I think this is the view from McRae. Looking to the left there you can see the peak with the parking lot and bridge.
I'm fat, out of shape and a-feared of places up high with no railing or whatever... This climb was pretty scary in places (I left my companion a couple ladders back from here) but OMG, it's worth it to stand way the hell up there... This is one of the photos that Mark and Nico saved for me from a mac-attack. CW ----- Original Message ----- From: "Mark Roberts" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Pentax-Discuss Mail List" <[email protected]> Sent: Saturday, December 23, 2006 6:01 PM Subject: Re: GFM (Possible First Timer) > Cotty wrote: > >>On 23/12/06, Mark Roberts, discombobulated, unleashed: >> >>>This one requires a tough hour-long hike (and (*no* fear of heights!): >>>http://www.robertstech.com/pages/gfm_21.htm >> >>Yes please. Put me down for one of those Mark ! > > For anyone else interested, on the Saturday afternoon of the GFM Nature > Photography Weekend I am going to lead an unofficial hike to Attic > Window Peak on the mountain. Open to anyone who's interested in coming. > Frank's done it with me in the past so it can't be that difficult ;-) > > Grandfather Mountain consists of a fairly long ridge with four distinct > peaks. Linville Peak, the lowest of the four, is the one at the end of > the road up the mountain. You drive there to get onto the Grandfather > Mountain trail, which follows the ridge to the other three peaks. The > first half mile is moderate in difficulty but after that it gets fairly > tough: There are sections that would require ropes, harnesses and > technical climbing experience if it weren't for the ladders bolted to > the rock face. Not for people who are out of shape or who have any fear > of heights. > > The first peak you come, about a mile out on the trail, is MacRae Peak. > 3rd highest peak on the mountain. The peak itself is a house-sized > boulder which is accessed via one of the aforementioned ladders. You > can bypass the peak itself and continue on the trail if you like. The > climb up to the top of the peak is a bit scary but the view is > spectacular (http://www.robertstech.com/pages/gfm_21.htm) > > About half a mile farther on is Attic Window Peak. Still tough going on > the trail: Some exposed ladder climbing and a spot where you have to > shimmy through a crack between a cliff face and a large-building-sized > boulder. Might be worrying if you get claustrophobic. The last part of > the trail up to Attic Window is through a chute full of rocks/boulders > of varying sizes (http://www.robertstech.com/pages/gfm_13.htm - looking > down from the top... in appalling weather). Definitely upper class-4 > scrambling. As you climb up through this chute there is a cave on your > left that goes all the way through (about 20 ft) where you can sit on a > shelf on the side of another cliff face. Frank and I did that and got > some great shots. This is the destination of my Saturday afternoon > excursion. > > On the Thursday night before the weekend officially begins, I hike out > all the way to Calloway Peak, the fourth and highest peak on the > mountain, and camp out for the night to get sunset and sunrise photos. > This is a good mile past Attic Window and really quite strenuous when > carrying a backpack loaded with tent, sleeping bag, camera gear and > other supplies, but it's worth it :) Anyone who'll be there on Thursday > and is willing and able to make the trip is welcome to come along. > > > -- > PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List > [email protected] > http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net > > > -- > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.5.432 / Virus Database: 268.15.26/600 - Release Date: > 12/23/2006 4:47 PM > > -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List [email protected] http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net
