Botanical
Venture to Frying Pan Tower and Black Balsam,
Buncombe County, NC
Botanical
Venture to Frying
Pan Tower and Black Balsam,
Buncombe County, NC
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Reservations and prepayment are required on all Ventures.
Your place on this Venture will be reserved when the full amount has been received. Please make your check payable to VENTURES, Inc. and send it to this address or call the office with your VISA or MasterCard #.
A walk through beautiful scenery, but this trip does require some moderate uphill walking. Bring good walking boots, binoculars, and a daypack to carry your lunch. Please come prepared for all types of weather, as one time we were up there in high winds and dense fog!
The Trail up to Frying Pan Tower is an easy three-quarters mile walk on a service road for the towers on the mountain. Its main attraction at the height of the summer is the great diversity of plants in flower. We will begin looking for flowers along the Blue Ridge, a short distance beyond the Pisgah Inn. Along the way we should see two species of Jewelweed, coreopsis, several mints and sunflowers, Fringed Loosestrife, Phlox, Black-eyed Susan, and many, many more. We may even find a few blueberries just off the road! An additional reward is the 360 degree view from the old fire tower. We will also spend some time botanizing in the Black Balsam/Shining Rock area- an easy walk through spectacular scenery. Some of the largest Fraser Firs in the Southern Blue Ridge grow here, along with a large population of fiercely carnivorous (if you are small and tasty!) sundew plants.
$35 per person per day.
Price includes: A delicious picnic lunch will be provided.
Directions & Time of Departure
We will carpool at 9 AM from the Folk Art Center on the Blue Ridge Parkway at Milepost 382. Drivers will be given directions from here.
Scott Dean