Linville Gorge - Tablerock Mountain (11-5-12)
Read MoreThe previous day to the hike, my work station was across the gorge at Wiseman's View, seen here. From the overlook I planned my route for the following morning. Starting at the Spence Ridge Trailhead, I'd ascend Tablerock Mountain via the Tablerock Gap Trail and then descend to the gorge via the Little Tablerock and Spence Ridge Trails. I'd then climb out along the Spence Ridge Trail.
Total length: 7.5 miles
Elevation Gain: ~2,000 ft
It was gonna be a heck of a day...LinvillehikePisgah National ForestwildernessNorth CarolinaHawksbillclimbingTablerockHigh CountryGrandfather MountainSpence Ridge
Spence Ridge Trailhead - 2,880' - The hike would start and end here, along FR 210. The Tablerock Gap Trail heads left out of the frame while my return route, the Spence Ridge Trail, emerges from the trees directly ahead...
LinvillehikePisgah National ForestwildernessNorth CarolinaHawksbillclimbingTablerockHigh CountryGrandfather MountainSpence Ridge
Looking down the Spence Ridge Trail, which I'd be returning on. The Tablerock Gap Trail runs just along the edge of the wilderness, which I wouldn't enter until I was near the top of Tablerock...
LinvillehikePisgah National ForestwildernessNorth CarolinaHawksbillclimbingTablerockHigh CountryGrandfather MountainSpence Ridge
Heading up the Tablerock Gap Trail. From the trailhead it was pretty much a constant climb...
LinvillehikePisgah National ForestwildernessNorth CarolinaHawksbillclimbingTablerockHigh CountryGrandfather MountainSpence Ridge
The Tablerock Gap Trail isn't that well marked so a map is a must, as it is anywhere in the gorge. About a half mile in you break out into this campsite with trails to the left, straight ahead, and an old logging road to the right. The Mountains-to-Sea Trail goes left, the Tablerock Gap Trail continues straight ahead, and the road goes, well, nowhere...
LinvillehikePisgah National ForestwildernessNorth CarolinaHawksbillclimbingTablerockHigh CountryGrandfather MountainSpence Ridge
The higher I climbed on Tablerock, the rockier it got...
LinvillehikePisgah National ForestwildernessNorth CarolinaHawksbillclimbingTablerockHigh CountryGrandfather MountainSpence Ridge
One of the rougher sections of the Tablerock Gap Trail...
LinvillehikePisgah National ForestwildernessNorth CarolinaHawksbillclimbingTablerockHigh CountryGrandfather MountainSpence Ridge
After gaining about 500' of elevation the trail started to circle beneath the summit of Tablerock and offered some limited views through the trees of neighboring Hawksbill Mountain (4,020')...
LinvillehikePisgah National ForestwildernessNorth CarolinaHawksbillclimbingTablerockHigh CountryGrandfather MountainSpence Ridge
As the trail circled beneath Tablerock's summit cliffs I lost the sun and it got rather chilly...
LinvillehikePisgah National ForestwildernessNorth CarolinaHawksbillclimbingTablerockHigh CountryGrandfather MountainSpence Ridge
More views through the trees along the Tablerock Gap Trail, this time across the gorge in the general direction of Wiseman's view...the summit is Laurel Knob (4,040')...
LinvillehikePisgah National ForestwildernessNorth CarolinaHawksbillclimbingTablerockHigh CountryGrandfather MountainSpence Ridge
Now on the Tablerock Summit Trail, the trail utilizes several switchbacks to ascend the steep slopes...
LinvillehikePisgah National ForestwildernessNorth CarolinaHawksbillclimbingTablerockHigh CountryGrandfather MountainSpence Ridge
From the Tablerock Summit Trail the 6,000'+ bulk of the Black Mountain Range dominates the skyline to the southwest...
