Watauga County Highpoint Trip Report
Calloway Pk on Grandfather Mtn (5,920+ ft)
Date: August 6, 2006
Author: Don Desrosiers
Met Roy Wallen and Jerry Cobleigh at the entrance gate to Grandfather Mountain
on US 221 where we paid our fees ($14 per person discounted $2 each with Roy's
AAA card) and headed up to the parking lot at the Visitors Center. There was
thick fog and we believe we were the only car there at that point but we could
have been mistaken. From there it is signed as 2.3 miles to Calloway Peak.
Headed up the steep and fairly rocky trail. Several successive signs indicated
the distance to Calloway Peak remained at 2.3 miles. We felt relieved, knowing
the peak had not moved during our journey. Stayed on the main Grandfather Trail,
remarking several times that the sundress and sandals crowd might have
some difficulty with this hill, what with the rock scrambling and the wooden
ladders.
As noted, it was foggy and we felt that if we could have seen the views,
they would have been wonderful. Instead, we were royally treated to multiple shades
of NC gray, a rare treat for Roy who is used to the more subdued and uniform
southern California greys. Further, as this is a privately owned mountain,
the signage was somewhat unusual. In several places we noted pictorial prohibitions
against what we presumed were backpackers with long noses (backpackus proboscis
promenentae?).
The signs were clearly effective as we spotted none of this species,
although we looked resolutely.
We finally ran out of mountain and while the sun broke out briefly, it did not
burn off enough of the fog to get any views. Headed back down, taking the
yellow blazed Underwood Trail which, while no more difficult than the main
Grandfather Trail, is not that much less difficult. Got back to the car about
4-1/2 hours after leaving. We were met by hordes of tourists, many in
sundresses and sandals.
A sign near the Visitors Center indicating Grandfather Mountain to be the most
rugged peak in the east prompted some lively discussion.
Strongly recommend you do this one early in the day to avoid the crowds.