Sunwall Trail (#601)
Read More
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.