greenmon's folly: April 22 Blanket Mountain

Saturday, May 2, 2015

April 22 Blanket Mountain

Avent Cabin

This is my first hike of this years Spring Wildflower Pilgrimage. It is led by Doris Gove. We are headed up Blanket Mountain via Jakes Creek Trail out of Elkmont. Our first stop is the manway to Avent Cabin on the opposite side of Jakes Creek. The cabin was built about 1845. In 1918 it was purchased by Frank Avent. His wife Mayna was an accomplished artist. Her portrait of James Polk hangs in the Smithsonian Museum. In 1932 the property was acquired by the NPS but the Avents and most Elkmont residents were given lifetime leases. The window you see was added by Mayna's son so she could have ample natural sunlight to work. The leases expired in 1992. Two years later the structure was listed with the National Historic Building Register. Much of this information is in a binder inside the cabin.

Rosy Maple Moths mating

We lingered at the cabin for a bit. Someone spotted a still intact wire clothesline. I saw these moths on a hemlock. I also found a dump on the hillside facing the creek. There was a metal paper towel holder embossed with "Scottowels". Also, I spotted a coffee mug which appeared to be an old pottery piece.

The walk up to Jakes Gap is on an old jeep trail. The road wold have accessed the former firetower on Blanket Mountain. We saw an array of wildflowers on the walk up. We made a brief stop at Campsite 27 to snack. Then it was a short walk to the gap. Here we headed up a manway which would have been the jeep trail years ago. It was in decent shape and we needed only climb over a few dead trees.

Lunch at the cabin site

Blanket Mountain got its name back in 1802 when Return Jonathan Meigs, re-surveying the old treaty boundary with the Indian nation, had a blanket hoisted up on a tall pole atop the mountain so it could be identified from distant peaks. The mountain top had a firetower on it complete with a small cabin for the keeper to stay in. I ate lunch on the chimney fall of the cabin.

This Painted Trillium needs remedial math

Doris wanted to take us to the top of a heath bald on Miry Ridge Trail. I think we turned back virtually at the top. It was overcast and misty. Four days later, I hiked to the top and we must have been right there. Lots of Painted Trillium along Miry Ridge.