Bob Stratton Bald Hike--Turks Cap Lily Pilgrimage

Turks cap lily --Lilium superbum 

Bob Stratton Bald Hike--Turks Cap Lily Pilgrimage  

Sunday July 17, 2017 

Dana & Kenny Koogler

Stratton Bald Pix here starting with frame 285

(gallery compiled from multiple trips) 

    I first visited Bob Stratton Bald in July 2012.  It was a perfect day.  I had such a good time.
I had happened upon a trip photo by the Chattanooga Hiking Club. They had visited Stratton Bald in July another year.  It  was so pretty.  I had never been at all so I figured I'd fix that problem and perhaps get lucky and find the flowers just as pretty when I went.   I did.  The mountain trail was misty with fog on my way.  I felt the entire time like I was in living dream.
It is wonderful to have such a sublime experience. The draw back to it is that every subsequent trip you want to be just that way again.  It seldom is.   I have had enjoyable trips since, but nothing to top it.  I think that is as it should be. One trip I had arrived to find the lilies past peak. I did not want to miss the peak bloom this year so I tried to time it out just right. Mid July weekend should do it.   I had seen a fellow's pictures of a week earlier and was surprised
he did not run onto any lilies yet!   I figured it had to do with his route selection and possibly
that he did not venture around on the bald much.   

    My favorite way is via the Stratton Bald alternate .. at Wolf Laurel. It is hard to beat for scenery and solitude.   It is one of those places of finding treasure.  Just when I think I've worn it out and seen all there is to see........ more things turn up.  My imagination is captured again.
I take off into new flights of fancy.  I am captured by the intrigue and want to learn more. Go further. Spend more time there wallowing in the tranquility and natural beauty.  It is one of the places I hold dear enough to be conflicted writing about it or sharing it.    

       We had planned on going Saturday.  Kenny had a VERY rough week. I had a weird, rough week as well.   The weather called for overcast and drizzly on Saturday.   Sunday promised to be a prettier day.  We decided instead to prepare and rest on Saturday and go Sunday.   
It was a good decision.   We got an early start and it seemed like no time we were turning off the Sky Way onto the side road that takes us toward the trail head.     It is worth mentioning that on the way down route 411 I saw quite a few pretty wildflowers in bloom.   Native sunflowers, loads of rose pinks mixed in with them at the light near the new Food City between Vonore and Madisonville.    I also saw a fair amount of bright orange butterfly weed.   

Sabatia angularis.. Rose Pinks in bloom now.  

          Once we turn off the Sky Way and onto FR 81 the wildflower photos ramp up!
I start pulling over every little whip stitch to take pictures.   The entire drive is pretty.  
We saw a few other vehicles on the road today, but not many. We saw no other hikers. 
We had the place to ourselves.    Great clumps of crimson bee balm line the roadside.
False asters, green headed coneflowers, and monarda in other shades begin to appear.
All told I saw five shades of bee balm today.  Red, white, lavender, deep purple, and fuschia.
I could hear Santeetlah Creek running down below the road today stronger than usual.   
One nice thing is to note is that a falls I had long sought ... which I believed need be approached from this direction has been found and visited since last time. I now know you do not reach it form here and when I survey the terrain it is a great relief!   

    

 Above --closeup of Crimson Bee Balm 
Below --photo of a great cluster of it.  

A type of monarda... think this is Horse mint.  Monarda punctata

   We enjoyed the sounds of streams flowing and birds singing. The sun was out and then clouds would roll past.   The air smelled sweet. Now and then we'd get a whiff of some new floral fragrance mingled with the green smell of Summer.   It was cooler here. Temperatures in this area tend to be a good twenty degrees cooler than down in the low lands.    It is a welcome thing on a July hike.      We continued following the dirt roads winding further into the remote mountains.    We saw purple phlox along the drive and began seeing turks cap lilies. 

We stopped and pulled off at one side road we did not recall.  It was a pretty spot and we thought since it had picnic tables it was new. It is the old hunters camp.  The picnic tables are a recent addition.   

picnic spot in the middle of nowhere!  

