Pisgah 400: Winter Ice On the Blue Ridge Parkway - Case Camp Ridge & Seniard Ridge Trail Loop

Pisgah 400: Case Camp Ridge/BRP/Seniard Ridge Loop Hike – 2/9/22 – 7.5 Miles

When the Blue Ridge Parkway is closed to vehicular traffic, we bipedal thrill-seekers take advantage. Cyclists enjoy the road when it’s dry and clear and cross-country skiers rule when the white stuff accumulates. Hikers do both!

I don’t hike alone in very cold temperatures (safety in numbers when hypothermia is possible) and I missed a couple of opportunities to do this winter hike with a group. I went out on a limb and asked my friend Nancy if she’d like to meet me for a mid-week hike. She asked if she could invite another friend – and that’s how I got to meet Anita.

I left home in the dark (about 6:15 a.m.) for the unavoidable long drive to Pisgah National Forest. The mountains are where they are! We all showed up at the trailhead at 9:00 a.m., introduced ourselves, checked the current temperature (24 degrees) and took a “start photo.”

If you’re going in wintertime, check with the Pisgah Forest Ranger District to see if the gate to FR 475B is open. If they say it’s not, be prepared to add a couple of miles to your hike… or be pleasantly surprised like I was to find it open anyway.

Case Camp Ridge Trail is 1.5 miles of heart-thumping uphill, about 1,000 feet elevation gain. I suspect my friends hiked in a slightly lower gear to give me some grace and I pulled it off with only a couple of 30-second stops. Maybe I should have eaten the Clif bar that was in my pocket before I started the hike?

On my last gasp, we reached the Blue Ridge Parkway and saw that the recent snow had melted from the pavement. We enjoyed walking the “yellow blaze” for 1.5 miles southbound. There were a couple of big blowdowns that had been cleared down to one lane, presumably to allow for park employees and rescue vehicles. 

The real reason for hiking on the BRP in the winter - icicles! Most of the rock walls along this stretch are east-facing, exposed to the morning sun. Maybe that helped with the freeze-thaw cycle that created these impressive ice formations that can only be glimpsed as you whiz by in a car. Yet here we were, standing as in an art gallery, admiring nature’s sculptures – until pieces began falling off – yikes!

At Looking Glass Rock Overlook, the morning sun casts a blueish haze
Can you see the glistening ice on the rock face?

Too busy talking, I almost missed the turn off the Parkway onto Seniard Ridge Trail. Nancy spotted it behind a guard rail (Umm, do we need to turn here?)

As steeply as Case Camp Ridge Trail lifted us up to the BRP, Seniard Ridge Trail switchbacked us back down before leveling out to a reasonable grade. Glad there was no snow or ice on the trail because my spikes were, of course, left behind at home. With plenty of breathing room, we kept up a steady conversation to match our hiking pace, comparing notes and stories of places we’ve hiked. Today was a social event, not an introspective, reverence-for-the-woods type of hike. Okay with me as I soaked up information and inspiration.

Winter scene: Looking Glass Rock’s distinctive silhouette through bare branches

Seniard Ridge Trail crosses a couple of old forest roads, and my GAIA topo maps and NatGeo maps are dated and did not agree.  Fortunately, my obsession with research turned up a hike report with screenshots to help me determine the proper route so I could keep my eyes open for a couple of waterfalls. [Is that nerdy enough for you?] 

The trail settled on FR 5043 and we crossed Big Bearpen Branch, then an unnamed branch where Logging Road Falls was right by the road. This waterfall is part of the Carolina Mountain Club’s Waterfalls 100 Challenge. In summer its multiple cascades are obscured by overgrowth.

A very sturdy bridge on the old roadbed
This was a logging road, built to accommodate heavy equipment

Log Hollow Branch Falls’ flow was more impressive, just a hundred feet from the trail

We tried to find Upper Log Hollow Branch Falls, following what we thought was a faint trail from the road up the right side of the creek. In the spring we would not have considered this at all, but with no undergrowth we convinced ourselves because we knew that’s where the falls had to be. Talk about calf stretching! Whew! I thought all the uphill was out of the way. We did get to a point where we could glimpse the cascade through the rhododendron, but that’s as far as we tried. [If you’re going: I read later that we should have gone up the left side of the creek. You’re welcome.]

