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Linville Gorge, NC
Linville Gorge is a wilderness area located near Marion, NC and north of Interstate 40.
I took these pictures in 1970 in and around this area.
Linville Falls
The picture above shows Linville Falls located at the north end of Linville Gorge.
The falls feed the Linville River that flows through the gorge. I took this picture from
Wisemans View located on the western edge of the gorge.
Hawksbill Mountain
The pictures above are two views of Hawksbill Mountain. This mountain is a rock
outcropping located on the eastern edge of the gorge.The mountain has an altitude
of 4,020 feet.
Views from the top of Hawksbill Mountain
This is a view looking south from atop Hawksbill Mountain.
Below are two black and white pictures of essentially this same view I took during
a later trip. These pictures a were taken to demonstrate the difference between regular Tri-X film which is
sensitive to visible wavelengths and special film sensitive to infrared wavelengths.
Tri-X Film
This is a view looking south down the gorge from Hawksbill Mountain. There
is a small white spot (look hard and you might be able to see it) in the center
which is Lake James. The mountain with the vertical cliff
to the left of the lake is Shortoff Mountain. You can barely see clouds in the sky.
Now look at the picture below and compare the difference using infrared film to take
a picture of the same scene.
Infrared Film
This is the same view as above but using infrared film. Note how clearly
you can see lake James in the distance. Also note how clearly the ridges in the
mountains distinctly show. Note that you can see trees on the ridges. The trees,
especially in the foreground are white as they are warmer than the surrounding
environment. Finally, note that infrared film is quite a bit more grainy
than Tri-X film. As you can see, infrared film is useful to see through haze and capture
the details.
View of the River Using Tri-X Film
This is a picture of the Linville River.
Other Views from Atop Hawksbill Mountain
Below is a view looking down the mountain showing its rocky face.
Below is another view showing the rocky face.
Below is another view looking southeast showing another mountain called Table Rock.
Shortoff Mountain can be seen in the center background.
