Commissary, Buncombe Horse, Big Tom Gap, and Old Mitchell Trails - Mount Mitchell State Park, NC
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- Опубліковано 16 жов 2024
- Hike #2 for the Black Mountains Hiking Challenge
nchighpeaks.or...
After more than 3 months of working on my dissertation I finally got back out to the mountains for hike #2 of the Black Mountains Hiking Challenge. This hike occurred on April 27, 2019 following a quick warm-up hike to Craggy Pinnacle. My plan was similar to loop hikes I've done in 2013 and 2017 to Maple Camp Bald, the second of which I linked below.
*Note, my phone was lagging during this hike when recording video. I had to delete the first 20 seconds of my intro segment because it was frozen.*
Stepps Gap was closed for parking, so I parked at the Mount Mitchell restaurant and followed the Old Mitchell Trail south. Although I had already bagged Mount Hallback, I decided to do it again to look for a manway others have used. On the way down from the summit I found the faint path, but honestly it would make little difference for your bushwhack. Once at Stepps Gap I was in a peakbagging mood so I followed the road up to Mount Gibbes. There was really no reason to do this other than adding mileage and a faint notion I would complete the South Beyond 6000 Challenge a second time.
Back at Stepps Gap I followed the Commissary Trail, a level forest road on the east side of Mount Mitchell. This trail turns right past Camp Alice and turns into the Buncombe Horse Range Trail, which passes by Commissary Hill and the Mount Mitchell Trail. After these junctions the forest road is much less traveled, and almost always wetter and more overgrown than any other trail in the Black Mountains. As you head north you'll first pass by Fork Ridge, a small bald with good views of Mount Mitchell and Balsam Cone. Then the BHRT passes a junction with the Big Tom Gap Trail and turns right on a long, overgrown track to Maple Camp Bald.
Maple Camp Bald is one of my favorite spots in the Black Mountains. It is relatively easy to reach, rarely has other hikers, and has excellent views of the peaks surrounding the headwaters of the South Toe River valley and the highest peaks in the East. I turned around and followed the steep, unrelenting Big Tom Gap Trail to Big Tom Gap. My tiredness got the best of me here, I thought I may bag Balsam Cone and Cattail Peal but decided to skip both. I proceeded south on the Black Mountain Crest Trail/Deep Gap Trail up and over Big Tom and Mount Craig. Given it was the afternoon late April, the haze started building by the time I got to Mount Craig and the views were less than stellar.
Mount Mitchell was crowded as I expected, so I did not stay long. If you want a better idea of what you can see from the tower, check my Mount Mitchell Trail video from a few months ago • Mount Mitchell Trail -... . From Mount Mitchell I followed the Old Mitchell Trail north, and this was much rougher than I remembered. The Old Mitchell Trail may be one of the most rugged trails in the park that doesn't feature a drastic change in elevation. I finished this enjoyable hike in a little over 7 hours, knocking out 3 more trails and 2 trail segments for the challenge.
Distance - 12.4 miles
Elevation gain - 2,710 feet
Time - 7 hours and 10 minutes
Trails completed:
Commissary Trail [MMSP]
Buncombe Horse Range Trail [191], section 191b
Big Tom Gap Trail [191A]
Black Mountain Crest Trail [179], section 179d
Old Mitchell Trail [MMSP]
Hike location
goo.gl/maps/fs...
Hike report
www.hikingupwa...
Maps for this hike:
U.S. Forest Service
store.usgs.gov...
Pisgah Map Company
www.pisgahmapc...
National Geographic
www.natgeomaps...
Mount Mitchell weather station and webcams
nchighpeaks.or...
Mount Mitchell State Park website
www.ncparks.go...
Other hikes mentioned:
Maple Camp Bald and the Central Blacks
• Maple Camp Bald and Mo...
Southern Black Mountains peakbagging
• Southern Black Mountai...
Craggy Pinnacle
• Craggy Pinnacle - Crag...
Mount Mitchell Trail
• Mount Mitchell Trail -...
As someone who adores the Black Mountain Range I truly salute your videos and the connection you have for the BMR and our gorgeous Appalachian mountains of NC. Keep your best foot continuing forward Zachary. I much love your videos and the experiences you share with us hiking them.
Thank you again for sharing your adventures with us...I love ...absolutely LOVE the Black Mountains...I feel most at home in this area and the South Toe area.
Thanks so much, glad you enjoyed.
Your videos inspired me to hike from the Graybeard trailhead to Mt Mitchell. Thanks for sharing
Dang that's a tough hike
@@bigzach322 Went old Mitchell toll rd to the parkway, walked up 128 to the Buncombe horse range trail to Mt Mitchell trail up to the summit. Came back down and camped in Commissary Hill.
Yeah that's long, I'd get tired of that because it's almost all rocky forest roads.
Great video as always. Congrats on your progress towards your PHD!
Thank you!
You inspired me to do the Black Mountain Hiking Challenge, following in your footsteps. I will be doing the Black Mountain Campground trails on Tuesday, your Hike #1 on Wednesday, and your Hike #2 (this video) on Thursday. Weather is supposed to be super. Anyhow, keep those videos coming. If the COVID virus fades, maybe back to Europe next year sometime. I am retired now, so have plenty of time to hike!
Awesome, you really lucked out with the weather this week. I'm actually in the same area for the week staying at a cabin with a view of the Black Mountains, so I know the views must be spectacular up there.
@@bigzach322 Yes, it was fabulous. May be the last hurrah for the year, we shall see!
Hey Zach great video I just recently bagged mount rogers for the 3rd time but I decided to do it from elk garden this time it was a nice hike and I had great views from brier ridge saddle
I may go there tomorrow just to get some cooler temperatures, haven't hiked from Elk Garden towards Mt. Rogers.
Been binge watching some of your hikes today (love them ALL). Did you ever do the hike from Elk Garden? Doing an out and back from there to Thomas Knob Shelter is a pleasant hike, with much of the trail having a soft tread, a nice change from all the roots and rocks! But that area is getting so crowded I am now seeking the lesser known hiking (and horse) trails. It's fun exploring! And by the way, congrats on your degree!
Just wondering, is the observation tower at Clingman's Dome actually higher than Mount Mitchell? Love those little balds. And congrats, doc!
Mt Mitchell is 10 ft making it 6,694 ft high and Clingmans Dome is 45 ft making it 6,688 ft high. And I wasn't a doctor in this video but I have since finished, so thanks anyways!
@@bigzach322 Keep in mind that both observation towers are actually in North Carolina however. Most do not realize that most of the Clingmans Dome summit road, trail, and parking areas are entirely in NC. That includes the observation Tower itself there as well. Still the views from atop Mitchell are unrivaled with the huge prominence it brings of the surrounding views.
Yup I know all of this, the top of the tower is on the border.
I'm planning to take my 10 year old on a shorter version of this hike. Just an out and back from the parking lot to Maple Ridge Bald. Did you come across a good amount of water sources? We're planning to camp at Maple Ridge Bald.
The best water source is the closest one to Maple Camp Bald. You cross the beginning of Thee Creek right after the junction with the Big Tom Gap Trail. There will always be some water there.