Climb to High Bethel Altar
Thanks to Clay Turner for providing the great Photo!
Twenty-five hundred years have passed since both Abraham and Jacob, according to the biblical account, established altars at Bethel. Jacob described it as a place of awesome spiritual power (Genesis 28:17) and later Bethel, which means “House (or place) of God” became an official shrine of the northern Kingdom of Israel and remains a sacred place in the collective memory of both Jews and Christians. Abraham, according to Genesis 7:8, built an altar east of Bethel shortly after arriving in Canaan from Haran. Later, Jacob, believing the place to be the “gate of heaven,” named it Bethel.
It is not surprising to me that man still finds a need, a desire, to erect symbols of their faith, on what they consider hallowed ground. Many men in history have photographed areas of extreme beauty, trying to capture the spiritualness of an area, such as the great photographer Ansel Adams. Other men have tried to capture the spirit through poetry or other writings, such as John Muir, and Henry David Thoreau and even Song writers such as John Denver attempted to capture the feeling, the spirit of what they have experienced in the mountains and wilderness. Shrines, such as ‘Christ the Redeemer’ located on Corcovado peak in Rio de Janeiro are perfect examples of man’s continuing desire to mark places that possess spiritual attributes. Knowing this, it should not have been a huge surprise to have stumbled upon a simple rock altar, high in the North Carolina mountains in an area called Panthertown Valley, called High Bethel Altar.
The trip we had planned began early on the 8th of October. There was to be four of us on this backpack adventure to Panthertown Valley, in North Carolina. We frequent this area, enjoying the numerous waterfalls, the relative isolation, and the great views afforded by the many granite rock ledges and outcroppings that overlook the beautiful valley floor.
It was a beautiful autumn day, the azure sky above and the crisp cool air was assuring us that a good weekend was ahead. We set up camp at the confluence of Panthertown Creek and Greenland Creek, which form the headwaters of the Tuckasegee River. The campsite was in a large flat pine forest, the ground softened by deep layers of pine straw.
Tom Harding and myself, spent the afternoon setting camp, gathering firewood and filling our water bottles. Clay Turner arrived into camp around 5:30pm and Rick Harding would not show up till well after dark. After everyone had finally arrived, we sat and relaxed around a roaring campfire, discussing our options for the hike the next day.
The campfire was comforting amongst the darkened forest that surrounded us. The Tuckasegee River beside us babbling, as it worked its way further down the valley toward Warden Fall’s where it begins to roar as the waters gain momentum and larger volume. The logs in the fire were cracking as the fire began to consume, sending embers dancing into the blackened skies, winking as they drifted back to forest floor. The four of us chatted well into the night, discussing everything from nuclear reactors, fission and fusion to swapping silly puns resembling a kaleidoscope of conversation.
The conversation did take a serious level when we began discussing our options for a day hike the next day. I suggested we hike to High Bethel Altar, which is near the peak of Cold Mountain. I was a little concerned that it was still relatively early in the season and the underbrush may still be too dense to hike it. After a little discussion between the four of us, we decided to give it a try.
Years before, Rick and Tom Harding had introduced me to Panthertown Valley. We had been hiking it quite frequently since. Two years after my first visit, I was still questioning Rick and Tom about the huge mountain off in the distance, which they informed me, was Cold Mountain. The map showed two trails that traveled to the peak which was labeled High Bethel Altar. Rick and Tom both had tried to find the trails and had given up on several occasions. The trails although on the map just did not seem to exist in reality. It was in November, two years after my first trip to Panthertown, that Rick Harding, Courtney Sharpe and myself finally made it to the top and found High Bethel Altar. We took the long way up, following the ridgeline of Shelton Pisgah Mountain and eventually coming up the western slope of Cold Mountain. It was a terribly long hike, the trail non-existent in places and very cold. Once at the top we were rewarded with a view that was breathtaking and found another surprise in the form of a rock altar, fitted with a brass plaque and inscription. This site needless to say became special in many ways to us and to all of those that can find their way there. That first trip found us leaving High Bethel late in the afternoon, in late November, and only about two hours of sunlight left. We made the decision on the way down Cold Mountain to try to find the other trail, which basically follows Little Green Creek down the valley between Shelton Pisgah Mountain and Cold Mountain. If we were successful in finding this trail, it would save us two to three miles of hiking and we could probably get off the mountain before dark. We found the trail only to lose it a mile down the mountain; the trail disappearing into rhododendron thickets and steep cliffs falling off into the rock littered Little Green Creek. We had no choice but to crawl on our hands and knees, inching our way through the maze of rhododendron and downed trees but eventually we found our way back to the main trail of Devil’s Elbow and out of the valley.
