HIKING
I love to hike! If I had one request of Raleigh as a place to live it would be to relocate itself one hour or two further west. If location allowed, I would be doing frequent day trips to the mountains. I am hoping over the course of this CAS challenge, this hiking section will fill with a number of awesome outings. My goal is to get to the mountains and do some elevation once a month. We shall see!
Pilot Mountain
September 4, 2017
I have lived in Raleigh for thirteen years and had driven by Pilot Mountain a number of times on my way to the mountains of West Virginia. I knew there was hiking and climbing at Pilot, but I had not taken the time to stop in for a visit. So when we decided to take a family hike on Labor Day, we decided Pilot Mountain, less than two hours away, would be a great destination for the day.
I have lived in Raleigh for thirteen years and had driven by Pilot Mountain a number of times on my way to the mountains of West Virginia. I knew there was hiking and climbing at Pilot, but I had not taken the time to stop in for a visit. So when we decided to take a family hike on Labor Day, we decided Pilot Mountain, less than two hours away, would be a great destination for the day.
Pilot Mountain is an iconic location. The knob that sits atop the mountain, the "Big Pinnacle," is impossible to miss. I screams, "Climb me!" Unfortunately I learned when I got there that the knob is no longer accessible for hiking and climbing. It is now a nesting sanctuary for hawks, ravens and other birds. Fortunately the hike to the base of the knob is a very pleasant and invigorating hike. We arrived at Pilot around 9:30 and immediately started our hike. Because it was still early, the trail was sparsely populated and the temperature was very reasonable. The hike to the base of the knob is three miles one way and almost completely shaded. There are, however, occasional views of the Forsyth County countryside.
One of the best part of hiking is eating lunch! I always take essentially the same thing. A block of cheddar cheese, triskets and pepperoni slices. This is the stuff I NEVER eat at home, but on the trail it is incredible. Add to that some grapes, trail mix and oreo cookies, and I have the perfect lunch. After lunch we set out for a hike around the base of the knob. It was a bit more crowded up there, as it was now early afternoon and there is a parking lot up there, but it was still a great piece of the hike. There were several hawks circling overhead, great views, and rock spaces that were great for shade, scrambling and family photos!
One of the best part of hiking is eating lunch! I always take essentially the same thing. A block of cheddar cheese, triskets and pepperoni slices. This is the stuff I NEVER eat at home, but on the trail it is incredible. Add to that some grapes, trail mix and oreo cookies, and I have the perfect lunch. After lunch we set out for a hike around the base of the knob. It was a bit more crowded up there, as it was now early afternoon and there is a parking lot up there, but it was still a great piece of the hike. There were several hawks circling overhead, great views, and rock spaces that were great for shade, scrambling and family photos!
With the loop around the Big Pinnacle included, the day's hike was about 7.5 miles with a 1568 foot climb over the three miles up and three miles down. The hike was invigorating and not overwhelmingly demanding or exhausting. So when we got back to the car, we were tired but not exhausted - which is good as I now had to drive two hours home. And I am pretty sure that Riley had a great day and was worn out by the end of the hike. I am pretty sure she slept most of the ride home!