Hi, all. I'm taking the Boy Scout troop back to Shining Rock this weekend. We're having a 'base camp' at Daniel Boone for some new crossovers to work on scout skills and their scout badge. Current plan is to take the backpackers up the Little East Fork Trail to Shining Rock Gap. I'd rather take the boys into the wilderness area on the Art Loeb Trail (better views, etc.). Can anyone tell me if the Blue Ridge Parkway is open from 215 to the parking lot on 816? <edit> I just saw the winter storm watch for this afternoon...I guess the relevant question will be whether the Blue Ridge is open tomorrow after the storm.....

Looks like we'll not be getting the 4" of snow we hiked in last year....fortunately the weekend chance of rain in the weather forecast has gone down a little the last few days ...

Thanks!

Steve

Hey Steve, Parkway was closed last time I checked a couple weeks ago, can't get my hands on the # right now. Usually the Rangers are slooowwww to open it back up in winter, if they re-open it at all. There is a parking area near the Parway on 215 that can get you on the Mountains to the Sea trail which leads up to Art Loeb. That tacks on some extra trip miles, but doesnt require the Parkway to be open.

Hey Steve, Parkway was closed last time I checked a couple weeks ago, can't get my hands on the # right now. Usually the Rangers are slooowwww to open it back up in winter, if they re-open it at all. There is a parking area near the Parway on 215 that can get you on the Mountains to the Sea trail which leads up to Art Loeb. That tacks on some extra trip miles, but doesnt require the Parkway to be open.

Thanks, Ed. Yeah, I'm familiar with that area - have hiked in that way a couple of times when the parkway was closed... given that we have a couple of younger boys hiking, we'd not be able to do the extra miles....we usually only plan 1 mph with them... Is there a ranger station you can call to check on access to the parkway?

Pisgah Ranger Station on US276 can help sometimes: 828 877 3265

nps.gov website recommends park information line at (828) 298 0398 for closure info.

nps.gov website recommends park information line at (828) 298 0398 for closure info.

Thanks, Ed and HOI!

brrr.... currently 23 and what looks like sleet / freezing rain / snow on top of the mtn right now...

http://webcam.srs.fs.fed.us/

HOI has the correct #. The # I provided might help, but that's not the 1st choice. Good luck Steve. Looking foreward to a trip report.:)

Steve, what's the final verdict on the trip?

Steve, what's the final verdict on the trip?

We're definitely going! I have 5 younger scouts and 3 adults that'll be staying in CDB working on Scout skills and 10 older, with 5 adults, hiking up the mtn. Will leave the decision of hiking up the Little East Fork Trail or driving over to the Blue Ridge and going in on the Art Loeb trail until Friday (call and see if the Blue Ridge is open).

Will report back on Monday w/ trip results!

Steve

Have a great time. Give us an update.:sun

Have a great time. Give us an update.:sun

We had a great time! Weather, which had been forecasted for rain and clouds all week, held. Nice views and everyone had a great time.

We had 14 in our group - broke it up into 2 groups of 7. My son was the smallest, youngest - he and I were the last up the mtn. About 2/3 of the way up the ~2,500 foot climb, in the switchbacks, I stopped and waited for him at the corner of one switchback. I thought to my self, "how he feels right now will tell me a lot about how the weekend will go." He rounded the corner, looked at me grinning, and said, "Dad this is so much fun!"

:banana

His pack weight for the weekend was 12#! And that included everything, including a quart of water, clothing, stove, sleeping bag, thermarest, stove, small first aid kit, compass, and some food (I carried most of the heavy food)..... The Mountainsmith pack I got for him a few months ago is working out great.....