Increasingly, it seems, people are losing control of their own attention and by extension, of their own minds. Mechanized notifications are able to seamlessly capture any given individual’s attention multiple times throughout the day, resulting in so many breaks in that steady state of focused attention that people are forgetting how to judge whether something is worth their concentration – or even if it’s real. The antidote is in nature. To erase the damage that constant inconsistent interruptions wreak on our neural meat and therefore our functioning as human beings, it is necessary to break from our routine, predictable, repeatable activities and go into a place that is as wild and unpredictable and chaotic as we, beings that emerged from nature to create such technological achievements as the three-piece suit, were always meant to be.
To regain control of our own minds, we must go to the mountains. Seeing as urbanites suffer from suffocating steel structures and cement sidewalks, mountains that are accessible from the city are incredibly important. For Charlotteans, Crowders Mountain, located just outside of Gastonia, North Carolina in the Western Piedmont, is more than accessible. Just a quick zip westward on I-85S regularly brings bleary-eyed refugees of the Queen City back to nature, and if they’re lucky, back to themselves.
The mountain is best hiked in the morning, before the crowd builds. The Backside Trail, just shy of a mile, takes hikers up a gentle slope and a series of 336 steps to the rocky summit at 1,625 feet (495 m). From the summit, views of the distant Charlotte skyline can be admired on clear days. The descent can be done in a loop by returning via the easy 2.8-mile Crowders Trail.
As long as you don’t mind crowds, Crowders offers some decent rock climbing. There are multiple routes, some of which are visible looking down from the summit. Because of its nearness to the city, Crowders is a convenient crag to get your climbing in, whether you’re into sport or trad climbing. Routes range from 5.5 to 5.13. If you go, don’t forget to fill out a permit with the rangers beforehand, and don’t be surprised if you encounter temporary closure signs; the parks service closes the parking area when they determine there are enough people on the mountain. These closures usually don’t last for an hour and a half or so; the rangers tend to be pretty good about reopening the parking lot as people leave.
North Carolina is a state with wild swings between wilderness and the frenetic energy of the city. Crowders serves an important role to the people of Charlotte and surrounding areas: a critical dose of non-skyscraper high-altitude, in a sort of cognitive reboot. It is difficult to stress about parking tickets and encroaching deadlines when you take a deep breath of the air, fragrant with mountain laurel, with the sun on your face and your feet on the ground. Crowders Mountain is a hot air balloon ride over the rat race in the city below.
