Hanging Rock - Reach the Peaks Challenge (Stokes County, North Carolina)

A little over a year ago, a friend mentioned that she had traveled to North Carolina near the Virginia border to take part in a hiking event with another friend of hers. The event was called the Reach the Peaks challenge and it took place at Hanging Rock State Park. While the event is advertised as a grueling 11+ mile hike with several summits involved, she said it really wasn't that challenging at all. It peaked my interest though and when registration became available for this year's event, I decided to check it out for myself. 

I drove up to Charlotte last night after work and spend the night at a hotel and then finished the drive first thing this morning under a misty forecast and hoping it would clear up before I reached the park. As luck would have it, the precipitation came to an end just a few minutes before I arrived at the check-in area. All hikers were supposed to be on the trail by 9:15 and having pulled into the parking lot about 5 minutes before 9:00, I knew I had to get sorted pretty quickly. After collecting my backpack and a few odds and ends, I walked over to the picnic area and after providing my name, was given a race bib (much like those given for racers). I pinned it to my the leg of my shorts, as I often do with race bibs and after finding and using a restroom, started the trail. 

The first section of the trail is wide and well maintained and the passing storm clouds certainly gave sort of an ominous feeling to the whole day, as if a storm was about to hit at any moment, though it never did. It seems a lot of hikers started at the last minute just like I did, but given my naturally fast pace, I passed many of them on my way to the first of five summits I would be climbing to today. 

Hanging Rock, for which the park is named, is a stony outcropping atop a 2,000 foot peak. To reach it, the trail heads northwest before cutting back a sharp switchback almost 180° and the finally reaching the top. When I arrive, I find a lot of hikers admiring the views, which are magnificent in just about every direction. I climb out onto the outcroppings just a bit to snap a few pictures, but wanting to keep my strong pace, I only stay a few minutes before heading back down and making my way to the next peak.

To reach Wolf Rock, the trail drops back down the way we came before heading up a slow incline toward the top of a long ridge, on which the next three peaks are positioned. The uphill feels really good and I'm feeling super strong. Though, I haven't been doing a lot of hiking in the last couple of weeks, I have been running and working out very regularly. I feel good today. Very good. The so called Wolf Den is just another outcropping of bare rocks atop this spiny ridge, but it again offers some nice views.

A mile or so beyond, I reach the third peak, House Rock. Similar to the previous two, this one is an exposed outcropping offering great views to the south and north. All along the way, the trail has been really well marked. Since we have to backtrack some sections, I'm impressed with how well the marker arrows are hidden on the backside of trees and other objects, to ensure they can be clearly seen by traffic of the intended direction, but not so easily by hikers going the other way. It was obviously very well thought out. 

The fourth peak and last one along this ridge is Cook's Wall, which I seem to have all to myself. I've passed a large number of hikers along the way and while I'm sure, there are several people further along the route than I am, none of them are here and I have this summit all to myself for the brief time I will be here. In addition to the somewhat gloomy skies overhead, a cool, autumn breeze adds some character to this whole experience. This is the kind of weather I really enjoy hiking in - cool and windy. Cook's Wall itself is as described, a tall outcrop, which doesn't allow for much of a view without doing some climbing. I settle for what I can get without too much scrambling.

From this fourth peak, the trail backpacks a couple of miles and drops back down toward the starting area and Hanging Rock Park Lake before starting what is by far the steepest climb of the day towards Moore's Knob. Dropping down into the low section before starting the big climb, we have to do a rock hop over a little stream and as I do, I see and hear a tall rotten tree fall just a short distance from the trail. These winds are pretty strong now. The uphill section of trail, while again well maintained, is full of unnecessary steps. Some are made of railroad ties, while others are carved into the stone (or more likely just placed to act as steps). While this is steep, it's not steep enough along most of this ascent to warrant these steps. I would much rather just have a smooth incline going up. Steps are so hard on the knees. As I pass several hikers, we all lament about this same thing, which seems to be a common complaint. 

Finally reaching the top of Moore's Knob, I stop for a minute to take in the views from the outcropping and then climb up the fire watch tower for an even better view in all directions. In the bottom of the tower is an abandoned living space, which was likely used by the lookout at some point in the past. Several people are at the top enjoying the view and we greet each other as we look around. 

Heading back now along the last section, I pass another few folks as I quickly make my way down the steps (avoid them whenever possible). I pass an older gentleman and one point that I must have seen somewhere on the trail earlier. I guess because I'm now so far ahead of him (he's just starting to make the climb, while I'm almost at the finish line), he thinks I took some kind of shortcut. I assure him that I've followed the marked trail and will have the complete distance when I finish.

When I reach the parking area, I ask one of the organizers if I need to do anything else. He simply finds my name and checks me off the list. He asks it took me to hike the 11.6 miles and I tell him it was almost exactly four hours. He seems a little surprised, but congratulates me on completing the event. I do agree with my friend who told me about this event that it really isn't all that challenging for a seasoned hiker, but I'm really glad I did it. The views and the experience were well worth the drive. Though, I do now have a five-ish hour drive to get home. Time to hit the road.