Graybeard Mountain Summit - Success At Last

Graybeard Mountain Summit – 3/8/14 - 9 Miles

Like all love relationships, sometimes a hike is simple and sometimes it’s complicated.  The challenge of Graybeard Mountain has eluded me for several years.  Is it ultra-difficult?  Is it trailless?  Is it legendary?  Nah.  I just had a mild crush, not a burning desire, so the couple of times I’ve penciled it on the calendar the weather has been uncooperative and I’ve easily talked myself into going for a cup of coffee instead.  The one time I actually got on the trail, my hiking partner and I ran out of time and had to turn around before reaching the summit.  (How close were we?  Probably a quarter of a mile.) 

Hope springs eternal, and today was the day.  The Carolina Bergs were going to Montreat, so I knew the hike would be accomplished rain, shine, sleet or snow, daylight or dark, with food and fellowship at the end of the trek. 

Graybeard Mountain is near Montreat, NC, in the backyard of Black Mountain, home to Montreat College and evangelist Billy Graham.  The town’s cottages, both quaint and majestic, are tucked among the rhododendrons on narrow winding roads in this tiny cove with mountains rising on all sides.  One way in, one way out.   There are many great hike options on private conservation land with trails open to the public.  A trail map can be picked up at the Montreat Store at the conference center or  print one from this website.  (While you’re there, visit the College’s Chapel of the Prodigal to see Ben Long’s fresco “Return of the Prodigal.”)

Our loop started with a short road walk from the Graybeard Trail parking area to Suwanee Road and the Big Piney Ridge Trail, where we all quit talking for the 1.5-mile steep, steep, steep ascent.  Traces of snow on the ground were noted.  Little did we know what was coming.

A view of Graybeard Mountain from Big Piney Ridge Trail – how far did you say that was?

The loop turned right onto West Ridge Trail, the ridge itself called the Seven Sisters for seven gently rising peaks that lead increasingly upward to Graybeard Mountain.   An open rock face area on Big Piney (aka Brushy Knob) was a place to pose for photos, allowing us to catch our breath.

The steep climb was a warmup and now the slow and steady work began as we hauled our butts over the Sisters.  As advertised, the trail was rugged…and then there was that snow. 

And snow

And rock scrambling in snow

The day was warm and the snow was melting, the caution flags going up for us to slow down on the slippery surfaces.  One new member to our group mumbled something about not reading the fine print on the hike website.  We pressed on past the time we were hungry because Steve kept looking for “the rock” to eat lunch on and we wearily followed, increasingly wondering at his senility and whether said rock really existed.  BUT we did eventually find the rock – and it was perfect – and we enjoyed sitting and eating on top of a snowy mountain on a beautiful crisp clear day. 

After 2.5 miles of steady ascent the trail reached its junction with the Graybeard Trail at a point known as Big Slaty or False Graybeard.  The snow was deeper and we slowed down even more for the remaining .3 miles.  

The summit of Graybeard Mountain, 5,408 feet, was once clear but is now becoming overgrown.  The view directly north is a sweeping vista of the Black Mountain Range.  Mount Mitchell, the highest mountain in the eastern United States at 6,683 feet, is the distant peak to the right of the distinct white snow patch near the center of the photo.

With a chill breeze blowing and the clock running out, we did not linger long at the summit.  Backtracking .3 miles down to the junction, we turned left to follow the Graybeard Mountain Trail down to our starting point.  The steepness of our ascent had to be negotiated now going down and the slushy factor had increased with the strong sun.  Several people slipped but I set the record for two spectacular falls.  

Mike and Steve at the fire ring of Walker’s Knob Shelter.  The shelter is a great base for spending the night near the summit to catch a sunrise from Graybeard.  Reservations should be made through the Montreat Nature Center.  

After another mile of slip-n-slide the trail gentled out to long switchbacks.  A few extra steps at one turn gives a close-up of Graybeard Falls, a little underwhelming today but may be more robust after a good soaking rain.   

After two more switchbacks the trail followed Flat Creek, criss-crossing it several times, to finish our loop at the parking area.  Along this section we encountered several groups of late afternoon hikers.  I wondered how many of them would make it to the summit in the snow and back down before dark?

