Why Small Mountains Demand Big Respect

Grandfather Mountain Trail Guide

I’m embarrassed now to admit that when I first arrived in North Carolina to spend time retreating in the Blue Ridge Mountains, I assumed that the hiking would be easy. But oh, how wrong I was.

Our Blue Ridge Mountain Basecamp

For the second summer in a row, our daughter attended the Lees McRae Wildlife Sciences Camp in Banner Elk, North Carolina. Last year, we sent her off alone at 16 to expand her sense of freedom and independent travel skills. This year, since our elder dog passed, we decided to join her. We rented a sweet Airbnb at the end of a long single-lane gravel road and above a barn to hunker down, write in the morning and hike in the afternoon.

In a few weeks we would be headed on a bucket list trip to raft the Grand Canyon, and I was supposed to be in training—cardio, strength and rucking. Unfortunately, after some dental work my back tweaked, and I had to take a break from weights and heavy packs. I was sure that hiking in North Carolina would not help my cardio training.

You see, those of us that live at high elevations (we’re at 7,500’) get superpowers at low elevations (the Blue Ridge Mountains are on average 4,000’). The extra air in our lungs makes cardio workouts essentially easy. There goes my training, I erroneously thought. But at least I would be able to build some muscle on the climbs.

Grandfather Mountain Trailhead: Underestimating the Challenge

On a day when Eric was light on work meetings, we ventured to Grandfather Mountain, the highest peak in the Blue Ridge Mountains, which was one of the longer recommended hikes in the region. Grandfather Mountain is named such because it is so old and because it bears the profile of an old man. The Cherokee name was Tanawha meaning something like, fabulous eagle. I imagine a fabulous eagle may have lived on its peaks at one time.

The thing is, I can be kind of snobby about mountains. I live in the Rockies. The Rocky Mountains are tall craggy snow-covered peaks akin to the Alps that rise 14,000’ into the sky. They are big and shiny and loud. They make themselves known with boisterous charm. When we sing about purple mountains majesty, we are refering to the Rockies.

The Blue Ridge Mountains on the other hand are subtle and quiet. They are called blue because they are often covered in haze. They roll peacefully along their ridge without much fuss and ramble into the distance.

So, as we approached the trailhead to Grandfather Mountain, I was overconfident. We checked in at Top Shop, a shop at the top of the mountain, and asked how far the hike was to Calloway peak. Of course, we wanted to go to the tallest peak because we assumed naively that it wouldn’t be challenging enough otherwise. They responded, five hours.

I was miffed. Five hours! But how many miles? I asked.

Two and a half miles.

They thought I needed five hours to go five miles roundtrip! An hour per mile? Who did they think we were? We hike the Rockies!

As we filled out the permit and headed up the trail, I scoffed. Time is subjective, I complained to Eric, how can they possibly know how long it will take us?

The Reality of Blue Ridge Mountain Hiking: Cables, Ladders, and Rock Scrambles

The Grandfather Mountain Trail started out rocky as many hikes do. Yet as we continued weaving through spruce and fir trees, I realized that the rocks were not letting up. Cables appeared along the side of the trail for gripping to pull yourself up steep inclines. We came to a cliffside that required us to do a kind of reverse belay up the stone wall. I grappled with the line unaccustomed to such things. My palms were sweaty and slippery from the humid air.

Couldn’t they find a better route for this trail? I kvetched. Is this the only way up?

Things quickly accelerated from there. Soon I was crawling under a boulder outcropping to get to a ladder anchored to a rock wall. A ladder! It was then that I grew suspicious that this hike was more than I initially suspected. Three more ladders appeared, each one sketchier than the last and required for ascension.

The first ladder

The ladders were attached to rock faces at odd angles so sometimes it felt like I was leaning off of the mountainside. I was definitely meeting my edge. I am not a fan of heights. I get vertigo sometimes. I don’t have depth perception and struggle with ladder steps. I moved slowly, two feet to a step at a time.

I believe it was after the seventh ladder that I finally realized my mistake.

I began to cry out to the mountain. “Grandfather Mountain,” I yelled as a hiker passed by laughing at me, “I’ve come to pay my respect. I’m so sorry I failed to do so sooner. I pray to you for safe passage for me and my companion. Thank you, Grandfather Mountain.”

Blue Ridge Mountains vs Rocky Mountains: A Lesson in Respect

The Blue Ridge Mountains may be small, but they hold years of ancient history in their stones. They are the elder mountains. They contain some of the oldest geological formations on Earth, with some rock formations dating back 1.1 billion years. Grandfather Mountain was formed about 300 million years ago.

Sometimes, in our fast-paced world where youth and grandiosity are valued, we forget about the virtues of our elders. The Rockies are like the cocky teenagers I watched climb down the cliffside ladders facing forward and jeering at my helpful directions. They have all the gumption but none of the wisdom. The Blue Ridge Mountains are like Bill, the visitor guide who greets people at the trailhead, makes sure they sign in, reminds them to be back by 6pm and assures them it will take at least 5 hours to get to Calloway Peak. He’s not fucking around. He doesn’t care if you don’t believe him, just obey what he says.

Bill was right. It would have taken us 5 hours to go all the way to Calloway Peak and back. So, we hiked to McCrae peak instead after climbing about ten ladders to get there, including the final one, perhaps the trickiest, leaning up against a giant prehistoric boulder that could only be dismounted with the help of a cable to pull yourself up the rest of the way. The view was amazing. Atop the boulder you could see in every direction. John Muir described the site as “the face of all Heaven come to earth.”

When Grandfather Mountain Wins

I was so exhausted by that point, I couldn’t imagine going another mile and a half to Calloway Peak. We decided to take a loop back on the Underwood Trail, descending two more ladders. The trail back was easier for having less ladders and cables but more challenging for being strewn with large boulders to climb over. Again, I grumbled, isn’t there an easier way to go?

In the end I realized it is not the size of the mountain that matters. I need to respect all mountains. Each range has its own set of challenges and virtues. So, Grandfather Mountain, thank you for allowing us to pass safely and humbly traverse your ridgeline. I will never mock small mountains again.

Safety Guide for Grandfather Mountain:

• Only experienced hikers should attempt this trail

• One of the most technical hikes in the East

• No special equipment is required

• If you are timid of heights, this trail is not for you

• An alternative to taking the ladders up MacRae Peak is to opt for the more sheltered Underwood Trail, which only has two easier ladders

• Be prepared for sudden weather changes and windy conditions

• Total vertical gain is almost 1,800 feet

• Not suitable for dogs due to ladders

Essential Gear for Grandfather Mountain:

• Sturdy hiking boots with good grip

• Fingerless gloves for cable and ladder sections might have been nice, especially with sweaty palms

• Plenty of water, in this humid area of the country you sweat a lot

• Emergency whistle and first aid kit

• Snacks for refueling

• Pack a raincoat and extra layers

Before You Go Checklist:

• Inform someone of your hiking plans

• Sign permits at trailhead with your vehicle license plate, phone number and an emergency contact’s phone number.

• Plan for 5+ hours roundtrip to Calloway Peak or 3.5+ hours to McCrae Peak

• Check weather conditions (wet rocks and ladders are dangerous!)

• Start early to avoid afternoon thunderstorms

• You must be back by 6pm so plan accordingly with buffer time, they will call you if you are late (see permit)

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