Fine weather for the first backpack of 2007. We got a late start in hardcore backpacker terms, we left at a relaxed 10:30 am. A three-hour drive from Knoxville and a stop at Taco John’s put us at Carver’s Gap around 2:00 pm. From Carver’s Gap (elevation 5512′) we had a short 3-mile hike but we had to go up and over two bald (Round Mountain and Jane Bald) before we reached our destination, Grassy Ridge (elevation 6189′). Saturday’s weather was perfect for January backpacking…40 something and sunny, but oh the winter winds blew so hard and cold across the balds.
Duane, Bill and John stop close to the top of Jane’s Bald
Endless mountains visible on the horizon
John, Duane and Bill coming down the rutted Appalachian Trail on the backside of Jane Bald
Sunset at our campsite low in the saddle off the backside of Grassy Ridge
Evening fell around 5:30 on Grassy Ridge. Our tents were up and we donned our warmest winter clothing for the anticipated falling temperatures. Everyone gathered around the fire ring and we were quite pleased to discover that others before us had left wood. Since we carried up a number of small fire logs for a ” just in case” situation, we burned them so we would not have to carry them down.
Aside from the commotion caused the a grass fire set by Will’s Seva stove, dinner was uneventful. John and I had our usual pizza with an after dinner hot chocolate. The temperature dropped quickly and the wind became very gusty as the sun disappeared.
Fire set by Will’s stove, fast foot work by Will and John averted a possible disaster in the wind
We woke to a winter wonderland (“Yes, it’s cold out here,” says John)
The wind gusts were tolerable as we stood by the fire after dinner and watched the twinkling lights from Beech Mountain ski resort (several ranges away). Finally the bitter wind found its way into the layers of our clothes and we headed to the tent around 8:00 pm. I couldn’t wait to get out of the icy atmosphere and into my very comfy down sleeping bag.
The night was interesting. High winds put our 3-season Mountain Hardware tent to the test as gusts slammed into the side countless times during the night. I woke from a restless sleep on numerous occasions with the fabric of the tent blown against my face. Sometime around 3:00 am, we heard ice hitting the tent. Getting up and out in the morning would be a challenge.
Oh so cold breaking camp
Cold and windy as we broke camp on Sunday morning. The clouds swirled low on the bald as we hurried to pack and get on the trail. With the temp no higher than 20-degrees and the winds gusting at 30 mph, we figured the temperature around 0. Br-r-r-r-r!
The hike to the car went quickly as we skirted icy patches on the trail. Somewhere on Round Mountain, the icy wind turned to a blowing snow. Ah, the car heater never felt so good!
Yours truly, very cold on Grassy Ridge!!
