Mt Mitchell trail conditions

[devoidapop]

I'm planning some hiking and camping on the Mt Mitchell trail and Black Mountain Crest trail in a few days. Anybody been out there recently? Is the crest trail as muddy as the trail from black mountain campground to the summit? Are there good hammock spots at Deep Gap?

[Wheezy]

Haven't been up there since last June so I can't speak to the trail conditions. There are several sites in the Deep Gap area where it's possible to hang a couple of hammocks. My son and I hung at a spot a few hundred yards south of the Colbert Trail intersection. IMO the best site in the area if you have time is down on Commissary Ridge. If it's views you want, then definitely prioritize the Crest trail.

[devoidapop]

Haven't been up there since last June so I can't speak to the trail conditions. There are several sites in the Deep Gap area where it's possible to hang a couple of hammocks. My son and I hung at a spot a few hundred yards south of the Colbert Trail intersection. IMO the best site in the area if you have time is down on Commissary Ridge. If it's views you want, then definitely prioritize the Crest trail.

Thanks for the tip. I think Commisary Ridge will be perfect for my first night. I hope to start at Black Mountain campground early afternoon, so that gives me plenty of time to get there before dark. I saw a really nice spot just north of Colbert Ridge the last time I was at Winterstar, but I'm not sure I'll want to camp near the ridgeline with the possibility of thunderstorms on Thursday.

[Wheezy]

If you want to hang at Commissary, the best location is beyond the old rock foundation/firepit in the trees downhill from the grassy area. Great hang spots there.

[TimOnWhiteBlaze]

I haven't been up there is years but on the Crest Trail is can be WINNN-DEEE! At least in winter. When I was up there I camped on the ridge. Some group came along in the late afternoon with a 4-peron tent with fiberglass poles, which broke, of course, and they were four sheets to the wind all night long. Plan accordingly.

[devoidapop]

So I got back today. I didn't like the way the clouds looked this afternoon and bailed on camping at Deep Gap. The camp site on Commisary Ridge was awesome though. Soft ground, plenty of spaces for tents or hammocks, and a crystal clear waterfall about 200 yards down the trail. Overall trail conditions were what you can expect of Mt Mitchell, lots of mud and quite a few new fallen trees.

[Wheezy]

Sounds like a wise decision. You don't want any part of that ridgeline in a storm. Need to get back to the Commissary Ridge camp. Last time I was there we hiked down to the trailhead at the Black Mountain campground in the dark due to a sudden sickness to be picked up.