Living in The Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina- A Blog
Enjoy the Colorful Photographic Impressions created by Vann Helms
Spectacular Color along the Parkway
With the late cool weather and the first frost, combined with five inches of badly needed rain, the trees have finally decided to show their stuff, especially along the Blue Ridge Parkway from Linville Falls to Grandfather Mountain. After the passing of a cold front, the Carolina Blue sky was as blue as I’ve ever seen it, with not a cloud in sight. Low humidity intensified the hues, and made visibility limitless. It was Wednesday, October 23rd, and there was certainly no shortage of mid-week “Peepers” out to marvel at nature’s annual extravaganza. A little Vivaldi for background made for a perfect three-dimensional, super High Definition, sensory experience.
Sugar Maples at Linville Falls Community
Vacation homes at Linville Falls
Western Mountains of Linville Gorge at 3,500 feet…
Linville River from the Parkway bridge…
Looking east from 4,000 feet…
Grandfather Mountain from 4,500 feet with Grandmother Lake…
Cruising beneath Grandfather…
Toward Linn Cove Viaduct…
Grandfather Boulder Field above the Viaduct…
Rough Ridge Trail above the Parkway…
Southern horizon toward Linville Gorge peaks…
View toward northeast from Linn Cove…
This two minute video will give you a three dimensional sensation of cruising on the Parkway…
First Color of Autumn
Because of September’s record setting heat, and almost no rain since July, the trees decided to wait about ten days to show their stuff. With showers returning, and temperatures down to freezing, they seem to be making up for lost time here in Otter Creek Valley.
This lone Dogwood stands between two tall Maples that are finally beginning to turn. The tall grass is Broomsage, and the Mountain people used it for, you guessed it, making their brooms.
A misty Otter Pond greets the rising Sun…
Another week should be an entirely different story….
From Chimney Rock to Grandfather Mountain
On Wednesday, October 9th, I went to the top of Chimney Rock, then drove to the Blue Ridge Parkway below Grandfather Mountain, with a few stops in between. Fall colors will be about ten days late this year because of a very hot September, and no rain for five weeks. That just gives us a little more time to enjoy Summer.
Chimney Rock Gift Shop
Hickory Nut Gorge to the west…
Northwest Rutherford Mountains to the east…
Lake Lure at east end of the gorge…
Lake Lure with Bill’s Mountain to the east…
Yours truly atop “The Rock”
Oldest tourist attraction in the Mountains…
Lake Lure looking northwest…
Rumbling Bald Mountain above Yacht Club Island. Exposed granite is part of the Sugarloaf earthquake fault.
Northwest Rutherford Mountains ten miles north of Lake Lure, looking to northeast…
North entrance to Linn Cove Viaduct on the Parkway below Grandfather Mountain…
Looking south toward Linville Gorge… A cloud bank covered the entire area with a temperature of 57 degrees.
The “Viaduct” was visible below the clouds at 4,800 feet…
For an instant, the clouds parted to reveal the distant peaks of Table Rock and Hawksbill Mountain on the northern rim of Linville Gorge.
Along The Parkway…
Granite retaining wall built in 1986 to keep cars from plunging 1,000 feet below.
Most Spectacular Rare Wildflowers…
Over the years I have encountered some very rare wildflowers here in Otter Creek Valley that have appeared only a few times over ten years. I’ll leave the identification up to you. Just enjoy their beauty.
Narrow Leaf Sunflowers of Autumn
This was six years ago, and these Mountain Sunflowers are still going strong. They peak on the first day of Autumn every year. Well worth the wait every year.
Although autumn doesn’t officially arrive until tomorrow, you can set your clock to that event by watching for the peak display of the Narrow Leaf Sunflowers. a showy member of the Astor family.
Three years ago I planted seeds from flowers that I found in a pasture north of here. Since then, the number of plants has doubled every year. Each plant, below, stands about six feet tall and has over a hundred blossoms.
The blossoms seem to mutate into different color patterns, and always are searching for the sun. The plants become so top-heavy with flowers that they need to be tied together with twine to keep them upright.
The thousands of bright yellow flowers are the most dramatic of any flowers that I have found along the Blue Ridge Escarpment.
Wolf Pen Mountain to the northwest towers above this area at over 3,000 feet.
Another variety that grows…
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Slummin’ at George’s Place in September
Not that Mr. Vanderbilt actually invited me, but I’m sure had he known me, he would have been more than happy to have me visit. As Summer winds to a close on this Friday the 13th with a full Moon, I had the place all to myself….
No one was in his Gardens or his Conservatory…
Frederick Law Olmsted’s Brick Bridge at Bass Lake had no traffic…
No Rowboats were disturbing the surface of the reflecting Lagoon …
…and I could even park on this narrow stone bridge and no one made me move…
George passed a hundred years too soon, but I could feel his presence around every turn.
Clear-cut Logging has its Advantages
As much as I despise clear cutting, I must admit that it sometimes can have unexpected benefits, and that was never more evident than along a stretch of Bill’s Creek Road just northwest of Lake Lure. This byway connects Interstate 40 to the north with the Lake and Chimney Rock. There are no National Forests or Preserves in this area, and no State Park lands, so logging, especially over the past five years, has produced needed income to families who have owned these ridges for generations. Unfortunately, large swaths of thick forests have just disappeared in a matter of weeks, leaving giant scars across the mountains that will take years to heal. Replanting is not in the equation, and the erosion of topsoil with heavy rains makes the problem even worse.
Such is the case with hundreds of acres just west of Bill’s Creek Road, and three miles northeast of the Lake. I’ve lived here for over ten years, and I never knew what had been hidden by the thick forest until the trees were gone. Suddenly, there was a ridge and a series of gullies and hills that had never been visible before. In spite of the scars, it was actually quite breathtaking.
Luckily, some of the trees were not cut down…
A gravel road runs along the top of the ridge, above, so I drove there to see what I could find. I was amazed by the spectacular vistas that greeted me.
View toward the northeast mountains…
View toward the east of South Mountains State Park…
The higher I climbed, the better the view…
To the north was 3,100 foot Hickory Nut Mountain…
Maples were already beginning to turn…
This is Tom’s Mountain, now called New Forest Mountain….
This view didn’t exist three months ago…
Just south of this ridge is an area called Laurel Lakes…
That’s 2,600 foot Young’s Mountain on the western horizon…
To the South is 4,000 foot Sugarloaf Mountain, with Lake Lure down in the valley…
Most impressive are 3,200 foot Rumbling Bald Mountain to the left, and 4,100 foot Mount Shumont, with their rocky outcroppings so beloved by rock climbers. These rugged peaks remind me of the Swiss Alps, with the clear Lake 3,000 feet below.
One more impression of the vista opened up by clear-cut logging….
Usually these views are reserved for the Blue Ridge Parkway. Thank you loggers…
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