Photos from the ascent of "Round Bald", November 30th 2001
Jon at 5826ft (about 1940m, or almost twice the height of bluff knoll).
Oh, and yes it was! cold! up there too. Probably a few weeks early for snow?
As the sun was setting the moon was rising, at the same time as we got to the top.
Photo of the same skyscape, but this time with Jon in it.
You can still see the moon rising just above my head.
Good thinking by the photographer in my opinion.
One of the many views from the top.
This photo shows some of the view from about halfway up.
We stopped by the side of the long, narrow, winding road (TN 143?) for this one.
There was a tree blocking half the road not far from here.
On the way back down in the pitch darkness
(apart from the headlights of the ute of course), we came round a tight steep bend, to be greeted with a rather sudden close-up of the tree blocking the way.
My drivers' reactions were good enough to avoid it. An adrenalin-charged, special night I'll never forget, in company with an excellent singer. :-)
The following links; Quote 1 (includes map),& Quote 2, is the best information I have been able to find so far for describing the location of Round Bald;
Quote 1:"Grandfather Mountain actually consists of four peaks.
The 5964 shown is the elevation of Calloway Peak, the highest of the set.
The five peaks of Roan Mountain run even higher, with three above 6000 feet, and Roan High Knob the highest.
N.C. 261, which becomes Tennessee 143 at Carvers Gap, has the highest elevation of any road crossing a state line east of the Rockies."
"From the junction of NC 226 and NC 261 in Bakersville, take NC 261 north almost 13 miles to Carver's Gap on the NC/TN line. Follow SR 1348, a two-mile spur road from Carver's Gap, to the Roan summit parking and trails. There is a $3.00 fee per vehicle for access to the top of the mountain.
A trailhead for the Appalachian Trail at Carver's Gap goes to Round Bald"
Quote 2:"Known for its rhododendron displays in late spring and early summer, this area contains ten miles of the Appalachian Trail that highlight the spruce-fir forests of Roan High Knob (6,286 feet) and the heath and grassy bald on Round Bald (5,826 feet). Heavy snow and "rime" ice occurring from December through April give the area an equally stunning appearance in winter, although access can be hazardous. The highlands also contain northern hardwood forest downslope from the spruce-fir forests and the balds."