In the Clouds - Shining Rock Wilderness

I am in the clouds and truly at peace.  My soul is free to soar with the wind.  I am ecstatic to have escaped the confinement of regular life.  The fog is alive, reaching its wispy tendrils out to embrace me as if to say, “welcome”.  I become one with my surroundings as my spirit melds harmoniously with the spirit of this place.  I am free at last, free to relax and let nature’s healing forces refresh and cleanse my body, mind, and soul.  

No, I am not in heaven, but close.  I am high atop a mountain bald in western North Carolina.  These Southern Appalachians may seem like mere hills to those mountaineers of the west, but to me this is one of the most beautiful places on Earth.  I feel a deep connection here.  These are my mountains.  This is where I belong.  I’ve heard it said that home is where the heart is.  If that is true, then I am home.  Outdoors in the fresh mountain air, I don’t have deadlines or schedules to worry about, bills to pay or chores to do.   I prefer to avoid clocks and routines all together.  There is complete freedom here.  With every breath of clean air I inhale, I feel the stress leave my body.   All negative thoughts are ejected into the atmosphere, where I am certain they are annihilated by the positive energy that abounds here. 

 This area near Shining Rock Wilderness in the Pisgah National Forest is very special to me and my family.  We traditionally spend every Labor Day weekend camping, hiking, and picking blueberries here.  My husband has been coming here since he was a boy.  My adventurous nature usually leads me to explore and discover new places rather than to revisit the same old sites, but there is a unique quality found here that compels me to return year after year.  It is amazing how nature works her magic to turn tragedy into beauty.  The unusual features of this place were created through a series of tragic events.  Between 1906 and 1925, continuous logging removed vast strands of spruce and fir forests.  Then in 1925 over 25,000 acres were destroyed in a massive wildfire.  The trees began to slowly grow back until another wildfire in 1942 killed most of the new growth.  Mountains that were once adorned with thick spruce and fir forests are now left mostly exposed except for thickets of shrubs and grasses.  Sad as this may seem, the unique beauty of the wide open grassy balds is breathtaking, with spectacular vistas in all directions on a clear day.  The lack of trees has also given way to blueberry and blackberry bushes growing wild and uninhibited.

The sweet fragrance of wildflowers mingles with damp earthiness to create a delightful blend of scents, sweet and slightly musty.  There is a certain quiet stillness that is unique to high altitudes.  The fog seems to enhance this effect creating a feeling of isolation and solitude.  As we hike along the often crowded Art Loeb Trail, we are lucky to encounter only a couple of other hikers.  My favorite section of the trail traverses Black Balsam Bald and Tennent Mountain, elevation 6040 feet.  I know that if this fog would clear I would be rewarded with beautiful views of rolling hills and majestic mountains stretching for miles, but I am not disappointed.  The clouds give this place an ethereal effect, mystical and enchanting.  It seems as if I have stepped out of reality into a fairy tale.

 The fog burns off eventually, but not until we begin our descent leaving the solitude of the hills and making our way toward Ivestor Gap.  We encounter quite a crowd as several trails intersect here.  Gently towering over the Gap is Blueberry Hill, a very popular berry picking destination.  Climbing to the top of Blueberry Hill is moderately challenging, but the higher you climb the sweeter the berries.  Many day trippers make the two mile trek from the parking area down an old road, the Ivestor Gap Trail.  Buckets in hand, they are anxious to fill them with sweet plump blueberries.  A few brave souls with four wheel drive vehicles attempt to drive the road.  It is barely passable, with huge ruts and rocks.  Among those who brave the road in trucks and jeeps is the Inman family.  Descendants of the settlers of Cold Mountain, the highest and most remote summit in the wilderness area, they set up quite an impressive camp at Ivestor Gap every Labor Day weekend for their annual family reunion.  They graciously welcome hungry hikers to stop by for a hearty pancake breakfast or better yet, a hot bowl of bear stew for lunch. 

We cross the wilderness boundary at Ivestor Gap, lingering at Blueberry Hill to pick berries for an hour or so before moving on toward Shining Rock Gap.  There are a few different tails leading into the wilderness area from here.  We choose a fairly level and easy route that nevertheless rewards us with stunning views now that the fog has cleared.  The landscape changes again as the trail meanders through a Rhododendron forest that seems magically enchanted.  This area is heavily populated by black bears as evidenced by several piles of bear scat right along the trail.  These bears are well fed this time of year with the blueberries in season.  If I were a bear I believe this is where I would want to live. 

We know that we are drawing near our destination when we pass several campsites scattered throughout the Rhododendron.  This is a popular campsite for backpackers.  The outcropping of quartz just ahead is a sight to behold and well worth the four mile trek from our camp.  Large quartz boulders rise from the earth forming a maze of crevasses that entertain the kids for hours.  They climb over and under the rocks exploring places that we adults wouldn’t dare to venture, for fear of getting stuck.  A short climb up some large and rather slick rocks of almost solid quartz and we reach the summit.  Shining Rock, the namesake of this wilderness area isn’t the highest peak, but it stands proudly at 5940 feet and offers glorious views of the surrounding mountains.  The shiny quartz is cool to the touch and provides a nice place to stretch out and take a break after hours of hiking and blueberry picking.   It isn’t likely that you will find solitude here, as it is the one of the highlights of the area and draws a crowd.  Most of the people we encounter share a common bond, a deep appreciation for nature.  We have met many interesting folks and engaged in some good conversations here at the rock.