Welcome to MacRae Peak!
Trail to Transformation
Hiking for Hope & Healing
In preparation for my Appalachian Trail thru hike in 2025, I took a week-long hiking and backpacking journey to the North Carolina High Country!
One of the Most Dangerous Peaks in the Southeast - MacRae Peak
And I was foolish enough to make the climb . . . alone. As part of my training for the 2025 thru hike of the Appalachian Trail, I took a week-long hiking & backpacking trip to the North Carolina High Country!
Day 1: By those working in the center by the Swinging Bridge (Grandfather Mountain), I was encouraged to take Grandfather Trail to MacRae Peak. This page chronicles that adventure.
Grandfather Mountain
State Park & MacRae Peak
Challenges
Traversing rock-face mountain side using cables
Climbing steep cliffs & narrow passages
Climbing ladders along the mountain face
A Better You is What You Need
Grow, learn, and build friendships - the way friendships should be created . . . through trust, actively helping, and encouraging the people around you. This is an opportunity for US Service Member Veterans to challenge themselves, expand thier world, and become a better version of themsleves.
Backpacking
Day pack to full pack, learn to carry your equipment to successfully accomplish the mission. What's in your pack? Be ready for what life brings you!
Camping
Investing in yourself takes effort. Embody the whole person you want to become, and allow the path of life guide the way forward.
Decision Making
What is your compass? Your values? Your destination? Where are you going in life? How will you know you arrived? Don't be left behind.
Meditation
Know thyself! And know how the universe around you works. Harmonize you with your environment to become the best version of yourself.
Climbing MacRae is Not for the Faint of Heart
Steep Slopes - Narrow Passage Ways - And LOTS of Rocks
Nothing But Cable
Reaching MacRae Peak is less about climbing and more about intestinal fortitude. It's not a hike; it's an obstacle course. In part, you must use cables and ropes to climb the sheer cliff face.
Between a Rock and a Hard Place
That's right; I said it. And I squeezed through with a full 30-pound overnight pack. It's as narrow as it looks. Part of the many obstacles to reach the peak.
Stairway to Heaven
It just might be. From a distance, you can see a ladder climbing up. There are a few of these ladders along the way. All of them intimidating. All of them risky. All present their own challenges. Climb up or go back.
Danger Ahead!
This is at the beginning of the trek. The climb to reach the summit of MacRae peak is full of dangerous obstacles. ONLY EXPERIENED HIKERS & CLIMBERS SHOULD ATTEMPT! So, what am I doing here? I asked myself the same question. My answer: Face my fears and leave them on the mountain to die.
Having read the warning, I continued on my way. I knew the risks, and I knew my fears. And the only way to overcome them was to face them. The fear of heights was only one of my challenges. I took this journey alone. It was up to me to make the trip a success. And that's what I came here to do.
0.9 Mile Hike
Deceptively Short
No Guts
No Glory
5,845 ft.
Elevation Above Sea Level
Taking on the Challenge
What does it take to take on one of the most dangerous peaks (not the tallest, just one of the more dangerous) in the Southeastern United States? A deep breathe and a steady focus on what you came here to do. With this as my intent, I went on to traverse the obstacles, climb the cliff face, and hold on for dear life!
Test Your Limits
Why Do We Climb Mountains?
Expand Your Horizons
Why Do We Climb Mountains?
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