Mt. Mitchell

Saturday I took the dog for a quick little run up to the top of Mt. Mitchell. We went the easy way and started at the Black Mtn. Campground and just went up the Mt. Mitchell trail:



There was only a little snow down at the bottom and I was concerned that I was too late and all the snow would be melted:



It was a gorgeous warm and sunny winter day and conditions were ideal:





My concerns about the snow proved to be unfounded and before long bare ground was nowhere in sight. Duma loves the snow and had fun going nuts in it:









The snow picked up as we climbed and by the time we got to Commissary Ridge we were post holing it:





The snow started to get deep. Blazes were a foot above the snow and signs all but covered, when we weren't sunk waist deep in the snow we could even see over the fir trees. There was every bit of three feet, if not four feet, on the ground. Drifts of 6'+ lined the trail:









Then, there she was, shining like a beacon:



For a few precious moments we were the highest man and dog on the East Coast. The skies were blue and clear making for a rare day when you can actually see the view:





On the return trip we went across Higgin's Bald and were the first ones to do so since the snow pack set in. We got freshies and Duma insisted on breaking trail but was still smiling at the end: