Royal Air

An awesome route hidden within Mitchell's huge and complex east face.

The crux pitch is its start and can't be seen until you're 400' from it.

The name comes from an aircraft tire in the drainage near the start of the route. A C-47 crashed into Mount Mitchell in the late 1940's.

Please refer to the South Toe River, Mount Mitchell, and Big Ivy Trail Map (Pisgah National Forest)

Travel on 80 to 1158, then 1159, and park at the gate barring 5521. Walk up the road and a surprisingly good trail on the south side of the Rock Creek drainage.

When the trail ends, drop into the drainage and continue ascending (Try to not fall in--I did, up to my neck, when it was a balmy 17...).

Eventually enter the Middle Fork drainage, pass the tire, and then run into the headwall start. (The crux can be bypassed on the right.)

[There is a 200' wall on the south side of the drainage 15 or so minutes before the headwall. There are a couple routes up there but the shwacking is tough.]

Once past the crux continue ascending and pick up the left/shady drainage just past a rock wall on your right.

The route continues up through sawed thickets and then ends fairly abruptly. Continue up until the Buncombe Horse Range Trail.

Descent: Head North on the Buncombe Horse Range Trail to its trailhead on 1159. Leave a second car here or huff it back to the start.

screws, slings, and GPS