Grandfather Mountain: Profile Trail to Calloway Peak

A High Peak in High Country 

Background: 

Grandfather Mountain is one of if the most popular mountain attractions in all of Western North Carolina. The mountain itself is named Grandfather because, as early European hunter-explorers such as Daniel Boone pointed out: it looks like a sleeping old man. I think a lot about the adventure of being an explorer of the 18th century, blazing your own trails up mountains that not many had ever reached the summit of. Perhaps in a previous life this was me!

***Not my picture, but this is a great view of the resemblance to an old man. I see this photo was probably taken in late fall 

It was a beautiful Fall day in high country for the hike we made from Profile to Calloway Peak, with the colors of the leaves showing some of their best. While the profile trail is one of the most popular trails in North Carolina (rated #6 in the state by alltrails.com), it is not for the faint of heart as you are hiking up around 2000 feet over only 3.1 miles over a fairly rough trail. It was fun!

Hike Report:

Distance: ~6 miles

Time: ~4 hours

Difficulty: Strenuous 

The trailhead for Profile is one of the nicest trailheads I've seen, with lots of information and warnings about the trail. On the day we hiked, there was very limited parking and we had to park on the busy highway that runs through nearby Foscoe. A State Park Ranger was stationed giving away trail maps. 

The trail started along a very nice creek (to which Clif would bathe in later...), and the climbing began with switchbacks along the creek gorges of the mountain with several very nice viewing areas along the way. 

AS our elevation increased, the size of the boulders and rocks along the trail did as well. This giant boulder in particular is volcanic rock and really gives you an idea of the age of this mountain. Some say the highest ridges of the Appalachian are the oldest mountains in the world, dating back as far as almost half a billion years ago.

The iconic profile view as seen from about the 1/3 point on the profile trail. 

As we climbed up the mountain, the colors of the foilage became more and more prominent. 

One of the coolest parts of the hike for me, this picture taken at the first "viewpoint" along the Calloway Gap, is Sugar Mountain Resort. I've skied a good bit on this mountain in my early years of University and was where I first learned the snow-sport. Sugar Mountain, surrounded by the Pisgah National Forest Grandfather District, tops out at 5,300 feet and sports the "Sugar Top Resort" near the summit with ski-in-ski-out access to the slopes. 

The resort was built in 1985 and after a bit of national controversy, the North Carolina General Assembly banned all future "unnatural" changes to the mountain skyline through zoning restrictions. Still, the condo-owners of this resort have some of the best views of high country and the surrounding National Forest.

You can see the grassy ski slopes from afar, and Beech Mountain in the distance to the right (might actually not be able to be seen from this camera angle). In a couple months, this mountain and the slopes will be covered in fresh powder (or ice--depends on the day!). 

Reaching Calloway Peak presented challenges for our furry four-legged friend, Clif. He is a very agile and determined climber, however, and he ended up maneuvering up the rock faces over the ladders at the top of Calloway peak through various spur trails and some big jumps on his end. 

Grandfather, flanked to the southeast by ocean-like clouds that reminded you of the elevation you were visiting. Christmas (fir) trees littered the summit 

 I have wanted to hike the profile trail for a very long time and I am grateful to have had the opportunity in near-peak foilage conditions with a great hiking group. The summit was beautiful and the hike, while challenging, offered much reward for the effort.