An excellent and more detailed description of this loop hike going in a counterclockwise direction is at this website. 

The perfect ending to a day of hiking in Montreat is a meal at My Father’s Pizza in nearby Black Mountain.  Enjoy local beers and hard ciders and make sure you are not the designated driver!

“How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.”  ~Annie Dillard

Graybeard Mountain

Graybeard Mountain – Montreat – 2/25/12 – Felt Like 8 Miles

Each year in late February my church, Avondale Presbyterian, offers a women’s retreat in Montreat, NC, the small community next to Black Mountain whose most famous citizen is Billy Graham.  We take over William Black Lodge, share meals, laughs, a guest speaker for the weekend, maybe some games, and experience a renewing of relationships and an injection of faith into the soul.  On Saturday afternoons some of the women go into Black Mountain for lunch and shopping, and some go hiking up to Lookout Mountain, a lovely scenic spot that isn’t too far in distance but takes some work to get to.  I’ve been to Lookout a few times so I like to go off exploring the other trails around Montreat.

This year I advertised a strenuous hike, and perhaps I didn’t sell it well because I only got one taker, our associate pastor, Jane.  In years past Jane had done a lot of hiking and backpacking, but work duties and life have not allowed room for such things in recent years.  So…what’s it like to spend the afternoon with your pastor?  A gift.

We scavenged food from the snack table and walked down Assembly Drive (aka Graybeard Trail), talking 90 miles an hour, and walked past the trailhead sign.  We ended up in someone’s driveway and turned around.  Story of my life – lost before I start.  In my defense, the roads at Montreat are small and winding, kinda like trails…

Near the trailhead we crossed Flat Creek on a very impressive bridge.  There was a definite chill in the air but a very clear blue sky.  Hats and gloves all day today and keep moving!

Very early in the hike we met a guy wearing a kilt, a bit unusual.  He was a member of the local trail club and his first question was, “Do you have a current map?”  Well, let’s see.  I pulled out my one-page map and indeed it was not the newest edition.  Kind sir produced a new map from somewhere in his pack (not his kilt, I was watching closely) and showed us that the trail had been rerouted with gentle switchbacks.  Hmmm…how much mileage does that add?    Mr. Kilt did not say.  But who cares?  We’re hiking on a spectacular winter day.

I was delighted to find that Jane is a good person to hike with.  She has an extensive knowledge of plants, identifying emerging foliage, and appreciated stopping to ponder the little things near the ground and overhead.  We were both ready for some nature time and didn’t solve any big theological questions…or did we?  More and more I think that just leaving the questions behind and getting outside in God’s world really is the answer.

The trail was in great shape, as are all the Montreat area trails that I have hiked on (thanks to Mr. Kilt and his trail maintainer friends).  There are sufficient blazes and few obstacles.  We rock hopped across the creek several times and had a good workout on the steep sections and switchbacks.  

We crossed an enormous boulder field and speculated on what it would have been like the day those big rocks tumbled to their resting places.  Huge trees were growing bravely out of narrow cracks.  This little fellow will split the rock someday. 

At Walker’s Knob Shelter we took a snack break.   Looks pretty cozy for a windy or rainy night.

Jane I hiked for several years (hours) on the supposedly 3.5-mile trail toward the summit of Graybeard Mountain, but we finally had to call it quits because of the lateness of the hour.  The compulsive completer in me was very conflicted, but there was no way to tell how far away the summit was.  It could have been 100 yards or another half-mile and we had run out of time.  Didn’t want to miss dinner, after all!  Here we are to prove that we got this far. 

 An awesome view along Graybeard Trail

On the return trip we investigated this quirky tree, a hollow middle that we could see through but lots of “outside”.  Is that a metaphor for a church retreat topic or what?

Icicles dripping along the trail – I told you it was cold

Just a few short steps from one of the switchback turns is Graybeard Falls, trickling today

The walk down was quicker, of course, and we made it back to the William Black Lodge in time for a quick shower and a hot meal.  But, come on, line dancing after dinner?  Well, if you insist...

I love to think of nature as an unlimited broadcasting station, through which God speaks to us every hour, if we will only tune in.  ~George Washington Carver

God writes the gospel not in the Bible alone, but on trees and flowers and clouds and stars.  ~Martin Luther