      We continued until we finally arrived at the dead end and parked.  One other vehicle was there and we never did see another hiker today.  Truck was still there when we returned.  

We gathered up our gear and set off up the trail.  We faced a climb here, but the good news is that once you arrive at the intersection with the Naked Ground Trail your climb is all done.

The remaining hike is more or less level out the ridge with a few gentle ups and downs.  The scenery the entire way is pretty. We saw lots of different colored mushrooms including the pure white Indian pipes that are parasitic. They lack chlorophyll and take all their nutrients from other plants.    Rosebay rhododendron was still in bloom in the forest.  We passed one spot that always smells sweet and spicy like curry!   The air was humid and we stayed clammy on our climb up the mountain.    I was very happy to see that Naked Ground sign.  Whew!  

About the time we leveled off .. we heard a rustle to our left. It grew louder like a gathering wind.   It was raining six feet to the left of us!  How odd to hike along side the rain but not get rained on!  We were already wet from sweating.   

      The trail has great fins of rock thrust up along it.  In places you are on a narrow knife edge.

Other spots are like hiking on a split level trail!  There are ledges below you of flat ground.

Grassy spots appear along Stratton Bald.  We passed several appealing camp sites.  

Chinquapins, American chestnut, stunted oak trees, paper birch trees, and fir trees line this forest trail.     Ferns of many sorts grow along it.  We began seeing turks cap lilies along the trail. Some are sickly and the tops are gone.  Some are the picture of vibrant health and life.

Not sure what is making some of them sick, but it is not new. 

 Deep forest gloom 

 Bright lights of orange Turks cap lilies 

 These lilies were the tallest of the day. They are nearly eight feet tall.  

One of many upthrust rock fins along the trail.

        I was more careful today and did not fall any! Last time here I fell and hit my back on a rock.    Slippery!  I learned my lesson.     We passed through the forest zone where it is like a deep brown and green tunnel. Tall fir trees here.  Next is another grassy knoll surrounded by chinquapin shrubs and mayhaw bushes for cover.     The trail is not as bad as it once was, but the briars are starting to overtake the trail again.  Someone had hiked ahead of us swinging a brush cutter, but only knicking some of it.    I am not complaining!   Kenny will never know the initial shock of hiking this trail when you cannot see past your chest if looking down. 

Wear long pants and gaiters and pray you don't encounter any snakes here.  It is far more open now than in the past.  

View to one side of our lunch spot.  Tall grass. 

    

Lots of the usual purple phlox. It smells wonderful.  Where are my lilies? 

   We broke out onto the bald and looked about.  It was pretty, but I couldn't see any turks cap lilies at first.  I don't mean just not in bloom either. In spots where they once were thick.... I did not see any period.   None.   I am either very early this year, or something is wrong.  Perhaps I'm just too early. I hope that is all.  Perhaps it is not a good year for lilies on Bob's Bald? 

Perhaps something is killing them?  I did not find any coming up in spots where they once were.  The purple phlox and tassel rue was up thick though.   The other flower I did not see today was the great patch of club spur orchids I had seen there in a wet part of the meadow.   This makes me hopeful I was just early.     We sat down under a tree to eat lunch. We were very hungry.

We had packed some good sandwiches and snacks.   The rain came down briefly, but then quit as suddenly as it started.  Under our oak tree we remained dry while we ate.  

    Kenny went one way to hunt lilies and I went another way.   We'd split up and maximize our chances of spotting any.    We'd meet back at the lunch tree.    We just left our packs there and wandered around the bald.   I finally did see a few lilies, but I'd say the number is roughly 1/4 what was once there.   I debated a return trip in about ten days. Perhaps come up via Fodderstack trail for variety?   I'm not saying I absolutely won't do that, but after today and talking to Kenny... probably not.     I saw the usual beautiful fern clusters, whorled loosestrife, and clumps of crimson bee balm.   We saw a peregrine falcon and two hummingbirds dueling!

