Catawba Falls Redux
My friend Richard Hill posted a recent picture of Catawba Falls. Located near Old Fort, before climbing the high escarpment on I-40, the area is considered the 'Gateway to Pisgah National Forest’, and Catawba proves that magnificently. He stated the trail now had 580 stairs. The last time I had been was 9 years ago. I recall the hike to the falls was a little over a mile, though it was a hike I wouldn’t recommend for most people. There was a place where it was necessary to pull yourself up by a rope and from there, the trail followed a high ridge all the way to the falls. To me, it was just another mountain trail with the necessity to be careful as are so many in the Appalachians. Turns out this was the most likely trail for injury and death in the area. Adrienne Jones, deputy director of McDowell County EMS, told the Citizen Times May 29 during a sneak peek hike of the new trail ahead of opening day, “The fatalities that we have had are all a result of having to go up the falls on ropes and falling off at the falls.”
580 stairs? Yep, with landings and following around the height of the river drop up to a safer trail to the falls. With another friend from Pennsylvania in tow, I decided to check out the new trail… we weren’t alone. With a different approach to the falls — better access — there are an estimated 10,000 visitors here a week… and some act like they’ve never been out of the house before, apparently unskilled as to the dangers of this place. Or anyplace for that matter. Elisha Mitchell (August 19, 1793 – June 27, 1857) was an American educator (University of North Carolina), geologist and Presbyterian minister. While in an attempt to determine the elevation of a mountain called Attakulla (Cherokee word meaning ‘leaning wood’), Mitchell fell off a high waterfall on the mountain and died on the rocks below. He was correct about that mountain, as it is the highest in North America east of the Mississippi River, at 6,684 feet (2,037 m) above sea level. Mount Mitchell and the waterfall he fell from are both named after him.
I’d just as soon not have a waterfall named after me. Nitwits climbing on the slick rocks here obviously don’t agree. Walking off with such a beautiful picture of verdant Catawba Falls — sans “nitwits” — suits me just fine, thank you.
While the trail is still not 'easy', with steep ascents and descents over its 3.5 miles, it is marked with GPS waypoints so EMS can easily find anyone in any sort of distress... good to know.
Catawba Falls Redux
My friend Richard Hill posted a recent picture of Catawba Falls. Located near Old Fort, before climbing the high escarpment on I-40, the area is considered the 'Gateway to Pisgah National Forest’, and Catawba proves that magnificently. He stated the trail now had 580 stairs. The last time I had been was 9 years ago. I recall the hike to the falls was a little over a mile, though it was a hike I wouldn’t recommend for most people. There was a place where it was necessary to pull yourself up by a rope and from there, the trail followed a high ridge all the way to the falls. To me, it was just another mountain trail with the necessity to be careful as are so many in the Appalachians. Turns out this was the most likely trail for injury and death in the area. Adrienne Jones, deputy director of McDowell County EMS, told the Citizen Times May 29 during a sneak peek hike of the new trail ahead of opening day, “The fatalities that we have had are all a result of having to go up the falls on ropes and falling off at the falls.”
580 stairs? Yep, with landings and following around the height of the river drop up to a safer trail to the falls. With another friend from Pennsylvania in tow, I decided to check out the new trail… we weren’t alone. With a different approach to the falls — better access — there are an estimated 10,000 visitors here a week… and some act like they’ve never been out of the house before, apparently unskilled as to the dangers of this place. Or anyplace for that matter. Elisha Mitchell (August 19, 1793 – June 27, 1857) was an American educator (University of North Carolina), geologist and Presbyterian minister. While in an attempt to determine the elevation of a mountain called Attakulla (Cherokee word meaning ‘leaning wood’), Mitchell fell off a high waterfall on the mountain and died on the rocks below. He was correct about that mountain, as it is the highest in North America east of the Mississippi River, at 6,684 feet (2,037 m) above sea level. Mount Mitchell and the waterfall he fell from are both named after him.
I’d just as soon not have a waterfall named after me. Nitwits climbing on the slick rocks here obviously don’t agree. Walking off with such a beautiful picture of verdant Catawba Falls — sans “nitwits” — suits me just fine, thank you.
While the trail is still not 'easy', with steep ascents and descents over its 3.5 miles, it is marked with GPS waypoints so EMS can easily find anyone in any sort of distress... good to know.