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av8er79
03-23-2011, 11:42
WARNING: This post has nothing to do with the AT.

Ok, Hope I am not breaking any Whiteblaze rules but I am looking for some advice on an overnight trip to Shining Rock Wilderness in NC. I'm considering starting at Art Loeb & heading north to Shining Rock. I will be starting late in the day and maybe will do 3-4 miles in. Any recommendations on back country sites? I will get up the next morning and planning on about 8 miles or so back. I hear that Ivestor Gap is not a hiker friendly trail. Do I need a permit? Will I have cell phone service from AT&T?

Thanks

chelko
03-23-2011, 13:54
I am assuming you are starting at the FR 816 trailhead off the parkway. At the parking lot is the start of the Ivestor gap trail and it is an old railroad grade and is very rocky. If you walk back down the road a few hundred yards you will come to the Art Loeb Trail on your left (because you are walking south on the road). After a few yards the Mountains to Sea trail veers right so stay left on the Art Loeb. These two trails overlap for a short distance. The trail crossing at the road may even be market as the MST. Head North over Black Balsam Knob and Tennent Mtn. Asy you descend towards Ivestor gap you can see the Ivestor trail a few yards away to your left. Climb the next little knob and there is a campsite in the pines at the top of the knob to your left. This is about 2 miles in. You can continue north through Ivestor gap (4 trails intersect here the ALT is the one second from the right)there is a sign here for the Shining Rock Wilderness, another two miles to Shining Rock Gap. You know you are close when you pass a spring just a little down the slope on your right just before the Shining creek trail comes in from the right. Shining rock Gap has a lot of nice tent sites in the area. The Gap itself is a small rectangular clearing with a trail coming in at each corner. From where you stand on the ALT straight along the right side of the clearing is the Old Butt Knob trail and access to the shining Rock Summit (only a few hundred yards, great views). To the left diagnolly from where you enter the gap is the continuation of the ALT and if you hang a hard left and go to the other corner you will be on the Ivestor gap trail which leads about 4 miles or so back to the parking lot. If you continue north on the ALT north of Shining Rock gap it is 3 miles to deep gap and the side trail of 1.5 miles to the right that takes you to the summit of Cold Mtn. There is water about a quarter mile from the summit. Pay attention because the trails are not marked and the junctions are not signed in this area.

chelko
03-23-2011, 13:54
No permit needed and I do not know about the cell coverage.

av8er79
03-23-2011, 14:07
Chelko, thanks for taking the time to reply and all the helpful info. You are right about where I am planning on starting. I will be in a hammock. So weather permitting I would like to tie up with a spectacular view, exposed, and will provide a beautiful sunset and sunrise from my cocoon. It sounds like you have been here quite a few times. Say, is water usually easy to find this time of year? Is Greasy Cove, Shining Creek, or Old Butt Knob worth a look if I were to have time to stroll down one of them?

Right now I am using this map for planning.
http://hikewnc.info/trailheads/pisgah/pisgah/shining_middle_maps.html
I plan on getting a paper map before the trip. It would probably be wise to bring a compass along right?

Jedeye
03-23-2011, 14:15
It's a great section, but if the weather is nice expect crowds. I don't have AT&T, but service with Verizon was in a few spots - but rather weak. Chelko seemed to cover things pretty good - I would advise taking the National Geo Trail Illustrated map for Pisgah National Forest as a few of the intersections are a little tricky.

This site may be a little helpful as well…

http://forums.backpacker.com/september-09-rip-go-black-balsam-knob-to-cold-mountain-pisgah-national-forest-nc/destinations/13287

Have fun!

Jedeye
03-23-2011, 14:20
Chelko, thanks for taking the time to reply and all the helpful info. You are right about where I am planning on starting. I will be in a hammock. So weather permitting I would like to tie up with a spectacular view, exposed, and will provide a beautiful sunset and sunrise from my cocoon. It sounds like you have been here quite a few times. Say, is water usually easy to find this time of year? Is Greasy Cove, Shining Creek, or Old Butt Knob worth a look if I were to have time to stroll down one of them?

Right now I am using this map for planning.
http://hikewnc.info/trailheads/pisgah/pisgah/shining_middle_maps.html
I plan on getting a paper map before the trip. It would probably be wise to bring a compass along right?

Old Butt was pretty steep - I went down it to get to Big East Fork and then followed the Mountain to Sea Trail back towards the parking area. It was really nice to be along the rivers and streams of Big East Fork and the Mountain to Sea Trail (a few waterfalls) after traveling the Balds of Art Loeb. Good variety!

Tennessee Viking
03-23-2011, 14:24
The Graveyard and the Yellowstone Prong Falls is a interesting area. Its a real quick walk from the overlook. Upper and Second Falls. Yellowstong Falls is further down.

