Back before Christmas, I got the privilege of once again spending a decent part of my day above the clouds. A firm wedge of cool air was in place over the foothills of the southeast US, which gave me a chance to hit the high elevations of my favorite place in the region: Grandfather Mountain.
I’d been up there above the clouds several times before, but it is always a treat to see it again. I actually went twice on the same day to the same spot, which is not something I do particularly often.
I first made it at about 3 in the afternoon. The fog had just barely settled down from my spot on the Rough Ridge boardwalk, and it was incredibly bright with the sun reflecting off the white. Fortunately, the camera doesn’t care too much about that. In the distance, I could see Grandmother Mountain just barely sticking out as the ocean of clouds swirled around. Often there are wave-type features across the tops of these fog banks, as you can see here.
From a bit higher up on the ridge, you could get a great look back at the sea of clouds swirling below. In stark contrast to the deep blue sky, this makes for a particularly spectacular view.
After deciding I didn’t want to spend the rest of the day blind from the bright white sky, I receded back down into the fog. This time, though, the time of year drug me back. For just about 3-4 weeks of the year, the sun sets far enough over that it doesn’t tuck back in behind the formidable Grandfather but instead sets into a small gap. This trip above the clouds was perfect timing, as I was able to get back in time for sunset. I was even able to get my son and bring him up with me. Unfortunately, some clouds moved in to spoil the sunset itself, but they lit up spectacularly to make a great view anyways. If you have never watched the sun set over an ocean of clouds, I can’t recommend it enough.
As the sun sank further, the clouds along the horizon turned a brilliant burnt orange and made the perfect frame for Grandmother. You can also really appreciate the “blue” ridge in these images with all the distant Black Mountain chain, the tallest east of the Mississippi, showing a blue color.
My favorite image of the day wasn’t taken by me, though. A passerby saw me with my son on the edge of the cliff and offered to grab my phone and take a quick photo. It turned out lovely and is a memory I am glad to have a photograph of. Moments like this are what make it all worth it.
Perhaps you may find yourself above the clouds sometime soon, with no airplane necessary.
Have a great week, and perhaps I will see you on the trail……
(hopefully, a snowy one somewhere around Brasstown Bald on Sat/Sun)
