January 8, 2009
A new and exciting feature has been added to the Mile High Swinging Bridge at Grandfather Mountain. A plank has been added marking exactly where one mile is elevation occurs along the bridge.
Late in 2008, inaccuracies where found by surveyors on some of the attraction’s key elevation markers. It was revealed that Grandfather’s highest point, Calloway Peak, is actually 5,946 feet above sea level. Previous reports stated the official elevation of the peak at 5,964 feet since 1917. Other elevations were also adjusted, including the elevation of the Mile High Swinging Bridge.
Since the attraction opened in 1952, a plaque on the stairs leading up to the Swinging Bridge had marked the spot believed to be a mile above sea level (5,280 feet). Guests with their own, hand-held GPS equipment have been questioning that location’s elevation for years. In 2008, Suttles Surveying of Marion, N.C. came in with certified satellite equipment to officially verify accurate elevations.
Surveyors determined that along the Swinging Bridge was where exactly one mile above sea level occurred. Historically it was thought that the Bridge was about 20 feet higher than a mile in elevation. New data revealed that the north end of the Swinging Bridge (near the parking area) to be 5,282.02 feet in elevation and the far end to be 5,278.44 feet. With this information, it could be determined that there is a point near the center of the Bridge that is exactly one mile high. The next task was to calculate exactly where that one point was located.
Grandfather Mountain President and resident math whiz Crae Morton first computed the difference in the elevation between the high end of the bridge and the low end of the bridge to be 3.58 feet. Then he computed the difference between 5,280 feet and the elevations from each end of the Bridge. Using those values he could calculate the ratio in the difference of the elevation at each end.
Having measured the bridge to be 226.08 feet in length, Morton concluded that the exact one-mile point is either 127.57 feet away from the parking area side of the bridge or 98.52 feet from the Linville Peak side of the bridge.
“It’s neat to now know the exact mile high point,” said Morton, “and for that point to actually fall near the center of the Mile High Swinging Bridge is pretty exciting.”
The new “Mile-High Plank” was painted to endure the elements by Pittman Signs in Spruce Pine. The plank is painted green on both sides with “1 MILE 5,280 FT.” noted in white to stand out from the rest of the Bridge’s unpainted metal planks.
For more information about Grandfather Mountain and its Mile High Swinging Bridge please visit www.grandfather.com or call 800-468-7325.
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Commemorate your trip to the Mile High Swinging Bridge with this great UV Light Change Tee. Brilliant colors appear when worn in direct sunlight! Check out these and other great Grandfather Mountain Souvenirs at the Blue Ridge Parkway Store! |
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