Hump ​​Mountain on Hump Day (Day 36)

After sleeping through (more or less) the windiest night of my life, I went for an early walk. Since we were considering sleeping in a hostel tonight, I wanted to arrive as early in the afternoon as possible. From our camp, we immediately began to climb Roan Mountain. We were still a few kilometers from the top and the sky started spitting rain when we got there.

Hotel Cloudlandia

I was excited to see the site of the Cloudland Hotel, a former luxury resort built on the top of Roan Mountain in 1885. It was abandoned in 1910 and, to my disappointment, there isn’t much room left. For the most part it was just a large open field, with an information plaque that was too damaged to read.

The best gifts are handmade

On my way up the mountain, there was a sign advertising the magic of the trail at the upcoming Carvers Gap. I was excited to get there and I certainly had good reason to be. A church group was making breakfast for the hikers and they had a van filled with any goodies you might need. I grabbed Tylenol and a pair of earplugs.

There were even handmade hats made by some of the ladies at church, and I was very grateful to receive one, along with a pair of gloves. It was a windy morning and we still have some cold nights ahead of us. To top it all off, the trail angels had created a “sauna,” aka a portable heater hooked up to a propane tank. It kept me nice and warm while I ate some snacks and drank my coffee.

hump mountains

As we continued across the Roan Highlands, there were no views of Round Bald or Jane Bald due to the rain and fog. We passed over them without stopping, but after lunch we started climbing Little Hump Mountain. By the time I reached the top, the sky had cleared a bit and there were great views all around. After descending from Little Hump, I began the more difficult climb to its larger counterpart, Hump Mountain. I almost stepped on a snake on the way up, but the panoramic views from the top were worth it.

We decided to skip the lodge tonight and camp at a much lower elevation. It’s supposed to be a warm night and the campsite is cozy. There is no wind and the sound of the rain hitting my tent is relaxing. It didn’t turn out to be a storm after all.

This website contains affiliate links, which means The Trek may receive a percentage of any products or services you purchase using the links in the articles or advertisements. The buyer pays the same price they would otherwise pay, and their purchase helps support The Trek’s ongoing goal of bringing you quality backpacking information and advice. Thank you for your support!

For more information, visit the About page of this site.