lofty

Mountains appear more lofty, the nearer they are approached, but great men resemble them not in this particular. 
--Marguerite Blessington (1789-1849) Irish novelist. 

roan relaxation

Every now and then go away, have a little relaxation, for when you come back to your work your judgment will be surer. Go some distance away because then the work appears smaller and more of it can be taken in at a glance and a lack of harmony and proportion is more readily seen. 
--Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) Italian Painter, Sculptor, Architect and Engineer.

Anthony taking in the Roan Highlands. 

a glorious greeting

How glorious a greeting the sun gives the mountains!
--John Muir (1838-1914) Naturalist and Conservationist.

The rhododendron gardens on Roan Mountain are in full bloom - and what a glorious sight to see! There are two Rhododendron Festivals this weekend celebrating this 'Jewel of Nature,' one on the Tennessee side of the mountain in Roan Mountain, TN and another on the NC side in Bakersville, NC.

enchantment

Distance lends enchantment to the view.
--Mark Twain (1835-1910) American Humorist, Writer and Lecturer.  

The view yesterday from the Unaka Mountain Overlook, in Unicoi Co., TN.

healing roan

There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature -- the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after the winter.
--Rachel Carson (1907-1964) American marine biologist and nature writer

a successful day

If I have been of service, if I have glimpsed more of the nature and essence of ultimate good, if I am inspired to reach wider horizons of thought and action, if I am at peace with myself, it has been a successful day.
--Alex Noble, artist

This is a view of the Blue Ridge taken from Round Bald in the Roan Highlands last winter and enhanced using Topaz Simplify (a Photoshop plug-in), which really brings out the color and makes the photo look more like a painting.

Meant to Shine

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.
--Marianne Williamson (b. 1952) activist, author and lecturer

Unaka Mountain Overlook

After years of neglect, the Unaka Mountain Overlook (a.k.a. Pleasant Garden) has received some badly needed sprucing up. The view has been reestablished by cutting away the overgrowth, which for years had all but completely blocked the spectacular mountain views. The short section of road leading to the Overlook has been scraped and smoothed - it's still the roughest section of road of the entire Unaka Mountain Road, but greatly improved! I'm hope that this place will once again become one of the most cherished and visited destinations in all of Unicoi County, TN. Far in the distance, barely visible above, is Mount Mitchell, the highest point east of the Mississippi.

This overlook is one of the many wonders to experience along the 12 mile long Unaka Mountain Road which climbs and curves its way over and around the mountain. For detailed directions and a list of all there is to see and do on Unaka Mountain, click here. Click here for a map of the area.

Endeavor to live life

If one advances confidently in the direction of one's dreams, and endeavors to live the life which one has imagined, one will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.
--Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862) American Essayist, Poet and Philosopher

Above: The colors of late summer arrive at the Beauty Spot on Unaka Mountain (click photo to enlarge).

Click here for directions and to learn about all there is to see and do on Unaka Mountain in Unicoi County, TN.

Roan High Bluff Overlook

This one just makes me laugh. Milligan College photography major Michael Kaal (click here to see his gallery) and Duke check out the view from the Roan High Bluff Overlook. The view is amazing -- and the short hike to get there is just as thrilling. I love the smell of the pines on Roan - the rush of the wind - the green moss, the bent trees and the rugged boulders. I have lots of fond memories associated with this trail. It's one of those destinations I've been taking family and friends to see ever since I moved here in 1995. There are many days when you look out over the rail and see misty clouds forming in the valley being swooped up the mountain side -- and you watch as they rush over you and the mountain. The next time you visit Roan, here are some things you won't want to miss...

Carver's Gap, the Appalachian Trail and the Balds - the trail up to Round Bald is unforgettable, as are the views once you reach the top
The Old Cloudland Hotel Site - lots of wildflowers
Sunset Rock - secluded overlook, great view!
Roan High Knob Shelter - the highest shelter on the AT
The Rhododendron Gardens - pretty any time of year, but especially in June.
Roan High Bluff Overlook (this post) - a short and interesting hike with a fantastic view

Directions: Take Route 19E to the town of Roan Mountain, turn onto Route 143 and travel 12.8 miles to the TN/NC state line (Carver's Gap). On your way up the mountain, you'll pass by the Dave Miller Homestead and the Roan Mountain State Park. Eventually, you leave the state park and enter the national forest. At Carver's Gap turn right, following the signs to the Cloudland Hotel site and Rhododendron Gardens two miles up! After checking out the Cloudland site, Sunset Rock and the Rhododendron Gardens, drive on to the end of the gravel parking area and park at the trail head for the Roan High Bluff -- a short hike (1/2 mile) will take you to the overlook. After that, return to Carver's Gap on your way down from the gardens and take the Appalachian Trail to the top of Round Bald -- this short hike will give you an amazing panoramic views of the mountains, a short distance further on the AT will take you to Jane Bald. If you continue on, you'll reach Grassy Bald. Click here for information about hiking the AT through the Roan Highlands; click here for a topo map of Roan Mountain.

what a wonderful world

We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm and adventure. There is no end to the adventures that we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open.
--Jawaharlal Nehru (1889-1964) Indian Prime Minister

The Unicoi County Mountain Expo is coming up June 20-22 -- featuring guided hikes and other outdoor adventures, speakers on practically every possible outdoor recreation topic you can imagine, shopping and entertainment. It is a very ambitious schedule with something for everyone. Click the link above and you'll see what I mean. I'm so happy that Unicoi County, my home for the past seven years, has put this event together to encourage folks to get out and explore its treasures. If you can't wait till the Expo to get started on your adventure, click the links below to learn more about some of my favorite places to visit in Unicoi County...

