a week in southeastern america - TravelPUNK Backpacker College Student Budget Travel Message Boards!

**ScarlotteDorian** · 10-25-2004, 06:44 PM

yeah, so i just got back from an awesome week hiking out in tennessee, south & north carolina, georgia, virginia and driving through all the other states in that area on the way during the peak of fall colors. it was so beautiful!
for anyone who might not know, i have a little hobby of climbing the highest points in each state. well, anyhow...here are some pictures from some of the highest points for anyone who might be interested.

my sister, my brother, me and my other brother at the highest point in north carolina, mt mitchell
it kind of resembled something out of a fairy tale enchanted forest with its stone tower rising up past the moss covered rocks, gnarled trees and fog. At the foot of the tower laid the tomb of Elisha Mitchell, completely encircled in an old cast iron fence and piled with stones that looked like they were pulled from hills in Scotland. Really, REALLY, kewl!

yours truely at highest point in virginia, mt rogers
It was a 4-1/2 mile hike from the trailhead to the summit. We were warned of wild ponies running around the trails. Kewl! But, we didn’t see any. Blow! The hike was never the less breathe-taking! We hiked through rolling green hills with mossy boulders and fat, fuzzy caterpillars crawling everywhere. Then the trail would slip into a forest of perfectly spaced white-trunked trees growing out of a ground carpeted with golden leaves that probably just fell last week. The trail would dip in and out of streams lazily trickling down the mountain side and pooling here and there to make little fountains in the middle of the woods. Towards the top we suddenly found ourselves in a thick forest of dark, gnarled trees, and a forest floor of black mud everywhere. Everything was dusted with ever-green moss and mushrooms. It reminded me of ‘the fire swamp’ in ‘The Prince’s Bride.’ There wasn’t any quicksand or flaming fire pockets randomly about though, and we definitely didn’t see any R.U.S.’s. lol At the top of the mountain there wasn’t much of a view, just forest, but we found the Geological Survey Marker on top of a boulder and took some pictures.

highest point in south carolina, mt sassafras
It wasn’t much to look at. Actually, it was kind of spooky. There was this crazy, thick fog that moved in right when we got there. All around the mountain there were burnt up old cars and beer bottles. The vegetation looked like it was out of a Tim Burton movie.

oh and even though not many people might see it out in the woods, i was sporting my TP patch the whole way.

**pinion** · 10-25-2004, 08:21 PM

very awsome pictures!!!

those forests look beautiful!

how long were you on your hiking trip for?

**travelpunk** · 10-26-2004, 12:32 AM

COOL PICS SCAR

!

Quote:

Actually, it was kind of spooky. There was this crazy, thick fog that moved in right when we got there. All around the mountain there were burnt up old cars and beer bottles. The vegetation looked like it was out of a Tim Burton movie.

Yeah, that's straight out of a Tim Burton movie! Sleepy Hollow comes to mind

Now that's a SWEEEEET PIC, Babe! You RAWK!

**worldwidemike** · 10-26-2004, 03:18 AM

No "Rodents of Unusual Size," Scarlet? Inconceivable!!!

Nice pics. Of course, when you get around to hiking to the highest point of flat, old Ohio, don't expect to be too tired...

worldwidemike

**ScarlotteDorian** · 10-26-2004, 06:08 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by travelpunk@Oct 25 2004, 11:32 PM
COOL PICS SCAR !

Actually, it was kind of spooky. There was this crazy, thick fog that moved in right when we got there. All around the mountain there were burnt up old cars and beer bottles. The vegetation looked like it was out of a Tim Burton movie.

Yeah, that's straight out of a Tim Burton movie! Sleepy Hollow comes to mind

Now that's a SWEEEEET PIC, Babe! You RAWK!
* * * * * *

wise ass.

oh yeah, and gotta represent TP ....right.

Quote:

No "Rodents of Unusual Size," Scarlet? Inconceivable!!!

