technicolorNH - Nov 20, 2018 8:15 pm Date Climbed: Nov 19, 2018
from the Woody Ridge Trail
Three hours and forty five minutes from the parking area in Celo. The Black Mountain Crest Trail is a high meadow walk between Celo Knob and Gibbs but between Winter Star and Gibbs it was a lot more interesting. The ice storm they had the previous week had left several thousand ice chunks in many places, which along with the leftover sheet ice and snow made microspikes a necessity for a safe transit of the trail. There was a nice viewpoint off to the northwest from the marked summit however.
devoidapop - Aug 17, 2015 8:16 am Date Climbed: Aug 16, 2015
Colbert Ridge Trail
The trail is rough and very narrow at points, with brush inches from your face on either side. There are 2 great vistas about 1/3 of the way up. There are a half dozen good camp sites to use and a very small spring half way up the trail.
eric-griz - May 13, 2014 11:05 am Date Climbed: May 12, 2014
Via Black Mountain Crest
Heading North.
johnm - May 5, 2014 8:50 pm Date Climbed: May 4, 2014
seventh of 8 for the day
A long day but this was my favorite with a steep approach from both sides of the crest trail. The only one where I gave a cheer at the summit top. Also one of a few that had a benchmark at the summit
My first hike. I did a point-to-point, finishing atop Mt. Mitchell. At that time I was not yet afflicted with peak-bagger's disease, so I don't know if I made sure to stand on the high point.
Joel Hopper - Nov 29, 2013 5:31 pm Date Climbed: Nov 29, 2013
Snow!
Colbert ridge to Deep Gap, then Winter Star. 2-4" of snow with frozen undercrust starting at about 3500' . Lots of bear tracks, turkey tracks, Bobcat ran across the trail ahead of me & I was buzzed by a pheasant. Snow was untracked until I took care of that. Great day out.
riblet - Aug 25, 2011 9:56 am Date Climbed: Apr 15, 2011
Up Colbert Ridge
Up colbert ridge to Deep Gap, then to top of Winter Star. Good hike! I like this much better than the Mount Mitchell trail.
Crossed (rain, mist and sleet) on my loop---12 hrs. 1 hr to Horse Rock trail, then up, over to the Bowlen's Creek end of Ridge Crest Trail, turned and went to Mitchell, before coming back to Deep Gap, down most of Colbert's Ridge, and then 'bushwack' to Locust Creek and White Oak Creek.
Winter Star is where I stop to call my wife during long walks. During the winter, the cold is terrible. Within a minute one can lose use of your fingers. I have found no cell reception of the Mitchell side of the Ridge Crest Trail, or I would not stop.
Winter Star also seems to define two weather micro-climates. The Mitchell side is the colder, icier during the winter.
montanachris - Dec 16, 2008 10:15 am Date Climbed: Mar 23, 2008
Up Colbert Ridge
I've climbed this mountain twice prior to my posted summit day. This one has what it takes to keep bringing me back; relative solitude, a steady uphill climb, and virgin spruce/fir forest in the higher elevations!
StarMan - Aug 9, 2007 8:17 pm Date Climbed: Jul 30, 2005
done!
via Colbert Ridge Trail.
mlandau3 - May 28, 2006 6:43 pm Date Climbed: May 27, 2006
What A Day Hike
A great summit with beautiful views toward Celo Knob. The wildflowers were really out in profusion: bluets between Mitchell parking lot and Mt. Craig and trilliums everywhere. The BMCT is rough, but it's one of my favorite hikes.
GAHikerGirl - Apr 20, 2006 10:17 pm Date Climbed: Oct 9, 2005
Some Pretty Tough Sloggin'...
coming north from Deep Gap. But it's a whole lotta fun!!
The trail kind of vanishes after Deep Gap heading north. We found our way to the top though. Not much to see from the summit of this one. Beyond Winter Star the trail really gets, ahem, interesting (difficult)
Route Climbed: Deep Gap Date Climbed: June 4, 2005
My wife Jennifer and I hiked Winter Star Mountain 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: Deep Gap Trail. Date Climbed: 11-10-2004
I climbed Winter Star using the Deep Gap, Bolens Creek Trail (aka Black Mountain Crest Trail). The views along the hike to the summit of Winter Star from Deep Gap are so striking and so numerous that hiking the peak is something of an overwhelming experience. You have to stop every few steps to enjoy the vistas.