LinvillehikePisgah National ForestwildernessNorth CarolinaHawksbillclimbingTablerockHigh CountryGrandfather MountainSpence Ridge
Nearing the top, the Linville Gorge spreads out below in all its grandeur...
LinvillehikePisgah National ForestwildernessNorth CarolinaHawksbillclimbingTablerockHigh CountryGrandfather MountainSpence Ridge
The last few steps to the top of Tablerock Mountain...
LinvillehikePisgah National ForestwildernessNorth CarolinaHawksbillclimbingTablerockHigh CountryGrandfather MountainSpence Ridge
Tablerock Mountain Summit - 4,100' - Not sure the story behind the old foundation...something to look into...
LinvillehikePisgah National ForestwildernessNorth CarolinaHawksbillclimbingTablerockHigh CountryGrandfather MountainSpence Ridge
The 4,100-foot summit elevation seemed too nice and rounded so I was anxious to find the benchmark to get a more exact number...as you can see it didn't help much...
15aLinvillehikePisgah National ForestwildernessNorth CarolinaHawksbillclimbingTablerockHigh CountryGrandfather MountainSpence Ridge
Tablerock Mountain Summit - 4,100' - The panorama south and west from the summit rocks. The Black Mountains are in the center distance while the Roan Highlands are to the distant right...
15bLinvillehikePisgah National ForestwildernessNorth CarolinaHawksbillclimbingTablerockHigh CountryGrandfather MountainSpence Ridge
The summit is narrow but very long so I spent quite a while wandering around. This super-pano looks off the northern end of the ridge. The Black Mountains are to the far left while Linville Gorge sits just off-center with the Roan Highlands rising beyond. Pointed, rocky, Hawksbill Mountain marks the east edge of the gorge with a dark Grandfather Mountain just to its right. The North Carolina piedmont stretches off to the horizon on the left...
LinvillehikePisgah National ForestwildernessNorth CarolinaHawksbillclimbingTablerockHigh CountryGrandfather MountainSpence Ridge
East from the summit the terrain drops off nearly 3,000 feet to the hills of the piedmont...
16aLinvillehikePisgah National ForestwildernessNorth CarolinaHawksbillclimbingTablerockHigh CountryGrandfather MountainSpence Ridge
A closer look at the head of Linville Gorge from the north end of the summit. Snow can still be seen atop the distant Roan Highlands from Hurricane Sandy the week before which dropped nearly 2-feet on the higher peaks...
LinvillehikePisgah National ForestwildernessNorth CarolinaHawksbillclimbingTablerockHigh CountryGrandfather MountainSpence Ridge
The full panorama of Linville Gorge from the summit. This type of shot gives a curving effect to the gorge which is actually linear...
LinvillehikePisgah National ForestwildernessNorth CarolinaHawksbillclimbingTablerockHigh CountryGrandfather MountainSpence Ridge
Before long I turned my sights to the rock outcrops that define the summit ridge to the south...
LinvillehikePisgah National ForestwildernessNorth CarolinaHawksbillclimbingTablerockHigh CountryGrandfather MountainSpence Ridge
From the southern end of the ridge you can get a bit better look into the lower portion of the gorge. Along the east (left) rim you can make out the chimneys area with Shortoff Mountain in the haze beyond...
LinvillehikePisgah National ForestwildernessNorth CarolinaHawksbillclimbingTablerockHigh CountryGrandfather MountainSpence Ridge
The panorama from the southern end of Tablerock's summit. Lake James can be seen beyond Shortoff Mountain to the left while the Black Mountains dominate the view due south...
21aLinvillehikePisgah National ForestwildernessNorth CarolinaHawksbillclimbingTablerockHigh CountryGrandfather MountainSpence Ridge
From the south end of the summit ridge looking back towards the true summit...
LinvillehikePisgah National ForestwildernessNorth CarolinaHawksbillclimbingTablerockHigh CountryGrandfather MountainSpence Ridge
Just for grins I decided to record my scramble back to the summit along the ridge...enjoy, and try not to get sick from the shaking...
