I've been looking for a good lightweight, one-man, free-standing tent for a long time. I like the MSR Zoid that I picked up a couple of years ago at Diamond Brand Outfitters, but since it's not free-standing, it doesn't serve me too well when I'm camping on sand or rock. Recently, I heard about this model, the Big Agnes Seedhouse 1, and the more I checked it out, the better I liked it. Campmor had some in stock for only $149, which is a good price - if it fits the bill.

After getting the tent, I decided to try it out on the sort of terrain where the Zoid had been lacking - a rocky area with very little soil to stake it out in. Pilot Cove is located in the Pisgah National Forest, near the Pink Beds area, just north of Yellow Gap Road. The road is now closed, thanks to Hurricane Ivan, so until it's repaired, the region bordered by the Parkway on the north, Yellow Gap to the east, Pink Beds to the west, and Hwy. 276 and Hwy. 280 to the south, is now roadless. It's a huge area, and has some of my favorite winter backpacking destinations in its boundaries.

The photo above was taken on Slate Rock Ridge, across the valley from Pilot Rock. This spot has a terrific view looking back to the west, especially for sunsets. The bottom photo shows part of the huge granite dome that makes up much of Slate Rock Ridge.