technicolorNH - Nov 20, 2018 8:15 pm Date Climbed: Nov 19, 2018
from the Woody Ridge TrailThree hours and forty five minutes from the parking area in Celo. The Black Mountain Crest Trail is a high meadow walk between Celo Knob and Gibbs but between Winter Star and Gibbs it was a lot more interesting. The ice storm they had the previous week had left several thousand ice chunks in many places, which along with the leftover sheet ice and snow made microspikes a necessity for a safe transit of the trail. There was a nice viewpoint off to the northwest from the marked summit however.
devoidapop - Aug 17, 2015 8:16 am Date Climbed: Aug 16, 2015
Colbert Ridge TrailThe trail is rough and very narrow at points, with brush inches from your face on either side. There are 2 great vistas about 1/3 of the way up. There are a half dozen good camp sites to use and a very small spring half way up the trail.
eric-griz - May 13, 2014 11:05 am Date Climbed: May 12, 2014
Via Black Mountain CrestHeading North.
johnm - May 5, 2014 8:50 pm Date Climbed: May 4, 2014
seventh of 8 for the dayA long day but this was my favorite with a steep approach from both sides of the crest trail. The only one where I gave a cheer at the summit top. Also one of a few that had a benchmark at the summit
hightinerary - Mar 8, 2014 12:30 pm
Maybe?My first hike. I did a point-to-point, finishing atop Mt. Mitchell. At that time I was not yet afflicted with peak-bagger's disease, so I don't know if I made sure to stand on the high point.
Joel Hopper - Nov 29, 2013 5:31 pm Date Climbed: Nov 29, 2013
Snow!Colbert ridge to Deep Gap, then Winter Star. 2-4" of snow with frozen undercrust starting at about 3500' . Lots of bear tracks, turkey tracks, Bobcat ran across the trail ahead of me & I was buzzed by a pheasant. Snow was untracked until I took care of that. Great day out.
riblet - Aug 25, 2011 9:56 am Date Climbed: Apr 15, 2011
Up Colbert RidgeUp colbert ridge to Deep Gap, then to top of Winter Star. Good hike! I like this much better than the Mount Mitchell trail.
Koonsy - May 22, 2010 7:28 pm
Colbert RidgeDamn good hike.
cgwalters - Apr 12, 2009 1:11 pm Date Climbed: Apr 11, 2009
My Old FriendCrossed (rain, mist and sleet) on my loop---12 hrs. 1 hr to Horse Rock trail, then up, over to the Bowlen's Creek end of Ridge Crest Trail, turned and went to Mitchell, before coming back to Deep Gap, down most of Colbert's Ridge, and then 'bushwack' to Locust Creek and White Oak Creek.
Winter Star is where I stop to call my wife during long walks. During the winter, the cold is terrible. Within a minute one can lose use of your fingers. I have found no cell reception of the Mitchell side of the Ridge Crest Trail, or I would not stop.
Winter Star also seems to define two weather micro-climates. The Mitchell side is the colder, icier during the winter.
montanachris - Dec 16, 2008 10:15 am Date Climbed: Mar 23, 2008
Up Colbert RidgeI've climbed this mountain twice prior to my posted summit day. This one has what it takes to keep bringing me back; relative solitude, a steady uphill climb, and virgin spruce/fir forest in the higher elevations!
StarMan - Aug 9, 2007 8:17 pm Date Climbed: Jul 30, 2005
done!via Colbert Ridge Trail.
mlandau3 - May 28, 2006 6:43 pm Date Climbed: May 27, 2006
What A Day HikeA great summit with beautiful views toward Celo Knob. The wildflowers were really out in profusion: bluets between Mitchell parking lot and Mt. Craig and trilliums everywhere. The BMCT is rough, but it's one of my favorite hikes.
GAHikerGirl - Apr 20, 2006 10:17 pm Date Climbed: Oct 9, 2005
Some Pretty Tough Sloggin'...coming north from Deep Gap. But it's a whole lotta fun!!
TomSellick - Aug 31, 2005 6:48 pm
Route Climbed: BMCT Date Climbed: September 2003The trail kind of vanishes after Deep Gap heading north. We found our way to the top though. Not much to see from the summit of this one. Beyond Winter Star the trail really gets, ahem, interesting (difficult)
Cortez - Aug 25, 2005 10:35 am
Route Climbed: Deep Gap Date Climbed: June 4, 2005My wife Jennifer and I hiked Winter Star Mountain 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
BobSmith - Nov 11, 2004 11:13 pm
Route Climbed: Deep Gap Trail. Date Climbed: 11-10-2004I climbed Winter Star using the Deep Gap, Bolens Creek Trail (aka Black Mountain Crest Trail). The views along the hike to the summit of Winter Star from Deep Gap are so striking and so numerous that hiking the peak is something of an overwhelming experience. You have to stop every few steps to enjoy the vistas.