 Approaching the bald from the bottom. I crossed all the way over and back. 

 The most perfect specimen of turks cap lily.. all by its lonesome. 

Biggest cluster of lilies out on the bald today.   

     We met back at the oak tree.  We reported our findings to one another. Kenny says the Fodderstack Trail approach to this bald is seeing far greater use than the Stratton Bald Trail.

He went all the way up and out across the top.   No wonder the fellow who beat me here by a week did not see any lilies. Cause there weren't any to see.      Kenny said if it were him he'd quit worrying about it and take his chances with lilies at Alarka in a week or so.   

He is probably right. That is what I should do.   I am spending all this time trying to recapture an experience that was magical from the past.  It is time to have some new experiences that are magical.    

     I lay down beneath the oak tree and stretched out.   I lay looking up at the leaves and sky.

Today was a good day. We had seen lots of lilies, but not where I expected them to be.    It was not a total bust.  Just an experiment with unintended consequences.   It proves that no matter how much I try to anticipate and predict peak bloom.. these mountains have their own ideas. 

Just as they make their own weather...... they will pick their own bloom time. 

   

 Closeup of Whorled loosestrife.  

 Prettiest phlox I saw today. Deepest pink. 

 Looking across Bob's Bald

   We finally took a last look around and began our return hike.  

It was certainly faster than our hike up.   Mostly level or downhill.   We were glad to see the jeep again.   We got something fresh and cold to drink and headed back down the mountain.

We stopped to see lots of lilies in the forest on the way.  Great patches of them on both sides of the road.   

 Tall perfect turks cap lilies

   We stopped to see the Swan Cabin. Someone was staying there, but in the process we discovered there is Swan Cabin II.  Not sure what the deal is with this one.  

This one is barely visible from the road.

      We kept going down the mountain and stopped to check out some falls on the stream.

Kenny was very tired and more or less over it for the day.  He went along to humor me.   We got up the creek and began to realize neither of us was up for anymore hiking. We were tired and ready to go home.   I did get some pretty photos and a short video of some lovely cascades we had never visited before along the stream.   The creek was running with a nice volume and rosebay rhododendron in pink and white blossoms framed the cascades.    The water was clear, cold and deep.  You could see each twig and rock in the bottom of the creek.   

         I  soaked up the sight of velvety green moss and pink blooms. White silky water. 

Satiny green leaves.   Golden river stones.  It was marvelous to hear the creek murmuring and the birds singing.   The leaves rustled in the trees.   We left tired, but happy.  I had images swirling round my mind of future trips here. Places to explore and treasures to find.  Questions to seek the answers to.   I think truthfully that is part of what drives me.   Much more to come back for.    I got in the jeep and used my rain coat as a pillow for the ride home.  The ride home was made shorter by sweet dreams of forest scenery.     

  That crystal ball may not always be accurate, but it works pretty darn well for me.

I think I'll keep it.   

Below is a short pretty video of the cascades we visited.  So much more to come. 

Bob Stratton Bald With Kenny

Crown of turks cap lilies.

Bob Stratton Bald With Kenny

Sunday July 12, 2015

Dana & Kenny Koogler

Total hike distance 5. 8 miles *

Pictures are here beginning with frame 196
Bob Stratton Bald 2015 Pix  

    I try to make it up to Bob Stratton Bald every July when the turks cap lilies are in bloom.

Last year I went later than I ever had before.  It was a good day and I had nice weather for

my hike, but I had waited until the lilies were past peak.   I determined I was not going to do

that again if I could help it.   I had wanted for some time to get Kenny up there to check it 

out for himself. He had never experienced it and I wanted him to at least try it. He agreed he

could use some exercise and said he would go with me.    

     I explained to him the various routes offering the main two. 

Route Option #1 Beech Gap out Fodderstack and up to Bob's Bald at a moderate 

grade and a total hike distance of about 6 miles.   

 Route Optin #2--Wolf Laurel to Stratton Bald Trail and out to Bob's Bald with a more

strenuous grade at about 3.5 miles.  

