This is Plan B. The creek crossings on Grapeyard Ridge were described to me and I switched my hike to Albright Grove. Named for the 2nd director of the National Park Service, Horace Albright. To get there requires a 2.7 mile hike up Maddron Bald Trail. The loop through the grove is .7 mile. Just 3 of us today. Three old guys going to see old growth trees. We encountered a group at the trailhead. They were headed to Henwallow Falls. Once again we flicked debris off the trail all day. There were a couple blowdowns we couldn't handle but could easily get through (until we got to the grove).
When you see this bridge, you are just minutes from the grove. Already the trees are big.
The trees in the grove escaped lumbering but have not escaped the Hemlock adelgid nor the elements. Most of the big Hemlocks have succumbed to the tiny insect. Many are still standing but are mere skeletons. Once that protective canopy disappeared, changes took place. Possibly, the protective canopy sheltered the tops of nearby trees from wind. We noted that many of the upper branches and tops of giant poplars had broken off despite the rest of the tree being healthy. Besides the giant poplars and hemlocks we saw large Fraser Magnolias, Silverbells (above), a few oaks and several I could not identify.
Hollow Tree
Hemlock Shelf Varnish with tanin icicles
Here is the blowdown that almost turned us back. It is quite possible this tree came down in Wednesday's wind. No one else had attempted to get around it so we knew it was fresh. Tom and I slithered over it using a couple handholds. Stanley scrambled around the root break. He said he could not see the hole from which it came, so it may have slid a ways before blocking the trail.
A giant dead poplar next to a healthy one
Tom peers through a hole in this Hemlock
Great hike! One of my favorites. We took a small detour on the way back to check out Madron (or Maddron) family cemetery.
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