max patch

Back in October and buddy and I finally got together, after months of planning, and hit the trail to do a little backpacking and picture taking in Western North Carolina. We got a pretty late start on hiking, but made it to the top of Max Patch Mountain, a bald, located on the Appalachian Trail. We got our tents set up and made a few pictures before the sun set and the full moon rose. We decided to camp in the woods below the summit since there was a threat of storms coming through the area. This is the same place where a woman died after being struck by lightning 16 months earlier. We set alarms to check out the sunrise, but the clouds decided to make it pretty un-photogenic. Slept in, and then made a few more pictures of the fall color before the rain started. Since there was some thunder accompanying the rain, we took the short way back to the car and explored a couple of nearby areas. Max Patch is an easy trail hike and a must see if you are in a hiking mood and in the Asheville/Hot Springs area. Check it out!