Cold Mountain Track (3/28/22, 8:14:49AM)

Did this hike as part of the South Beyond 6K Challenge. Parked at the Camp Daniel Boone Art Loeb trailhead and hiked up to the summit of Cold Mountain on 3/28/22, starting out at 8:15am. This area is part of the Shining Rock Wilderness Area. Temperature was 28 degrees at the start, with partly cloudy skies. Lots of difficult blowdowns to get around and three large creek crossings on the way up, so, six total. Very rocky footing in places. Reached the summit around 12:00 and found the USGS Benchmark on a boulder on the right side of the trail. Observations to the South included Stairs Mountain, Shining Rock, and Dog Loser Knob. Sam Knob and Mt. Hardy viewed on horizon right. Only observed two people the whole day, a couple, descending southbound from the summit trail, heading to Deep Gap. I Would rate this hike as very difficult, due to rocky footing, creek crossings, blowdowns, some very steep sections, and distance.