Looking Glass Rock

By Peter L. Schmunk

Beginning
as a project to photograph a wild place through the seasons, this book developed
over time into a deep study of both the natural and human history of an
outstanding feature of North Carolina's Pisgah National Forest. Looking Glass
Rock is a pluton, a massive mound of granite defined by towering cliffs that
attract elite climbers as well as casual hikers and sightseers. An extensive
photographic archive forms the core of the book, supplemented by historic images
and maps. An accompanying essay explores the abundant botany and unique geology
of Looking Glass Rock, as well as the various peoples--Cherokee Indians, hardscrabble
Scots-Irish farmers, vastly wealthy Biltmore estate owners, loggers, moonshiners,
and Civilian Conservation Corpsmen--who once occupied the area and left traces
of their former presence. This book offers a model for an exploration of a particular
Appalachian landscape with a fulsome appreciation for both its wild beauty and its
compelling human story.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 163804211X
• ISBN13: 9781638042112
• Release Date: December 2024
• Publisher: Clemson University Press
• Weight: 2.11 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 8.8" x 11.1"