I ran into an old camping acquaintance Sunday in the Wilson Creek area Sunday and we spent a few minutes updating one another on our travels. Among her recent exploits: a February visit to Roan Mountain.
Roan Mountain in February? I thought. Risky business being above 6,000 feet in the dead of winter. A better time, I thought, would be … right now.
Massive Roan Mountain straddles the North Carolina/Tennessee line, and is popular for many reasons: its vast balds, sweeping views, and endless skies. What it’s best known for outside hiking circles are its expansive rhododendron gardens. These effusive pink blooms have come and gone in other parts of the state, but because of the higher elevation at Roan Mountain, the rhododendron are just now exploding — and just in time for the July 4 holiday weekend now upon us.
There are multiple ways to explore Roan beyond the traditional two-mile drive to the top ($3 entrance fee) and short walk to the actual gardens.
Here are four adventurous ways to celebrate the Fourth in Roan Highlands.

1. Hike to the gardens. Park in the lot atop Carver’s Gap, (elevation 5,500 feet) and hike south on the Appalachian Trail 1.5 miles to Roan High Knob. This is a more intimate, tree-enveloped hike: you won’t experience Roan’s great views on the way up, but you will, cloud-cover permitting, from 6,285-foot Roan High Knob. Between the elevation and the tree cover, this is an especially good hike option on a hot day. 3 miles out-and-back, moderate to strenuous.
2. Hike the balds. Also starting from Carver’s Gap, hike north on the AT. You’ll gain elevation quickly, passing through an isolated spruce-fir stand, then emerge into vast grassy balds offering 360-views of a who’s who of Southeast peaks. Round Bald (5,826 feet: 300-foot vertical gain in three-quarters of a mile) is your first stop, and you’d be justified if you wanted to plop down and spend the day here, marveling. Jane Bald (5,807 feet) beckons, just three-quarters of a mile beyond (a stretch where rhododendrons and flame azalea will be ablaze). Continue on to Grassy Bald (hanging a right turn off the AT) and top out at 6,189 feet. Now, you can kick back and settle in (though keep an eye on the sky; the weather here can change in an instant). 5 miles out-and-back, moderate.
3. Long hump to Hump Mountain. The Roan Highlands is defined as the ridge running from Roan Mountain north to 5,587-foot Hump Mountain, another stellar bald offering panoramic views. This option is for the hiker who wants to put in more mileage: 11 miles total. Start from the modest AT access point off US 19E and hike the AT north, gradually gaining elevation through a mellow draw. About four miles in, the trail gets rocky for a half mile or so, then emerges into open meadow for the climb up Hump Mountain. Return the way you came. 11 miles out-and-back, moderate to strenuous.
4. Short hump to Little Hump. Like the idea of experiencing a less-visited stretch of the Roan Highlands, but not so much the idea of hiking nearly 11 miles? From US 19E in North Carolina take the entertaining and ever-dwindling Roaring Creek Road north for about five miles to the Yellow Mountain Gap Trailhead. From there, it’s a quarter mile up an old dirt road to the AT. Go right (north) on the AT, initially through tight vegetation then emerging into yet another grassy expanse and the climb to 5,460-foot Little Hump Mountain. You’ve hiked about two miles so far (four miles roundtrip), another two gets you to Hump Mountain (eight miles roundtrip). Return the way you came. 4 miles out-and-back, moderate to strenuous.

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If you go: I’ve never had the good timing to be on Roan Mountain at peak rhododendron bloom. If you go, help the rest of us live vicariously and share a photo or two on our Facebook page.

The post Four ways to celebrate the Roan Highlands appeared first on GetGoing NC!.

Coast

Often when we think of getting a little exercise on foot we think of putting on the hiking boots and fleece and hitting the trail, or digging out the windsuit for an early morning stroll around the mall. In short, we think workout, we think sweat.

But there are more subtle forms of walking exercise, one of which is Saturday’s Walking Tour of Historic Wilmington in … historic Wilmington. It’s a 1.5-hour walk that will cover roughly 12 blocks of downtown Wilmington, visiting homes, churches, and other structures of historical and archaeological significance. You’ll be so caught up learning about these structures and the roles they played in Wilmington’s development that you won’t feel like you’ve walked a mile and a half.

