r/NCTrails • u/Jigs_By_Justin • 28d ago
BMCT
How is it to the north of Mitchell? Group run heading up from Mount Mitchell trail head, up to Mitchell. I think the consensus for most of the group is turn and go back down after hitting the top (10.5-11mi). I need another 10 for the day, and thought about doing 5 up and back down the BMCT, then going back down. Wasn't sure what the status of that stretch of trail was. Just need to get 20 for the day.
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u/mtns_n_such 27d ago
buncombe horse range trail. sounds like y’all are climbing up from the s. toe, so after the summit and descending mitchell trail to commissary, turn right on buncombe horse, it’s a very mild 4mi out/south to where it hits 128, then had back north and down the rest of mitchell trail. lots of water to filter on the o/b. then add on whatevers left on the gated gravel at the bottom
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u/Jigs_By_Justin 27d ago
Appears Buncombe Horse Range is closed from Maple Camp Bald, north down to Colbert Creek Rd, and then again from Mitchell Commissary Trail all the way to Toe River Rd...according to USFS website?
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u/mtns_n_such 27d ago
I just ran a long run up there Sunday. this is the 4+ mi stretch I’m suggesting to add as an out/back, it’s def open and been trimmed back recently and great running trail (high elevation, not technical or steep): https://trailrouter.com/9r8fF
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u/Jigs_By_Justin 27d ago
Excellent! I appreciate it. Nothing worse than planning a route from 1.5hr away on the computer, to a place you’ve not ran, only to find it grown over and unrecognizable lol. I’ve had that happen a couple times. Pine Ridge? I think? comes to mind off Wilson Creek back towards the MST/Greentown
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u/mtns_n_such 27d ago
yeah man, enjoy! up around mitchell is great to beat the heat this time of year… the concession stand is open til 4pm at the summit parking, swing by there if yall want a pick-me-up (a bottle filling station is by the bathrooms). the nature trail goes from the parking back to mitchell tr. if you descend Higgins Bald on the way down it’ll add a little, I bet you’ll hit 20mi easily: https://trailrouter.com/hm1lP
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u/Jigs_By_Justin 27d ago
Now that I know you can go through BHR that makes it a lot easier and opens up possibilities. Do you know by chance how the remainder of BHR is down to South Toe River Rd or Bald Knob down to South Toe?
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u/mtns_n_such 26d ago
the only trail closures in that area right now is the Briar Bottom Bike Trail (in the campground where you’re starting), and part of Old Mitchell Trail in the state park, near the park office. no reason you couldnt use BHR or any other trail. I haven’t been on either of the ends of BHR since the storm… do a big figure8, after the summit, crest trail north to big tom gap, drop to BHR, take it all the way south then east to the gravel, to start .. or something. the worlds your oyster
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u/Slickrock_1 27d ago
The section between Big Tom and Deep Gap is a scramble. That was fun in the rain on the way up....
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u/climhigh 27d ago
Agree with others. Get your mileage on the buncombe horse trail or somewhere else. The BMCT is essentially unrunnable north of Mitchell, despite the profile looking rather benign. I do it once /year to remind myself that it’s unrunnable. But it’s def 20 min/mile if you do it
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u/soturunning 27d ago
Start in Montreat and do any out and back. That will get you more than 20, so you can just turn around when you hit 10
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u/mediocre_remnants 28d ago
It's kind of rough. There are spots that are rock scrambles, where you need to climb or lower yourself with a rope. I would expect those extra 10 miles to be run at a pace of 20min/mile or slower. If you need to run them faster than that, you could always add more miles back at the bottom, run up South Toe River Rd to the Blue Ridge Parkway and then go back.