Mt. Mitchell
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ScubaDewd
N 35° 45.896 W 082° 15.902
17S E 385645 N 3958614
Mt. Mitchell, the highest peak east of the Mississippi River, is named for Dr. Elisha Mitchell, a professor of sciences at UNC-Chapel Hill who first suggested that the peak that bears his name was the highest in the Black Mountain range. Dr. Mitchell died at a waterfall on the western slope of the mountain while returning from one of many exploratory trips to western North Carolina.
Waymark Code: WM9TW
Location: North Carolina, United States
Date Posted: 04/03/2006
Views: 89
Mount Mitchell, in the Black Mountains, is not only the highest point in North Carolina, but also the highest east of the Mississippi River. This mountain is in a state park of the same name. Mount Mitchell State Park, established in 1915, is the oldest state park in the Tarheel State.
The naming of Mt. Mitchell was not without controversy. Thomas Clingman and Elisha Mitchell engaged in a lengthy dispute about which of the two men had been the first to accurately measure the mountain. In 1857, Dr. Mitchell set out to verify the measurements he had made over a decade previously. However, before even reaching the mountain, the University of North Carolina scientist fell to his death at a spot now known as Mitchell's Falls. As a result of the tragedy, Clingman and his supporters agreed that Mitchell deserved to have the peak named in his honor. Later, Clingman was to have Clingmans Dome in the nearby Smokies named in his honor.
It is possible to drive to within two-tenths of a mile of the summit. From there, a trail will take you through a forest of conifers and mosses to the top where there is an observation tower, as well as the tomb of Dr. Elisha Mitchell.
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