The winter spell has finally broken here in Boone! Although most trees are still bare, the temperature has been hovering around the upper 50’s for the past two weeks– perfect weather for enjoying the outdoors. This semester has been a difficult one, I haven’t been able to get outside much. The snow and ice left most of my favorite spots on the Blue Ridge Parkway inaccessible since mid- January.

My good friend Juan made the trip US 421 to the mountains for a visit last weekend. We traveled to Grandfather Mountain and took advantage of their $3 student admission during the month of April, then hiked Rough Ridge near the Linn Cove Viaduct. It had been months since I felt inspired to go out and shoot with my camera– Juan and my adventure was a breath of fresh air (literally!).

Grandfather mountain boasts a rich ecological community, record wind speeds (reported up to 200 miles an hour!), and beautiful views. The bridge in the above gallery is a mile above sea level– on a clear day, Charlotte’s skyline is visible a little over 100 miles away.

After our visit to Grandfather mountain and a short lunch in Blowing Rock, we headed back out to the Blue Ridge Parkway to hike Rough Ridge. Our legs were killing us by the end of the day, but the views were more than worth it.

I am looking forward to more outdoor adventures this summer. Shoot me an email if you’d like to go on an adventure together!