 He opted for shorter, steeper so Wolf Laurel it was. Part of the attraction for Kenny to go up

via Wolf Laurel was that he knew he had been up there a long time ago, but did not recall much about it.  The second thing was we love driving old backroads.  The third thing was seeing 

waterfalls along the way.    We had a nice drive out the Cherohala Skyway and he remembered

more about the route than he thought.  We turned at Stratton Meadows road and continued.

We were already seeing huge patches of crimson bee balm along the road and tall spires of turks cap lilies.    
 
               You'll never seen any larger, prettier patches of crimson bee balm than occur
along the Cherohala Skyway and its side roads.

 

On the way in we were stopped checking out wildflowers and could hear Santeetlah Creek roaring below us in the rhodo. We were only able to get one small glimpse of it, but from that
and the sound we were not surprised to find that Cold Branch was one cascade and waterfall 
after another! I didn't have to ask twice before Kenny pulled over and we bushwhacked down the bank to view it.  Most water I ever saw coming over this falls ever. More than worth the stop to see it.


Here is a short video of this pretty waterfall

      

   We continued our pretty drive winding up and up the mountain to Wolf Laurel.
We finally arrived at the trail head and found no one there which is typical.  We had seen all of
one other vehicle on the road today.   We gathered our gear and up the trail we went.

 

Horse Mint reminds me of a Dr. Seuss flower. 

  

      The trail is not bad in most places.  It is pretty straight forward, but I had done it numerous time
previously.    I am also a map geek and spend too much time daydreaming and gazing at maps.
The trail in its lower reaches is in excellent condition and well maintained even for wilderness standards.    It goes up and after a climb it benches out and rolls along gently for a spell.  It has
several spots along it that mess with you making you think you're coming to some intersection or you've come to a the top of the ridge only to learn you have more to do.   Some work arounds have been created by people cutting trail.  Some are logical in avoiding washed out sections of trail and blown down trees.  Other work arounds make no sense and lead to potential confusion for the hiker
who has not been here before.   I had told Kenny about the first trips I made where I was bushwhacking through walls of briars in order to continue.  Last Summer I encountered ALL
the bad sections cleared completely which was a lovely surprise.   I told him I expected it to be
a piece of cake today thanks to that.  Oh what a liar that statement made of me. No trail maintenance
has been done since last Summer to clear the briars. Cutting them back has made them rebound
vigorously and given one more season with no clipping and they'll be back to as bad as they
ever were or maybe worse!  
 

"There's no more going back this way. The path is overgrown and strewn with thorns."

 Stratton Bald trail

Interesting rock formations along the path.  Many fins of rock thrust up from the Appalachian orogeny.   I always love this trail.. briars and all.

 

A partial view north toward the lake.  

 

Kenny admiring the rock fins along our way.

     We sat down just before we reached the ridge line and ate lunch.  We had grown very hungry.
It was 12:45 pm.   We brought subs and so we sat down on a log to eat and rest.    It began raining
just as we finished eating.  We got going again.  I covered my pack with my rain coat, but
left it loose so I didn't sweat to death on the climb.  It wasn't long until the light rain quit.
We only got damp enough to be cooled off and enjoyed the rain.   I was trucking right along on the ridge with Kenny ahead of me.   The next thing I knew I was down.   I fell hard. I was crossing a low
rock in the trail that was damp and slippery.   I heard myself go down hard enough to knock the wind
out of me.   I hit my head and upper back on the rock as I went down.  I saw stars, but once I realized
what had happened I did have sense enough to sit still.  I quickly did a self assessment before I allowed myself to move a muscle.   Kenny came running back with a horrified look on his face.
I was feeling around to see what I had done to myself.  Thank the Lord I was ok.  My backpack
shielded my back and head from the fall.  My hair was clipped up and even the hair clip kept my head
from making contact with the rock the way it would had I gone down without it.  I was ok.
My left hand and arm had some red marks on them from the way I hit. Later Kenny would find one
small red spot on my back but that was it. No pone on my head.  No bleeding or anything.

