Route Climbed: Black Mountain Crest Trail Date Climbed: June 4, 2005
My wife Jennifer and I hiked Catail Peak/Potato Knob early in the summer on our traverse of the Black Mountain Crest Trail which begins at the Mt. Mitchell picnic area. This continuously rolling, steep and slippery trail (especially past Deep Gap) hits 7 named Southern Sixers (Mt. Mitchell, Mt. Craig, Balsam Cone, Cattail Peak/Potato Knob, Winter Star Mountain, Gibbs Mt. & Celo Knob).
The views on this were some of the best on the east coast. Late spring & early summer are good times to attempt a traverse of the North Carolina Blacks. The wildflowers at this time are showing their colors, the ferns are unrolling & the Balsam forests are alive with all kinds of wildlife. Also, the brutal heat and humidity that characterize summer in the South usually does not set in, in earnest until mid-June.
Route Climbed: 19 mile loop, from the Black Mountain Campground up the Mt. Mitchell trail to the summit of Mt. Mitchell, then Deep Gap Trail to Summits of Mt. Craig, Big Tom, Balsams Cone, and Cattails Peak, down Colbert Ridge Trail, hike back through to
The 5th and worst of the five summits hiked that day, Cattails Peak offered absolutley no views. It was a good resting place, but once again I would only reccomend this hike to peakbaggers. Check out my trip report on the Mt. Mitchell page.
Route Climbed: Deep Gap Trail. Date Climbed: 11-10-2004
I hit Cattail Peak on my day hike of the Black Mountain Crest Trail, aka Deep Gap Trail. A really nice peak. The summit had some quite level areas and some very tempting campsites, although the park service does request that no one camp on the crest of the Black Mountains. Indeed, all one has to do is climb over Potato Hill and descend into Deep Gap to find nice and varied campsites which are closer to a water source.
StarMan - Aug 9, 2007 8:14 pm Date Climbed: Jul 10, 2006
Good!and tough!
pingzingr - Jul 14, 2007 10:37 pm Date Climbed: Jul 14, 2007
Deep Gap TrailAs part of a day trip out to Deep Gap and back from Mt Mitchell parking lot.
chugach mtn boy - Jun 28, 2007 1:05 pm Date Climbed: Sep 10, 1978
via Deep Gapwith Lionel Kennedy in a traverse of the range to Mitchell. This peak is not much on views but has lots of atmosphere.
NavySeabee - Mar 12, 2007 2:19 pm Date Climbed: Mar 10, 2007
Route Climbed: Black Mountain Crest Trail to Mt. Mitchell, Mt. Craig, Big Tom, Balsams Cone, Cattail Peak and Potato HillPeak 5 of 6 in my Southern Sixer Six Pack. Check out my trip report on the Mount Mitchell page.
GAHikerGirl - Apr 20, 2006 10:02 pm Date Climbed: Oct 8, 2005
A Bit of A Trick to Find the Summit....but it's there. Just some easy bushwacking to the top.
TomSellick - Aug 31, 2005 6:41 pm
Route Climbed: BMCT Date Climbed: September 2003On the way to Deep Gap
Cortez - Aug 25, 2005 10:30 am
Route Climbed: Black Mountain Crest Trail Date Climbed: June 4, 2005My wife Jennifer and I hiked Catail Peak/Potato Knob early in the summer on our traverse of the Black Mountain Crest Trail which begins at the Mt. Mitchell picnic area. This continuously rolling, steep and slippery trail (especially past Deep Gap) hits 7 named Southern Sixers (Mt. Mitchell, Mt. Craig, Balsam Cone, Cattail Peak/Potato Knob, Winter Star Mountain, Gibbs Mt. & Celo Knob).
The views on this were some of the best on the east coast. Late spring & early summer are good times to attempt a traverse of the North Carolina Blacks. The wildflowers at this time are showing their colors, the ferns are unrolling & the Balsam forests are alive with all kinds of wildlife. Also, the brutal heat and humidity that characterize summer in the South usually does not set in, in earnest until mid-June.
Tbacon251 - Aug 21, 2005 10:20 pm
Route Climbed: Deep Gap Date Climbed: 08-20-05It was raining and I had no view. Good climb though.
gwave47 - May 31, 2005 5:02 pm
Route Climbed: 19 mile loop, from the Black Mountain Campground up the Mt. Mitchell trail to the summit of Mt. Mitchell, then Deep Gap Trail to Summits of Mt. Craig, Big Tom, Balsams Cone, and Cattails Peak, down Colbert Ridge Trail, hike back through toThe 5th and worst of the five summits hiked that day, Cattails Peak offered absolutley no views. It was a good resting place, but once again I would only reccomend this hike to peakbaggers. Check out my trip report on the Mt. Mitchell page.
BobSmith - Nov 11, 2004 10:23 pm
Route Climbed: Deep Gap Trail. Date Climbed: 11-10-2004I hit Cattail Peak on my day hike of the Black Mountain Crest Trail, aka Deep Gap Trail. A really nice peak. The summit had some quite level areas and some very tempting campsites, although the park service does request that no one camp on the crest of the Black Mountains. Indeed, all one has to do is climb over Potato Hill and descend into Deep Gap to find nice and varied campsites which are closer to a water source.