Three Top Mountain in Ashe County is not to be confused with the Virginia mountain with the same name, used as a signal location during the Civil War. Our Three Top Mountain is the largest continuously forested tract in the county. Most of the mountain is property of North Carolina Wildlife Resources or NC Game Lands as everyone refers to it. There are several access points but really only a couple are suitable for accessing the ridgeline. We have chosen two which begin and end on either end of the ridge.
Our group consists of 10 veteran Piedmont Hiking and Outing Club scramblers and one newcomer, my buddy Will Truslow. Throughout the day there was not a complaint or serious disagreement. Everyone helped each other traverse the tough spots. We stayed together, never getting out of contact with the fellow in front or back. We joked when appropriate and proceeded with caution when appropriate. No one was injured. We all had a great time during a very difficult scramble.
Our initial plan is foiled upon arrival. The access road is steep with loose gravel. Oddly, only the little Corolla is able to make it. The two other vehicles need to be pushed. A quick assessment of this situation leads Marshall to alter our plan, actually just reverse it. We decide to shuttle everybody up to the next access reverse our hike. By doing this, we avoid having to drive up this loosely graveled road again.
Once again on the next access road, we are forced to bail out of the vehicles and push them up the hill. Now we are ready to begin hiking. The trail is slightly downhill and level for the first 10 minutes. Then we begin a very steep trek up an ATV two track. This goes on with little relief until we attain the summit of Huckleberry Rock, about 50 minutes later. We made at least a half dozen stops to huff and puff during this ascent. We fear that was the easy part.
The view here is spectacular. Several guys make their way out to a distant rock outcrop to better scout the route we'll be taking. Surprisingly, with all our preparation, we are 180 degrees off. It turns out after some realization, we are looking the wrong way out the ridge. It takes me about 30 minutes to re-orient after learning this. Looking at the maps now, it all makes sense but I was really turned around. For some folks that wouldn't faze them, but it bothered me.
To begin the bushwhack of the ridge, we needed to retrace our steps back a quarter mile or so and just look for good spot to follow the ridge. We had Marshall's GPS guiding us but still required some common sense and deductive reasoning. We entered the forest and strode through a rich under growth of vegetation. There was a semblance of a trail. On and off all day there was a semblance of trail or animal path. Occasionally we spotted some flagging but it was far and few between. Our first destination loomed high above - Big Rock. The scramble was tough in spots but for the most part it seemed to follow a faint manway. When we did attain the summit of Big Rock we were rewarded with stunning views. We found a very exposed place to sit for lunch. You can't get a table with this view anywhere in the world. My PB&J sandwich washed down with lukewarm water was great.
Immediately after lunch our first big challenge arises. The route off the rock we are on, looks poor in every direction. At this point, newcomer Will, has been guiding us with some direction from Marshall's GPS. Will scouts a route down the right side of the rock. It takes everyone a while to manage their way down this rock. From here things get interesting. Without any discernible route we manage as best we can to scramble this way and that and somehow make our way down to a saddle and begin the scramble up to Peak 4880. This one proves very difficult. We are assaulted with wind and some rain. Fortunately the rain is short lived. As we make our up, we grab whatever will hold us. Some complain of a thorny bush. I believe this is Prickly Gooseberry, a shrub only found in the mountains and on the Elk Knob taxa list. With thorns on the woody stem and leaf stems, it proved a point to those not wearing gloves (As a former glove manufacturer, I feel it my duty to point this out). We manage to make it to the top of 4880 and now must descend to another saddle and ascend to peak 4770.
We are still in very challenging terrain. there is lots of slipping going on. In one spot my throat fills with a odd taste. Shortly thereafter several of us start coughing. Deanna suggests we are stirring up stuff that hasn't been disturbed in quite a while.
Peak 4770 is anticlimactic. There is a very limited view and we have to take turns to see it. From here we retrace slightly to a ravine and head down for our final descent. It is about 2 miles to the car and we are in a rich forest but we have no reference points other than the GPS. I'm glad we did not start in this direction. We are wading through a sea of nettles, some are stinging us through out pants. Finally we arrive at the car and mange a change of clothes and shuttle before the drive back.
One thing we decide is we'll do this as an out and back scramble in the future. The scramble beyond Big Rock didn't warrant the reward. I'm glad to have traversed the ridge but will modify the route in the future.
Marshall Weatherman's Photos of this hike
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