I realized how fortunate I was and I took his fussing at me for I deserved it. I had scared him. I had scared myself. I was not paying good attention to where I was walking. I think I became over confident because I was not alone so I was being sloppy.  I could still get hurt solo, but I know I am far more attentive to my surroundings when the only help I have is me!

        We pushed on through briar patches up top and wound along the ridge.  Finally
the forest began to transition in earnest.  Kenny has hiked enough that he picked up on it right away
that we were nearing the bald.  We entered the balsam zone and enjoyed a brief walk through that portion of the trail.  Before that we went through the rock fins and some nice grassy patches and spots where seven foot tall patches of turks cap lilies lit the woods like candles.  Pink rosebay rhodo dotted the woods all along the path today.  We had moments of fog drifting past us. It was surreal!

Balsam zone along the trail.


  I had promised Kenny there was one more briar patch after the balsam zone and then the trail
would open up to the main bald.  It did and it really pleased me to hear him exclaim when he looked out and got his first glance at the bald in its glory!





East side of Bob's Bald.  The fragrance of the phlox was powerful when we stepped out of the briar patch!

     The sun came out on the bald and we were drying off and cooling.  We had a nice breeze
at times.    It felt good up here. We wandered around checking things out.  We even explored parts of the bald I had not visited before. I don't feel as bold when I am all alone and tend to stick to the main part of the bald.    We had a gorgeous view in the distance of the Snowbird Mountains to the south.

View across Bob Stratton Bald to the foggy Snowbird Mountains south of us.

     

See this nice grassy patch of ground? Yesterday being here in this spot helped me come to a realization.  Kenny married me for three reasons 1. I am weak minded and easily lead. 2. I don't learn from things the first time.  3. I have questionable morals.    He easily talked me into a love making session here in this beautiful, seemingly secluded place.   He later told me just as we began our hike back that he found it is a cut off trail that goes from an unofficial access off Fodderstack to here.
We either never learn or we never care.... or maybe both.

           We wandered around the top for a good while together and separately.
It was beautiful,but we were here before peak bloom. The orchids I saw last year were mere pips.
The bald was still lovely, but the turks cap lilies were not fully bloomed out yet.  Tassel rue was out, but only two or three clumps of it.  I had to work for shots today.  Most of the lilies were tucked away
in the margins with only a few out on the main part of the bald. 

      We made our way back off the bald and just took our time.   It only took us about three hours or so to see everything and get back.  We motored along pretty good taking few breaks on either the way up or the way down.    The main rest periods were eating and me .. falling!

         Back in the jeep we turned on some good music and headed back toward Tellico Plains.
It was very chill with my sweetie along. I was so glad he came with me.   How else can I be a dissolute freak and pervert if he doesn't accompany me?  We both remarked how quiet it was today. We saw very few people all day or vehicles.   It was nice, but the Skyway is usually busy in Summer on weekends.  Today was not like that at all.    It seemed a little odd.   We stopped at Turkey Creek Road and turned aside for me to go visit a cascade I had learned of from Paul Gamble.   Today I finally figured out how to reach it and it was worth the side trip.   Wrapping up your days adventures
standing in a cool mountain stream surrounded by beauty with the golden evening sun at your back is about as good as it gets.   I could feel the soft breath of Summer and just start to see the pink gold
alpenglow that comes round these parts.   I am blessed indeed.

Cascade at the old grist mill site along Turkey Creek.  Thanks Paul.

Below is a short video of this beautiful falls.





