Mount Mitchell

You just can't beat walking up the trail from the campground in 2+ feet of snow. The hike up keeps you very warm but take care to dry off the sweat when you get to commisary hill. I learned the hard way and felt the sweat freezing on me as I tried to relax a bit. Had to climb in the bag for a good 2 hours to warm back up. It is a wonderful experience to stand on top of the little nob at commisary hill with a headlamp on watching the snow drive by you and listen to the sound of silence. Can't wait for more snow summits this year. Last May, there were plenty of Black Bear roaming. Woke up one night to the sound of a bear drinking water off the exposed tarp of the tent. Crazy winds that night and rain too....... make sure your tent has a good rain fly and vestibule.