Green Mountain Trail (#113)
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Route map of the Green Mountain Trail as tracked by the Gaia GPS app and depicted a la Google Earth...
Route map of the Green Mountain Trail as tracked by the Gaia GPS app...
Sunburst/NC-215 (Green Mountain) Trailhead -- 3,100'
If you're not looking closely, the north end of the Green Mountain Trail at NC-215 is easily missed. In this shot is the bridge over the Middle Prong West Fork Pigeon River, just beyond which is the Sunburst Campground. On the far right of the shot you can make out a dark hole in the rhododendron. That's the start of the Green Mountain Trail...
West Fork Pigeon River -- 3,100'
Before setting out you can enjoy views of the two streams which join near the trailhead. This is a shot from alongside NC-215 looking downstream over the West Fork Pigeon River...as you can see a popular fishing spot...
Sunburst/NC-215 (Green Mountain) Trailhead -- 3,100'
Alright...here we go...the unassuming rhododendron portal onto the Green Mountain Trail...
Green Mountain Trail -- 3,110'
Just inside the rhododendron from the previous shot is this 'bear awareness' sign...these seem to be popping up recently all over the National Forest...
Green Mountain Trail -- 3,120'
Not two dozen feet in and this was the view ahead...a trail heading straight up...
Green Mountain Trail -- 3,200'
It is incredible how, straight out of the gate, this trail simply attacks the ridge at such an incredibly steep grade...there is no warm-up period on this trail...
Green Mountain Trail -- 3,300'
With no chance to warm up, this initial uphill push is especially brutal...
Green Mountain Trail -- 3,400'
It quickly becomes clear what type of trail you're getting yourself into by this point...switchbacks are not something this path is interested in, it just shoots straight for the top...
Green Mountain Trail -- 3,500'
There certainly isn't much to see early on either...
Green Mountain Trail -- 3,560'
Rounding the first low knob along the ridge there is a short stretch of downhill trail to enjoy. Only a quarter-mile, the trail has already ascended over 400-feet...
Green Mountain Trail -- 3,540'
It will be very brief, so try to enjoy every flat footstep you can get...
Green Mountain Trail -- 3,600'
Rest time is quickly over...
Green Mountain Trail -- 3,700'
I'll be honest, this album is going to get repetitive at times...with numerous uphill photos of the trail cutting beneath thick rhododendron. It's an honest representation of the trail, however...in all its tiring monotony...
Green Mountain Trail -- 3,800'
It's incredible how absolutely unrelenting this uphill grind is...
Green Mountain Trail -- 3,900'
This is arguably the most unrelentingly steep trail in the Pisgah Ranger District...
Green Mountain Trail -- 4,000'
A few laurel bushes start to mix in as the 4,000' mark is crossed...
Green Mountain Trail -- 4,050'
Reaching the second knob it's time for a good long breather. This point is barely a half-mile into the climb and the trail has already ascended an astounding 900 FEET...
Green Mountain Trail -- 4,000'
The trail now makes a brief but steep drop off the south side of the second knob...
Green Mountain Trail -- 3,960'
The forested surroundings, at times, are quite beautiful...
Green Mountain Trail -- 3,950'
Here we go again...
Green Mountain Trail -- 4,000'
Only 2,000-feet of climbing to go...
Green Mountain Trail -- 4,050'
Needless to say there's plenty of stops, to catch ones breath, necessary along the way...
