Advice for Art Loeb Trail North Terminus in Winter?

[Digger'02]

Hey, looking to thru the Art Loeb trail this winter. anyone been to the northern terminus? I rekon I can get to the southern terminus easily enough but never been to the north end. Thought about reaching it in snow?

[Digger'02]

by car of course, to start the hike.

[eagleJ]

The northern end starts at Daniel Boone Boy Scout Camp which should be easily reached by car.

[Chaco Taco]

Its really easy to find. I have directions. Let me know you plan and maybe Ill help you out with a ride. The camp is pretty remote

[Digger'02]

word up! Two Years ago on our annual "Winter Assualt" we almost could not get a car into White Top due to the 20 inches of snow...It was pretty funny, my buddy who was supposed to pick us up had to call his buddy who was Search and Rescue to get him in...then there was this tranny.....

Anyway, thanks for the help!

[Johnny Thunder]

if the dirt road to/through the camp is closed or unplowed you can probably park at the camp entrance which would add no more than a mile to your trip. there are private residences up to the main camp gate which should mean that the lower part of the road is reasonably cleared.

[Digger'02]

if the dirt road to/through the camp is closed or unplowed you can probably park at the camp entrance which would add no more than a mile to your trip. there are private residences up to the main camp gate which should mean that the lower part of the road is reasonably cleared.

This is exactly what i needed! Thanks guys, I will contact you if we need a lift. I am so stoked on this! I hope there is some danged snow.

[Tennessee Viking]

Google Map link to the Boys Scout Camp:http://maps.google.com/maps?q=boys+s...7&z=12&iwloc=A

[Digger'02]

Thanks, as planner for our winter hikes I am enjoying the challange of planning a hike on a trail that i have never been on, so I have revied the relevant threads and will summarize here, please affirm or update these statments.

-its best/easiest to hike Southboound
-get the book "Trekking the southern appalachians" (and carry a map, duh)
-Water should be ok if we don't act like fools.
-Trail is white blazed
-bald summits are difficult to determine between trails (if there isn't 4 feet of snow) so check map frequently
-Two shelters: Deep gap and Butter Gap.

anything else I need to know?

[humunuku]

-I like hiking from Davidson river and ending at the Boy scout camp
-he "Trekking" book is great, but the Best Hikes of Pisgah National Forest is more detailed"
- Make sure you fill up with water at shining rock when heading toward the BSC
-Trail is NOT BLAZED in Shining Rock Wilderness, but it is the rest of the way.
-Its a little confusing around black balsam and shining rock gap...and all the trail are not on any of the maps out there,
- I did not want to stay in those shelter.

[Digger'02]

thanks guys. and athousand pardons for not putting this in "other trails". Don't burn my house down. Still planning to hike Southbound, but starting to re-think that. It seems like the intended itenerary (below) may be difficult for water.

So heres the plan as it stands,
-night 1-cold mountain summit
-night 2-High camp, near Black Balsam? -recomendations?
-night 3-camping between shelters....any suggestions?

Why did you prefer to go Northbound humunuku? I'll get the pisgah book. Thanks!

[humunuku]

there is a spring on the trail up cold mtn and theres a spring on ivester gap trail near the bottom of Art Loeb connector. So will be camping somewhat near water

[humunuku]

I liked hitting the super amazing scenery around shining rock wilderness toward the end of the trip....

not that there isn't good stuff the whole way, but the bald section is outstanding

[Johnny Thunder]

there is a spring on the trail up cold mtn and theres a spring on ivester gap trail near the bottom of Art Loeb connector. So will be camping somewhat near water

right. get water at ivestor and then head up and over black balsam. there's camping on/just north of the summit. if you run into bad weather...or have hammock hangers there's a butt load of camping in the pine trees just north of the parking lot access road (near the mst).

no idea on the camping situation in between the shelters ( we ran through there in the rain) ...but the shelters are REALLY gross. REALLY GROSS. Don't be all like, "man, we got an extra couple of hours lets keep walking to the shelter."

you will be disappointed. the northern shelter has a big open area that you think would be sweet for camping but it's just a mud drainage that isn't flat. beware.

[chelko]

The only real tricky part in Shining rock wilderness (no blazes) is at Shining rock gap. Coming from the north you will enter the gap which is a decent sized clearing in the shape of a rectangle. There are four trails that intersect there, they all come it at the corners of the rectangle. If you continue straight ahead you will be on the Ivestor gap trail from here you can take the next right on Little east fork for a loop back to the camp if you need to bail. The 90 degree turn to your left will put you on the old butt knob trail and a short hike to the summit of Shining rock. To stay south on the Art Loeb you need to cut diagonally across the gap to your left and enter the woods on the trail there. There is a water source to the left below the trail a few yards south of the gap.

Have a great hike.

[brian2o0o]

Make sure to take a warm bag and plenty of layers. I've been up there in January before where it got down around 0 degrees.

[Digger'02]

thanks guys, just got a copy of the 'trekking' book and i really like it. The information is not as good as the pisgah book, but its set up for a thru hike. I think it and humuk has convinced me to NOBO this hike. It will be a nice camp at cold mountain to finish it off.

I appriciate the advice about the warm bag, my coleman should do great, and if it gets too cold, i'll just put my jeans back on!

I will try to synthisize all of this info, but yall have a lot to offer. I look forward to this hike.