In August, eight scouts and five adults headed for the Appalachian Trail:
nine days of the best ridges and mountain tops in the Carolinas.
The high points, pun intended, were Standing Indian, Albert Mountain, Wayah
Bald, and Wesser Bald. Wesser has outstanding views of Mount LeConte
and Clingman’s Dome. Wayah overlooks Franklin, North Carolina and
that lovely valley. Standing Indian was fogged in, but the lovely
Fringed Orchids that grow in profusion along that crest were a special
view in themselves. Albert Mountain is the most commanding view in
the Carolinas. From atop the fire tower at its summit, the great
arcs of the Blue Ridge Mountains can be clearly seen. The southern
arm swings out from Asheville, and forms the border between North and South
Carolina as it reaches east to the Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, North Carolina,
South Carolina corner. To the north are the Smokies. Down the
center of the circle is the southern Pisgah range with Looking Glass and
Cold Mountains and the Shining Rock Wilderness mid-way between. Navigable
from end to end by the Art Loebe Trail, parts of this range will make up
our November trip this year. And finally, the north-south range that
made our trip was visible as far north as Wayah Bald. Wesser and the other
smaller northern peaks were obscured by Wayah. The wild flowers were
profuse. In particular the orchid Rattlesnake Plantain was to be
seen from one end of the trail to the other. Heavy rain and aggressive
ground bees were a chore. But after the rain cleared at Albert Mountain
to grant us that spectacular view, our week was dry with moderate temperatures.
An exciting, three hour trip down the white waters of the Nantahala River
Gorge washed away the dust and grime of the week as we came off the trail
at Wesser. In all, a memorable week.
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