Rick and I would return on several occasions after this, trying to find an easier way up to High Bethel Altar. Using maps and GPS we thought we had found an easier way till we came across a fence that was signed “Canaan Land-No Trespassing”. We walked down the fence, expecting it to end and thus allowing us to travel a mile east up the western face of Cold Mountain, but the fence continued into terrain that was much to steep to try to cross. We eventually gave up trying to find an easier way and decided the Little Green Creek trail was our best option, albeit the complicated maze of rhododendron was an arduous quest.
Saturday morning, 7:30am, the crisp autumn air at dawn was invigorating, encouraging us to build a small campfire to warm ourselves as we drank coffee and ate our breakfast. By 9am the sun had peaked over Boardcamp Ridge casting rays of sunlight and warmth through the canopy of trees above. We were away from camp, beginning our journey by 10am. It would only be two to three miles to High Bethel Altar, but we knew it would not be easy.
We followed the Devil’s Elbow trail till we reached the junction of the nearly invisible Little Green Creek Trail and began working our way through the maze of Rhododendron. Storms that had frequented the area over the last several months had resulted in many fallen trees, making the hike more difficult. Every ten yards it seemed we would have to crawl under huge trunks that had fallen, only to find ourselves having to climb over the next, all of this while steadily climbing in elevation, up the valley between Shelton Pisgah and Cold Mountain. Two miles up Little Green Creek Trail we turned away from the streambed and traversed across the southwestern slope of Shelton Pisgah, through tall stands of Poplar and Oak. The hiking became a little easier as we steadily gained elevation and began to cross the saddle between Shelton Pisgah and Cold Mountain. Once on Cold Mountain, we followed an old road bed, circumventing the western side of Cold Mountain till we reached still another trail that turns to the east and goes straight up the side of Cold Mountain. There were a couple of switchbacks in the trail which tamed the climb somewhat but was still difficult.
We let Clay lead us on this last part, allowing him to walk through the tunnels of Mountain Laurel and Blueberry bushes, which opened onto a granite outcropping and a view of unbelievable beauty of Panthertown Valley below. The fall colors glistening as the sun filled sky warmed the cool autumn air. Reds, yellows, and orange leaves contrasting against the cerulean blue sky in the panoramic view around us was breathtaking.
The simple stone altar stood four feet in height and was three foot square. A brass plaque mounted on the side of the altar read:
Near the Endless sky above us
Up in Canaan Land
Lies the Beauty of High Bethel
Made by God’s own hand.
Here we watch the sunset
His love we understand
In the majesty of mountains
Here we join God’s hand.
The four of us sat on the ledge and enjoyed the views as we ate our lunch; each of us lost in our own thoughts as we contemplated the beauty that was before us. I considered the significance of this Altar and to the one referenced in the Bible built by Abraham on Bethel. I realized that over two thousand years had passed since Abraham constructed his alter in the westbank and men still to this day, find the urge, the need to construct a symbol of their appreciation to God for all the riches and favors he had bestowed upon them.
The Genesis Apocryphon is one of the original seven Dead Sea Scrolls discovered in Cave 1 near Qumran in the west Bank. This document is written in Aramaic and consists of four sheets of leather and is the least preserved of the original seven scrolls. It gives an account of the biblical figure Lamech and his son Noah and the significance of the Bethel Altar.
I pitched my camp in every place in which I had formerly camped until I came to Bethel, the place where I had built an altar. And I built a second altar and laid on it a sacrifice and an offering to the Most High God. And there I called on the name of the Lord of worlds and praised the name of God and blessed God, and I gave thanks before God for all the riches and favors which he had bestowed on me. For he had dealt kindly towards me and had led me back in peace into this land.
After that day, Lot departed from me on account of the deeds of our shepherds. He went away and settled in the valley of the Jordan, together with all his flocks; and I myself added more to them. He kept his sheep and journeyed as far as Sodom and he bought a house for himself in Sodom and dwelt in it. But I dwelt on the mountain of Bethel and it grieved me that my nephew Lot had departed from me
High Bethel Altar on Cold Mountain was constructed over a period of eighteen years, begun in 1956 and completed in 1974 and the altar itself is rather simple, consisting of granite stones and mortar, but the view, the expanse of the mountains below is what makes this place so special leaving one speechless. As we sat, gazing at the view below in silence, I could almost hear the whisper of God on the light breeze saying, “See what I created for you.”
This trip took place over three days, October 8, 2010 to October 10, 2010 and consisted of hikes and camping in Panthertown Valley, North Carolina. Great weather and great friends made this trip most memorable. Thanks to Rick and Tom Harding and Clay Turner for sharing the experience with me.
