Clingmans Dome

Scent Profile:  Top Notes of Fraser Fir, Cypress and Citrus open up to Spruce and Cedar, with humble Moss and Amber rounding out the base notes. 

The Inspiration:  I planned and scrimped and saved, and finally in 2004, I was able to hike the Appalachian Trail (affectionately called the A.T.), a footpath that traverses almost 2,200 miles from Georgia to Maine.  Yes, I hiked the whole thing.  And yes, I was by myself.  At least that was the plan until I met my husband.  I like to say it was the world’s longest first date because we met in Georgia near Mile 30 in late April and completed the A.T. together in mid-October that same year.  We were married within 9 months of meeting. 

Although it’s been almost 19 years since we hiked the A.T., I’ve never forgotten the wallop of a scent those Fraser firs have – it’s the classic Christmas tree scent.  In the southern Appalachians, they only grow at higher elevations, often in large dense stands with red spruce.  We didn’t encounter them until we entered the Great Smoky Mountains near a place called Clingmans Dome at 6,600 feet above sea level. I remember feeling exhilaration and childlike wonderment that day - by the ever-present scent of the firs, by the mysterious foggy beauty of the area, by our progress along the hike, and by the major milestone that it was the first day we were able to hike more than 13 miles (we’d been stuck at 12 miles per day for so long). Y’all, those Appalachian Mountains are tough, they make you hike up and down and up again all day.  It was this day I realized I was in the best physical condition of my life.

If you ever have the opportunity to spend time in the Great Smoky Mountains, or on the Appalachian Trail, I highly recommend exploring the area near Clingmans Dome.  There is also a short, easy loop trail from the Clingmans Dome observation deck that takes you through a glorious section of this Fraser fir stand.

This candle is made with natural US grown soy wax.