"OHIO! high in the middle and round on both ends!"
where do you live in ohio WWM? i drove through there on my way home last weekend.

Quote:

very awsome pictures!!!*

those forests look beautiful!

how long were you on your hiking trip for?

thanx!
oh, and i was gone for 10 days. it was awesome! now i back to the old grind.

and i just found out yesterday that KingCrazyLegs is doing some research on highest points in central america that we could hike when i move out to belize next summer. this "little" hobby could get way out of control!

**kingcrazylegs** · 10-26-2004, 06:25 AM

beautiful! you're making me jealous...

**glorious_day** · 10-26-2004, 08:25 AM

awwww..... man, that's one trip i REALLY wish i had been on. i didn't know the fam trip was going to the southeast this year. that's really awesome.

**space virgin** · 10-26-2004, 10:32 AM

cool trip & pics SD!!

Start your mountain/ice climbing practice and make your way up to Washington and Mt. Rainier!

You know you wanna. B) I'm not brave enough to do it, but we definitely need more girls to make it to the summit.

**ScarlotteDorian** · 10-26-2004, 10:34 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by glorious_day@Oct 26 2004, 07:25 AM
awwww..... man, that's one trip i REALLY wish i had been on.* i didn't know the fam trip was going to the southeast this year.* that's really awesome.**

yeah! i thought of you all the way throught the carolinas sarah.

i know your dad's side of the family is out there and that you absolutely love it out there.

Quote:

beautiful! you're making me jealous...

i'm making you jealous?! i wish i were hiking through the rainforest in belize and being invited to fancy schmancy dinners with the prime minister.

i guess we just have to keep up the good work of making each other really frickin' jealous.

**ScarlotteDorian** · 10-26-2004, 10:36 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by space virgin@Oct 26 2004, 09:32 AM
cool trip & pics SD!!* * Start your mountain/ice climbing practice and make your way up to Washington and Mt. Rainier!* * You know you wanna.* B)* I'm not brave enough to do it, but we definitely need more girls to make it to the summit.*

yeah SV. i'm definetly going to do mt. rainier, but it's going to take a whole lot of preparing. do people usually use guides for that one?

i most scared of doing mt mckinely in alaska.

**kingcrazylegs** · 10-26-2004, 04:25 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by ScarlotteDorian@Oct 26 2004, 12:34 PM
i'm making you jealous?!* i wish i were hiking through the rainforest in belize and being invited to fancy schmancy dinners with the prime minister.*

i guess we just have to keep up the good work of making each other really frickin' jealous.

Ah, lets just just compromise, instead of making each other jealous lets just do everything together from now on so there will be no hard felings....

**worldwidemike** · 10-27-2004, 07:57 AM

Hey Scarlet,

I live in Columbus, OH...good chance you drove through here on the way home. Either that, or you zipped up through Dayton, I imagine.

Still waiting for you and Tecia to invite me out to Chi-Town for the next time you're getting together....hint! hint! Think Europe Picture Party, Tecia...

worldwidemike

**space virgin** · 10-27-2004, 09:39 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by ScarlotteDorian@Oct 26 2004, 05:36 PM
do people usually use guides for that one?

Absolutely. Because it's a really big mountain and there are all sorts of crevasses and glaciers, you need to have a guide or go with a group-- they have a 2 person minimum but really prefer 3. The mountain is 14,410 feet, and you have to pay 30 bucks and register (anytime you climb over 10k or onto glaciers.) I think it usually takes 2 days to get to the summit, depending on the weather.

It's something I've always wanted to do, but so far I've been too chicken. haha.

**ScarlotteDorian** · 10-27-2004, 09:37 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by space virgin+Oct 27 2004, 08:39 AM--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(space virgin @ Oct 27 2004, 08:39 AM)</div>

Quote:

<!--QuoteBegin-ScarlotteDorian

Quote:

@Oct 26 2004, 05:36 PM
do people usually use guides for that one?