LinvillehikePisgah National ForestwildernessNorth CarolinaHawksbillclimbingTablerockHigh CountryGrandfather MountainSpence Ridge
The line demarcating protected and unprotected lands is quite easy to see in these parts. Case in point, possibly the most abused peak in the southeast, neighboring Sugar Mountain...
LinvillehikePisgah National ForestwildernessNorth CarolinaHawksbillclimbingTablerockHigh CountryGrandfather MountainSpence Ridge
The path through this outcrop almost looks man-made...
LinvillehikePisgah National ForestwildernessNorth CarolinaHawksbillclimbingTablerockHigh CountryGrandfather MountainSpence Ridge
One of the last views before I drop back into the forest...
LinvillehikePisgah National ForestwildernessNorth CarolinaHawksbillclimbingTablerockHigh CountryGrandfather MountainSpence Ridge
Perhaps a half mile from the summit I made my turn onto the unassuming and unmarked Little Tablerock Trail...
LinvillehikePisgah National ForestwildernessNorth CarolinaHawksbillclimbingTablerockHigh CountryGrandfather MountainSpence Ridge
Little Tablerock isn't its own summit but rather just a high protrusion off the main summit of Tablerock...
LinvillehikePisgah National ForestwildernessNorth CarolinaHawksbillclimbingTablerockHigh CountryGrandfather MountainSpence Ridge
Breaking out onto the cliffs of Little Tablerock I experienced one of those "oh my God" moments that are so common around this gorge...
LinvillehikePisgah National ForestwildernessNorth CarolinaHawksbillclimbingTablerockHigh CountryGrandfather MountainSpence Ridge
Linville Gorge from Little Tablerock...
LinvillehikePisgah National ForestwildernessNorth CarolinaHawksbillclimbingTablerockHigh CountryGrandfather MountainSpence Ridge
From Little Tablerock you get a real good look out the mouth of Linville Gorge...
LinvillehikePisgah National ForestwildernessNorth CarolinaHawksbillclimbingTablerockHigh CountryGrandfather MountainSpence Ridge
Not sure where I got this shot...I don't remember any flat spots along this trail!
LinvillehikePisgah National ForestwildernessNorth CarolinaHawksbillclimbingTablerockHigh CountryGrandfather MountainSpence Ridge
A nice, steep leaf colored trail concealing a minefield of ankle twisting roots and rocks. The only chance I had to look up was when I stopped to take a picture!
LinvillehikePisgah National ForestwildernessNorth CarolinaHawksbillclimbingTablerockHigh CountryGrandfather MountainSpence Ridge
The sun was directly behind me over the summit of Tablerock, frustrating my efforts to get a departing shot...
LinvillehikePisgah National ForestwildernessNorth CarolinaHawksbillclimbingTablerockHigh CountryGrandfather MountainSpence Ridge
The steepness of the terrain provided some surprisingly decent views through the trees. Here, Hawksbill rises above...
LinvillehikePisgah National ForestwildernessNorth CarolinaHawksbillclimbingTablerockHigh CountryGrandfather MountainSpence Ridge
It's a rare hike that wears you out more on the descent than on the climb! My muscles were literally quivering at times...
LinvillehikePisgah National ForestwildernessNorth CarolinaHawksbillclimbingTablerockHigh CountryGrandfather MountainSpence Ridge
Calf muscles burning, this large trailside campsite was a welcome spot to take a break...
LinvillehikePisgah National ForestwildernessNorth CarolinaHawksbillclimbingTablerockHigh CountryGrandfather MountainSpence Ridge
Much of the gorge interior is covered by a mixed pine-hardwood forest. Here, a nice grove of mixed White Pines gives a very northern feel...
LinvillehikePisgah National ForestwildernessNorth CarolinaHawksbillclimbingTablerockHigh CountryGrandfather MountainSpence Ridge