shining rock

This is Shining Rock, a giant granite slab, about 2.8 miles up the trail. It's 200 ft tall and 800 ft long. The Guide advises that you shouldn't attempt to climb it without rock climbing equipment. I was not tempted, since large parts of its surface were coated with ice, some of it with water running underneath it.

Around this area, the trail was filled with boulders, and I had to clamber in places, but there was nothing too difficult.

Shortly after passing Shining Rock, the trail began to get very icy. Lots of boulders were nearly covered in a thick glaze of ice. Fortunately, I was able to navigate around the glazed patches. However, that experience does make me wonder if this is my last big hike of the year.