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The Solemates
01-04-2005, 12:24
Did a 4 day bout in Pisgah NF, western NC over the holidays with pops and my brother-in-law. We were expecting much colder weather and plenty of snow. We got no snow and it was almost 60F during the day. At night, it generally got into the high teens, and the fire they wanted felt really good. We had a great time. I may post pictures here later.

Was also going to do a section of the Ozark Trail in MO this past weekend over New Year's, but we ended up buying a car a day before since the transmission on ours went out and I had to go do the financing stuff on New Year's Eve, so we were unable to go. We plan to make it a weekend trip and go in a couple of weeks. We'll let ya know how it went.

MOWGLI
01-04-2005, 12:29
Did a 4 day bout in Pisgah NF, western NC over the holidays with pops and my brother-in-law.

What Ranger District? What trails?

Thanks.

The Solemates
01-04-2005, 13:50
We did a loop hike, sort of. We had 2 cars so we shuttled some as well.

We started at the Laurel Mtn TH on FS 1206, hiked up to the BRP at Mt Pisgah, messed around doing some day hiking to the top, and then hit the Art Loeb. We continued on the Art Loeb towards Black Mtn and did more day hiking/base camp trips in the area, until we went back down towards 276.

Pops likes to only do 8-12 mpd, and on this trip we averaged more towards the 8 mpd side, and only did 5 miles the last day coming out. As a note, they had to be back home by lunch the last day and we did 3 of the 5 miles in the dark before sunrise. It was neat hiking in the dark and the sunrise was absolutely breathtaking.

The Art Loeb from 276 northwards towards Black Mtn is really beautiful. There are some great exposed views back over the valley, especially on/near Clawhammer Mtn. Of course from the Art Loeb near the BRP there are some great views as well, but something about having a road and the Pisgah Inn nearby detracts from the feeling.

Bloodroot
01-05-2005, 07:43
One of my favorite places to go for a weekender up in that area is the trails leading up and around Shining Rock.

Goon
01-05-2005, 10:27
One of my favorite places to go for a weekender up in that area is the trails leading up and around Shining Rock.
I agreed! The Art Loeb trail around Cold Mountain and Shining Rock is one of my favorites as well. Ever hiked down the Little East Fork Trail from Shining Rock Gap to the Daniel Boone Scout camp (parking)? That has to be one of the longest continuously downhill hikes I've done.... you walk for miles and it seems like there's never go even slightly uphill at all.

I've got some good photos of the Shining Rock Wilderness on my web page if anyone is interested in taking a look, in the hiking section:

http://personalpages.tds.net/~boslaughter

The Solemates
01-05-2005, 10:30
yea, we've been up to shining rock probably at least 5 or 6 times. one of the coldest nights ive ever spent in the backcountry was atop Cold Mtn. that night it was about -10F and consistent 30 mph winds. wicked cold.

Bloodroot
01-05-2005, 10:46
Hey-

Just checked those pics, excellent pics just like I remember. If I'm not mistaken isn't the Little East Fork the trail that forks and circles around to Shining Rock? Or is that The Art Loeb Trail? Either way at that fork is a gap, you remember the name of the gap? I thought it something like Iberson or Iverson?

Bloodroot
01-05-2005, 10:51
yea, we've been up to shining rock probably at least 5 or 6 times. one of the coldest nights ive ever spent in the backcountry was atop Cold Mtn. that night it was about -10F and consistent 30 mph winds. wicked cold.
Likewise, last time I stayed up there it was like a hurricane. Couldn't sleep the tent was beating me to death.

Goon
01-05-2005, 12:22
Hey-

Just checked those pics, excellent pics just like I remember. If I'm not mistaken isn't the Little East Fork the trail that forks and circles around to Shining Rock? Or is that The Art Loeb Trail? Either way at that fork is a gap, you remember the name of the gap? I thought it something like Iberson or Iverson?

Ivestor Trail runs from the parking lot off the Blue Ridge Parkway to Ivestor Gap, then around Grassy Top Mtn and over to Shining Rock. A nice flat trail if you don't want to climb over Grassy Top and Flower Knob to get to Shining Rock.

The Little East Fork Trail follows the creek west of Shining Rock Gap.

You can kinda see the area we are talking about on this sample map:
http://www.mapshop.com/Travel_Maps/Carolinas_maps/Pisgah_Ranger_District/Shining_Rock_Wilderness.htm

Parking at the Daniel Boone Camp, hiking the Art loeb Trail (yellow on that map) to Cold Mountain, then across the Narrows to Shining Rock, then taking the Little East Fork back to the parking lot makes a nice loop.


Ivestor Gap is a beautiful place to camp. No trees makes for great views.

I also like to tent on Black Balsam Knob. Tallest mountain in that area at 6212' plus it's a bald with 360 degrees of unobstructed views. Like Cold Mountain it can be very chilly, and the last time I camped there I got up in the middle of the night to find winds gusting around 40-50mph. Be sure to guy your tent! :)

ed bell
01-05-2005, 13:33
I was wondering if the trail you took North from US276 is called the Black Mountain Trail. I think that the Art Loeb Trail goes from the Davidson River Campground to Cold Mountain.

The Solemates
01-05-2005, 14:10
Yes, it was the Black Mtn trail, but it is also part of the Art Loeb, which is also part of the larger Mountains-to-Sea Trail that traverses NC. The Art Loeb does go up towards Cold Mtn, but stops short and turns at Shining Rock.

ed bell
01-05-2005, 15:16
Yes, the Mountains-to the Sea Trail and the Art Loeb Trail run together for less than a mile just south of Black Balsam Knob. I made a mistake earlier by saying that the Art Loeb Trail ends at Cold Mountain. It actually turns at Deep Gap and ends at Camp Daniel Boone off of NC215. Cold Mountain is accessed by a spur trail at Deep Gap. I still believe that the Art Loeb begins at the Davidson River Campground. Maybe it has changed and my map is dated. I have hiked on it much more often above the Blue Ridge Parkway, than down below. My map showes that the Black Mt. Trail is also open to bicycles, while the Art Loeb is not.

Brushy Sage
01-26-2005, 10:25
A Pisgah trip turned into an emergency for this young woman:

http://www.hendersonvillenews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050126/NEWS/501260336/1006