This photo was taken from the Clingman's Dome Parking Area. When I began backing these mountains 43 years ago, this view was blocked by a lush spruce-fir forest that dominated most of the peaks above 5,500’. The trees were huge and their branches were so tightly woven that sunlight could only rarely strike the forest floor. Beneath this canopy there was no second story, only the herbaceous layer and an occasional rhododendron or witch hobble. Only remnants of that forest are here now. It was originally expected that in the progression that would follow its death, yellow birch would appear and dominate. Eventually that may well be but, as you can see from this photo, the mountain ash has arrived in good numbers. In Europe, the tree is known as the rowan.