Twenty-five hundred years have passed since both Abraham and Jacob, according to the biblical account, established altars at Bethel. Jacob described it as a place of awesome spiritual power (Genesis 28:17) and later Bethel, which means “House (or place) of God” became an official shrine of the northern Kingdom of Israel and remains a sacred place in the collective memory of both Jews and Christians. Abraham, according to Genesis 7:8, built an altar east of Bethel shortly after arriving in Canaan from Haran. Later, Jacob, believing the place to be the “gate of heaven,” named it Bethel.
It is not surprising to me that man still finds a need, a desire, to erect symbols of their faith, on what they consider hallowed ground. Many men in history have photographed areas of extreme beauty, trying to capture the spiritualness of an area, such as the great photographer Ansel Adams. Other men have tried to capture the spirit through poetry or other writings, such as John Muir, and Henry David Thoreau and even Song writers such as John Denver attempted to capture the feeling, the spirit of what they have experienced in the mountains and wilderness. Shrines, such as ‘Christ the Redeemer’ located on Corcovado peak in Rio de Janeiro are perfect examples of man’s continuing desire to mark places that possess spiritual attributes. Knowing this, it should not have been a huge surprise to have stumbled upon a simple rock altar, high in the North Carolina mountains in an area called Panthertown Valley, called High Bethel Altar.
The trip we had planned began early on the 8th of October. There was to be four of us on this backpack adventure to Panthertown Valley, in North Carolina. We frequent this area, enjoying the numerous waterfalls, the relative isolation, and the great views afforded by the many granite rock ledges and outcroppings that overlook the beautiful valley floor.
It was a beautiful autumn day, the azure sky above and the crisp cool air was assuring us that a good weekend was ahead. We set up camp at the confluence of Panthertown Creek and Greenland Creek, which form the headwaters of the Tuckasegee River. The campsite was in a large flat pine forest, the ground softened by deep layers of pine straw.
Tom Harding and myself, spent the afternoon setting camp, gathering firewood and filling our water bottles. Clay Turner arrived into camp around 5:30pm and Rick Harding would not show up till well after dark. After everyone had finally arrived, we sat and relaxed around a roaring campfire, discussing our options for the hike the next day.
The campfire was comforting amongst the darkened forest that surrounded us. The Tuckasegee River beside us babbling, as it worked its way further down the valley toward Warden Fall’s where it begins to roar as the waters gain momentum and larger volume. The logs in the fire were cracking as the fire began to consume, sending embers dancing into the blackened skies, winking as they drifted back to forest floor. The four of us chatted well into the night, discussing everything from nuclear reactors, fission and fusion to swapping silly puns resembling a kaleidoscope of conversation.
The conversation did take a serious level when we began discussing our options for a day hike the next day. I suggested we hike to High Bethel Altar, which is near the peak of Cold Mountain. I was a little concerned that it was still relatively early in the season and the underbrush may still be too dense to hike it. After a little discussion between the four of us, we decided to give it a try.
Years before, Rick and Tom Harding had introduced me to Panthertown Valley. We had been hiking it quite frequently since. Two years after my first visit, I was still questioning Rick and Tom about the huge mountain off in the distance, which they informed me, was Cold Mountain. The map showed two trails that traveled to the peak which was labeled High Bethel Altar. Rick and Tom both had tried to find the trails and had given up on several occasions. The trails although on the map just did not seem to exist in reality. It was in November, two years after my first trip to Panthertown, that Rick Harding, Courtney Sharpe and myself finally made it to the top and found High Bethel Altar. We took the long way up, following the ridgeline of Shelton Pisgah Mountain and eventually coming up the western slope of Cold Mountain. It was a terribly long hike, the trail non-existent in places and very cold. Once at the top we were rewarded with a view that was breathtaking and found another surprise in the form of a rock altar, fitted with a brass plaque and inscription. This site needless to say became special in many ways to us and to all of those that can find their way there. That first trip found us leaving High Bethel late in the afternoon, in late November, and only about two hours of sunlight left. We made the decision on the way down Cold Mountain to try to find the other trail, which basically follows Little Green Creek down the valley between Shelton Pisgah Mountain and Cold Mountain. If we were successful in finding this trail, it would save us two to three miles of hiking and we could probably get off the mountain before dark. We found the trail only to lose it a mile down the mountain; the trail disappearing into rhododendron thickets and steep cliffs falling off into the rock littered Little Green Creek. We had no choice but to crawl on our hands and knees, inching our way through the maze of rhododendron and downed trees but eventually we found our way back to the main trail of Devil’s Elbow and out of the valley.
