Craggy Pinnacle

Date	Distance	Time	Elevation Gain	Average Moving Time	Year to Date Miles
10/11/2021	1.1 miles	1 hour 16 minutes	176'	1.1	367.3

Maps: 

• Downloaded from GaiGps.com (preferable)
• National Geographic Linville Gorge, Mount Pisgah, Pisgah National Forest, Map 779

Parking: Blue Ridge Parkway, Milepost 364.1

Directions: Hike up to summit as well as to 2 spur trails.

Glen is home! So glad to have him back after he's been in NY for 3 1/2 weeks. Tonight was date night! As soon as my last meeting ended, we drove up the parkway to Craggy Pinnacle to watch the sunset. In Asheville, it was sunny, but as we ascended, we saw some of the mountains were above or below the clouds. When we reached our parking lot, the mist/clouds were blowing around us - so we were in the clouds. 

The trail was eerie, which is appropriate for a Halloween month hike. We took the two spur trails off of the main trail - ones we haven't visited before. They both lead to views, and had fewer people than the summit. We saw multiple people there for photo shoots. It seems to be a popular thing. We saw someone in a wedding dress, with a photographer, in the parking lot. Same thing happened last time we were here. We first walked over to a side trail on the right. There was one good spot for sitting down, and a couple was already there. Plus a woman having a photo shoot. 

Next we took another spur trail, and this led to a larger area with a lookout encased by a stone wall. We had this to ourselves. We then continued up a little ways to the summit. This time a man was photographing his partner. Only a few people at the summit, and they were a quiet crowd, making it easier to enjoy the beauty. We weren't sure if we would actually get to see a sunset due to being enveloped in the clouds, but at moments it was incredible. My Iphone camera couldn't catch it, but for brief seconds at a time, the clouds looked like rolling waves of an ocean. Everyone at the summit gasped. Krummholz was not impressed with just hanging out and watching the view. I'm thinking it might be good to invest in those glasses which make it safe to look at the sun.