Date: 2007-05-08
From: Ash Gap Campsite

To: Hump Mt Summit
Miles today: 11.3

The views today were some of the best of the trip so far and the Balds were some of the most spectacular I have seen yet! All things considered, I think the section from Roan Mt to Hump Mt is my favorite of the trip!I had a hard time getting going this morning and didn't leave until nearly 10.00. The day began immediately with the continued stiff climb from Ash Gap up to the summit of Roan Mt. Very quickly the trees changed to pure spruce-fir and the trail turned rocky and full of roots. The pungent smell of fir trees hung heavily in the air and was wonderful. This mt and trail, more than any so far, reminds me of mountain trails in VT and NH. While walking I found nearly a full compliment of boreal birds including Golden-crowned Kinglets, Red-breasted Nuthatches, Brown Creepers, numerous Winter Wrens, a few Canada Warblers, lots of juncos, chickadees and ravens, and 1 lone Bicknell's Thrush. Really the only things missing were some warblers such as yellow-rumped and blackpoll.I was so enthralled by the smell, feel and view on the top of Roan Mt that I walked right by the side trail to the famous Rhododendron gardens and the shelter! The Roan High Knob Shelter is the highest elevation shelter on the entire AT and I was so busy birding and enjoying the forest that I missed it!Nearly down to Carver's Gap I came upon another Saw-whet Owl singing from a cavity in a fir tree - at 10.45 in the morning! I called back to him and he called back to me. We carried on a conversation for a number of minutes but he did not move from his cavity. The trail eventually passed within about 30 m of him and I left him still singing from his cavity.Carver's Gap is probably the most scenic gap I have yet seen on my trip; the spruce slopes of Roan Mt on one side and the open slopes of Round Bald on the other. Round bald was what I had expected southern balds to look like. I was fascinated with seeing clumps of spruce-fir forest surrounded by Rhododendron glades and blackberry tangles.The skies were very clear with far visibility - it was one of the most spectacular view days of the trip so far! The wide open vistas from the series of true balds I crossed after Carver's Gap was unique for the trip. I spent so much time looking at the views and taking pictures that I made little hiking progress. After crossing Round Bald and Jane Bald I stopped at the Grassy Ridge side trail and spent over an hour at the top of the half mile trail. This is supposed to be the only truly natural 360 degree view on the southern AT and I saw many hikers breeze right past it not wanting to add another mile of trail to their day. As always, the Roan Mt massive with its spruce-fir cloak dominated the skyline to the east at every turn of the trail. Roan Mt was the last time the AT climbs above 6,000 feet until NH.I walked from Yellow Mt Gap to Bradley Gap with Copperhead, a woman thru-hiker in her late 30's with an unruly crop of bright red hair, hence her trail name. She is a cross-country independent truck driver from northwest Arkansas who is also very interested in birds and wildflowers. She has good eyes and appears to be primarily self taught.I hurried up the final mile climb to the top of Hump Mt to find Hurdy Gurdy Man, Alpine Strider and Second Wind sitting on the bald summit intending to camp there, so I decided to join them. The skies looked clear and the wind was almost nill so it appeared to be a good night to camp on a bald.What a unique end to a day of spectacular sights, sounds and smells! Another great day on the AT!