Hiking. I've been up to rough Ridge several times in the snow (once with over a foot) and made it up to Top Crag once. Never been able to make the summit for one reason or another.
Imma need just a hint of zr and a coating of snow on grandfather at least. I'm actually off on the day after a winter threat for once and I'd love to finally actually summit grandfather in the snow.
Been dumping here on the TN line for the past hour. Went from barely a dusting on the grass to everything coated. Flake size increased as well like everybodu else is seeing.
Sunburst and lower graveyard falls were looking rather spiffy the other day. Also visited courthouse falls just up the road but that one has more rhododendron around it than anything.
Here's a few. Sunrise from rough Ridge, a couple shots from Mitchell and Crabtree the other evening. The colors around banner elk today are fantastic. 194 between banner elk and Valle crucis is absolutely stunning.
Just getting some edits done from Wednesday. Here's a neat shot. The skyline of Charlotte from Mt Mitchell. Takes very dry/clean/cool air to make it naked eye visible during the day. Around 90 miles or so. This was taken at my max of 200mm.
Dang. Im gonna have to head up there soon. Babel Tower will be really nice next week I bet. Hopefully the winds don't strip the upper rim this weekend.
Drove the parkway from Grandfather to Crabtree today and it's really looking pretty good. The area around Linville is the best right now (I think the gorge will be a great spot this year) but elsewhere it's spotty. Still a lot of green left and with the recent rain/cool weather there's some great potential in the 2000-3500ft range. Planning to hit sunrise on Grandfather somewhere tomorrow morning and then head down towards Graveyard fields during the afternoon. Hoping the wind isn't too terrible.
36 at the house this morning with a solid frost. Car showed a chilly 33 coming through Banner Elk on the way to work this morning. Loving it. Just seen Boone recorded 32 this morning.
Just came over grandfather on the way home from work to check it out. Color is coming along really nicely on the ridges between Beacon Heights and the Viaduct. Fairly vibrant at that. Rough Ridge as well. Otherwise very early stages at road level still. I'm hopefully heading up Cragway tomorrow since they've reopened it. Color looks great up there from what little you can see from the road. Here's a crappy phone pic from the Beacon Heights parking lot. Still lots of low clouds on that side.
So far I've seen some spotty areas that look really good from my photo friends on FB. I'm hoping to hike up the Boone fork bowl on Grandfather this Friday. That area has been good even when everything else sucks.