July 20 Birding at Cowee Mountains

Today's outing is, according to the Appalachian Trail Conservancy's biennial conference, an excursion. We have joined leader Brent Martin of the Wilderness Society and co-leader and top birder, Heather Nagy for this short 2 mile hike in the Cowee Mountains. I counted only 11 species we either saw or heard today, a measly number for a bird outing. We got see both the Indigo Bunting and the Black Throated Blue Warbler. The other birds were common enough to not get excited.  

Bright red seed pods on these trillium was a neat sight to see. Our leader Brent Martin was well versed in the type forest we were in, trees which surrounded us and birds we should have heard. He did identify Spotted wintergreen as Pipsissewa, but I'll let that slide. Spotted wintergreen has variegated leaves and Pipsissewa has all green leaves. 

Above we walk out on an overgrown boardwalk into a Spruce bog. Everything looks like a bog this year with the constant rainfall. However, this is a rare type bog. Due to the overgrown rhododendron, we couldn't see much.

This spindle shaped yellow coral fungus is called Spindle shaped yellow coral fungus. Too bad everything isn't that easy.

We concluded the hike in a nice overgrown pasture where we should have spotted a lot of birds. There were pretty Black eyed susans and Summer Phlox to enjoy.

July 13 Elk Knob

Our day continues with a hike up Elk Knob on the new 1.9 mile trail to the top. The new trail replaces an old road which went straight up. That route has eroded badly and needed to be abandoned. The new trail was completed a couple years ago by local volunteers. When volunteers do work in the park, their hours are recorded and included in paperwork destined for Raleigh. The amount of time sent on trailwork by the volunteers equated to over $400,000 worth of labor. The stone work and stone steps are a work of art.

In the photo above we have a lovely view of the clouds. As you may note, the sign indicates the elevation as 5520 feet, 20 feet higher than snake. So, I assume if Snake is the highest mountain entirely in the county, Elk Knob must also fall into Ashe County.

No views today but we have some nice wildflowers like Primrose above and Wood Sage below. Finally at the bottom is a great bursting bloom of Fly Poison.

July 13 Snake Mountain

This Piedmont Hiking and Outing Club hike was led by David Memory. The first portion was a climb up and back on an unmaintained trail on Snake Mountain. The mountain is the highest entirely within Watauga County at 5500 feet. We park on a DOT parking area near the entrance to Elk Knob State Park. The trail up begins across the road through a locked gate, past a No Trespassing sign. I am told, David and other scouted this route earlier this year and were met by the owner of the lower portion of the mountain. Being a hiker himself, he permitted others to hike and respect the property. We walked through beautiful fields of tall grass and wildflowers. The trail gradually dwindled to just a rut through the fields. Only 7 of us pushed on beyond a halfway point and continued up more steeply and exposed. Views were scarce today. We did catch a glimpse here and there through the clouds.

As we reached the ridge near the top, the climb leveled but became more of a scramble over rocks. Here the land is part of Elk Knob State Park. In the top photo, you can see a road winding up the hillside. That road is part of the Sunalei Preserve, a luxury home development slowed by the real estate downturn. They transferred part of their holding to Elk Knob State Park and Blue Ridge Conservancy to protect the ridge and top of Snake Mountain.

The natural rock gardens here are breathtaking as are the views. The ridge has a blazed trail along it which I assume to come up from the Sunalei Preserve.

Our time is limited on this mountain as there is another climb to follow. None of the climbers made it to the very top of the mountain. I'll do that another day.

We descended about as slow as we went up. The group formed back together and we walked back down to the vehicles. 

July 8 Doud Mine in Birkhead Wilderness

I'd never given Doud Mine much thought. It is one of the mines within Birkhead Wilderness. However, today it was noted on the map I used to accompany one of Central Land Trust's summer intern's natural heritage project. I didn't expect to find it. As we walked the trail to Camp 3 and Rush Mine, she reminded me, we should be looking for the mine. So turning back we retraced our steps perhaps .2 mile and just walked into the woods - and there it was. A big pile of earth surrounding a pit. You could see more pits from here.

In the above photo, many pits are visible. As we walked pit to pit, it began to encompass a rather large area. I'm guessing there were at least 20 pits. As we reached the point at which a stream developed, the pits ended.

Above, one of the pits holds water. A great place for the frogs. I don't know if this pit is normally filled with water. Probably not , as later we saw Rush Mine full which is not normal.

I don't know the purpose of this cut. It goes from the very deep pit up the hill down to the stream below.

The total area here may have been 5 acres in size. It was a nice find, just off the trail and easy to locate again.

June 29 New River Trail - Cliffview to Fries and back

Today's bicycle ride was a bit under 30 miles, beginning at New River Trail State Park headquarters at Cliffview. Beginning here eliminates the 2 mile ride into Galax which some folks don't find as enjoyable. 

Above is a non-native flower, Everlasting Peas. Below is the New River on the ride into Fries. AT this point is has a scenic pastoral look but just downriver it gives way to a wilder forested  look.

June 24 Roan Mountain Garden

Atop Roan Mountain is a wonderful garden of Catabwa Rhododendron. It is a Tennessee State Park. You're within shouting distance of North Carolina. The paved and dirt paths wind through the Rhododendron bushes.

An Elderberry Longhorn beetle looks for something to eat.

We saw many bushes like this one. Our afternoon plans were to hike out on the balds and view more bushes but the rain came again today and washed that idea away.

It looks like someone placed these golden asters in an arrangement. 

June 23 Grandfather Mountain

I had never hiked the Black Rock Trail in Grandfather Mountain State Park. It begins a short distance down the road from the Mile High Swinging Bridge. The trail is only a 2 mile roundtrip and turns back at a spot called "Grandmother"s View". The hike was easy with many features seen on other trails in the park. It went right by a rock jumble and had ladders and cables to access views from atop rocks.

The reason I'd never taken this trail previously is due to its location. It would add several miles to either the normal routes I've hiked in the park and I never wanted to pay the fee to enter on the toll road. Today I was with a friend with a yearly pass so there was no excuse. The day began cool and nice but soon the rain came just about the time we finished our hike.

This overlooks the Blue Ridge Parkway and the Beacon Heights parking area. It looks like a cellular tower on the "hump" mountain but it didn't improve the signal much.