Real Black Mountain Marathon

 "Long after Pangaea divided, periodic episodes of folding and uplift continued to push ancient rock formations to the surface. About 65 million years ago one such geologic event exposed a jagged mass of gneiss and schist that had been buried since the earliest phases of continental movement. Between 39°5’ and 39°7’ north latitude (just northeast of the modern city of Asheville), some of the new mountains formed a fifteen-mile-long semicircle that vaguely resembled a fishhook. The odd formation did not conform to the general southwest-northeast sweep of the Appalachians. Instead, the peaks emerged as a cross range, extending at a sharp angle north and slightly west from the Blue Ridge.

"For tens of millions of years, while nearby mountains on the Appalachian Plateau weathered into rounded hills, the compressed, superhardened rocks in this cross range proved highly resistant to wind and erosion. By the time humans got around to charting the region, it still contained eighteen peaks over 6,300 feet in elevation. Six of those were (and are) among the ten tallest mountains in the Appalachian chain. Just slightly south of the cross range’s midpoint, one especially durable chunk of mica gneiss stood as the highest spot of ground east of the Mississippi River. Because the peaks were covered with thick, dark forests, early white settlers called them the Black Mountains, or simply, the Blacks."

Excerpt from: Mount Mitchell and the Black Mountains: An Environmental History of the Highest Peaks in Eastern America by Timothy Silver

This weekend, a few brave soles made the trek from Bowlens Creek to Cane River Gap, and 27 mile adventure on the fishhook crest called the Black Mountain Crest. An adventure worth documenting!

Denali 27 days and 27 nights

I reached the summit on 7.7.2011 at 5:35pm. Mission accomplished. Thats the short write up. The long write up will take some time.....mean time, see photos below.

Day 1 – Base Camp – 7,200 feet – 6.15.2011:

Day 2 – Base Camp – 7,200 feet – 6.16.2011: 

Day 3 – half Camp – 7,100 feet – 6.17.2011: 

Day 4 – Camp 1 – 7,800 feet – 6.18.2011: 

Day 5 – Camp 1 – 7,800 feet – 6.19.2011: 

Day 6 – Camp 1.5 – 9,500 feet – 6.20.2011: 

Day 7 – Camp 1.5 – 9,500 feet – 6.21.2011:

Day 8 – Camp 2 – 11,200 feet – 6.22.2011: 

Day 9 – Camp 2 – 11,200 feet – 6.23.2011: 

Day 10 – Camp 2 – 11,200 feet – 6.24.2011: 

Day 11 – Windy Corner – 13,000 feet – 6.25.2011:

Day 12 – Camp 3 – 14,200 feet – 6.26.2011:

Day 13 – Camp 3 – 14,200 feet – 6.27.2011: 

Day 14 – Camp 3 – 14,200 feet – 6.28.2011: 

Day 15 – Camp 4 – 17,200 feet – 6.29.2011:

Day 16 – Camp 4 – 17,200 feet – 6.30.2011:

Day 17 – Camp 4 – 17,200 feet – 7.1.2011:

Day 18 – Camp 4 – 17,200 feet – 7.2.2011:

Day 19 – Camp 3 – 14,200 feet – 7.3.2011:

Day 20 – Camp 3 – 14,200 feet – 7.4.2011:

Day 21 – Camp 4 – 17,200 feet – 7.5.2011:

Day 22 – Camp 4 – 17,200 feet – 7.6.2011:

Day 23 – Summit – 20,320 feet – 7.7.2011:

Day 24 – Camp 3 – 14,200 feet – 7.8.2011:

Day 25 – Camp 1 –7,800 feet – 7.9.2011:

Day 26 – Camp 1 – 7,800 feet – 7.10.2011:

Day 27 – Upper Airstrip – 7,400 feet – 7.11.2011: