RATtreks

Viking Mountain Fall Colors – 10-21-2012

Every Fall I try to go up to Viking Mountain to see the leaves when they are in peak color and the incredible views from Whiterock and Blackstack Cliffs. This year was no exception. Although the leaves were already past peak it was still colorful enough to make it worth the trip. Linda and I got to the top of the mountain around early afternoon and took the blue-blaze trail down to the Appalachian Trail and hiked North until we could soon see the Whiterock Cliffs off in the distance. These magnificent rock formations are located in and lookout over the North Carolina side of the mountain. There is a short side trail that leads out to the top of the cliffs. There is a sign marking the turnoff. It was a very bright, sunny day without any clouds which worked against getting any good photo`s but, it was still a beautiful site and a great day to be on the mountain. Linda had never been there so it was a treat for her as well.

After spending some time there and experimenting with my new camera some, we went further North on the AT the short distance  to the Blackstack Cliffs and took the side trail out to them.  There is a sign marking this turn as well. I had snagged a briar somewhere along the way and had blood running down my arm ! These cliffs are on the Tennesse side of the mountain and look down on the Nolichucky River Valley that runs between Johnson City and Greeneville, TN. Since it was the weekend and the leaves were in color, it was very crowded up there to the point of almost being like a circus with people everywhere including the rocks and driving beyond the barriers and into the woods. We spent just enough time on the Blackstack Cliffs to enjoy the views and get some pics along with a large group of Mennonite’s who were also there taking in the views and trying to see their church and houses in the vast valley below.

I attempted to experiment with my new camera  from the Blackstack Cliffs and got the following shots:

If you wish to know exactly what you are looking at in these pics, please see some older ones that I have labeled here and here. Since it was a bit crowded on the cliffs where there is not much room for standing, and the wind was becoming cold as the sun was beginning to sink lower in the sky, we decided to complete our loop hike and take a different blue-blaze trail on the old AT route back to the site of the old resort lodge that used to sit there. We took a short break at the old AT shelter remains  which is located in the woods just before the mud holes and open field before the hill that leads up to the old resort site. To see some old photo`s taken of the old resort lodge structure, the round huts, and the A-Frame houses that used to be here, please see an older blog here.

I showed Linda some remnants of the old tiles in the ground that used to surround the swimming pool behind where the resort used to be and got a few shots of Blackstack Cliffs from that vantage point before walking down the paved road back to the car.

On our way back down the mountain, we stopped at the first switchback on the road where the steep power lines come up to try and get some pics of the sun setting before making the long, slow drive back down the rough mountain road. This looks in the Southward direction with the Great Smoky Mountains in the distance. I took the following series of photo`s with my old camera which was tough to do with the sun directly in the lens:

I took these photo`s with my new camera (still playing with settings):

It had been a beautiful day on Viking Mountain and I can not wait for our next adventure. To see these and many more pictures from the Whiterock and Blackstack Cliffs, please visit our Photo Gallery here.