Elevation Profile for Art Loeb Trail?

[Tennessee Viking]

Does anyone have or know a link to the elevation profile of the Art Loeb Trail?

[Ramble~On]

It's been a while since I've used them but MYtopo.com is a pretty cool site where you can create your own customized maps in a number of different sizes - UTM or Lat/Lon

[OldStormcrow]

It's a whole lot o' up and down, but more down than up if you start on the Daniel Boone end.

[Tennessee Viking]

I am thinking about trying to start at either the forest road crossing or at Graveyard Fields. I know most of the summits will peak above 6000, but how challenging is it.

[BR360]

If you start at Graveyard Fields, you'll be about 5000 ft. The climb from there to Black Balsam Knob is about 1200 ft. This is the toughest climb in the shortest distance. from there, you'll roller coaster over a few 6000 footers:
Tennet Mtn @ 6047 ft
Grassy Cove Top @ 6040 ft
Shining Rock @ 6004 ft

Then you'll drop down to 5800 ft as you cross Stairs Mtn.
Then you'll drop down even more to the Boy Scout camp @ 3500 ft.

If you choose to take the spur and summit Cold Mtn (6030 ft), you'll have another 800+ ft climb from Deep Gap @ 5200 ft.

If you have a computer, you can use Google maps terrain feature to view this info. Go to the Google home page, click on the Maps link in the upper left corner, then turn on the Terrain feature in the upper right part of the Google window. Zoom in and navigate using the tool in the upper left part of the window.

Have fun.:)

[Hikerhead]

I
If you have a computer, you can use Google maps terrain feature to view this info.



If you don't have a computer it doesn't matter cause you won't be to read this anyway.... ha ha. Just kidding ya BR360

It's getting late.

[Frick Frack]

It is pretty easy terrain except the Narrows (btw Shining Rock and the base of Cold Mountain). The trail is difficult to pick up below Shining Rock so be aware there.

[BR360]

If you don't have a computer it doesn't matter cause you won't be to read this anyway.... ha ha. Just kidding ya BR360

It's getting late.

No offense, I was obviously stating the obvious! ;).

Yah, late...

[Tennessee Viking]

It is pretty easy terrain except the Narrows (btw Shining Rock and the base of Cold Mountain). The trail is difficult to pick up below Shining Rock so be aware there.I heard the Brevard to Parkway section is the worst of it. I know that the trail is pretty much crossing bald ridgeline after crossing the Parkway, but I am not familiar with the terrain of the Narrows.

And does any there any shuttle and parking services for the Art Loeb?

[Ramble~On]

From Davidson River to Butter Gap isn't bad. Butter Gap to Gloucester Gap isn't too bad. There's a good pull up Pilot Mtn. A good pull up Silvermine Bald after crossing the BRP. Once you climb Black Balsam there are a few more ( but smaller) climbs. People often get confused in Shining Rock Gap because there's a huge network of paths here...just look at your map...head north through the gap and be aware that there's a trail that runs off to the left and hits 101 (Ivestor) and 107 (Little East Fork)
The Art Loeb through here runs to the left side of the quartz boulders and cliffs on a narrow, wide, hard packed trail. The Narrows aren't "hard" to hike. The trail between Black Balsam and Deep Gap is a "must do".
Take your camera.

The Blue Ridge Parkway is often gated in the winter months which makes Graveyard Fields a bit hard to get to.
Black Balsam can easily be reached by parking on NC 215 at the trailhead for Flat Laurel Creek Trail (346)...hike it up to the parking area and from there head up Black Balsam to the Art Loeb. You can loop this by continuing into the Boy Scout camp on Art Loeb and then hiking up Little East Fork (107), Ivestor Gap (101) and down Sam Knob (617) to hook back up with Flat Laurel Creek (346) to your car. Nice loop hike.

[jlookingglass]

You can find info for an Art Loeb shuttle here:
http://www.lookingglassoutfitters.com/shop/pages.php?pageid=17