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From atop Beacon Heights along the Blue Ridge Parkway, sunrise hits the massive granite face. Snow filled most of the cracks and scars, and wind above 40mph shook the trees and froze my fingers. It was amazingly clear and not long after the sun rose, a little farther to the southeast, the Charlotte skyline could be seen, 90 miles away.

A great early fall hike revealed more color than I thought we would encounter.

Jane Bald, originally uploaded by Appalachian Encounters.

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Looking across Round Bald to Jane’s Bald and beyond on a fantastic “cloud” day! The clouds just kept coming in all shapes, really bringing out what this landscape has to offer.

Untitled, originally uploaded by Appalachian Encounters.

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AT Landscape B&W

Laying down, originally uploaded by Appalachian Encounters.

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I have no idea what plant or grass this is, but there was about a 100ft x 100ft area up near Grassy where these lifeless rigid “sticks” stood rigid, but all leaning over. Sort of looked like a graveyard!

Trout Lily, originally uploaded by Appalachian Encounters.

Via Flickr:
One of the first wildflowers to be seen in spring, closes up each night to protect itself from cold night air. What’s really intriguing about this flower is that they form a colony from one seed, or corm. One seed can produce up to 10 plants. That keeps these flowers never with out a whole bunch of neighbors. Some colonies have been found to be over a hundred years old! Call me a nerd, but that is fascinating! You can also call it Fawn Lily, Dogtooth Violet, and Adder’s tongue. These were covering areas of the AT heading north towards Grassy Bald.

A Look Back at Roan, originally uploaded by Appalachian Encounters.

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Max, and the rest of us, looking south on the AT to Roan Mountain, TN over this great striated slab. (Ok Max is not looking south…)

AT Day Trip, originally uploaded by Appalachian Encounters.

We actually had a break in the weather to get out a couple weekends ago. We headed up to Carver’s Gap, TN for a day trip on the AT to Grassy Bald. What a beautiful day it was.

Golden Fields, originally uploaded by Appalachian Encounters.

On a long road trip north, I had the great fortune of coming upon this beautiful field in southeastern Ohio, of all places. I was traveling through the rural areas off highway 33, just over the Ohio/W.VA border and the Ohio River. I don’t normally stop for extracurricular anything during this long trip, but this field was so stunning on this sunny day, I couldn’t help myself.

BRP_Flora_Red, originally uploaded by Appalachian Encounters.

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A tiny red forest grows up from moss ground cover along a trail on the Blue Ridge Parkway.