The rest of Seniard Ridge Trail meandered on and off forest roads and GAIA was reliable for staying on course, shorter but steeper climbing to go up and over what the forest roads went around on gentler grades.

We finished the hike by 1:20 pm – who would have thunk it? Certainly not me. Except to take some photos, we had not stopped for any kind of break, no lunch, just eating an energy bar while we walked. In cold weather it’s okay to keep moving, but in warmer weather we would have made a couple of stops. Mission accomplished and a great workout!

I enjoyed meeting Anita and am looking forward to hiking with her and Nancy again. Now that I have more midweek flexibility, I am expanding my hiking network. Happy retirement!

In preparation for this hike I checked out this blog post by dwhike.com. I find his hike reports to be thorough and easy to follow with great photos.

“If you truly love nature, 
you will find beauty everywhere.”
 ~Vincent van Gogh

Pisgah 400: MST & Bridges Camp Gap Trail

Pisgah 400: MST & Bridges Camp Gap Trail to Big East Fork of the Pigeon River
10/31/21 – 3.8 Miles

After two rainy days of our last-chance weekend of 2021 in the NC mountains, Halloween morning dawned in spectacular fashion. Wait a minute – hasn’t the “peak leaf weekend” already passed? Tell that to the trees saturated in fall’s colors.

Jim and I didn’t waste any time driving up Hwy 276 from Waynesville to the Blue Ridge Parkway. At the Looking Glass Rock Overlook, a brisk wind was blowing puffy clouds around, revealing blue skies and crisp vistas.

Looking Glass Rock

Of course we knew just what to do – hiking and biking! From the overlook, Jim set off for a ride on the BRP and I crossed the road to a short access trail to the Mountains-to-Sea Trail. My destination was Bridges Camp Gap Trail to the Big East Fork of the Pigeon River.

This is a popular access point to Skinny Dip Falls. Unfortunately, in August 2021 Tropical Storm Fred wreaked havoc in these mountains, major flooding washing out trails and bridges and devastating communities down river, including loss of life. The MST to Skinny Dip Falls was closed for months until Carolina Mountain Club trail maintainers made repairs. Next time you see a trail maintainer, thank them!

At the junction, I turned right onto the MST

An autumn leaf carpet trail

After a quarter mile I reached the left turn onto Bridges Camp Gap Trail

The first half-mile is a gentle downslope, then two switchbacks took me to the banks of Big East Fork. Here the trail turned right (a path also goes left to campsites, not sure how far upstream it goes). I stopped to look at the water level, flowing mostly on the far side of a very wide rocky bed.

The trail climbs high up on the bank to a level bench and follows Big East Fork downstream. From this vantage point I caught glimpses of the water’s slides and pools. How fun this playground must be in the summertime! I couldn’t resist one steep side trail to the water’s edge: amazing swirls on the rocks as cascading water formed one pool after another in the steady downhill flow. Everything was still wet from the previous days’ rains and I was very mindful of slipping and being injured, as I was alone and no one would see me from the trail…

Before I knew it, I was at the confluence of Big East Fork and Greasy Cove Prong merging to become the Pigeon River. This is also where Bridges Camp Gap Trail, Greasy Cove Trail and and Big East Fork Trail intersect. [I passed through here back in 2012.]

At the campsite by the trail intersection, I met a young dayhiker dude looking at a map. We had a brief conversation but he seemed a little hesitant – creepy or just shy? I’m not sure he was where he wanted to be. With an eye on the time to rendezvous with Jim, I started back up Bridges Camp Gap Trail to return to the Parkway.

