Backpacking the Linville Gorge Loop

Last weekend my friend, Tom Sliker, and I completed a 22 mile backpacking trip around the Linville Gorge Loop.  This hike was written up in Backpacker Magazine last year, much to the chagrin of those who frequent the Gorge.  It was rugged terrain, described as appropriate only for the "fit & adventurous".  I figure 1 out of 2 ain't bad.  However, about halfway into the trip I felt much less adventurous.  This time of year was a good time to go, as the wildflowers were in bloom, the weather was comfortable and there wasn't too bad of a crowd.  Linville is near Morganton, NC (which is kind of between Boone and Hickory). I used to go rock climbing here in my younger days, scaling routes on NC's Table Rock and in the Gorge, but this was my first backpacking trip here.  Here's the play-by play:

Day 1: (6 miles)
We started Friday morning parking at Wolf Pit Road Trail head (near the southeast end of the gorge.) We climbed the trail to Shortoff Mountain for our first glimpse into the Gorge.  from here we hiked along or around the East rim for about 6 miles.  The upper rim was spectacular and, although difficult, well worth the effort.  Water was much more available than we had been led to believe, but possibly because of rain earlier in the week. We camped in an area called the Chimneys under a huge overhanging rock.  I was able to use some knot-tying/rock-climbing skills to suspend my Hennessey Hammock under the rock overhang in the absence of trees.  Because this campsite was along the rim of the gorge, it was too windy to safely have a campfire, but we enjoyed incredible views as the sun set. 

Day 2: (10 miles)
We packed and left camp around 8:30am and headed toward the Table Rock parking area.  This is NC's Table Rock in case you're confused.  There are clean privies here and garbage cans, so it was a nice resting spot. From here we began our descent into the gorge via the Little Table Rock trail, which was brutal for about an hour, but then became almost boring, once it connected to the Spence Ridge Trail.  It finally emerged at the Linville River, with one-sided, split-log bridges across.  This is a rocky river, laden with enormous boulders.  Some fishermen were in the river, but apparently without any luck. 

We hiked South along the river the rest of the day.  This section of the trail was poorly maintained, with lots of fallen trees to climb over, rocky footing, up and down sections, and many more hikers than the previous day (probably because it was Saturday).  We were hoping to camp at Daffodil Flats, an old homestead campsite, but it was occupied when we arrived, so we proceeded downstream for about another 45 minutes.  We actually passed a couple of other options electing NOT to camp on a sandy riverbank nor at a site where previous "campers" had left dozens of cans of uneaten food (potential critter bait).  we found a respectable site near the end of the river trail.  It needed some clean-up too, but it was nice and we rested well.

Day 3: (6 miles)
Sunday we awoke, ate breakfast and headed out later than planned (around 9am).  We quickly hit a turn in the trail that begins to circumnavigate some private farm land on the valley floor.  Although it was supposed to be marked with blue blazes, it was almost vertical and the blazes disappeared quickly.  At one point we missed a turn and found ourselves lost for about 15 minutes.  We were less than 50 yards away from the trail, but the terrain was so rugged it took us a while just to get back on trail.  With course corrected we headed around the Gorge and back towards the Linville River.  This loop trail "fords" the river (which was actually one of the things that drew us to this hike.)  Conditions were safe enough and we took turns crossing.  NOTE: always unbuckle your pack and try to use a walking stick when crossing a river.  This river was slightly higher than knee deep at the deepest point and the current was gentle.  After taking a break to dry off and snack we began the climb back out of the gorge, via the Mountains to Sea Trail.  We gradually made our way back to the car at Wolf Pitt Road and headed. home.

If you are interested in a shorter trip, I recommend parking at the Table Rock parking area and camping nearby.  There are many great day hikes available from that area, but I suggest climbing the back side of Table Rock (via trails), and hiking out to the Chimneys, Rock Peak, or even Shortoff Mountain.

