Patton Knob | Mountain-to-Sea Trail | Winter Hike | 6000' Peak | Breaking Ice Cycles | Awesome Views

For our final summit of 2022 we tackled the moderate hike to Patton Knob. Wedged between the Blue Ridge Parkway and Mount Mitchell State Park is a stretch of the Mountain-to-Sea trail that meanders around Potato Knob and takes hikers to our destination. While Patton Knob itself is tree covered with not much to see, the path along the MTS trail has several breathtaking views of the blue ridge south of the Black Mountains - including Craggy Wilderness, North Fork Reservoir, and Graybeard Mountain. Even though not much of the trail is officially in the Mount Mitchell State Park, you can reach the trailhead by taking the Blue Ridge Parkway (mile 355) to highway 128, the Mount Mitchell entrance and the highest road east of the Mississippi River.
Instagram: @crisandcale_adventures (Cris-Cale)
CONTENTS
00:00 Intro Teaser
01:17 Map & Overview
02:18 Trailhead
02:52 First Ice
03:56 Amazing Views
05:00 Ice Cycles
06:52 Search for Peak
07:18 Patton Knob
07:57 Heading Back
08:34 More Ice Play
09:38 Victory Views
10:24 Graybeard Mtn
11:00 Realization
You actually pass over the side of 6,385’ Potato Knob at 6,100’ and then down into a gap before rising back up to the 6,050’ peak of Patton Knob. If you want a further challenge, less than 1 mile further up the MTS trail is Blackstock Knob, a 6,330’ summit that can also be reached from at the Walkers Knob overlook on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

[@HolisticHikes]

Love your guys style of capturing the point of view nature!

[@criscale3667]

Thanks for the positive comment. Our experience at Mt Hood and Paradise Village/Mt Rainer was unforgettable. Miss the PNW. Hold the fort!

[@nancycronin601]

Very impressive accomplishment. Congratulations. You are fortunate to live near so many beautiful places. I am in the Midwest so nothing like that nearby. Thanks for sharing another of your beautiful videos.

[@criscale3667]

Nancy, we appreciate that very much.

[@shutupmanful]

What time of the year did y'all do this hike?

[@criscale3667]

This hike was completed mid-December. The cold was moving in, but we did not have mounds of snow that sometimes comes a little later in the winter. I hope that helps. Thanks for your question.