Logistics: Saturday, Feb. 7, 10 a.m., meets at the Latimer House Museum (pictured), 126 S. Third St., Wilmington. $10. More info here.

Saturday forecast: Sunny, high of 59.

Piedmont

Citizen science is a great thing. Those of without formal training in an area are nonetheless deputized to help with some basic data collection. In the case of The Great Backyard Bird Count, for instance, for four days in February we’re all brought on board to help count birds, right in our own backyards. It’s a somewhat less formal way of tracking bird populations than the annual Christmas Bird Count, which also enlists amateurs but is overseen by experienced birders.

But even while no expertise is required for The Great Backyard Bird Count, many of us feel ill-equipped to make key bird identifications: Is that a robin or a condor, a woodpecker or a penguin? A little direction, please?

A little direction is what the folks at Raven Rock State Park will be providing Saturday in a Backyard Birds clinic. Bring your binos and learn how to make these important distinctions, by sight and by sound.

Logistics: Saturday, Feb. 1, 1 p.m., Raven Rock State Park, Lillington. For more information and to register: 910.893.4888

Saturday forecast: High of 59, sunny.

Mountains

Here’s something you don’t always get to do on a winter’s day: take a guided hike in the Roan Mountain area, including a hike out to Grassy Ridge at 6,400 feet.

Not surprisingly, this hike is offered by the High Peaks Trail Association, a group of old hands at high-country hiking. Although the weather forecast is promising (see promising Saturday forecast below), it will be cold and windy. But it’s also supposed to be clear, offering the great views you hope for when you hike the three balds — Jane, Round and Grassy — from Carvers Gap. Bundle up for this 5-mile round-trip hike and make sure your memory card is clear.

Logistics: Saturday, Feb. 7, 8:30 a.m. meeting time in Burnsville for the drive up. For more information, contact Hike Leader Robert Branch at 828.682.3102 or rbranch18@aol.com. Read a write-up on the hike in the Asheville Citizen-Times, here.

Saturday forecast: Sunny, high of 41, winds from 30- to 35 miles per hour.

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Those are our thoughts on the weekend. Find more options at the sources listed below.

The post This weekend: Walk into history, ID your birds, a winter summit appeared first on GetGoing NC!.

North Carolina has a spotty record when it comes to cross-country skiing. There are no givens in the state; that is, no places such as West Virginia’s White Grass touring center, which gets 160 inches of snow a year, enough to warrant 50 kilometers of trail, some of it groomed. At best, North Carolina has Roan Mountain, which gets about 100 inches (but is a bear to get to when it snows); much of the rest of the high country is lucky to get half that much in a season. But on those rare occasions when the minimal 6-8 inches fall, it’s worth the effort. Here’s a quick cross-country primer:

Ski rentals

Far as we know, only one shop in North Carolina rents cross-country skis, the Pineola Inn & Ski Shop in Pineola (it’s on U.S. 221 south of Blowing Rock). Skis rent for $18 a day, lessons are available for $40, $25 if you have a group. Obviously, when the conditions are as good as they are now, the skis are at a premium. 828-733-4979, or check out their Web site.

Places to ski

Old roadbeds (or, in the case of the Blue Ridge Parkway, new ones) make great cross-country ski trails. The minimal canopy allows the snow to reach the surface and pile, and because they are old road beds, chances are the grades aren’t severe. Thus, any hiking trail you’ve hiked that’s an old roadbed is likely a good cross-country trail. That said …

