A Frigid Hike Toward Brushy Top Mountain

Located due north from my house and straddling the Rutherford-McDowell County line north of Lake Lure is Brushy Top Mountain. It’s called that because of the esposed granite face on its south slope. Although it is only 1,850 feet high, it provides an excellent vantage point to observe the higher peaks along the eastern escarpment of the North Carolina Blue Ridge. At sunrise this morning, the temperature was at 20 degrees, but with no wind and a bright blue sky, a hike to a new area seemed appropriate. Buddy and Hunter, my two canine companions on my morning walks, were itching for an adventure, so I headed in the direction of Brushy Top, not knowing where we would end up. The lower forest trail, below, was lined with oak trees, still coveting their autumn  leaves even into April…

The rain gullies along the old road were filled with ice from recent rainwater.

Another quarter mile and I was entering a forest of Loblolly Pine. Looking back, the oak clusters framed Dick’s Mountain to the southwest with snow clouds drifting by.

Another quarter mile and I was surrounded by pines. Tom’s Mountain to the east was now visible above the trees.

Looking southeast I could see the large house at a horse farm on Bill’s Creek Road, below.

Climbing another quarter mile, I reached the summit of this ridge that leads on to Brushy Top Mountain. The view toward Lake Lure to the southwest was breathtaking. The brilliant blue sky with a few snow clouds on the horizon made the perfect contrast to the mountains along the escarpment.

The closest mountain was 2,700 foot Young’s Mountain along the northeast side of Lake Lure. (below)

The most distant peak, below, is 3,900 foot Mt. Shumont west of Lake Lure. This is an undeveloped area that has recently been added to the new Chimney Rock Trail encircling Hickory Nut Gorge.

Back toward the west, below, is the large loblolly pine forest inside High Lodges at Otter Creek, a reawakening residential development. The distant ridge is part of 3,100 foot Wolf Pen Mountain.

On the way back down, a long snow cloud drifted over the escarpment. Over a foot of snow had fallen in the higher mountains over the last three days, and rogue clouds were breaking away from the pack.

Arriving back at the lower part of the ridge, Hunter found a small pond to have a welcomed drink after a long climb.

We never made it all the way to Brushy Top today, but now that I know the trail, it’s just a matter of time before we go up there.

• March 27, 2013
• Animal Stars, Blue Ridge Escarpment, Lake Lure, Mount Shumont, Our Trees and Plants, Springtime, Wolf Pen Mountain
• 2 Comments