*


**Correction on Trip Mileage**
7/14/2015 --Last night in reading Tim Homan's guidebook I found the description of this hike
and my math on the mileage from another trip. I still find it hard to believe because the trip is so 
easy, but the one way distance is 2.9 miles.  Here is the breakdown on it for myself for future reference.   Wolf Laurel spur trail 0.2 miles from the parking area to the intersection with Stratton Bald Trail.  From there it is another 2.7 miles up to Bob Stratton Bald.   Making it 2.9 miles one way.
2.9 miles x 2= 5.8 miles round trip.  Visual comparison on the map doesn't do anything to convince me this is accurate, but I think it is because the map is not a really good scale map. I would say we  hiked an additional 1/2 to 3/4 mile just ambling around up on the top.  Whenever I go to a grassy bald I almost always entirely cross it. That would make our round trip milage closer to 6.3 miles.
Sorry for the confusion.  

Bob Stratton Bald Turks Cap Lily Hike 2014

Turks Cap Lily growing on my hike up from Wolf Laurel

Bob Stratton Bald Lily Hike 2014
Nantahala National Forest, NC

Dana Koogler solo

Hike distance 5.4 miles round trip*

Friday July 25, 2014

Pictures are here beginning with frame 112: 

Stratton Bald Pix

Here is a link to Stratton Bald's location on 
Tom Dunigan's Tennessee Landforms. 
Stratton Bald Map 

  Stratton Bald was my second hike of the day on Friday.   Part one of the day was the Starr Mountain Frustration Hike I wrote about in the previous blog entry.  My plan for the day over all

had been to make the drive down count. I would cram a lot into the day.  I hunted wildflowers on Starr Mountain unsuccessfully.. but I hunted 'em just the same.   My next part of the day would be to drop down off Starr Mountain and drive the 7.7 miles to Tellico Plains and start up the Skyway

toward Wolf Laurel.   I was feeling dejected over not finding anything good on Starr Mountain.

I was considering just going home.  I fought the urge to quit and tried to put it behind me.

I decided to head toward Tellico Plains and if I did not feel any better by the time I got there.. 

I'd drown my sorrows in icecream or chocolate and go home!   

      I did start to feel better. The drive was pretty.  Thoughts of all those beautiful wildflowers along the Cherohala Skyway began to fill my head.  My nosiness was helping motivate me to go. 

Being like Gladys Kravitz can come in handy!  I found that the sight of other people around helped me cheer up too.   I passed lots of folks out enjoying a pretty day on motorcycles and in other jeeps!  The Tellico River was gorgeous and rolling right along.   I began to see pretty wildflowers

along the roadside.   I saw rose pinks along the Skyway at the lower elevations.   The views from the overlooks were pretty and clear today.   I had a few misgivings because 1. I had never hiked up to Stratton Bald this late in the month of July.  2. I had never hiked up there this late in the day.

I began seeing turks cap lilies along the slopes by the road. I saw yellow fringed orchids as well!

I saw great clumps of crimson bee balm.  I saw greenheaded cone flowers. Black eyed susans.

My mood was improving by the minute.    

     I turned onto the road that leads down off the Skyway and winds around in the direction of Wolf Laurel.  I did not go last Summer so its easy to forget how very very long and isolated a trip it can be!  I passed one car on the way in.   I passed the lane leading up to the Swann Cabin and saw a gaggle of people and cars there.  I did not allow myself the usual time to goof off and climb down the mountain into the rhodo to visit Cold Spring Branch Falls upper and lower today.

I was going to have to haul the mail in order to have plenty of time to enjoy up top on the bald.

     I may as well admit now that  I madea mistake on the last trip report I wrote on Bob Stratton Bald via Wolf Laurel. I list the mileage as 3.2.  I was not sure the day I hiked it what the mileage was?

I had a map with me, but I never consulted it.  I knew the way. I knew it wasn't getting dark until 8:30 p.m. or 9 o'clock pm.   I'd be fine.   I guessed about 3 miles each way.   I was actually pretty close.  I got on the trail at 3:15. I was back to the vehicle at 6:15!   I consulted the listed mileage on the old trip report and saw it was put down as 3.2 miles round trip.  I doubted myself at once!

Where did I come up with THAT figure?  I tried looking it up online without finding anything reliable.  I used Tim Homan's book and figured it up from that.  He lists the Stratton Bald trail as 7.8 miles with the Wolf Laurel spur intersecting it at mile 5.3.  