Rick and I would return on several occasions after this, trying to find an easier way up to High Bethel Altar. Using maps and GPS we thought we had found an easier way till we came across a fence that was signed “Canaan Land-No Trespassing”. We walked down the fence, expecting it to end and thus allowing us to travel a mile east up the western face of Cold Mountain, but the fence continued into terrain that was much to steep to try to cross. We eventually gave up trying to find an easier way and decided the Little Green Creek trail was our best option, albeit the complicated maze of rhododendron was an arduous quest.
Saturday morning, 7:30am, the crisp autumn air at dawn was invigorating, encouraging us to build a small campfire to warm ourselves as we drank coffee and ate our breakfast. By 9am the sun had peaked over Boardcamp Ridge casting rays of sunlight and warmth through the canopy of trees above. We were away from camp, beginning our journey by 10am. It would only be two to three miles to High Bethel Altar, but we knew it would not be easy.
We followed the Devil’s Elbow trail till we reached the junction of the nearly invisible Little Green Creek Trail and began working our way through the maze of Rhododendron. Storms that had frequented the area over the last several months had resulted in many fallen trees, making the hike more difficult. Every ten yards it seemed we would have to crawl under huge trunks that had fallen, only to find ourselves having to climb over the next, all of this while steadily climbing in elevation, up the valley between Shelton Pisgah and Cold Mountain. Two miles up Little Green Creek Trail we turned away from the streambed and traversed across the southwestern slope of Shelton Pisgah, through tall stands of Poplar and Oak. The hiking became a little easier as we steadily gained elevation and began to cross the saddle between Shelton Pisgah and Cold Mountain. Once on Cold Mountain, we followed an old road bed, circumventing the western side of Cold Mountain till we reached still another trail that turns to the east and goes straight up the side of Cold Mountain. There were a couple of switchbacks in the trail which tamed the climb somewhat but was still difficult.
We let Clay lead us on this last part, allowing him to walk through the tunnels of Mountain Laurel and Blueberry bushes, which opened onto a granite outcropping and a view of unbelievable beauty of Panthertown Valley below. The fall colors glistening as the sun filled sky warmed the cool autumn air. Reds, yellows, and orange leaves contrasting against the cerulean blue sky in the panoramic view around us was breathtaking.
The simple stone altar stood four feet in height and was three foot square. A brass plaque mounted on the side of the altar read:
Near the Endless sky above us
Up in Canaan Land
Lies the Beauty of High Bethel
Made by God’s own hand.
Here we watch the sunset
His love we understand
In the majesty of mountains
Here we join God’s hand.
The four of us sat on the ledge and enjoyed the views as we ate our lunch; each of us lost in our own thoughts as we contemplated the beauty that was before us. I considered the significance of this Altar and to the one referenced in the Bible built by Abraham on Bethel. I realized that over two thousand years had passed since Abraham constructed his alter in the westbank and men still to this day, find the urge, the need to construct a symbol of their appreciation to God for all the riches and favors he had bestowed upon them.
The Genesis Apocryphon is one of the original seven Dead Sea Scrolls discovered in Cave 1 near Qumran in the west Bank. This document is written in Aramaic and consists of four sheets of leather and is the least preserved of the original seven scrolls. It gives an account of the biblical figure Lamech and his son Noah and the significance of the Bethel Altar.
I pitched my camp in every place in which I had formerly camped until I came to Bethel, the place where I had built an altar. And I built a second altar and laid on it a sacrifice and an offering to the Most High God. And there I called on the name of the Lord of worlds and praised the name of God and blessed God, and I gave thanks before God for all the riches and favors which he had bestowed on me. For he had dealt kindly towards me and had led me back in peace into this land.
After that day, Lot departed from me on account of the deeds of our shepherds. He went away and settled in the valley of the Jordan, together with all his flocks; and I myself added more to them. He kept his sheep and journeyed as far as Sodom and he bought a house for himself in Sodom and dwelt in it. But I dwelt on the mountain of Bethel and it grieved me that my nephew Lot had departed from me
High Bethel Altar on Cold Mountain was constructed over a period of eighteen years, begun in 1956 and completed in 1974 and the altar itself is rather simple, consisting of granite stones and mortar, but the view, the expanse of the mountains below is what makes this place so special leaving one speechless. As we sat, gazing at the view below in silence, I could almost hear the whisper of God on the light breeze saying, “See what I created for you.”
This trip took place over three days, October 8, 2010 to October 10, 2010 and consisted of hikes and camping in Panthertown Valley, North Carolina. Great weather and great friends made this trip most memorable. Thanks to Rick and Tom Harding and Clay Turner for sharing the experience with me.
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