• Moses Cone Memorial Park With 25 miles of maintained carriage paths, this Blue Ridge Parkway venue is among the state’s most popular when there’s snow. Popular, too, because even if the BRP is closed (see below), there’s access from Bass Lake in Blowing Rock. Here’s a trail map.
• Blue Ridge Parkway With a minor exception or two, the 469-mile Blue Ridge Parkway — 252 miles of which is in North Carolina — isn’t maintained in winter. That means when it snows, the road is closed until the snow melts. And that means some long pulls on the Nordic skis. Check out the National Parks Service Web site for navigational help.
• Roan Mountain A favorite of more experienced skiers, in part because of the elevation (Roan tops out at 6,285 feet), in part because of the exposure and views (skiing atop three balds) in part because of the more intense climbing required. Hit Roan on a good day, though, and it’s a memorable experience.
• Beech Mountain Beech is know for being the home of the highest downhill ski area in the East, at 5,506 feet. But according to HikeBeechMountain.com, many of the town’s hiking trails double nicely as cross-country routes. Topping the list: the 4.5-mile Westerly Hills Trail, which takes in old roadbeds originally “roughed in for development.”
• Boone If road conditions are dicey and you’d like to avoid as much mountain driving as possible, check out the greenway trail in Boone. It may total just under 4 miles (3.84), but if you’ve never been on cross-country skis, prepare to have your sense of distance rescaled. (Read: Cross country is a solid full-body workout.)
• Mount Mitchell State Park / Commissary Ridge Trail This old roadbed runs just below the crest of the Black Mountains, the highest mountain range on the East Coast. The views of the South Toe River Valley below are stellar, there’s just one catch: Mount Mitchell is accessed off the highest section of the Blue Ridge Parkway, a section that is frequently closed due to weather.  When there’s enough snow to cross-country ski, there’s more than enough to close the BRP.

Ski conditions

The trickiest part of cross-country skiing if you don’t live in the mountains is finding out the current conditions. Because there is no organized cross-country ski industry, there is no apparatus for getting daily updates. Thus, your best bed is word-of-mouth passed along by locals who happen to drop by their local outfitter and comment on the conditions. Not very scientific, not especially reliable, but better than nothing. A few numbers to call:

• Pineola Inn & Ski Shop Pineloa. 828.733.4979. The aforementioned lone-renter of cross-country skis in the state gets better feedback during prime conditions, such as these.
• Footsloggers, Blowing Rock. 828.295.4453. This popular mountain outfitter is a mile from Bass Lake and the Moses Cone trails. More importantly, the staff is well-connected, gets out a lot and is eager to share information.
• Footsloggers, Boone. 828-262-5111. The Boone store is bigger than its Blowing Rock satellite and has a broader geographic reach.
• ExploreBooneArea.com 828-266-1345. This arm of the Watauga County District Tourism Development Authority promotes the Boone area, and since the Boone area is all about outdoor adventure, it’s a primo source of information. Has one of the best rundowns of cross-country venues going.
• SkiSoutheast.com Is mostly about downhill skiing, but includes a helpful rundown of cross-country trails in North Carolina and throughout the Southeast.

Road conditions

You’re driving in the mountains in winter conditions. Two numbers you need to know:

• North Carolina Department of Transportation Find the latest on road conditions statewide online through NCDOT’s Traveler Information Management System or by calling the 511 Information Line.
• Blue Ridge Parkway Check the latest weather-related closures by calling (828) 298-0398; check for long-term construction and maintenance closures here.

Weather

Two good sources for checking the high country forecast:

• Ray’s Weather Regional service considered the most on-spot and detailed in the high country. Not as viewer-friendly as most weather sites.
• Weather Underground Good for a quick-hit glance at the forecast.

The post A timely (hopefully) return of our cross-country ski guide appeared first on GetGoing NC!.

Cross country skiers.

North Carolina has a spotty record when it comes to cross-country. There are no givens in the state; that is, no places such as West Virginia’s White Grass touring center, which gets 160 inches of snow a year, enough to warrant 50 kilometers of trail, some of it groomed. At best, North Carolina has Roan Mountain, which gets about 100 inches (but is a bear to get to when it snows); much of the rest of the high country is lucky to get half that much in a season. But on those rare occasions when the minimal 6-8 inches fall, it’s worth the effort. Here’s a quick cross-country primer:

Ski rentals

Far as we know, only one shop in North Carolina rents cross-country skis, the Pineola Inn & Ski Shop in Pineola (it’s on U.S. 221 south of Blowing Rock). Skis rent for $18 a day, lessons are available for $40, $25 if you have a group. Obviously, when the conditions are as good as they are now, the skis are at a premium. 828-733-4979, or check out their Web site.

