10 minute read
Rite of Passage
Ted Randolph Great-granddaughter Amelia exits “The Subway,” 2020
Assortment of Grandchildren, 1995
Rite of Passage By Tamara S. Randolph
How do family traditions begin? As kids, we are shaped by our parents’ ideals and we follow them where they lead us. We soak up their stories and beg them to share memories of their own childhood experiences. If we’re lucky, we glean insight into the origins of our prized customs and develop an appreciation for ancestors who played a role in shaping these customs. Once we grow up, we are called to carry on the traditions that were put into motion long before us and share them with newer generations.
My own small family established some wonderful traditions, many of which involved the outdoors. When I met my husband, who came from a much larger, delightfully adventurous family, we bonded instantly. And early in our courtship, I got to experience what is one of the most enduring and awe-inspiring family traditions I have ever known.
Up to the Attic
During our first summer together, the summer of 2018, an assortment of my husband’s siblings, nieces and nephews gathered in the mountains for two weeks in July, as they had done so many times before. One sunny day, we loaded several cars with nearly 20 members of the Randolph clan and headed through the entrance gate of the Grandfather Mountain nature park. We wended up the curvy road and rendezvoused at the main trailhead near the Mile High Swinging Bridge. From there, we set off on what would be my very first hike to the Attic Window, one of several destinations along the Grandfather Trail in Grandfather Mountain State Park. As we navigated the terrain and chatted with one another, family members shared stories about hiking this familiar trail in years’ past. I began to get to know my husband’s (then boyfriend’s) tightknit family.
The conversations were enjoyable, and a pleasant distraction from the anxieties associated with my mild case of acrophobia. Roughly two-and-a-half miles round-trip, it’s not the distance that makes this trail a challenge. It’s the ruggedness and elevation gain—reaching the Attic Window is possible only with the help of primitive wooden ladders, cables affixed to steep and slippery rocks, and the natural handholds sculpted by weather and time. I was nervous that day. But I was also in awe. We were surrounded by a rare spruce-fir forest on a 300-million-year-old mountain.
Having worked up a good sweat, we arrived at one of the wooden ladders at the base of McRae Peak for a short break. I was told that my husband’s late father, Ted Randolph, had just a few years earlier—at the age of 91—hiked to the very spot we were standing. Knowing the challenges of the trail to this point, I was again in awe. Who was this superhero?
“The mountains are calling and I must go.” – John Muir
When Ted Randolph was a child in the 1920s, he began exploring every nook and cranny of Grandfather Mountain, as well as the surrounding peaks. He free climbed and rappelled rock faces; he rode horses on the balds; and he broke countless footpaths through what was then wilderness. Being among the mountains was in his blood, thanks in part to his adventuresome grandparents who had come to the area in 1906. In the 1950s and ‘60s, Ted began bringing his wife and young children to the High Country and sharing his favorite places with them.
As each of Ted and Jane Randolph’s five kids reached the age of 5 or 6, they were permitted, in fact encouraged, to join in the hiking adventures. Indeed, going “up to the Attic” was a rite of passage. They scaled the rocks, clambered up the ladders, and let their excitement build as they neared the peak. With their final des-
Family Portrait, 2021
Daughter Mary, 1964
Jane and Ted Randolph, early ‘00s
tination close at hand, each child would be led off the trail into a secret passage—the “Window” that gives this section of the trail its name. Once inside the Window, a short slide down the “Window Sill” leads into the “Subway,” a long, dark, and narrow gap between a series of massive rocks that eventually drops hikers back on the trail. One last push up the path leads to the final prize of the day—lunch on the Attic Window peak, surrounded by mountain views that seem to go on forever.
“Dah-Dah,” as Ted Randolph is known by three generations of his descendants, organized numerous hikes to the Attic Window every summer, rallying a dozen or more of his relatives and friends to join him. There on Grandfather Mountain, he displayed skill, fearlessness and a joie de vivre that rubbed off on everyone around him. He was responsible for forging a tradition that would stick, not just for his own family, but for the many families who took part in the Randolphs’ summer adventures on Grandfather.
Inheriting the Earth
Ted and Jane’s children grew up, married, became parents (and grandparents), and continued to pass along their mountain-loving genes. Summer family gatherings always included the traditional group hike to the Attic Window, as well as other popular hikes: Carver’s Gap on Roan Mountain, Linville Gorge, and Hawksbill, to name a few. Through the years the family also enjoyed river tubing, rock climbing, mountain biking, waterfall jumping, and even running ‘The Bear’ together. Both nature and nurture led them to seek sport, adventure and endless enjoyment with one another.
This summer, nearly 30 family members will travel from six different states and arrive here in the High Country. We’ll plan a meeting time, load our daypacks, form a convoy, drive through the entrance gate, round the Forrest Gump curve, and gather at the trailhead. We will take the customary family portrait in front of the Grandfather Trail sign. We’ll talk about Dah-Dah and how this tradition began. And for the first time, four excited six-year-old boys— four of Ted Randolph’s 12 great grandchildren—will set out on the trail to the Attic Window. With their family’s encouragement, they will scale the ladders, cling to the craggy rocks, reach the peak, and feel like superheroes. And they will look out at these magnificent mountains with awe, hope and infinite happiness.
