Past Events

Panthertown Hike – *rescheduled to Thursday, June 29th.

Photo by Ken Czarnomski

 

Are you ready for an adventure into the Yosemite of the East? On Thursday, June 29th the BRNN members’ event will be a guided hike in Panthertown, Nantahala National Forest.

Join us at 8:45 AM at the Ingles Mills River parking lot for departure. This is scheduled as an 8 mile day hike. The terrain is considered moderate with elevation gains of 1200 feet. Be prepared for wet feet, since stream crossings are likely. Pack a lunch and water. Should you be on a tight schedule for the day, this is not your hike. The event is scheduled for a full day.

Panthertown’s Unique Geological Story
Submitter by BRNN Vice President Ken Czarnomski
Panthertown is an ancient place. The main valley is composed by rock formed over 750 million years ago at the edge of what was then the proto

Photo by Ken Czarnomski

North American Continent geologists now call “Laurentia”. 300 million years later (or 450 million years ago), tectonic plate movements subjected this rock to extreme heat and pressure which metamorphosed into the banded gneiss still exposed today at the various waterfalls located in the valley. 390 million years ago additional forces melted mountain size rocks which were buried. As they cooled over time, the rocks hardened, forming plutons. The Appalachian orogeny eventually culminated around 250 million years ago with mountains as high as those found in the Himalayas today. As these mountains eroded, the buried plutons became exposed. Today, Panthertown Valley is covered with these exposed rock faces seen at Blackrock, Big Green and Cold Mountain.
In addition to being the headwaters for the Tuckasegee River numerous waterfalls, cascades, gorges, mountain bogs and collections of rare species make this setting unique. The main valley and surrounding cliffs have earned Panthertown the designation as the “Yosemite of East”.