The Looking Glass Overlook parking area was full and the BRP was busy with cars and cyclists. Our planned meeting place was the Cradle of Forestry on Hwy 276, and as I drove down the curvy road I came upon Jim being followed by a couple of other cars. I saw how impatient the drivers were with him, which makes me worry for him and other cyclists. Come on, people: is where you are going so important that you feel justified endangering a life?

Today was a truly beautiful little hike. As confounding as Pisgah National Forest can be at times, I am grateful to get there when I can. I felt good at every step, even the uphill, and I caught a glimpse of the peace that I seek (having a hard time getting doses in my daily life).

Home in time for trick-or-treaters!

"That's a crooked tree. We'll send him to Washington."
 ~Bob Ross

Pisgah 400: Looking Glass Rock

Pisgah 400 – Looking Glass Rock – 1/13/17 – 6.2 Miles

New Year’s Resolutions lists?  Hikers make New Year’s lists of hiking goals that include long trails, national parks, famous views.  I’ve got all kinds of lists I’m “working on” like the Pisgah 400 Challenge and completing the AT in North Carolina. One of my 2017 goals is camping in January and December, something I’ve never done because those two months are filled with family activities and work obligations.  I have now checked the January box when I slipped away for an overnight at Pisgah National Forest (kinda cheating because the weather forecast was mild.)

Can you believe I’ve never hiked at Looking Glass Rock?  I have gazed upon it from many vantage points.

 From John Rock

 From the Coontree Loop Trail, Pisgah NF

From the Blue Ridge Parkway overlook at Milepost 417

But every time I thought about hiking on Looking Glass Rock itself, the idea of the crowds marching ant-like up the lone trail to it seemed downright unappealing, given that there are so many other choices in the rich wilderness areas of Pisgah National Forest.  Elitist?  I suppose.

Or maybe the universe was just patiently awaiting a crisp, not-too-chilly January Friday afternoon.

I pitched a tent at Davidson River Campground, then found the trailhead on Forest Road 475 (aka Fish Hatchery Road).  Only one car parked there, a good sign, and I met the owners descending as I hiked up. The trail winds around switchbacks, crosses a nice stream, levels out briefly and then climbs again.  The rock face is beyond the actual summit of the mountain and I knew not to be disappointed when the trail began descending.

No surprise:  the trail was wide and rutted, suffering from overuse that the Forest Service tries its best to mitigate.  I silently passed judgment on all the visitors who perpetuate the shortcuts when there is a perfectly good trail in place.

The rock face is vast and intimidating, not much level surface before the slope gets steeper and I didn’t trust my feet not to slip.  I inched from tree to tree, looking for the perfect viewpoint, which was silly since I had the place completely to myself and the wilderness was rolled out before me. 

A young couple arrived but didn’t see me in my nook beside some small trees.  The woman was a daredevil but the man was cautious, and he watched with uncertainty as she walked unhesitatingly down the curving rock face.  I hoped I wasn’t witnessing a fatality unfold (it would not be the first one there.) Along with the young man, I felt relieved when she returned to sit with him.

I sat for more than an hour, watching as the sun’s rays pierced the cloud cover like spotlights on a stage.  The light moved across the mountain tops and dipped into the valleys, followed by shadows flowing into the same spaces.

One of the things I appreciate about hiking alone is going at my own pace and not talking.  When I hike with others, the focus is on conversation as well as the scenery, the attention span is shorter, and the group is ready to move along to the next thing, all okay factors among friends.  The appreciation for the surroundings is still there.  But the contemplative silence of sitting and observing, then walking back down the trail in silence, has a calming effect on me.  I feel introspective and reverent – big words for big feelings.

My favorite pic of the day

When I camp alone for one night, I don’t bother to cook.  I may bring a cold supper or even go to a restaurant in the nearest town.  I looked forward all day to indulging at a wonderful Chinese mega-buffet – and felt very “fortunate”!

“To be alone by being part of the universe – fitting in completely to an environment of woods and silence and peace. Everything you do becomes a unity and a prayer.”  ~Thomas Merton

Blue Ridge Parkway overlook at Milepost 417