Begin Your Own Family Traditions
It’s never too soon or too late to gather your family together for outdoor adventure! And the High Country is the perfect place to do it. Check out the outfitters and adventure-based businesses below to gear up for your family hike, climb, river float, camping trip, bike ride or other awe-inspiring adventure.
Original Mast Store
3565 Hwy 194 S, Sugar Grove, NC 828-963-6511 | mastgeneralstore.com
Mast Store Annex
2918 Broadstone Rd, Banner Elk, NC 828-963-6511 | mastgeneralstore.com
Mast General Store
630 W King St, Boone, NC 828-262-0000 | mastgeneralstore.com
Footsloggers
• 921 Main St, Blowing Rock, NC 828-295-4453 • 139 Depot St, Boone, NC 828-355-9984 • 08 A S Jefferson Ave, West Jefferson, NC 336-846-5888 footsloggersnc.com
Ski Country Sports
3149 Tynecastle Hwy, Banner Elk, NC 828-898-9786 | skicountrysports.com
Alpine Ski Center
3150 Tynecastle Hwy, Banner Elk, NC 828-898-9701 | alpineskicenter.com
Adventure Damascus—Sundog Outfitters
331 Douglas Dr., Damascus, VA 888-595-2453 | adventuredamascus.com
Sugar Mountain Resort
1009 Sugar Mountain Dr., Banner Elk, NC 828-898-4521 | skisugar.com
Fred’s General Mercantile
501 Beech Mountain Pkwy, Beech Mountain, NC 828-387-4838 | fredsgeneral.com
Foscoe Fishing
8857 NC-105, Boone, NC 828-963-6556 | foscoefishing.com
Hawksnest Zipline
2058 Skyland Dr, Seven Devils, NC 828-963-6561 | hawksnestzipline.com
Sunset Tees & Hattery
1117 Main St, Blowing Rock, NC 828-295-9326 facebook.com/Sunset-Tees-Hattery
Pack Rats
150 Linville St, Newland, NC 828-733-3600 | facebook.com/packrats
Blue Ridge Explorer: Quiz Answers from page 65
1-a) Ursus americanus, or the American Black Bear, actually comes in many different shades, including black, brown and white. Ursus arctos is the scientific name for Brown Bears (grizzlies), and Ursus maritimus is the scientific name for Polar Bears. 2-b) 400-500 lbs. The largest known black bear in NC (Craven County) weighed 880 pounds; however, most adult male black bears weigh substantially less than that. Adult females weigh 100-300 pounds on average. 3—False. According to some scientists, the black bear is one of the most intelligent non-human animals in North America, with a simple concept level compared to that of a 3-year-old human. Black bears have a long memory and uncanny ability to navigate. They can use tools such as sticks and branches to scratch, and will pick up and throw objects such as rocks. 4-b) 35 mph 5—Myth. A standing bear is most likely trying to see, smell or hear better than it can when it is on all fours. 6-b) Always stand your ground. Because black bears are excellent tree climbers (far better than you) and fast runners (far faster than you), you NEVER want to climb a tree or run to escape a bear encounter. It is important to note that most black bears will retreat before you even know they’re there. However, in the extremely rare case of a charging black bear, stand large, throw rocks and sticks, and fight back. NEVER play dead. Keep standing your ground until the black bear leaves, and then calmly walk away. (Note: different rules may apply to grizzly bears.) 7-c) It’s very rare for a mother bear to aggressively protect her cubs. However, your best action is to be calm and give her plenty of room, even if it means you have to change your planned hike or other activity. Never keep approaching her, even if the cubs are safely in a tree. 8-a) Leave bear cubs as quickly as possible. It is very likely that mother bear is nearby, and the longer you stay, the longer she’ll be away from her cubs. IF you believe the cub is truly orphaned, do not touch it. Instead, snap a quick photo, note the location and immediately leave the area. Contact the NC Wildlife Resources Commission at 866-318-2401 for further guidance. 9-b) and c) ALWAYS leash your dog in forested habitats and areas where you know bears may be present AND visit bearwise.org to understand why bears feel so threatened by dogs. Letting your dog run free is always dangerous to your dog and is a serious stressor for all kinds of wildlife. Plus, statistics show that people who try to rescue a dog from a bear encounter are often seriously injured themselves. To better understand why bears and dogs don’t get along, visit bearwise.org and go to “Bear Safety Tips.” 10-c) Bears’ appetites ramp up dramatically in the fall because they need to put on a thick layer of fat to survive through the winter. Acorns and nuts become an important part of their diet. This annual binge is called hyperphagia. 11—True and false. Some bears may be active throughout the winter denning season, especially in warmer parts of our state. Others go into a deep sleep. Similar to other hibernators, the black bear’s heart rate, breathing rate and metabolic rate slow down while it’s “denning.” However, some scientists say that our black bears are not true hibernators because a bear’s body temperature is reduced by only 10 to 15 degrees. Plus, unlike other hibernators, a bear can wake up quite quickly from a winter nap. 12-c) Amazingly, bears can “chill out” during denning season for more than 100 days without eating, drinking, urinating, or defecating!
Celebrating our 100th Anniversary! 1922-2022
