View Full Version : Water at Moreland Gap shelter
Would appreciate any information on the availability of water at Moreland Gap shelter. I will be going N to S from Watauga Dam to US 19 E over the next couple of days , leaving out tomorrow. Also any trail reports on the area would be appreciated. Anyone stayed at the new shelter in this area? I think it is the Mountaineer Shelter? Thanks in advance!!
Desert Lobster
11-01-2007, 11:30
Did they tear the old shelter down? What a rollercoaster that section is. Watch out for the fishhooks across the trail and the packs of wild dogs at road crossings!
Tennessee Viking
11-01-2007, 11:47
Last I heard water at Moreland was at a small trickle, that was about a month ago. But if you follow the water blue blaze further down, it turns into a maintenance access trail to a forest road. There a couple boggy areas here. But all the Laurel Fork crossings are still flowing pretty well. Everything from Slide Hollow to Elk River is dry or near dry. You might want to talk to Bob Peoples at Kincora Hostel to get the latest update.
I stayed at Mountaineer about 2 weeks ago. Water was pretty low. The traditional gathering site was just puddles. The better gathering was off the rock face of the falls back on the trail. I recommend the 2nd loft platform. I slept in the top loft, and I woke up to every acorn hitting the roof all night.
There was a lot of small tree debris due to the draught from Mountaineer Shelter to the Elk River. There were a number of head/chest high leaners which I had to kneel under. Going up from Elk River, past Jones Falls, to Buck Mountain Road where a number of blowdowns. All passable. I could just lean against a tree, and its root structure would just start cracking. I called them into my hiking club. The club adopters should be walking these sections soon, if not already.
Jones Falls was pretty low flow for what it can do. The gathering area next to the falls is dry. So use the falls and be sure to treat. You really have to stretch across to reach some cascades or a pool.
The Bear Branch section from Bishop Hollow to 19E is under relocation work. So keep an for blazes. The current trail goes from old trail to just opened relocation back to old trail back to open relo to old trail.
Tennessee Viking
11-01-2007, 11:52
Did they tear the old shelter down? What a rollercoaster that section is. Watch out for the fishhooks across the trail and the packs of wild dogs at road crossings!
Lobster!....I just hiked that section and everything is ok. All except for draught affected areas, somewhat recent ATV tracks from Buck Mountain Road to Bishop Hollow, and the trash by the local litter bug at Bear Branch; everything is good. Most of residents are good with hikers now. But you should still be wary to park your car from Bitter End to 19E.
Thanks for the info. I am hopeful some rain from last week fell in this area and that we can pump water at Moreland Gap.