Wesser Bald (2.3 miles; d=3.86)
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Wesser Bald Loop Hike Route Map
My route up Wesser Bald as tracked by the Gaia GPS app (on a later hike) and depicted a la Google Earth...
Wesser Bald Loop Hike Route Map
My route up Wesser Bald as tracked by the Gaia GPS app (on a later hike)...
The hike begins at Tellico Gap which separates the Little Tennesse and Nantahala River valley's. The drive up is quite scenic, regardless of what direction you come from, as the road cross-crosses an open power line man-way as it ascends...
Appalachian Trail - Tellico Gap
The trailhead. The route to Wesser Bald follows the A.T. north from the gap 1.4 miles to the summit...
Not to contradict myself but there are actually two routes to the top. From the trailhead you can either go straight up the old access road (right) for 0.9 miles or along the A.T. (left) for 1.4 miles. The old access road is shorter and therefore steeper, much steeper. If you really want to see what both are like do what I did, ascend via the A.T. and return down the old road...your lungs will thank me for it...
It just wouldn't be a hike in the southern mountains without a rhododendron tunnel...
Still a bit of color in the trees but it's not gonna last long...
The oaks seemed to be the most reluctant to give up their leaves...
It always feels good to be on the A.T...
A bit rusty, but nice...
No real views to speak of on the climb...
The higher I got, here at about the half-way point, the more gnarled the oak trees became...typical for a ridge-top forest in these parts...
Just before reaching the ridge the tower appeared through the trees...
Nearing the top of the ridge are a couple quick switchbacks...
At the top of the ridge I passed this old stone foundation. I imagine it to be the remnants of a USFS building dating back to when the tower was operational...
At the ridge the A.T. continues left (north) while the short spur to the summit heads the opposite direction. You can see the tower from this spot so there really isn't any confusion which way to go...
The view from the clearing you see in the previous shot...
Wesser Bald summit (4,627')
The steel frame is all that remains of the original fire tower which, originally, was capped by an enclosed cab. The cab burned sometime after the tower was abandoned in the 1960's. In the 1990's the current wooden observation deck was placed atop the remaining steel frame for the benefit of hikers...
Let's go up for a look, shall we?...
It was a bit breezy, and the tower she was rocking a bit...exciting...
The grand northern panorama... The view north is breathtaking. the broken landscape drops away 3,000 feet to the waters of Fontana Lake, just visible in the center of the shot. Rising like a misty wall in the distance is the main ridgeline of the Great Smoky Mountains. A keen eye would be able to count no less than eight 6,000' peaks in this frame!
A bit closer look at the Great Smokies. You can clearly see Fontana Lake below while the highest peak to the upper right is Clingmans Dome (6,646') which is some 20 miles away...
...and an even closer look at the Smokies. In this shot you can clearly see four peaks along the ridge line. To the far left is Silers Bald (5,574), highest just right of center is Clingmans Dome (6,646'), immediately to the right of Clingmans, barely visible, is Mt. LeConte (6,574'), and to the far right is Mt. Kephart (6,217')...