Whiteside Mountain in Western North Carolina’s Jackson County has the highest sheer cliffs in Eastern North America at nearly 800ft.  The mountain itself stands at just under five-thousand feet in elevation and the sheer faces point generally southward.  Anytime I am photographing the Chattooga River I feel the pull to hike up Whiteside Mountain to close the loop:  this is where the headwaters of the river originate!

On this morning in early May, inverted clouds roamed around the valleys below as the sun rose to the east and illuminated the newly minted spring leaves of the forest.  Whiteside Mountain is a challenging place for me to shoot but I also find great satisfaction in exploring the location.  I think there is far more potential around Whiteside Mountain than I have begun to realize and capture. 

Camera:  Nikon D850
Lens:  Nikkor 24-70mm f2.8 @40mm
Tripod:  Really Right Stuff TVC-33

Date taken:  May 7, 2024
Settings:  f14, 1/10 second, iso 64