Madison County High Point Trip Report

Date: April 17, 2002
Author: Bob Packard

We used notes taken in a telephone conversation with Fred Lobdell. On a road off of NC 209 off of I-40 west of Ashville we parked as directed by Fred.

Walked across a cow infected pasture and up into woods, a black lab having adopted and joined us for the whole trip. Got to woods roads which switchbacked up to Crab Orchard Fields and a ridge which we did on primitive roads over 3 humps to the summit of Sugarmush Bald (5152). Sitting bench on 2nd hump, hitching post on 3rd hump.

The summit area of Sugarmush has a long barbell-shaped contour. At the southwest end, near a dug out place on the high ground, is a witness marker pointing toward the probably-higher northeast high ground. When we went out there (views terrific as it's open ground) we found no BM, but we did find two NC Geodetic Survey triangles along the Madison-Buncombe line.

This trip approaches the mountain from the southeast. Later we drove around to the northwest side, found Carter Mountain Road which we drove to 3800 feet at a locked gate with sign "Ralph Emery Blvd" above and beyond it. We'd better stick with Fred's southeast approach.

Trip statistics: 5.25 hours, 9 miles, 3100 feet of elevation gain.