RATtreks

Roan Mountain High Knob – 8-7-2011

My last trip to the Roan Mountain area was up to Grassy Ridge so this time it was decided to go the other way to the Roan High Knob. We started at Carver’s Gap on a cloudy Sunday morning where we parked among the many usual tourists who were all headed up towards Round and Jane Bald as we took the way less traveled through the pines in the direction of the highest point of the Roan Mountain high country. Although you can drive to the top, it is a very scenic hike instead. The road was closed most all of last year as renovations were done to the bathrooms and the road was paved. The first thing Bol’Dar and I noticed was a strange dead fly phenomena around the new bathroom and parking area. It was odd to see so many dead flies clustered together all over the place, even on the tops of the plant growth, but it was only a prelude to what we would find later that day and what we would learn from it.

Sign for Roan High Knob Shelter

Since the Appalachian Trail has been relocated in recent years to come out at the road crossing instead of the parking lot, we opted to take a short cut up through the woods since we knew we would eventually find the trail there. I am always amazed at how much trash I see in pristine places such as this and it always saddens me. This Alpine environment with all the pines, ferns and mosses is a unique place of beauty and I don’t see how anyone could trash it but is does happen and on a regular basis. Just before we came out on the trail, we came across the remnants of the old structure that used to sit there that is now long since gone.

Old structure found near the trail

Following the AT upward and  Southward we soon got a small view of the balds from a small clearing on one of the first switchbacks.

View of Round Bald

Fungus Amongus

The high point of Roan Mountain is where the AT Trail shelter is located. When we arrived there we would find something we were not prepared for. It was like a mountain horror movie version of Amityville.  All over and around the shelter were literally thousands of dead flies that had met whatever strange fate the others we had seen earlier had. They were all over everything all clustered together and it was quite a disturbing sight to behold. At that time we had no clue what had caused this carnage and was quite puzzled by it all but, we would later discover the truth of the matter after returning home and doing some research.

Roan Mtn. High Knob Shelter (covered in dead flies)

Now, let`s look closer ! :

zombie flies on shelter pole

zombie flies on shelter pole

zombie flies on shelter

zombie flies on shelter

zombie flies on laurels near the shelter

The Explanation:

It seems these flies had become victims of what is known as ‘Summits Disease’ or more technically known as ‘Entomopthora muscae’. Entomopthora, which translates into “Insect Destroyer” and muscae which means “of the fly”. When putting it all together Entomopthora muscae literally means Destroyer of the Fly. It is actually a fungus. The fungus makes its way into the fly via the digestive track, or possibly through any small opening in the exoskeleton of the fly. The fungus has one purpose, and that is to reproduce. It does this by rapidly moving through the flies system going directly to the brain. Once in the brain it will control the area that governs movement. The fungus basically takes over control of the fly and makes it crawl where ever it wants the fly to crawl. In the case of this fungus it wants to reach a high vantage point. So like a puppet on a string (or zombie would be my description of it)  the fly will make its way to the tip of a leaf, blade of grass, plant or any other surface it happens to be on. This vantage point….or “Summit” is where this particular fungal disease got its common name of Summits Disease. By making the fly crawl to a higher point, it gives the fungus the best possible chance that its spores will be carried by the wind once released by the fly. After the fungus has fully controlled the brain of the fly it will then concentrate on infiltrating other areas of the fly and eventually will consume all of the flies internal organs, thus killing the fly. All that will remain is the macabre, skeletal husk of what was once a vibrant, if annoying fly.This fungal spore spreads rapidly and can affect up to 80% of fly populations in a given area.

This fungus was first described in 1855 by an individual named Cohn. he identified it as a epizootic of house flies. Entomopthora can infect numerous species of flies in a wide array of families. It would seem that Mother Nature provided a perfect method of controlling the overpopulation of flies. Could man capitalize on this? Can we make a biological agent capable of destroying disease carrying flies? Can humans copy what Mother Nature has given? There is much research and work being done to accomplish this feat. It seems this fungus is very short lived and highly sensitive making it very hard to replicate. With enough research and hard work I’ve no doubt a successful biological fly control that can be used broad spectrum in areas that are highly infested with flies will be designed. This notion is so much better than chemicals created in labs that have no preference as to the species it kills. Hate flies, but love butterflies? What better way to get rid of one and not harm the other than to manufacture a fungus designed to kill only your target? I have already heard of flies that lay eggs in the brains of fire ants and termites which causes the maggots to eat their brains which makes them wander aimlessly like zombies until they die and then the maggot hatches into a fly to continue the cycle. This may be a good way of controlling pests but are we really playing with fire ?

zombie flies on fire pit

After we had enough of the ‘fly zombies’ we moved up the hill to the summit rocks where the high point survey marker is located.  We hung out there for awhile to eat our lunch. This is a really scenic area and you can see the four concrete pillars where a structure of some sorts used to sit many years ago. We spent a good hour here before proceeding to find a short cut down the hill from the shelter back to the trail.

The Roan High Knob (highest point at 6,285')

The trail then passes by a rocky area where there are a series of strangely built birdhouses. I am not sure exactly what kind of birds these are designed for as they were empty but they look like they may be for bats ?

Birdhouse

Continuing onwards it was not long before we were in the clouds and just before the summit we got caught in a downpour. We hunkered down right in the trail under the pines and waited it out. Within minutes the trail became a creek but luckily it did not last long. Bol’Dar was prepared as he whipped out his umbrella. By the time we reached the top, the fog was so thick that visibility was limited to about 50 feet. There would not be any visuals available on this trip but it was still good just to be in the woods.

Old Chimney right after the rain

Trail into the clouds

We came out in the open field where the old Cloudland Hotel used to sit. It is hard to imagine a structure that large being there but the old pictures in the informative sign does help.

Site of the old Cloudland Hotel

Informative sign about the old hotel

We were among the clouds there but we did check out the rocks at the point where the AT descends down the ‘gRoan’ to Hughes Gap. It looked very dark in that direction but I know it is really awesome with all its Alpine-like beauty. It was too bad we did not have a car waiting down there as that would have made a nice hike.

Summit Rocks

We then went down further and checked out the new bathrooms and newly paved parking lot (previously gravel) below before proceeding over to the Cloudland Trail where we would go a short distance to the first look off located on the TN. side although there would be no views to be had on this day. (Normally you would see this view)

Lookoff

We did not stay there very long as it was getting late in the afternoon so we went back the way we had came. It did not take as long to get back as it did to get there as it is mostly all downhill. All in all it was a good hike as is any day spent in the woods.

Fungi

The Grimace Rock

For more photo`s of the Roan Mountain area, please visit our Gallery here.