd follow it for a ways and see where it took me. I followed it east of the Gap, ascending a small hill called Round Bald. The trail was incredibly well maintained and super nice, slowly weaving its way up to the summit. People were coming and going at all times; it's a pretty dang popular area. And I soon found out why.

Near the summit of Round Bald

Round Bald is mostly devoid of tall trees, its surface instead covered with a mixture of grasses. I've since learned that this is a distinct characteristic of "balds," which are mountains in the Appalachians that are known for being open and grassy. And since they're mostly open, they usually offer tremendous views. Round Bald was no different. On the summit I could see clearly in all directions, the weather dry, the air crisp and chilly. Visibility was absolutely phenomenal; to the north I could see all the way into Virginia, Mt Rogers (Virginia's state highpoint) clearly visible. To the west I could see more of the Appalachian Mountains, Roan High Knob the closest summit in view. And to the south were crystal clear views into North Carolina, Mt. Mitchell (the highest mountain east of the Mississippi) visible in the distance. Turning east I saw the next highest mountain, Grassy Ridge Bald, looming not too far away. I decided that that would be the next objective. I set off down the trail, descending off the east side of Round Bald.

View northeast, Mt Rogers visible

View south, Mt Mitchell and Co. in the distance

Grassy Ridge Bald

More beautiful trail, more interesting people. People walking and running and hiking and backpacking. There was nary a moment I spent alone. Backpackers, trail runners, casual hikers, sightseers—they were there and everywhere. Young people, old people, tiny little kids, even saw some babies strapped up in a backpack carrier. Now that I think about it, this was probably the most amount of people I've ever seen on a trail...ever. It was super congested. But everyone was nice and polite, each person doing their own thing at their own pace, and I didn't see one scrap of litter anywhere on the trail. That was surprising. For a trail as popular as this, I was expecting Santa Paula Punchbowl levels of trash and graffiti. Thankfully, this was not the case. Perhaps the Appalachian cryptids pick it up. Who's to say.

Jane Bald

On my way over to Grassy Ridge Bald, I had to surmount a small little obstacle known as "Jane Bald." It looked unassuming from afar, in fact, I didn't even notice it until I had fully descended from Round Bald. It's a small little obstruction rising up out of the ridge that surprisingly ended up being the steepest part of the whole day. The trail abruptly went up, the ground becoming a mixture of rocks and slabs at one point. But I got to the top no problem and enjoyed much of the same views that I had seen over on Round Bald. 

Near the top of Jane Bald, view west

View south from Jane Bald

Onward to Grassy Ridge Bald. I followed the AT for a little bit, marveling at the views and beautiful fall colors shining bright in the lower elevations. I eventually reached a junction, leaving the AT for a spur trail that would take me the rest of the way to the summit. This spur trail was less crowded and not as wide as the AT, but it was amazingly maintained nonetheless. I slowly worked my way up the east side of the mountain, passing through a small patch of pine trees and a tunnel of rhododendrons. Eventually, the trees and rhododendrons disappeared, and I was back to the familiar open and grassy expanse indicative of an Appalachian bald.  I could see the summit by this point, a lone hiker standing on a boulder and striking a pose. I took a few more pictures on my way over to the summit, the wind chilly, the muddy ground crunchy with ice. I topped out in no time, sharing the surroundings with only a few other people. Though it's not much farther from Round Bald, this summit appeared to be far less popular. 

Rhododendron Tunnel

View east, on the way to the summit

Summit in sight!

There was a plaque on a boulder commemorating the life of a Mr. Cornelius Peake. Other than that, there wasn't much else of interest on the wide, flat summit. I walked a short ways to the east, following a use trail that led to what I assumed to be a view of some sort. Along the way, I saw a few tents set up beneath the sparse trees; apparently this mountain is a good place to camp. At one point, I saw a group of young men find a spot, drop their gear, and then immediately talk about how flippin' freezin' it was gonna get that night. Judging by the crunchy mud I had tread through on the way to the summit, the night was probably gonna be a cold one. 

I followed the use trail to its terminus, a little rocky outcropping with nice views of Mt Mitchell and Co to the south. There were three other people there who were just getting ready to leave. "Best view on the mountain" they said. And I gotta agree, it was pretty nice. I sat on the rocks for a little bit, gazing out upon unfamiliar territory. Once I had my fill, I returned to the summit proper, poked around here and there, took a few pictures, and then retraced my steps back to Carvers Gap. 

View from the summit, view south and west

Back at Carvers Gap, I still had a good amount of daylight left so I decided to truck on up to Roan High Knob. Grace and I had gone down the trail about a month prior, but we missed the turnoff for the high point, so I just had to go back. The little parking lot at the base of the mountain was completely full, so I was expecting another busy trail. This was not the case. For whatever reason, I only saw two groups on the entire stretch from the parking lot to the summit. I guess everyone else was heading up to Round Bald. 

Roan High Knob

On the way to Roan High Knob

Unlike Round Bald, Roan High Knob was densely forested, at least on its eastern flank. As such, there were no views on the way up to the summit, unless you count the view of the trees right in front of your face. High trees, tightly packed, blocked out most of the weak light of the afternoon sun, making everything look much darker than it actually was. Lotta trees, lotta of shade, lotta of cold. Even saw my breath a few times. But the steady, gentle incline warmed me up good enough, and before I knew it I was at the turnoff for the high point. It kinda snuck up on me, catching me unawares. What with it being so densely forested, I had basically no way to gauge my progress up the mountain. Kinda just turned my brain off until I saw the sign. 

I departed the AT at the sign and followed the spur trail the rest of the way to the summit. Just before the high point rested a shelter, one of many situated along the AT. It was closed, but still interesting. I've never seen an AT shelter in person before, so it was neat to finally get to observe one in its natural habitat. Just past the shelter was a smattering of boulders that marked the high point. Most of 'em were covered in downed trees, the handiwork of Hurricane Helen no doubt. I took a few pictures, touched the USGS marker, and then set off back the way I came. There wasn't much of a view on Roan High Knob, and, since it was pretty dang cold sittin' there in the shade, I figured it was best to not overstay my welcome. 

Headin' back...

Didn't see a single soul on the way back. It was just me, the chilly air, the trail and the trees. And of course, the millions of squirrels. Can't forget those buggers. Them's noisy. And the sun kept getting fainter, and the trail kept getting darker, and I gotta admit, I could definitely see how some can find these woods a bit spooky. I even heard a shriek of some kind, something faint and far away, carried to my ears by a ghostly gust of air. It was probably from the noisy folks over on Round Bald, but you can never be sure.

I got back to Carvers Gap in good time, back to noise, cars, and sunlight. I took a swig of water and started up the car, looking forward to the scenic drive back home. The car thermostat read 41℉, and brother, that's exactly what it felt like outside. I let my vehicle warm up, and then that was that—I coasted the whole rest of the way down, taken aback by the beautiful fall colors. Thems sure was purty, I tell yah!

It had been a fine day in the woods, brief and beautiful, offering but a taste as to what the area has to offer. I finally got my foot in the door, and I'm eager to see what's inside.