Hammock Camping

I got a Hennessey Hammock for Christmas and I'm finally going to get to use it this coming weekend. A Hennessey Hammock is a special camping hammock that is lightweight, and has a mesh top sewn onto it (to keep the mosquitoes out). Because it is enclosed, you actually enter through a slit in the bottom. It has a separate tarp to keep the rain off. And because its a hammock, you don't have to find a level spot or one without roots or rocks and in rain, you don't have to worry about ground water pooling up and running into your tent. The coolest part is that it has an asymmetrical design, so you lay at an angle and can actually get flat, so you can sleep on your side or even your stomach if you want to. I'm really looking forward to trying it out and learning to use it on a future backpacking trips. Here it is set up in the yard, for a test:

Through Hiker!

A week ago I completed the remaining 46+ miles of the Foothills Trail (from Table Rock State Park to Upper Whitewater Falls). Last Year, I did the western section (Upper Whitewater Falls to Oconee State Park) with Paul and Kyle, but this year I finished it up with my pal, Tom. It was a rough 5-day trip, with rain all day on Friday and into the night, but otherwise beautiful. We finished safely and on schedule.

I always learn some things that help me fine tune my technique. Here are some of the things I learned (or re-learned) this trip:

1. Beef Jerky is really just not that good.
2. Pack and dress in layers. Don't bring a 2lb Goretex pull-over, unless it's snowing. A rain shell and a fleece is better.
3. Mountain House dehydrated lasagna is awesome.
4. You can't pack too many M&M's.
5. 1 pair of gloves is enough.
6. 2 pairs of underwear are NOT enough.
7. Trekking poles are awesome after you've had a high ankle sprain.
8. Alcohol stoves are too slow when you're hungry.
9. Wet socks take forever to dry in the rain forests of NC/SC.
10. If backpacking during bear hunting season, DON'T wear black!
    

Backpackin' the Foothills Trail

Last weekend I went backpacking with my pals Paul and Kyle on a little over 30 miles of the Foothills Trail. The Foothills Trail is the only long distance trail in SC (even though it goes into NC) and is like 80 miles in total. We opted for a subset and set out from Upper Whitewater Falls, in NC, and hiked down to Oconee State Park. In retrospect, it was an overly ambitious schedule and we were racing the sun each day.
Day One: We got off a bit later than we had hoped and had to camp about 3 miles short of where we had planned to be. Also, when we stopped to filter water, I dropped my filter and broke an important part. We could make it work with a LOT of effort, but it turned a 10 minute chore into a 45 minute nightmare. However, we eventually found a great camp site along a ridge. We ate freezer bag spaghetti for dinner and enjoyed some libations.
Day Two: We ate hot oatmeal for breakfast and then packed up and hiked the previously missed 3 miles to Burell's Ford where we would then started our official hike for the day. We we're hoping to make up some ground with an additional 8ish miles, but the terrain proved to be more strenuous that the guide book indicated and we cut it back to 5.1 miles for a total of 8.1 miles for the day. We had an even better campsite on a sandy beach at a bend in the river. We had salami, cheese, and crackers for lunch, and tuna wraps for dinner. And, of course, more libations and then early to bed.
Day Three: We broke camp and hit the trail about 9:15am. Trudging along until we finally hit a parking lot, just not OUR parking lot. Paul had been struggling with his feet (due to inadequate footwear) so we thought that we might try to get to the highway crossing, about 5.5 miles from the car) where we'd drop our packs and I'd go alone to get the car and come back for the guys and our gear. However, Paul agreed to press on. Eventually I gave him my boots and I hiked in my hiking sandals that I had brought along as camp shoes. It was tough, but we all made it to the finish line by 3:30pm. That day was over 11 miles long and it was really difficult, but we finished.. After driving back to the start to get Paul's truck, we drove to Clemson and ordered the Family Meal special which feeds six people.

Here's a slide show of the trip:

Thru-Hiking the Art Loeb Trail

Last weekend I hiked the entire Art Loeb Trail with several friends. This trail starts at the Daniel Boone Boy Scout Camp, climbs up to Cold Mountain, traverses the Shining Rock Wilderness, crosses the Blue Ridge Parkway, and eventually meanders down to the Davidson River Campground (Near Brevard). It was approximately 33.5 miles. Despite some rain and backpacks weighing in excess of 50 lbs each, we had a blast. Here are some of the highlights.

Ascending to Cold Mountain

Day 1 - Cold Mountain, as seen looking back from the Narrows of the Art Loeb Trail.

Breaking Camp in the Shining Rock Wilderness.