Into the Mouth of the Storm!

Our backpacking destination that weekend was the second highest location in the Great Balsam Mountain range in North Carolina known as Black Balsam Knob. Black Balsam Knob off the Blue Ridge Parkway stands well over 6000 feet. The top of BBK is a beautiful grassy knob that has spectacular views. It was our goal to pitch a tent on the verdant knob and enjoy the scenery after a long day of backpacking. The only glitch on the radar literally was a storm system called tropical storm Tammy.

News reports described Tropical Storm Tammy as, “a short lived tropical storm during October in the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season which caused damage to the southeastern United States.” Even though she was short lived, we got to experience her full fury as far inland as the Pisgah National Forest in North Carolina. The storm was projected to dump as much as 3 to 5 inches of rain in our area along with substantially high winds. The drive up the mountain was beautiful if not breath taking. The mist that the Blue Ridge Mountains are famous for was in full swing. This mist lends its own special beauty to these spectacular mountains. Our drive up was uneventful except for a sprinkling of rain. We had watched the weather reports and were hoping that the system would not come this far inland or at the least be weakened by its trek across the Tarheel state. By the time we got parked and set out for the trail-head we found ourselves in a torrential downpour. The winds were blowing sideways and so was the rain. Decked out in full rain gear with backpacks full of our essentials we started out into the mouth of the storm. The winds were blowing so hard it was difficult to communicate. This was made even more challenging because we had our hoods on which deflected sound even more. We had to yell at each other to be heard over the rain and high winds. By the time we made it to the crown of Black Balsam Knob the winds were off the charts and the rain was coming down in sheets.
Because of the strong winds we realized that we would never be able to pitch a tent in this weather. So, we did the inevitable thing and made our way back to the tree line to get out of the wind. The trees helped break the winds some but they did nothing to slow the rain. It was at this point that everything began to become surreal. We decided to find a place to pitch our tent for the night. Initially we thought this would be an easy task, but every flat area we inspected was covered in water. We found some beautiful locations that seemed perfect, but on closer inspection they only proved to be areas where the pine needles were floating on several inches of water. We hiked for over an hour with howling winds and driving rains trying to find a flat area that wasn’t flooded. Finally, we found a little perch that wasn’t submerged in Tammy’s fury. It was an area big enough to pitch our two man tent and get out of the rain. After pitching the tent we put up a small tarp that allowed us to cook under and organize our gear for the night. The problem was we had to pitch the tarp about 3 feet off the ground because the winds were still pushing the rains sideways. Darkness was setting in and it seemed everything was cold and yet.

My only consolation in the whole affairs was my delight in the fact that deep in my pack were clean dry clothes packed in plastic, and a warm down sleeping bag that was cocooned in a waterproof stuff sack which was submerged in a plastic bag. Also among my essentials was a small towel, protected from the elements, for just such an occasion. With bellies full of rehydrated fair we left our dining tarp and headed to the sanctity of our relatively dry tent. The vestibule held our wet clothes and boots. With dry clothes on and a our sleeping bags lofting their way to slumbering bliss we couldn’t help but be grateful for the little pleasures in life. Prior seam sealing of the tent’s vulnerable points left us with an enclosure that was very sound against the prevailing winds and driving rain. The storm broke late in the night. When we awoke the world was quiet and wet. The sky held a clean quality that is hard to describe. It was like the heavens had purged itself of all its hidden thoughts and dumped them on the earth, and in its wake were sharp blue skies with white wispy vestiges of the night’s confessions. We put our wet boots back on, packed our gear and waded through to the next trail.

When our jaunt was over we descend the mountain and were given spectaculars views around every turn. The Blue Ridge Mountains never disappoint. The combination of nature’s fury and great beauty always leave me with a sense of having walked a little closer with the God who made it all.

Note: The standing joke among my friends and family is that when I load my pack and head for the mountains there will be either be torrents of rain or mounds of snow in the forecast. I have learned over the years to pack everything in plastic to keep it dry. Being prepared is essential when you head to the woods. Having what you need when things are bad can make the experience bearable if not enjoyable. This also applies to our spiritual lives. Many times things in our lives take a turn for the worst like a great storm. Waiting until these moments to acknowledge God’s power and presence will often leave you soaking wet and sitting out in the cold spiritually. So it makes perfect sense to nurture your relationship with Him at all times so that when the storms of life come you will be prepared to weather them with the help of the Most High.