Blackstock Knob, NC (10.1 miles; d=13.78)
Read MoreBlackstock Knob Hike Route Map
My loop hike up and over Blackstock Knob as tracked by Gaia GPS and depicted a la Google Earth...
Blackstock Knob Hike Route Map
My loop hike up and over Blackstock Knob as tracked by Gaia GPS...
Blackstock Knob from Blue Ridge Parkway - 5,210'
Blackstock Knob as seen from the Glassmine Falls View along the BRP to the south. This is an impressive view as the valley drops away a good thousand feet below while Backstock rises over a thousand feet above...
Balsam Gap (Walker Knob Overlook) Trailhead - 5,317'
The hike would begin and end from the small pull-off at Balsam Gap which is signed along the Parkway as the Walker Knob Overlook. The Mountains-to-Sea Trail leaves from the parking area as well as the Big Butt Trail...
Mountains-to-Sea Trail - 5,320'
The MST as it enters the spruce-fir forest from Balsam Gap...
Mountains-to-Sea Trail - 5,350'
The trail immediately began its assault on the ridge through moss-covered surroundings which are typical at these elevations...
Mountains-to-Sea Trail - 5,520'
A series of over a dozen switchbacks aided in the steep climb of the ridge. The trail climbs around 700-feet of vertical in the first half-mile from the parking area...
Mountains-to-Sea Trail - 5,600'
Some truly gigantic stumps could still be seen sprouting from the forest floor along the climb. What an amazing sight these trees must have been when still alive...
Mountains-to-Sea Trail - 5,750'
A small grove of stately firs tower above me as I near the ridge-top...
Mountains-to-Sea Trail - 5,950'
Things begin to flatten out near the half-mile mark...
Mountains-to-Sea Trail - 6,030'
Just after cracking the 6,000-foot mark I arrived atop the narrow ridge. With such a long hike still ahead of me it was nice to know the worst of the climbing was already over...
Asheville Watershed Boundary - 6,030'
To my right gaudy orange signs warned me not to trespass onto the property from which the city of Asheville gets its magical waters (that's sarcasm if you hadn't caught it)...
Mountains-to-Sea Trail - 6,030'
Weaving my way through a sea of spindly spruce and fir...
Mount Mitchell State Park Boundary - 6,030'
To my left were less obnoxious signs telling me that I was also running the property line of Mount Mitchell State Park...
Mountains-to-Sea Trail - 6,050'
Wandering through these high elevation spruce-fir forests always puts a smile on my face...I can't get enough of this unique environment...
Mountains-to-Sea Trail - 6,080'
Once atop the ridge I encountered very little elevation change at all, which came as a welcome relief after the initial climb...
Mountains-to-Sea Trail - 6,030'
Suddenly and unexpectedly the trees to my left parted and I was treated to this spectacular view to the north of the Black Mountain Range rising above the Cane River Valley below...
Mountains-to-Sea Trail - 6,100'
You can see here that the terrain drops steeply from the ridge-top so was therefore quite happy that the trail made its best attempt to stay atop it...
Mountains-to-Sea Trail - 6,150'
Sweeping around another large outcrop into a large stand of red spruce...
Mountains-to-Sea Trail - 6,200'
About a mile-and-a-quarter in the trail started another noticeable ascent as it heads for the summit of Blackstock...
Mountains-to-Sea Trail - 6,300'
The path flattens out atop a very narrow ridge just prior to reaching the summit...
Blackstock Knob Summit - 6,320'
NUMBER TWENTY SEVEN!!!...arriving at the summit of Blackstock Mountain...
Blackstock Knob Summit - 6,320'
There were no views to congratulate me for reaching my twenty-seventh Southern 6'er. There wasn't even a summit benchmark, at least from what I could see after a couple minutes of searching. Just this simple pile of rocks which, I thought, was marker enough...
Blackstock Knob Summit - 6,320'
Checking off #27...well, at least I would be once I completed the loop and put the requisite number of miles under my feet to make it official...
Dave Kathy Weemhoff
on July 31, 2016Looks like quite the hike! Not easy, but awesome.