Red Fork Falls
Horseback Ridge
Beauty Spot

Rock Creek Park

Erwin Linear Trail

Lower Higgins Creek
Rocky Fork

Sill Branch Falls
Pine Ridge Falls

Above: Beauty Spot Sunset

Appalachian Trail Thru-Hikers

The Appalachian Trail as it crosses Round Bald near Carver's Gap, outside of Roan Mountain, TN.

About 3,500 people attempt to hike the entire 2,175 mile Appalachian Trail each year -- ninety percent of them start their journey from the Southern terminus of the trail at Springer Mountain, Georgia. They're called NOBOs -- or North-Bounders. Those who begin on Mt. Katahdin in Maine are called SOBOs. Less than ten percent of those who start, complete the trail (around 300 each year). The entire trail takes five or six months to complete, which averages out to about 10 to 15 miles per day. Because of the time it takes to hike the entire trail, the typical start date is March 15th -- but some begin in early March in order to beat the crowds and to ensure that they'll reach Maine before the wintry weather arrives in late September. They also begin hoping that the scene above, as beautiful as it was last week, will have given way to more temperate spring weather in the Southern Appalachians. Click here, here and here for more information on the Appalachian Trail.

This is my last post of the recent snow up on Roan Mountain. I'm really thankful I was able to experience this winter wonderland on such a perfect day. But now that I've got plenty of winter pics, I'm ready for spring!

Iron Mountain Sunset

This sunset view is from the Appalachian Trail near Iron Mountain Gap on the TN/NC border. The tallest peak in the photo above is known as Pinnacle Mountain (3540 ft.). An effort is currently underway to restore the fire tower which sits atop Pinnacle Mountain. Click here for an interesting article about this effort. Heading north on the AT from Iron Mountain Gap, where TN Route 107 intersects the state border and becomes NC Route 226 (Mitchell County), you are rewarded with impressive views (in Winter) of Roan Mountain to the east (see photo below) and Unaka Mountain to the west.

Update: For a detailed discussion of this section of the AT, click here.

Directions: Take TN Route 107 (Limestone Cove Road) ten miles east from Unicoi, TN, or NC Route 226, four miles from Buladean, NC to the state line, where there is a wide gravel pull off area. After parking, look toward the TN side and across the road and you'll see where the AT heads north toward Hughes Gap. The spot were the above sunset photo was taken is a small grassy area 0.5 miles in. Another, slightly larger and more open grassy area is 0.8 miles from the Gap -- that particular spot offers an impressive view of Unaka Mountain. 1.1 miles from the Gap is an old, abandoned apple orchard -- there's not much left to see there now, as most of the trees have died out, although there is an indication that some new trees have recently been planted.

The Mountaintop

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made straight and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together.--Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929-1968) Minister and Civil-Rights Leader

Above: Grandfather Mountain, NC (click photo to enlarge)

Dr. King's Last Speech, April 3, 1968

Snow-Capped Mountains

A view of Seeger Chapel on Milligan College's campus with Holston Mountain in the distance.

It's like chasing after the wind

The best part of beauty is that which no picture can express.
--Francis Bacon (1561-1626), English philosopher and statesman

Autumn flowers

I thought I'd share a view of Grandfather Mountain taken yesterday from MacRae Meadows to show just how far along the leaves are. This photo is pretty well representative of what I saw around the Blue Ridge Parkway in the Blowing Rock area of NC. There are many patches of brilliant reds and yellows, but there's still a good deal of greens as well. I'm thrilled (and relieved) to see the bright colors -- happy that this summer's drought didn't cause all the leaves to simply turn drab brown and go away without celebration or fanfare. Woo Hoo Fall!

Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.
--Albert Camus (1913-1960), French author and philosopher

Misty Roan

There were bright blue skies with puffy white clouds over the Tri-Cities, TN yesterday, but Roan Mountain held true to its misty reputation. This photo was taken from Round Bald near Carver's Gap during one of the brief breaks in the cloud cover. Click here for directions.

Sunset Rock

Sunset Rock is a little known overlook on Roan Mountain. I didn't find anything about it online, so I thought I'd post some information here. While it's not necessarily worth a trip just to see this, it's an easy walk (one tenth of a mile), and it gives a different perspective than what you see from the Rhododenron Gardens or from the Roan High Bluff Overlook. As you can see from the photo above there's a small terrace that they've built giving a nice view of the area northwest of Roan Mountain. Next time you visit Roan, stop by and check this one out.

Directions. From Carver's Gap, follow the signs to the top of the mountain. You'll pass a pay station ($3 per car), and then quickly reach a fork in the road, stay right, heading toward the signs pointing to the old Cloudland Hotel site. The trailhead is immediately on your left as you enter the parking lot. Look for a water fountain and a sign indicating the "Cloudland Trail." Park here and walk in 0.1 miles, then follow the fork to your right down to Sunset Rock. Click here for a Roan Mountain brochure and map. Here is a nice post about Roan Mountain.

Mountains Aglow

Last night's glowing sunset from Horseback Ridge on Unaka Mountain in Unicoi County. Horseback Ridge is an awesome place to watch a sunset or to see the mountains, with views (on a clear day) of Erwin, Johnson City and Elizabethton, TN. It also offers a nice break from the near-record-high temps we've been having. Although the ridge is not marked, and the road to the top is pretty rough -- I still really recommend this one! For complete directions to Horseback Ridge, click here. Click here for a post listing all there is to see and do on Unaka Mountain.