Cascades ~ Crossing the County Line

This is the destination,
you'll see it again later in this post.
What would you call this?
Today may have been the last of the WINTER WALKABOUTS!
Let me say, I hope so, but, like most of my joys, I know I'll miss it when it's gone.
While the Cascades is just across the Watauga County line and into Ashe County
it seems a natural walkout from our section in Watauga. Most often I am bothered by signs along the trail. But in this section this reminder is safe to be heeded.
Finding the trail in the deep snow was a challenge unto itself. In good weather, this is an easy walking trail.
But winter storms have dropped trees and limbs all along the MST in Watauga and Ashe counties.
There are two observation points on this trail of the Cascades Waterfalls. Even the access was blocked by down trees.
All along the way there were frequently creek splashes that offered beautiful ice formations.
This is the upper observation point and the snow was about 12 inches at this point.
Gary and I took a break to mug for the camera.
And then commenced to take in the spectacular formations of ice along the riverside.
At times transparent and translucent ice was side by side.
Other formations were crystalline and fractured as if made of glass.
But we were determined to make it to the lower observation point. As you can see, the trail and steps are under debris. These are the steps down to the last point.
Forcing us to scramble over and under to reach the rock wall.
But once in and through the downfall there was room to stand and observe.
Taking a moment to clown for the camera.... ;-) STAY BEHIND WALL!

There is a sign at the start of the descent to the Cascades. I have always been touched by the poetry in the description that was given of these falls. I have pondered who wrote these words of grace.

Water plunges
like liquid lace
from overhead
and dashes past
to swirl and slide downward

in an abandon
of spray
and foam-lipped ripples.

Time to head out another excursion into the quiet of winter ending
for the day, for the season? Perhaps for this year.

E B Jeffress ~ Teacher - Journalist - Public Servant
more here

The view from the parking lot is breath taking. But all of the trails in these mountains are under the damage of the winter.

The Blue Ridge Parkway is planning an all out effort to recover the beauty. Unfortunately little will be done to help our trails. There is so much to do on the parkway proper. Follow this link if you are interested in the effort: Blue Ridge Parkway Recovery Plan

Standing one more moment at the edge of the world, the edge of winters retreat.
It's there, it's waiting,
spring's rebirth
is on the horizon.

Thunderhill to Ravens Rock ~ A Winter View

A quiet moment spent still, standing, looking for the trail... can you see it?

There in the center of the photo, an uninterrupted moment ~

not yet a trail
awaiting validation, confirmation;

a trail becomes a trail only when footsteps follow its' course.

At times it seems almost an intrusion to stomp across nature uninterrupted.
We begun this hike at Thunderhill near Blowing Rock. This section was built by volunteers and students from Georgia Tech during the Big Dig in the fall of 2009.
To see more click here

The rocks on this section are magnificent. Lichen covered, megaliths stacked a millennium ago by forces beyond human perception.

And yet, they continue to gently evolve; providing many unique seasonal wonders.

A close-up reveals the color available even in the heart of winter. This rock lichen, (Tripe?)gives a glowing purple tone to the stone. As an artist, I have used this lichen to create colored dye for making purple paper. By the way, in the lush of summer, this would be a fine soft, subtle, green and purple form.

Oh, yes, one should note that the previous lichen study was take from above this rock formation and can be spotted in the upper center of this photo. Just to give you photographic scale Gary paused a minute beneath this outcropping to contemplate the many others who had passed this way many thousands of times before.

After exploring the shelter rock it was time to get back on trail. It was not unusual for our ground flags to be completely buried under the snow. At times we could walk across the crust. But mostly we knew that at any step you might punch through and drop 18 inches deep.

None the less, there was always interesting form to be seen as redefined by the blanket of winter.

Contours shaped by shadow

Massive marshmallows

and snow cones align the trail.

Finally arriving at Raven Rock my friend Gary caught me clowning out on top. Yep, that's me up there in the center, the tiny black shadow in the trees.

Taking time at the split rail fence to take in the Raven Rock view.

That is the Parkway behind Gary in all its winter glory.

Is there any wonder why the signs say

"Avoid using the Parkway in snow and ice"?

This point provides a magnificent south side profile of Grandfather Mountain.

The horizon pan from this point provides a view of several notable peaks.

Sugar Top Condos on Sugar Mountain... (this is why North Carolina now has a Ridge Law)!

From Raven Rock you can also see Beech Mountain, Rich Mountain, Snake Mountain, and Elk Knob; quite the panorama of notable mountains.

Flat Top Mountain on Cone manor can be seen in the foreground. This saddle-back field is in front of the Cone family cemetery which is just behind the split evergreen trees.

Even the Cone manor can be spotted along the ridge across from Raven Rock.

Walking back along the parkway still covered in snow and ice

with the Yadkin Valley to the south

a dazzling moment in light sparkles one last reminder

of winter

quiet

February ~ Winter Trails ~ deHart Step ~ de Heartworks

Heart Powder

Winter Hiking

Hard crust on the snow

break through, stand up, new mission:
Carve light into ice.

swhaiku 02-2009

There is always time to stop and play along the way.

I am trying to make sure I mix more parts hope

and less parts despair

as I share MST images from Watauga and the Winter of 2010 This is what we love to hike in the winter forest. A nice wide level foot tread, good grade, and crunchy soft steps. But around each bend there awaits a plethora of obstacles.
Some of them minor, some quite the challenge. This rats nest of maples and oaks fell into the switchback at deHart Step crossing.

There is a large heart shaped stone at the creek crossing.

You can spot it just below the center of this photo.

Here is a view of that same heart step crossing taken during trail construction.
Somewhere beneath all of the winter debris,
lies this beautiful cascading waterfall.

To venture back to the summer click here...

My Friend Gary and I worked our way through the downfalls
and across the creek.

Nothing was easy in this traverse.

In an entanglement like this it is good to know you are hiking with a friend. Its a good idea to never hike alone in severe winter and on dangerous trails.

Completing the climb and stepping out into the valley is worth all of the trials.

And knowing this familiar trail will again look like this in the spring
puts winter in perspective.

I am reminded of why we continue to make the effort
to explore nature in all of its breathtaking forces.

The nature experience when taken to heart transcends beyond the moment

into the light

flowing within the river of life.

Happy Valentines 2010
Heartworks created by shelton wilder