Postcard View of Grandfather Mountain

Classic Postcard view of this famous peak. I couldn't resist taking this photo, even though it's sort of corny---a caricature of times past---like the early 70's when my family first went to Grandfather Mountain.

This view is taken from the motor road that leads up to the Visitor Center. It shows MacRae Peak (right) and Attic Window Peak (left). There is a nice little parking area here, and just down the road is a picnic area.

View SouthWest from MacRae Peak

Here's a late September view from the mansion-sized "summit block" on MacRae Peak. You have to climb a 20 foot wooden ladder just to get on this block, so it's not for the faint of heart. This is an option on the Grandfather Trail, that crosses the summit spine of the Mountain. Note the Black Mountain range, home of Mount Mitcehll, the highest peak in eastern America, at 6, 684 feet. Also note the signature prominences of Tablerock Mountain (3,909') and Hawksbill (4,017'). Both these peaks stand tall on the East Rim of Linville Gorge Wilderness Area.

This trail is superb, a must-do for any hiker that loves the alpine experience. It is on private property (the Grandfather Mountain Preserve), so you must pay a user-fee, but this will keep away many who would just clutter up the landscape. Be prepared in winter for ice and high-winds, and changeable weather all year. The highest wind ever recorded in North Carolina occurred here a couple of winters ago (over 180 MPH---before the wind gauge broke!)

Northwest Flank of Grandfather Mountain

Grandfather is such a spectacular mountain! It just looks different from almost all other mountains in the Southern Appalachians. The rocky spine adds drama at any time of year, but in the winter, the ice and snow that accumulate on the granite slabs and fissures lend a Western flavor to this mile-high peak (5, 837').
I didn't have time to take a hike this trip, but a year-long season pass is only $30 for this private Biosphere Preserve, and well worth it!