Jan and Elizabeth's May 2002 trip to the Blue Ridge Mountains where we hiked the ridge that Grandfather Mountain is a part of.

On our way into the mountains we ate lunch in a town called Blowing Rock

Entrance sign onto the Blue Ridge Parkway

Our first stop on our first day in the mountains was at the Linville Falls in the Linville Gorge

Side view of the falls

The lower falls

On our second day we went to Grandfather Mountain

This is a look at Grandfather mountain from an area called the Linville bluffs.  Can you make out the cars on the switch back road making their journey to the top?

The building with the flag on top is a national weather station. To the right of the building is the "Mile High Swinging Bridge"  and in the background is Mac Rae peak. One of the two peaks Elizabeth and I are going to hike to today.

After crossing the bridge.

You must watch your step up here.  It' a long way down and you sure don't want to slip.

WOW!  That was a close one.  Elizabeth just barely made it to me in time to pull me back up!

Sitting on top of Grandfather Mountain.  That is the Grandfather Mountain lake in the background.

Now it's time for our hike!  Here is a topographical map of the mountain range.

If you can read the map at all, we started down near the bottom left at the Mile-high swinging bridge.  We then hiked 4.4 miles across the mountain range to the next two highest peaks.  One called Mac Rae Peak with an altitude of 5939 ft. and the other called Attic Window Peak that is at an altitude of 5949 ft. The hike round-trip took approximately 4 hours, not including a lunch break we took atop the Attic Window Peak.  On our next trip to this area we're going to conquer the highest peak in this range named Calloway Peak which is in the upper right corner of this map.

Now, pictures from along our hike.

An overhang we walked under

Interesting view between two rock formations with the mountains in the background.

Along the way to to the Mac Rae peak if you check out the map again, you'll see a section marked "ladders".  Here is an idea of what one of the easier and not so scary ladders looked like.  This is the last ladder that leads to the top of this peak.

Elizabeth on top of Mac Rae peak.  Elevation: 5939 feet

This is a view from Mac Rae peak over to the Attic Window Peak which we hiked to.  There is actually a higher peak behind this one called Calloway peak.  We're saving that hike for our next trip to the mountains.

The next day as we were making our way along the Blue Ridge Parkway to Mount Mitchell we passed this Christmas tree farm.

Jan and Elizabeth with Mt. Mitchell in the background.  It was sunny here but by the time we ascended the approximately two thousand feet to the top it was cold, rainy and foggy.  How weird.

We passed through this tunnel on the Blue Ridge Parkway. It was right outside a small town called Little Switzerland.