Monday, August 8, 2016

"The Bald"

Hemphill Bald stands above Cataloochee Ski Area and Maggie Valley at 5400'. The "Bald' as its referred to locally sits on the south eastern boundary of The Great Smoky Mountain National Park, 800' and a couple miles or so from my front door. This corner of the park is the least visited and has become my little "private North Carolina." It offers numerous tranquil, solitary loops incorporating the Cataloochee Divide trail and Hemphill Bald trail along the southern ridge of the park and the Rough Fork, Big Fork, Caldwell Creek and Boogerman trails scattered in Cataloochee Valley below and north of the ridge. Human sightings area rare and wild life sightings are frequent: bear, wild pig, deer, elk, Turkey and grazing horses and cattle among others. The Bald, in my opinion offers some of the prettiest views in North Carolina.
View into Cataloochee Valley
The entire 800' climb is runnable. The first section heads south away from the house and up a maintained dirt road. Then turns off onto a private drive way where I am often greeted in the morning by barking Bo and Emogene as I pass through. The climb continues up to the left on an old, well traveled logging road, tunneled in spots by rhododendron as you climb through the trees. You will cross a couple creeks as you ascend along the road. Eventually you will pop out into an open grassy meadow, the tree line and fence directly across from you here mark the park boundary. Turn right and climb along a well traveled cattle path paralleling the fence toward the summit. You will be treated with stunning views off to your right towards the south and east as you climb.
Uphill
meadow climb



downhill
At the summit you will find a idyllic little perch, fenced off from the free range cattle in the area. A map here points out the surrounding summits. Views stretch off towards the east and include Moody Top and Purchase Knob among others. It's all down hill from here! Descend toward the east and follow the path as it falls away from the park and the ridge. It can get a little confusing here but if you stay to your right and on the trail you will eventually pop out onto a well maintained dirt road in a private housing development. The road makes for a quick decent, I turn off onto a little side trail back to my house before it links back up with the rode to the ski area.
 5 days up
Day 1 0915 a late start for me. Unusually warm already, 78 degrees. Busier than normal, cars up and down the road. No visit from the dogs this morning. The climb to the meadow was uneventful. Nothing stirring, not even cattle as I turned toward the summit.  Hot. A few cattle spotted among the trees in the shade on my descent, they watched as I passed but didn't move. I passed a group of folks heading up the road on my way dawn and said "good morning." They asked how far it was to the top? "Not far," I responded. Time 56:13
Day 2 0700 significantly cooler than yesterday, a beautiful morning, 62 degrees. Emogene was barking at a couple walking up the road I said "good morning" as I passed, they said nothing. Quiet this morning a light breeze blew high in the trees everything around me felt damp and a bit heavy. The meadow was thick with dew and it shown like frost in the morning sun, it splashed off my shoes as if I was crossing a creek, my feet soaked quickly. The clouds sat low in the valley below me. I stopped at the summit for a picture. Saw no one on my decent. Time 57:44
Smoky Mountains
 Day 3 0700 and 63 degrees. Still this morning, bugs hummed, bees buzzed and birds sang as if in concert and it seemed to get louder as I climbed. A dozen cattle stood still in the meadow below the summit unaffected by my presence as if enjoying the morning and the concert themselves. A doe sprang over the fence into the park a few yards ahead of me and disappeared. I was a little surprised to see a tent at the summit inside the fence. A man was standing there brushing his teeth, we exchanged pleasantries. I passed up and over the summit and descended quickly back to the house. Time 55:03
Day 4 0445 I groggily rolled out of bed at 0430. 64 degrees, a light swirling breeze made it comfortable. Dark. I spooked the horses and they thundered in a stampeded off to my left as I ran up the road. No greeting from the dogs this morning. Birds fluttered on perches here and there as I chased the orb of my head lamp up the road. The meadow was thick again with dew, stars shown beautifully from above and heat lightening danced in the east as I approached the summit. No wild life not even a flash from the eyes of grazing cattle. Fresh manure landmines where the only evidence they existed in the area. Time 57:27
Day 5 0445 woke before my alarm. It felt cooler than the 64 degrees on the thermometer. It had rained, dark clouds blocked any glimpse of the stars. Nothing seemed to move today, wisps of clouds danced across the trail in front of me as I climbed the logging road to the meadow. Pigs had left a large swath of freshly turned earth in the meadow half way to the summit. The wind was chilling. The light in the east appeared like the small strip of light along the floor of a closed door when approaching it from a dark hall way. I didn't see anything on my descent either, it was a little eerie. Time 57:13
**I hope you get a chance to experience "The Bald." Remember, please respect the wild and domestic animals in the area and the property owners who's property you will traverse to access this NC wonder.