RATtreks

A Sunset on Unaka Mountain – 8-1-2015

On the first day of August I decided it would be nice to take a trip to Beauty Spot near the summit of Unaka Mountain to hopefully catch a nice sunset there before work. I stopped on the way to pick up some supper at the ‘Hawg N Dog’ in Erwin which turned out to be some smoked ribs, a hot dog, some bbq beans and some coleslaw. I planned to eat this on the mountain while I waited on the sun to set. As I made my way slowly up the rough gravel road I noticed a red truck behind me but, it was not until I parked and got out at the top that I recognized my good friend and fellow mountaineer Larry Jarrett. He was on his way back from Lower California Creek Falls where he had devised a makeshift ‘Hillbilly Life Vest’ flotation device in order to get across the Nolichucky River which is the shortest way to reach those falls. We had a nice visit there before he continued on his journey home and I towards the summit where I would pick a spot to eat and await the approaching sunset. There were several others already there with the same ideas in mind. I decided to go off the top a ways to get a view towards the South and find a place to myself where I set up my tripod and began to eat the awesome food I had brought along.

Sunset from Unaka

My supper and the view looking South down the Appalachian Trail there

Looking almost Eastward into NC and the Black Mountain range

Looking South down the Appalachian Trail

When the sun goes down, we`ll be groovin’,,,,,

Southeast over the AT

Looking downhill towards the South the way the trail goes

The mountains seem to go on forever

Looking towards Kingsport,TN. You can see Bays Mountain just to the left of the center of this pic

As the sun sank lower, the mountains were painted in many colors. Oranges, purples, etc

A huge alligator cloud was trying to eat the sun or perhaps it was an alligator war ship firing laser rays into it ?

More people came and I remembered that there was also to be a full super moon on this night so, some of these folks were going to be staying for that as well. As I finished my meal and the sun begin to set, I started taking pics with both my pocket cam and my slightly larger camera as well. Although I do have a neutral density filter and a circular polarizer on the larger camera, I am still unable to obtain the top shots that those with actual SLR cams can get yet, I am happy to just be on the mountain and enjoy the views and capture what I can.

Zoomed pic to the South

A Swordfish cloud ?

The light changes literally by the second. The world is turning so fast, the sun disappears quickly.

As the sun disappeared you can start to see the lights of Erwin below

A fire breathing swordfish ?

Here Bays Mountain can clearly be seen

Looking Southeast into NC, Mt Mitchell can be seen in the far distance if you know where to look

Gnarly trees on Unaka

Pictures can not do the scene justice. The colors over the mtns were spectacular

Here you can see the lights of Erwin closest and in the far distance beyond can see the lights of Greeneville TN

Zoomed shot to show the lights of Erwin (closest) and Greeneville (distant)

Closeup of the alligator cloud,,,, or is it a crocodile ?

Mountains to the South

After the sun had completely disappeared it was hard to leave so, I decided to go in late to work and stay and see the full super moon rising in the East as I knew it would be up early and I hoped I could get a couple usable pics of it too. Although I am not good at moon pics it was well worth the wait as it was spectacular to see from that vantage point even if I could not capture it in pictures.

Blurry pic of the super moon as it rises over the mountains of NC to the East

The super moon

The super moon

Super Moon

Afterwards,  I hiked down to the car in the dark and made the trip home to clock in to work feeling completely rejuvenated having spent a few hours with Mother Nature at her finest. I can not wait until the next time we meet again,,,,,