(7.8 -5.3=2.5 miles one way)  Wolf Laurel spur trail from the parking lot is 0.2 miles (2.5+0.2=2.7 miles one way)  (2.7 x 2=5.4 miles round trip)  Five point four miles it is!  I am taking the trouble to  list my math and rationale here so I will know if I ever read this TR again WHY and HOW I arrived at this figure!  Here is a link to Tim Homan's hiking guide in case you need a copy.

Hiking Trails of the Joyce Kilmer--Slickrock & Citico Creek Wildernesses

        I like the hike up from Wolf Laurel.  It is so pretty the entire way. It is not too hard.
It has climbs followed by flatter spots.  Once you get to the intersection with Haoe Lead trail
which heads out toward Naked Ground the climbing is pretty much over.  It is mainly a nice ridge walk past that.   I have written in the past about how scary the briars can be along this path.
I would fret over snakes since I could not see my feet for part of the hike.  I had made up my mind after hiking out to The Hangover that it was pointless and I was never going to fuss about it again.
I meant it, but I did not have to this trip! Someone had cut back nearly all the briars and weeds!
It was the easiest hike out I've ever done!  I enjoyed seeing all the lush green of the forest. I  like seeing the fins of rock jut out along the ridge. I began seeing turks cap lilies once past the trail intersection.   Waiting later had the unexpected benefit of there being more lilies in bloom along the trail itself! 

Turks cap lilies in peak bloom along the Stratton Bald Trail. 

     

     

One of the interesting fins of rock thrust up along the sides of the trail.

Stratton Bald trail is still wild and wooly, but tamed down by far. No significant briars today!
Thank you! to whomever cut them back and performed the trail maintenance!

The transition zone between the two forest types. The line is abrupt.  Going from Northern hardwood to
boreal in a flash!  I'm entering the much smaller balsam zone.   There are TWO balds up here. The map I have says Stratton is the one with the campsite in the boreal forest. The second is Bob's Bald out on the grassy meadow. I'm not sure. I always thought it was the other way around.   It is a small matter. I always visit both anyhow.









 I'm entering the clear now and this is my first glimpse of the meadow. I first thought I'd waited way too long to  see any lilies out in the clearing.  The phlox has really taken over this late in the season, but a bit further out the lilies are still there!  They had diminished. I won't wait this late in the year again.  They had aged to
a yellow shade on some. Some had dried up. Some were brown around the edges.  It still had its benefits.
You will see!

          I had been the only vehicle parked at Wolf Laurel.  I had the entire place to myself up here today as far as I could tell.  I never saw or heard a soul.   I wandered around the bald for probably half hour or more.
I turned left just past this opening and headed down toward the Swann cabin.   I found the spring I'd been hunting.  The water was flowing strongly and ran down the hill in a good stream.  Now that I know where the water source is I can plan a backpack trip here. I hate having to camp where it is dry.




 Spring #1 on the bald. It is just below it toward the Swan Cabin.  There is a loop path that comes down
to this from another area just a little further out.  It all ends up the same place.

      I wandered through the fields of phlox. I was treated to Mostly sunny conditions up here today.
Still... its the high mountains of Western North Carolina. Changeable is a good word and change it did!
I did not get rained on today! Nary a drop!  I was thrilled about that.  I did see the mood change from bright and sunny to gray and back to sunny several times! Another thing I'm learning about this area.
It makes its own weather so don't fret about it.  Briers? Accept 'em.  Changing weather? LEARN to LOVE IT!     I enjoyed the hum of bees everywhere. Black butterflies danced and flitted drinking nectar from the phlox all over the mountain side.   I was feeling so much better.  Coming here in the month of July to see the flowers is a sure bet! It more than offset my down turn on Starr mountain!

Moods of the Mountain:
  Top: You can see the sky is gray with a cloud creeping across the mountain.
Bottom: Five minutes later the sun is shining brightly.  No kidding!





