Whitney and Mitchell: Record-Holding ‘Bookends’

Reg Spittle Leave a comment

I have made it to a pair of record-holding continental USA peaks. Yesterday, I stood at the 6,684-foot summit of Mount Mitchell, the tallest mountain east of the Mississippi River. In 2021, I climbed to the top of Mount Whitney, the tallest peak west of the Mississippi at 14,505 feet (disregard the number on the sign). Whitney was part of my 246-mile trek on the John Muir Trail in California. Sue and I drove most of the way to Mount Mitchell, located 4.6 miles from the Blue Ridge Parkway and 19 miles northeast of Asheville, North Carolina. We managed to hike the final 300 yards from the parking lot. Elisha Mitchell, a University of North Carolina professor, died in 1857 as he proved his claim that the mountain was the eastern USA’s tallest. He fell to his death from a nearby waterfall.

Camino Warmth Welcomes Us to Virginia

Reg Spittle 2 Comments

Sue and I were welcomed to Virginia by fellow Camino pilgrims who made us feel at home Sunday. Actually, Staunton, Virginia is our new home and we are so happy that the local Shenandoah Valley chapter of American Pilgrims on the Camino offers monthly hikes and much more. We enjoyed many good times with the Southern Oregon chapter when we lived in Ashland.

Sunday’s walk to South River Falls led us in the Shenandoah National Park and, for a brief time, on the Appalachian Trail. We are learning that the AT, like the Camino, brings together outdoor enthusiasts who thirst for trail challenges and camaraderie. We look forward to making more connections, especially if they include delicious after-hike meals like we had Sunday at the Big Meadows Lodge next to the park visitor center off Skyline Drive. Save room for the blueberry pie!