This past weekend, I made the annual winter trip to Mount Mitchell. On Friday night after work, I drove my Toyota 4Runner in a 2 car caravan with Chad riding with me and Andrew and Tyler in Andrew’s Toyota FJ Crusier. Both our vehicles are equipped with 4 wheel drive and with the snow that had fallen in the previous days in the mountains of North Carolina, we felt it best to go up with a second vehicle.
We arrived at Black Mountain Campground around 10:45. We had received word from Jeff’s friend Chadd that he was on his way and would be there soon. He arrived at about 11:30 and the 5 of us got ready for a 3 mile hike to Mid Camp, where Melissa, Jeff, Chris and John were already set up. About 1/2 mile up, Chadd was having knee problems. He told us that he has had surgeries and the cold and his heavy pack were giving him problems. He was going home.
The four of us continued up in the hard packed, basically frozen snow. And yes, I realize that snow is already frozen, but this snow was solid and very slick. Thanks to YakTrax that I had picked up from REI the week before, I had little to zero problems hiking on the ice.
We made it to Mid Camp around 2:15 Saturday morning. We set up in the cold air that read on Jeff’s thermometer at 4 degrees. I was thankful there was little wind. I crawled into my sleeping bag in my bivy sack on the snow and tried to sleep.
I woke up around 6:00 and I had to pee. It was still dark outside and no one else was up. I tried to hold it for a while, but finally had to get up. After I got back in my bag, I warmed my feet with my hands and then laid back down for a while. All of a sudden I heard someone yelling in the distance. I yelled back and then soon realized that it was Chadd. Jeff summed it up nicely, “Hey Chadd you crazy bastard.” Apparently, Chadd drove back home, unloaded his pack some and returned to meet up with us, hiking by himself in the dark.
We got a fire going and thawed out the feet. We made some breakfast, which for me consisted of a freeze dried meal from Mountain House that was scrambled eggs with ham and green and red peppers. It hit the spot, but I think anything warm would have been great. We geared up for a summit hike and left just before noon – later than we should have left.
Melissa, John, Andrew, Chad, Tyler and I started up the mountain and it hit me, (like it does every trip there) how amazing it is to have such a diverse landscape so close to home. It really does feel like you are on another world compared to Charlotte. And it is a mere 2 hour drive!
At around 2:15, I ask Melissa if she wants to hike in the dark and she says no. We had already discussed turning around at 2:30 to get back before dark. It was 2:15 and we had 1.5 miles to go to the summit. We decided to turn around and the other 4 went on to the top.
We got back to the camp where Jeff and Chris had a fire going and we got warm and dry. the others made it back just before it got dark with their tales of how extreme the conditions were at the top. Their frosted beards proved such conditions.
We made dinners and several turned in early to get warm in their sleeping bags. Melissa, Chris and I stayed up a bit and talked and listened to the “I must be camping with Jeff” music by Johnny Cash.
Sunday morning I woke up and was extremely cold. I was worried about my feet that I could barely move. Jeff made a fire and I warmed my toes that had turned a shade of white/yellow and finally got their color back and stopped hurting. I packed up and headed down the mountain with Chad, Andrew and Tyler. Melissa, Jeff, Chris and John stayed back and made coffee and breakfast. I had my sights set on food and a toilet at the nearest Waffle House!
We mad it to Waffle House around 12:00 and after hitting up the toilet (new Special Place, thanks Waffle House!) I ate a waffle, hash browns, eggs, toast and of course, bacon!
It was a great trip and it reminded me of why I love to hike and camp, but I have decided that, with my current equipment, my threshold on low temperatures is around 15-20 degrees. The 4 degree temperatures were uncomfortable in my currnet sleeping system. Perhaps a tent and battery-powered socks (good tip, Chad) are what are needed to get a good night’s sleep in such conditions.
Andrew, Kevin, Tyler and Chad After the Hike
