06-29-2014 LANE PINNACLE (MTS) 10.0 MILES Melvin and I took a very nice hike today although it was a little strenuous due to length (10.0 miles), elevation gain (2900) and humidity. We drove to milepost 375.6 on the Blue Ridge Parkway (up past Asheville), got off on Ox Creek Rd. and hiked a five mile section of the Mountains to Sea Trail. We immediately began to climb and never stopped for 3.4 miles. Then it was down a small gap and up another knob several times with one last .8 mile pull up to Lane Pinnacle after going through the Lemon Squeezer. The return trip was the several small climbs and then all downhill back to Bull Gap the last 3.4 miles. The beginning of the climb was fairly good on switchbacks the first 1.4 miles to the Rattlesnake Lodge site. This was the summer home for Dr. Chase P. Ambler an Asheville physician. Built in 1903 and occupied until 1920, in the late 1920s the lodge burned down. Now all that remains are the stone foundations for the barn, swimming pool, tennis courts and chimney of the lodge. The doctor owned the land between Bull Gap (start of hike) and Lane Pinnacle (end of section) and supervised the building of a horse trail from his property to Mt. Mitchell in 1908. Now it is a small section of the Mountains to Sea Trail. The lodge site is very interesting and pretty much the end of the hike for most who venture up here. A side trail (.4 miles) takes you directly down to the Parkway at milepost 374.4 if you want a shorter trip to the site. From this point the climb becomes somewhat steeper and then much steeper for the next two miles and you leave the tourists behind. One man and his dog went out to the first knob and back and two older men came up to a certain point and then returned. Only the truly nutty go on out...lol! Even Melvin gave up at the Lemon Squeezer and I did the last .8 miles alone. I wasnt about to come back and redo it...lol! Other than some more killer climbing and bragging rights to say Id done the entire hike it was a waste of time though. My view from Lane Pinnacle was supposed to be Beetree Reservoir (Ashevilles water supply) and blue mountains for as far as the eye could see. I could see the surrounding brush and then fog...lol! Fortunately there were quite a few views in both directions along the way. Besides the non-view and the Lodge site there were tons of interesting and beautiful things to see along the way. There were lots of flowers of various species and there were lots of beautiful rock formations. They gave us ample time to photograph and catch our breath...lol! Even though we were both totally drenched by the end of the hike and sucked down an icy drink back at the car like two shipwrecked fools we did enjoy the day. Another Danny Berstien hike done. Im whittling them down!
Posted on: Tue, 01 Jul 2014 16:35:44 +0000
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