Top: Phlox and still plenty of turks cap lilies!
Bottom: the best view of the far mountains from this bald i've ever seen in my trips here

  I wandered across the bald checking out all the flowers.  I headed toward the Fodderstack side where the trail comes up. I knew there was another spring over there and part of me wanted to go look for it.
Another part was just real tired and a little concerned about conserving time.  I decided rather than hunt it up today seeing as how I did not know how far down that trail the water source would be I would come UP that trail on any future trips and find it  then.  I turned and began hiking back up.   I knew this side of the bald had yielded some different wildflowers on the last trip.  I paid close attention to the ground and it was most fortunate!  I started off seeing one tiny club spur orchid.   I was thrilled.  I counted forty of them and then I quit counting.  I realized there were everywhere around my feet. 


Club spur orchid cluster.  They are tiny. Only a few inches tall.   Their binomial is Platanthera clavellata.

My disappointment at the first trip was more than offset by my trip up the Skyway and to Stratton Bald.
I had found three types of native orchids and as I am wont to do periodically... I go from famine to feast!
I hit the orchid jackpot today! I thanked the Lord for the good fortune and for the improved spirits.
I was tired. I walked up to the campsite and sat down on a log to rest and have something to drink.
I ate a small snack for some energy for the return trip.  I took some more photos and wandered a little more.  I kept seeing pretty things. Crimson bee balm.  Black eyed susans.  Whorled loosestrife with its
spins of yellow blooms centered with red!  Neon orange dodder vines looking like something out of
Little Shop of Horrors crawled across all the plants in one area. Strangling them as it went.  They call it
The Love Vine. It is a parasite and loves things to death!
 



Top: Crimson Bee Balm and lilies being swarmed by Dodder Vine.
Bottom: Campsite and rest break spot on the bald

   I had gotten stung by a yellow wasp on my left leg several days prior.  It was still hot and red, swollen and itching like a mad bastard.   I noticed it had a deep purple bruise in the center of the red.  I knew dodder vine to be a cure for nettle stings.  I crushed up some of the dodder vine strands into a poultice in my hand and rubbed it on that nasty sting.    The itching went away immediately.  That night it was less red.
The next day that purple spot had turned into a tiny scab and fallen off.  By the following evening my leg was completely healed!  I had just proven the quote below.
" A weed is a plant whose virtues have not yet been discovered."~~Ralph Waldo Emerson


       I was weary and had the hike back to the vehicle yet.  I also faced the long drive home.
I said my good-byes to this special spot on the planet and began my hike back.  I had the blessing of a nice breeze and the sun on my back most of the way out.   I had glimpses of the mountains on my way out.   The hike back was easy being mostly downhill or level.   The scenery marvelous the entire way.   The trail was in good condition.  I had mentioned I thought I had the whole place to myself?  On the hike in I ate lots of spider webs.  I never saw any other boot prints but the ones I was making.   On the hike out I came to a big patch of mud with a large mans boot print in it.
It was heading out the same way I was going!  I stopped and did a double take. I had not reached the intersection with Haoe Lead.  Where did he come from? I wasn't making this up.  It was real.
The only thing I could figure was that the individual had come across the bald and down while I was at the spring.  Either that or they came up from Naked Ground. I never saw another boot print though.  It was the only one.  I was still the only vehicle parked when I got back down to the parking area.   It was odd and a mystery, but that is in keeping with this wilderness.

   I put my gear up at the jeep.   I got a fresh cold drink. I had a snack of cantaloupe.
I wiped off some of the sweat.   I put some tunes on the iPod.  I headed back home slowly and in a much better mood.  I felt satisfied and mellow.  I encountered a couple vehicles on the way out.
I was still impressed at what a long way Wolf Laurel is from all else!   Long road honey. Long road!    It has a lot of kiss your butt turns on it.  I got almost to the Skyway and hit one of those 
washboard spots that had my jeep chatter all the way across. Boys Howdy! I was glad that happened DOWN HERE......... and NOT UP THERE!  I'd have come off the road!

I laughed hard and drove home.