Places to ski

Old roadbeds (or, in the case of the Blue Ridge Parkway, new ones) make great cross-country ski trails. The minimal canopy allows the snow to reach the surface and pile, and because they are old road beds, chances are the grades aren’t severe. Thus, any hiking trail you’ve hiked that’s an old roadbed is likely a good cross-country trail. That said …

• Moses Cone Memorial Park With 25 miles of maintained carriage paths, this Blue Ridge Parkway venue is among the state’s most popular when there’s snow. Popular, too, because even if the BRP is closed (see below), there’s access from Bass Lake in Blowing Rock. Here’s a trail map.
• Blue Ridge Parkway With a minor exception or two, the 469-mile Blue Ridge Parkway — 252 miles of which is in North Carolina — isn’t maintained in winter. That means when it snows, the road is closed until the snow melts. And that means some long pulls on the Nordic skis. Check out the National Parks Service Web site for navigational help.
• Roan Mountain A favorite of more experienced skiers, in part because of the elevation (Roan tops out at 6,285 feet), in part because of the exposure and views (skiing atop three balds) in part because of the more intense climbing required. Hit Roan on a good day, though, and it’s a memorable experience.
• Beech Mountain Beech is know for being the home of the highest downhill ski area in the East, at 5,506 feet. But according to HikeBeechMountain.com, many of the town’s hiking trails double nicely as cross-country routes. Topping the list: the 4.5-mile Westerly Hills Trail, which takes in old roadbeds originally “roughed in for development.”
• Boone If road conditions are dicey and you’d like to avoid as much mountain driving as possible, check out the greenway trail in Boone. It may total just under 4 miles (3.84), but if you’ve never been on cross-country skis, prepare to have your sense of distance rescaled. (Read: Cross country is a solid full-body workout.)
• Mount Mitchell State Park / Commissary Ridge Trail This old roadbed runs just below the crest of the Black Mountains, the highest mountain range on the East Coast. The views of the South Toe River Valley below are stellar, there’s just one catch: Mount Mitchell is accessed off the highest section of the Blue Ridge Parkway, a section that is frequently closed due to weather.  When there’s enough snow to cross-country ski, there’s more than enough to close the BRP.

Ski conditions

The trickiest part of cross-country skiing if you don’t live in the mountains is finding out the current conditions. Because there is no organized cross-country ski industry, there is no apparatus for getting daily updates. Thus, your best bed is word-of-mouth passed along by locals who happen to drop by their local outfitter and comment on the conditions. Not very scientific, not especially reliable, but better than nothing. A few numbers to call:

• Pineola Inn & Ski Shop Pineloa. 828.733.4979. The aforementioned lone-renter of cross-country skis in the state gets better feedback during prime conditions, such as these.
• Footsloggers, Blowing Rock. 828.295.4453. This popular mountain outfitter is a mile from Bass Lake and the Moses Cone trails. More importantly, the staff is well-connected, gets out a lot and is eager to share information.
• Footsloggers, Boone. 828-262-5111. The Boone store is bigger than its Blowing Rock satellite and has a broader geographic reach.
• ExploreBooneArea.com 828-266-1345. This arm of the Watauga County District Tourism Development Authority promotes the Boone area, and since the Boone area is all about outdoor adventure, it’s a primo source of information. Has one of the best rundowns of cross-country venues going.
• SkiSoutheast.com Is mostly about downhill skiing, but includes a helpful rundown of cross-country trails in North Carolina and throughout the Southeast.

Road conditions

You’re driving in the mountains in winter conditions. Two numbers you need to know:

• North Carolina Department of Transportation Find the latest on road conditions statewide online through NCDOT’s Traveler Information Management System or by calling the 511 Information Line.
• Blue Ridge Parkway Check the latest weather-related closures by calling (828) 298-0398; check for long-term construction and maintenance closures here.

Weather

Two good sources for checking the high country forecast:

• Ray’s Weather Regional service considered the most on-spot and detailed in the high country. Not as viewer-friendly as most weather sites.
• Weather Underground Good for a quick-hit glance at the forecast.

The post Hooky alert! Cross-country skiing appeared first on GetGoing NC!.