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FALL FOLIAGE: Vibrant colors pop in the North Carolina mountains

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FALL FOLIAGE: Vibrant colors pop in the North Carolina mountains

Published on 4:52 PM

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Photograph by Skip Sickler

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Fall color begins its descent from the higher elevations of Grandfather Mountain, past the Linn Cove Viaduct and into the valleys below. (Skip Sickler | Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation)
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Photograph by Skip Sickler
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Rime ice occurs when temperatures dip low enough for moisture to freeze to a surface — in this case Grandfather Mountain’s spruce fir trees and other high-elevation vegetation. (Mikey Bard Woodie | Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation)
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On the morning of Oct. 17, rime ice shrouds Grandfather Mountain’s lofty peaks, as brilliant fall foliage blankets the slopes below. (Skip Sickler | Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation)
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Photograph by Skip Sickler
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Fall color becomes ever more prevalent in the WNC High Country's higher elevations, as seen from the parking lot of Cannon Memorial Hospital in Linville. (Skip Sickler | Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation)
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Photograph by Skip Sickler
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At Grandfather Mountain, guests are sometimes treated to another surprise when looking below -- a sea of clouds. (Skip Sickler | Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation)
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Grandfather Mountain’s lofty peaks are framed by fall foliage in MacRae Meadows, located at the mountain’s base. (Skip Sickler | Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation)
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Photograph by Skip Sickler
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In this photo fall color spreads below Grandfather Mountain’s world-famous Mile High Swinging Bridge. (Skip Sickler | Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation)
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A bridge on the Blue Ridge Parkway near Stack Rock (around BRP Milepost 304.8) is colorfully accented by fall foliage. (Skip Sickler | Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation)
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Sugar maples in nearby Pineola turn to gold, as autumn continues its slow and steady march through the WNC High Country. (Skip Sickler | Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation)
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Fall color graces the treetops surrounding a pasture near Banner Elk. (Skip Sickler | Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation)
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Golden hues weave their way into the otherwise green landscape at Boone Fork Creek, just off the Blue Ridge Parkway near the base of Grandfather Mountain. (Skip Sickler | Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation)
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Bursts of fall color offer a striking contrast with the fog, as seen at Rough Ridge along the Blue Ridge Parkway. (Skip Sickler | Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation)
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Fall color spreads along the slopes of Grandfather Mountain, near the Linn Cove Viaduct. Colors are also coming in toward Grandfather Mountain's higher elevations. (Skip Sickler | Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation)
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Photograph by Skip Sickler
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Mountain ash and its vibrant berries burst into color at Grandfather Mountain’s Half Moon Overlook. Warm weather and lack of rain have delayed significant color development, but an incoming cold front could help the color change. (Skip Sickler)
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One of Grandfather Mountain’s resident elk takes a leisurely stroll near the boulders and colorful red maples that adorn his environmental habitat. (Victoria Darlington | Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation)
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The rising sun casts its morning glow, as fall color spreads along the slopes of Grandfather Mountain. Pictured here is the curve near Rough Ridge parking area on the Blue Ridge Parkway. (Skip Sickler)
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Photograph by Skip Sickler
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Fall color complements the sunrise at Grandfather Mountain’s Mile High Swinging Bridge. The colors are changing in higher elevations, with bursts of red, orange & gold serving as contrast to the evergreens & fading shades of summer. (Skip Sickler)
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