Nice page; very informative. The quartzite rocks at the summit remind me of Errigal, my favorite mountain in Ireland. I'm going to try to get out there this winter.
We hiked up from Shining Rock Creek Trail. There wasnt a single hiker on this trail on 4/24/09. We recommend the Black Balsam entrance. Consider bringing a bug hat at this time of year. Great trail descriptions on this page!