Sunwall Trail Map

Route map of the Sunwall Trail as tracked by the Gaia GPS app as depicted a la Google Earth...

Sunwall Trail Map

Route map of the Sunwall Trail as tracked by the Gaia GPS app...

Sunwall Trailhead (F.R. 475B) -- 3,100'

The trail begins from Gumstand Gap along Forest Road 475-B. There's a small pull off here, just to the left of the trailhead...

Sunwall Trailhead (F.R. 475B) -- 3,100'

The trail as it begins by heading up into a thick grove of rhododendron...

Sunwall Trail -- 3,120'

The grade at first is pretty gradual but, the climb doesn't let up until the base of the cliffs...

Sunwall Trail -- 3,150'

A few laurels begin to mix in...

Sunwall Trail -- 3,180'

As you can see this first part of the trail is pretty hemmed-in, restricting views of Looking Glass ahead...

Sunwall Trail -- 3,200'

Looking Glass could only occasionally be seen as a faint shadow through the thick fog on the morning this album was shot. On a clear day I'm sure it would be much more impressive, looming high above...

Sunwall Trail -- 3,220'

The moderate climb continues as the trails surroundings open up into a more traditional hardwood forest...

Sunwall Trail -- 3,260'

Once again, I have no doubt Looking Glass Rock would be an impressive presence looking ahead. The fog this day completely obscures it, however...

Sunwall Trail -- 3,300'

The only potentially confusing spot on the trail is just beyond this double-blaze, which warns of a sharp turn ahead. The path makes a hard turn right up through the rhododendron just beyond...

Sunwall Trail -- 3,300'

Things get steep and tight as the trail climbs through the rhodo seen in the previous shot...

Sunwall Trail -- 3,400'

Peering through the fog for a glimpse of the cliffs above...

Sunwall Trail -- 3,450'

As the trail makes its final approach, the huge cliffs appear through the fog...

Sunwall Trail -- 3,500'

The trail ends at a literal wall of rock...

Looking Glass Rock - 'The Nose' -- 3,500'

Looking up at the huge pock-marked face of 'The Nose' of Looking Glass Rock...

Looking Glass Rock - 'The Nose' -- 3,500'

The Nose towers above in this shot from the end of the trail...

Looking Glass Rock - 'The Nose' -- 3,500'

Blue skies break out above The Nose...

Looking Glass Rock - 'The Nose' -- 3,500'

It's easy to see how this cliff face got its name...it protrudes very nose-like into the forest...

Looking Glass Rock - 'The Nose' -- 3,500'

It's incredible how dramatically the cliffs rise form the forest here...

Looking Glass Rock - 'The Nose' -- 3,500'

The boundary between wood and rock here is very fine...

Looking Glass Rock - 'The Nose' -- 3,500'

Towering above...

Looking Glass Rock - 'The Nose' -- 3,500'

A well-worn path extends along the base of the cliffs leading to what, I assume, are many climbing routes accessed from this area...

Looking Glass Rock - 'The Nose' -- 3,500'

There's plenty of opportunity to explore along the base of the cliffs...

Looking Glass Rock - 'The Nose' -- 3,500'

The neck-bending view continues...

Looking Glass Rock - 'The Nose' -- 3,500'

Numerous pitons can be seen leading up the cliffs, denoting numerous climbing routes...

Looking Glass Rock - 'The Nose' -- 3,500'

Looking back along the base of The Nose towards the upper end of the Sunwall Trail.