(This is the final installment of my recent trip to the Roan Highlands–one of the highest points on the Appalachian Trail).
I don’t always get a good night’s sleep in my tent, but I slept hard
on my last night’s stay at Roan Mountain State Park, waking at dawn.
After a quick breakfast of hot oatmeal and cocoa, I was driving back to
Carver’s Gap for what I expected to be my most challenging hike to the
top of the Roan Highlands: Roan High Knob.
The
parking lot was empty again, except for a lone vehicle with windows
coated by condensation (evidence that someone was sleeping inside).
My first problem was to find where the trail went off to the south. I
was wandering around by the outhouse and public informational signs,
but the trail southbound was actually a few dozen yards back towards the
way I had come from the state park. Temps were slightly above
freezing. The trail started off with a few scattered icy spots, but
quickly became more difficult with long stretches of ice made more
slippery by melt. I passed thee thru-hkers going up, a solo woman who
had just made it through the ice and a couple of guys in the middle of
the worst part. It was manageable and clearly more difficult going down
fast than going up slow.
There
was an overnight shelter towards the top of the ascent, but it was off
the main trail, so I didn’t stop to visit. Instead, I continued hiking
to the top until I found a side trail taking me to the former site of
the Cloudland Hotel.
Cloudland
was a luxury hotel built in the 1880’s above 6000 feet. There is still
a road that reaches Roan High Knob, although it is seasonal and was
still closed in late March. I’ve hiked hard trails to the top of
mountains that people could access by car or rail, such as Mount
Washington in New Hampshire, and it’s never quite the same experience.
As the father to a son in a power wheelchair, I understand more than
most that access to nature is difficult for some people. It’s so
important for more people to get out in nature, including mountaintop
views. However, I can’t say that I am sad that a luxury hotel doesn’t
sit on top of Roan High Knob anymore.
After a tough climb, I wasn’t in a
mood to share my view with people who drove to the top or who had slept
on comfortable beds. The Cloudland Hotel lasted only 20 years before
being dismantled in 1914.
High Knob was windy, cold, and beautiful. Even though it was Friday,
which tends to see more people on popular trails than mid-week, no one
else was around. I sat behind some rocks and lingered, reflecting on
the natural beauty and my hiking trip in general. We tend to get
comfortable in our mostly sedentary lives. This had been the perfect
trip to shake me out of my doldrums.
I continued hiking southbound off the Knob for awhile before
realizing that the next major peak was going to be quite a distance down
and then back up again. I decided to end my time on the Appalachian
Trail and head back to the Knob and to Carver’s Gap. I picked my way
slowly down the icy trail and was back to my truck before noon. I had
reached all of my goals, so I went back to Dairyland in the town of Roan
Mountain and had a celebratory bbq pork sandwich.
I hiked a few short
trails in Roan Mountain State Park, checked out some exhibits at the
Visitor’s Center, and settled back in for my last night at the
campsite. On the next morning, the road back to Wisconsin would be
waiting.
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