Puppy
03-23-2011, 14:40
Question :

I have hiked up to Shining Rock area twice (once up Big Fork and once up Ivester)....but I never see a view on top - what am I doing wrong?

I keep coming up to an area with very narrow foot paths in high bushes (nice blueberries too) where the ushes are over my head and I cannot see jack.

i see some camping spots under trees...and a smaller size open area with a campsite but no views......and I found a big rock (kind of shining, but not really)....but all in these big bushes.

Am I missing a turn up there somewhere ?

Thanks

Mary

chelko
03-23-2011, 16:20
Chelko, thanks for taking the time to reply and all the helpful info. You are right about where I am planning on starting. I will be in a hammock. So weather permitting I would like to tie up with a spectacular view, exposed, and will provide a beautiful sunset and sunrise from my cocoon. It sounds like you have been here quite a few times. Say, is water usually easy to find this time of year? Is Greasy Cove, Shining Creek, or Old Butt Knob worth a look if I were to have time to stroll down one of them?

Right now I am using this map for planning.
http://hikewnc.info/trailheads/pisgah/pisgah/shining_middle_maps.html
I plan on getting a paper map before the trip. It would probably be wise to bring a compass along right?

I agree with jedeye on the Nat Geo Map. Very detailed. I would continue up to cold mtn. instead of wandering down those other trails. Old Butt is a tough haul and shining creek is very steep at the top.

av8er79
03-24-2011, 17:58
Recommended Campsites?

Berserker
03-25-2011, 12:52
Say, is water usually easy to find this time of year? Is Greasy Cove, Shining Creek, or Old Butt Knob worth a look if I were to have time to stroll down one of them?
I plan on getting a paper map before the trip. It would probably be wise to bring a compass along right?
I haven't been there in a few years, but I used to hike there all the time when I lived in NC, and I never had trouble finding water. One thing I always remember is getting rained on with some significant deluges. I don't know if I just hit it at bad times or there's some kind of weird local weather thing going on there.

All three of those trails mentioned above have pretty good descents. I've been up and down two of the three (haven't done Old Butt, but got second hand info on it being tough). So yeah, I wouldn't just go down them for the heck of it unless you want to do a big loop like maybe going down one and back up another.

Definitely get a map. The Trials Illustrated one is good, and there is also an even more detailed one sold in NC. The TI one is good enough though as the other one weighs like half a pound (I'm exaggerating a bit, but that thing is big and heavy for a map).

Berserker
03-25-2011, 12:56
Recommended Campsites?
Refer back to Chelko's post (#2) as he described the location of most of the established campsites pretty well. As for my preference I always liked staying in one of the ones at Flower Gap (I think that's what it's called...it's the gap just South of the summit of Shining Rock).

The Solemates
03-25-2011, 13:55
Question :

I have hiked up to Shining Rock area twice (once up Big Fork and once up Ivester)....but I never see a view on top - what am I doing wrong?

I keep coming up to an area with very narrow foot paths in high bushes (nice blueberries too) where the ushes are over my head and I cannot see jack.

i see some camping spots under trees...and a smaller size open area with a campsite but no views......and I found a big rock (kind of shining, but not really)....but all in these big bushes.

Am I missing a turn up there somewhere ?

Thanks



Mary

climb up on the rocks. the views are obscured quite a bit staying on the trails. or, you can hike either towards cold mtn or towards tennant mtn. it doesnt take long in either direction to have expansive views.

The Solemates
03-25-2011, 13:57
heres the view from up top

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_HNjgUMRyvmA/TSZlzd6_ftI/AAAAAAAAABc/ZVvjH_PNLm4/s1600/DSCN0479.JPG

carolinablonde
03-28-2011, 19:08
I just did this trip over the weekend: http://www.backpacker.com/september-09-rip-go-black-balsam-knob-to-cold-mountain-pisgah-national-forest-nc/destinations/13287

We camped about 1/3 mile from the summit of Cold Mountain. There were plenty of water sources along the trail. We used the Nat Geo map and had no problems---not that there weren't a few spots where we paused and were a little unsure, but we always managed to choose the right path. Camping was great, despite severe thunderstorms all night. Only complaint is we had zero visibility at the summit of Cold, but that was just bad luck Good test of our equipment before we do a week section of the AT in a few weeks.

carolinablonde
03-28-2011, 19:10
We had AT&T coverage on Ivestor trail, Stairs Mtn, and Cold Mtn as well as a few other random spots.

carolinablonde
03-28-2011, 19:13
One more thing: make sure to call ahead to inquire about road closures if you're taking the Blue Ridge. When we left on Sunday, the section we came in on was closed (guessing the heavy rains we slept though may have caused a slide).