Snowstorm at Craven Gap
I’ll never forget my first winter hike at Craven Gap in Asheville, North Carolina. The forecast said ‘light flurries,’ but by the time I reached the trailhead, a full-blown snowstorm had swallowed the Blue Ridge Parkway. I was alone, boots crunching through the fresh powder, the world eerily silent except for the wind howling through the bare trees. The beauty was breathtaking—white snow clinging to every branch, the mountains vanishing into a gray-white mist. But the peace didn’t last.
Halfway up, I ran into a group of local hikers arguing with a pair of out-of-towners. The locals were furious, claiming the tourists were ruining the trail by stomping off-path, damaging fragile plants hidden under the snow. The tourists snapped back, saying they had every right to enjoy the forest however they wanted. Voices echoed through the woods, shattering the tranquility. I stood there, caught in the middle, feeling the tension rise with every angry word.
That day, I realized how easily beauty can turn to conflict. Nature brings us together, but it can also expose our differences. As I hiked back, the snow still falling, I wondered if we’d ever learn to share these magical places without fighting over them.
#Asheville #CravenGap #WinterHiking #TravelDrama #NatureConflict #Travel
