>>2056301I figured as much. Thanks. I guess I should contact ranger station closer to date to ask about Landis vs. NFMT access to chimney top. I figure I'd be pretty tired after ascending and not want to do a scramble. Dangerous mistakes happen when you are tired/sore.
Was it a particularly steep/vertical scramble?
Just seems like the ppl who answer the phones are usually middle aged chicks who don't hike at all and have no idea from personal experience.
Also, I have a local contact now who told me to ask if I want intel locally but I have soooo many questions. In my mind someday I meet like an oracle who has hiked all the trails in the areas and knows exactly what to tell me.
Anyways, I don't plan on doing NFMT again until fall so it will be a while.
Also found this ascent of Cave Mountain on alltrails community content:
https://www.alltrails.com/explore/recording/afternoon-hike-f655e8f--9It seems to be entirely on public land (was on cave mountain road last week, no trespassing signs galore).
There's definitely another view atop Cave Mountain to the NE (the one that appears in the smoke hole canyon wikipedia photo):
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smoke_Hole_Canyonbut that's on private land and I would have to get permission from local landowners.
+ the cave mountain hike I linked has a bit less than 1000 ft of elevation gain
we visited a maple farm that has property atop cave mountain so I guess at least I could ask them about who to contact re: local landowners
