The Plott Balsam Traverse was just the phenomenal homecoming I was looking for. This route is easily one of the most vert-heavy in the entire southeast, and with a smattering of granite scrambles, briar patches, and loose root beds to navigate it often feels a bit more like an Appalachian obstacle course than a mountain run.
I left Pinnacle Park headed up the eastern route to blackrock per comments on my last FKT, though Dr.Ben hasn't yet confirmed if this route is intended to be a summit linkup by any means or a specific footpath. Either way, downed trees and wet roots made the initial climb a bit slower than the cobble road on the west side, and that's ok because I made up time between blackrock and plott balsam.
I hit Plott at 3 hours and 4 minutes, so a fair 3 minutes behind FKT pace, but I knew if I could just maintain my return with consistency I'd close that gap, and in the end I put over a ten minute gap on the return journey.
I'd definitely like to get out soon with a saw and get those trees out near the start, and I think on a cooler day with more electrolytes I could shave off even more time, though this was pretty close to a perfect push given the three liter water carry and the conditions of the day. I am happy here.