VIRGIN TERRITORY
Christy and I were planning a trip to Boone when we got a call from Joel. We hadn't heard from Joel in a while, but he was eager to do a hike. He had some ideas for hikes up near Boone. Joel knows more about trails in the NC mountains that anyone I know, so he had my attention. Watauga and Ashe County are mostly private property, so it's difficult to hike there. An old favorite was Snake Mountain, but the former owner had sold the property and now it was posted. After some debate, we decided to try Elk Knob, which is just across the road from Snake Mountain.
Christy, Saucony, and I met Joel, Dave, Myron, Dorcas, Bob, and Laura in Boone on Sunday morning. We drove up through Meat Camp and parked at the intersection with a "jeep" road. It was a jeep road according to Joel's map, but it was freshly graveled and in great shape. We wondered what we'd find on Elk Knob. Condos? Summer homes? We hiked up the road anyway, since we had nothing better to do. At the very least, it was a warm, sunny day.
After a short distance the improved road turned to the left. A rough jeep road continued up the mountain ahead. There were two sofas at the junction. We officially named the spot "sofa junction" and continued ahead on the jeep road.
The road was steep, muddy, and ugly. At one point we turned off onto a footpath, but it quickly rejoined the road. We did this twice more before reaching a meadow just below the summit. We had been climbing for an hour, but it was worth it. The view from the meadow was spectacular. Snake Mountain, Rich Mountain, and Potato Knob loomed across the valley from us. To the south were Howard's Knob and another Rich Mountain, which hid the town of Boone from view. Beyond those peaks was the massive bulk of Grandfather Mountain. Beech, Sugar, and Roan Mountain were also visible, as were the Black Mountains in the farthest distance.
After a long break we hiked the rest of the way to the top. The road ended abruptly at a cliff and another fine view. Mt. Rogers and Whitetop Mountain in Virginia were easy to spot. Rogers Ridge in Tennessee was also visible. Other prominent peaks included Pond Mountain, The Peak, 3 Top Mountain, and Old Field Bald. Below us were woods, pastures, and Christmas tree farms. Our route seemed to end here, so we stopped for lunch and discussed our next move.
After eating I explored across the summit through the woods to the south. I found another great viewpoint, and 2 trails leading down. Both were marked with ribbons. I went back and gathered everyone, and we hiked down the trail heading east. Old Field Bald looked like a great destination from our lunch spot, so we decided to go for it.
We hiked down a steep, rough path covered with leaves. It was a little hazardous, but the descent was uneventful. Once in the valley we found the remains of an old building and a pond. Soon we found ourselves on a broad dirt road. It was heading in the right direction, so we followed it. It looked well used, and we were sure it would bring us into the back of someone's farm. We passed several junctions, and one really nice area that would be suitable for camping. Shortly afterward we passed a large Christmas tree farm. Even though we seemed to be getting back to civilization, there was no one around.
We climbed another hill and found ourselves at the base of Old Field Bald. The sunny meadows looked appealing, but it was already 2pm. The summit was probably a mile away, and we still had to go back 5 miles. Reluctantly, we turned back.
The hike back was uneventful. The climb back up Elk Knob was steep, but not as difficult as we expected. On the way back down, we passed a family hiking up. They asked if the road led to the top of the mountain. We gave them directions, but I was a bit nervous about it. There was maybe 30 minutes of daylight left, and they had no gear. I hope they got back down ok.
We reached the cars in plenty of time for a beer and a change of clothes before heading for Boone and dinner. It had been a great hike in a completely new area. The weather was perfect, but we saw only 1 group of hikers all day. We had barely finished the hike when we began discussing all of the possibilities the area had to offer. We agreed to come back and hike all the way to Old Field Bald. We also made plans to hike Rich Mountain, Potato Knob, 3 Top Mountain, and The Peak. Nothing excites our group like new territory.
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