Absolutely. Because it's a really big mountain and there are all sorts of crevasses and glaciers, you need to have a guide or go with a group-- they have a 2 person minimum but really prefer 3. The mountain is 14,410 feet, and you have to pay 30 bucks and register (anytime you climb over 10k or onto glaciers.) I think it usually takes 2 days to get to the summit, depending on the weather.

It's something I've always wanted to do, but so far I've been too chicken. haha.

[/b]

quote of the day regarding mt rainier "it's a really big mountain."

WOW. i knew it was intense, but i really hadn't done much research yet. and shit, you want to climb it? it might be a couple years before i do it, but damn, i'll give you a shout out if you want to do it with me. it would be awesome to have company. not to mention we'd have the two TP montana girls climbing a big ol' scarey mountain.

Quote:

Hey Scarlet,

I live in Columbus, OH...good chance you drove through here on the way home. Either that, or you zipped up through Dayton, I imagine.

Still waiting for you and Tecia to invite me out to Chi-Town for the next time you're getting together....hint! hint! Think Europe Picture Party, Tecia...

worldwidemike

i'm down for another chi-town meet-up! i know that KCL will be out here for two weeks in december. crious, chana, and (of coarse) T are all here too. not to mention, sujiuki doesn't live that far away either.

**space virgin** · 10-28-2004, 04:25 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by ScarlotteDorian@Oct 28 2004, 04:37 AM
quote of the day regarding mt rainier "it's a really big mountain."*

Okay, yeah, the way I wrote that does look hilarious.

But what I mean is that the area is so vast that there are several ways up & down to the base camps, you have to know where you're going or you'll end up miles & miles away, lol.

Quote:

i'll give you a shout out if you want to do it with me. it would be awesome to have company. not to mention we'd have the two TP montana girls climbing a big ol' scarey mountain.* *

sweet! "tpunk montana girls climbing mountains" ...almost sounds like porn or something.

woo hoo!

**kingcrazylegs** · 10-28-2004, 04:29 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by space virgin@Oct 28 2004, 06:25 PM
sweet!* "tpunk montana girls climbing mountains"* ...almost sounds like porn or something.* * * woo hoo!

can I get the first copy of that?

**ScarlotteDorian** · 10-29-2004, 11:06 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by kingcrazylegs@Oct 28 2004, 03:29 PM
can I get the first copy of that?*

my my my KCL.

**kingcrazylegs** · 10-29-2004, 12:03 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by ScarlotteDorian@Oct 29 2004, 01:06 PM
my my my KCL.*

...well I figured if you are gonna be in it I'd like wanna see it or something. I mean shit dude, um...

**The Monsignor** · 01-01-2005, 12:08 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by travelpunk@Oct 26 2004, 12:32 AM

Yeah, that's straight out of a Tim Burton movie! Sleepy Hollow comes to mind

Sleepy Hollow (the book) was set in the Appalachian Mountains (unless I've misremembered)

Great countryside, but there's always gotta be someone around to screw it up...

Great photos, though!

**ScarlotteDorian** · 02-06-2005, 04:56 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by The Monsignor+Jan 1 2005, 12:08 AM--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(The Monsignor @ Jan 1 2005, 12:08 AM)</div>

Quote:

<!--QuoteBegin-travelpunk

Quote:

@Oct 26 2004, 12:32 AM

Yeah, that's straight out of a Tim Burton movie! Sleepy Hollow comes to mind

Sleepy Hollow (the book) was set in the Appalachian Mountains (unless I've misremembered)

Great countryside, but there's always gotta be someone around to screw it up...

Great photos, though!

[/b]

that makes total sense then. i was having so many visions of tim burton movies the entire time i was there. i absolutely suspected that tim burton had grown up there.

anywhos, i finally have some more pictures from that trip that are more scenery oriented. my dad took most of these beautiful pictures. enjoy!

they don't call it The Great Smokey mountains for nothing.