A couple days before our trip, we realized the forecast for our hike was not looking as ideal as we thought. There was a chance of rain and snow and the temperatures kept dropping. We've hiked in freezing temperatures before, and we had spent so much time planning this great trip, so we decided to stick with our plan. We figured we'd at least drive to North Carolina and make the final decision about our hike that evening.
We left St. Louis on Sunday morning just as the snow was starting to accumulate. (Thirteen inches later, we were glad we left when we did!) This huge storm system decided to keep us company for our entire drive to North Carolina. Luckily, (we thought) we just had rain, rather than snow.
Sunday evening, after arriving in Brevard, we made the smart decision to cancel our 3-day trip. Although we were well prepared for the weather, we didn't think it would be wise to begin a 3-day trip in those conditions.
Monday morning met us with beautiful sunshine. Naturally. We were bummed that we weren't hiking but convinced ourselves the weather would be way worse in the mountains. We decided to play toursits with our extra day and spent it sightseeing through the area.
Sunday evening, after arriving in Brevard, we made the smart decision to cancel our 3-day trip. Although we were well prepared for the weather, we didn't think it would be wise to begin a 3-day trip in those conditions.
Monday morning met us with beautiful sunshine. Naturally. We were bummed that we weren't hiking but convinced ourselves the weather would be way worse in the mountains. We decided to play toursits with our extra day and spent it sightseeing through the area.
Brevard, NC is a beautiful little town South of Asheville, NC. We are so glad we got see some of the stunning scenery it has to offer.
Because we had only planned to stay Sunday night in a hotel, we had to decide where to stay that evening. At this point, we still wanted to go hiking (weather permitting), but we were going to have to modify our trip. While I began searching for dinner and lodging options for the evening, Danny hit the trail maps in search of a new hike.
We decided to drive North to Asheville and spent the rest of the evening there. The next day, we were going to begin a different hiking route we found. This trail was a loop hike ...
We used the Pisgah National Forest Map to help create our loop. We wanted something that had the option of returning to the car if the weather wasn't great. We chose the 3.6 mile Shining Creek Trail and the 3.4 mile Old Butt Knob Trail. The trail began at the Big East Fork Parking Area, Old Butt Knob splits off the Shining Creek Trail about a half mile in, and both trails meet again at the summit. We chose to ascend the mountain via the Shining Creek Trail. (In hindsight, this is the best decision we made the whole trip.)
These trails were located in the Shining Creek Wilderness which meant no trail signs could be posted and it made our trip a bit more challenging. Sunny with snow flurries is how we began our hike. As expected, the weather only got worse as we climbed in elevation. Soon the lightly snow covered ground became 4 inches deep of snow. We patted ourselves on the back when our feet were still dry at the summit and we realized our boots were worth every penny.
The summit was breathtaking! The sun was fighting the clouds and we'd get a few minutes of blue skies and sun, then it would be cloudy again. At this point, it was about 3pm. Our plan was to set up our camp, then hike a mile or two towards Cold Mountain before turning around back towards our camp. After setting up camp, we realized we weren't warming up inside our tent. After about 10 minutes of deliberation, we decided camping at the summit might not be the best idea. It was just too cold and windy... at 4pm. We couldn't imagine what it would be like the rest of the night.
Then, it was go time. We packed up our stuff in less than 10 minutes and were on the trail back to the parking lot in no time. Just as we were leaving our campsite, we ran into two other hikers who were doing a similar loop. They had just climbed the trail we were about to descend. They didn't think we'd make it down by dark, but we were determined.
We made it down the mountain with plenty of daylight left! We were still able to stop at all the scenic spots on the way down, too! As bummed as we were that we couldn't complete our 3-day hike, we had a great time together (as always) and enjoyed our scenic hike to the summit and back!
Our journey begins.
The trail we followed to the summit was called Shining Creek Trail - we're guessing it was named after the creek we walked alongside of the first half of the trip.
Rhododendron! One of the neatest things about this hike was the variety in vegetation. The rhododendron looked like it belonged in a jungle, not the Appalachian Mountains.
Pine trees! Notice the increase in snow as we ascend the mountain.
We made it to the summit!
The infamous clearing at the summit where multiple trails intersect.
Getting our hike on!
These densely woven trees reminded us of funnel cake.
Blue skies at the top of the mountains!
On our way back down the mountain. Old Butt Knob trail was the trail we followed down from the summit.
Another lookout on our way down.
We made it back to the trailhead!
Sunrise at the top of the mountains the next morning.
Thanks for reading!
