==============================================================================
TOPIC: Rich Mountain
http://groups.google.com/group/entstrees/browse_thread/thread/aec1e5dab1bd8721?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 1 ==
Date: Mon, Nov 10 2008 7:20 am
From: James Parton

ENTS,
 
This last Sunday, Smitty Peterson and Kim Lyman ( My wife Joy's daughter ) invited Joy and I on a hike on Rich mountain which is located just outside of Brevard NC. Much of Rich mountain is owned by Congressman Charles Taylor in which Smitty's family leases some land from him on the mountain to hunt on. The USFS also leases land on the summit from the Congressman, according to Smitty. There is a cabin and fire tower on the summit. Nearby is several communication antennae including a really tall one which is used by Fox broadcasting.
 
Rich Mountain Conservancy also has land on and near the mountain. Also close by is Du Pont State Forest & The Mountain Bridge Wilderness Area. Mountain Bridge contains Jones Gap and Caesars Head state parks and nearby Raven Cliff falls. Pretty Place is not far off. Green River Game Lands and Table Rock State Park is a bit further away. It is a great area.
 
Smitty was able to lead us to the very top of the mountain after unlocking the gates and stopping by his cabin before setting off to the summit. The view was great from on top. We went up into the fire tower for a great view!
 
Hiking down the mountain into the forest toward the conservancy was a nice workout. Smitty went with us only part of the way because of recent back problems. Before leaving us he told us of numerous deer and wild hog on the mountain. He also told us of some massive boulders nearby. Check out the pictures on the conservancy link I have attached, they are awesome!  The forest was nice. Mostly hardwoods like hickories, oaks, tuliptree  maple and sourwood. It seemed that few trees topped the 100 ft height though. The mountains summit is at 3,671 feet above sea level.

 

The most outstanding tree I found was a big Northern Red Oak that was located just up the mountain from the huge boulders. It was over 11 feet in girth and a single trunked tree!  Check out the photo with Kim for scale.
 
I thank Smitty for introducing us to a great place. I hope to do more exploration of this area in the future. I wonder if that intrepid explorer Jess Riddle has been anywhere on Rich Mountain?  He has explored some of the nearby area, like Jones Gap.
 
http://saverichmountain.com/
 
http://www.nativetreesociety.org/fieldtrips/south_carolina/jones_gap/jones_gap_state_park_sc.htm
 
http://www.nativetreesociety.org/fieldtrips/south_carolina/rich_mountain.htm
 
 
Shagbark Hickory    5' 5 1/4" cbh   95.89 feet tall ( Below huge boulder )
 
Red Oak                 11' 4"  cbh   75.16 feet tall
 
Hickory ( Uncertain of type )   7' 10" cbh    94.37 feet tall
 
Tulip Poplar             7' 5" cbh     89..34 feet tall
 
 
Check how the bigger tree has nearly grown around the base of the smaller one. 
 
James Parton
 
P.S.  I see Jess has been here. And he found taller trees that I. Jess has Rich mountain located in SC. I never saw any signs stating that we had crossed the state line, but mountain roads often lack signs. I did not think to ask Smitty.