Sat, Sep 19 2015 - Mount Mitchell plus several other 6000 ft peaks (overnight car camp) (View Original Event Details) Trip Leader(s): Aaron, Jared S Participants: Jared S, Aaron, Olexii, Aaron K

Upon arriving we were able to use a single large 'electrical' camp site to put 4 tents on and only paid $22. We ate a little lunch and headed up the mountain. Aaron and Aaron pretty much ran up the mountain while Jared and Olexii took a slow and steady approach. Aaron K provided us with a nice refreshing non-alcoholic victory beverage at the top. After enjoying the slightly crowded views and checked out the facilities along with some hot cider, we headed back down to camp. Some of us enjoyed a great hot shower in the campgrounds. Dinner then bed time. No messin' around tonight. Next morning we got up very early and drove up to Mount Mitchell. We enjoyed a nice solitary view of the sunrise at the top (it was early). We were going to go to Celo Knob and back but a former AOCer who now lives in the area offered to give us a ride. This gentleman met us an the BMC trail and took us to Celo Knob where we had lunch enjoying an overlook. He then took us to an abandond minearl mine followed by leading us down the ridge to the east (south of Celo Knob and north of Gibbs). This ridge was crazy steep. On the order of 2000 feet per mile for one or two miles. Driving back to our car, it was great to see all the mountains we had just climbed across from a distance. All in all we hit Mount Mitchell, Mount Craig, Balsam Cone, Cattail Peak, Potato Hill, Potato Knob, Celo Knob, Winter Star Mountain, Big Tom and Percys Peak. That's ten 6000 foot peaks! We totaled about 25.5 miles and 7500 feet of elevation. We stopped at a typical microbrewery in Ashville for refreshments and got back pretty late.