View Full Version : Art Loeb - Water Source Info & Navigation Hints - June 2011
royalusa
06-16-2011, 16:33
We just attempted a yo-yo of the Art Loeb Trail (NC), but aborted it after hiking 23miles (out of 30) NOBO after we could no longer find the trail. Turns out that we had an outdated topo map and the trail we were trying to take had not been used and/or maintained for quite some time. (See journal for more info.)
If you're heading out there, we've tried to include a lot of information on current water conditions, blazing and route finding, especially around the troublesome area for us - Shining Rock, which is in the wilderness, so therefore no signs nor blazes.
Rather than repeat the lengthy info, our journal can be found here:
http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=351360
It's a great trail! At least the 23 miles that we saw. Someday when time permits, we'll have to head back out and see the other 7 miles.
4dogHiker
06-16-2011, 16:44
Yeah, we've gotten lost on the balds up there during a storm--got us all turned around! You should try the other 10 miles sometimem though..a summit to Cold Mountain is worth it...
Buffalo Skipper
06-16-2011, 17:27
As I have before, I enjoyed your trip report. That is a beautiful area. I did short day hike in the Shining Rock Wilderness (coming out of the scout camp) last July, but it was only a few quick miles.
Stunning sunset pic. Thanks.
royalusa
06-16-2011, 18:47
You should try the other 10 miles sometime though..a summit to Cold Mountain is worth it...
Yep, it's still on the list. How's the view from Cold Mt compare to the views from Black Balsam Knob? How's the spur trail up to Cold Mt? Was that Cold Mt we could see in the distance with a tower on it?
SassyWindsor
06-16-2011, 21:12
The Cold Mtn I've hiked, above Daniel Boone Scout Camp, doesn't (or didn't when I hiked it) have a fire tower. I know there are other Cold Mtns, but I'm pretty sure theres only one in Shining Rock. Piped water source between summit and deep gap in SRW.
Shining Rog Gap seems to be the place everyone gets confused. When you arrive at the gap picture the clearing as a rectagle layed out before you and you are at the lower right hand corner. If you continue along the right side you will get to the Shinning Rock Outcrop and then the Old Butt Knob Trail. If you take a hard left across the bottom of the rectangle you will see the Ivestor Gap Trail at the lower left corner. The ALT is at a diagonal across the clearing from your entry point. It is in the upper left corner of the rectangle. On your next rip start at the Daniel Boone Scout camp and hike the ALT southbound. After the initial climb to Deep Gap from the Scout Camp the rest of the trail seems like an easy stoll.
royalusa
06-17-2011, 11:40
Shining Rog Gap seems to be the place everyone gets confused. When you arrive at the gap picture the clearing as a rectagle layed out before you and you are at the lower right hand corner. If you continue along the right side you will get to the Shinning Rock Outcrop and then the Old Butt Knob Trail. If you take a hard left across the bottom of the rectangle you will see the Ivestor Gap Trail at the lower left corner. The ALT is at a diagonal across the clearing from your entry point. It is in the upper left corner of the rectangle.
I think we eventually found the ALT by wondering west of Shining Rock until we found a 'trail'. Is the ALT a wide woods road at that point - ie, just after Shining Rock Gap and just west of Shining Rock? We then took this woods road south and it came out at Shining Rock Gap.
Correct. If you would have turned right or north the trail would eventually turn to single lane track and have taken you to cold mtn. I made the same mistake once and that is how I figured it out. My next trip through went without a hitch.
royalusa
06-17-2011, 12:23
Correct. If you would have turned right or north the trail would eventually turn to single lane track and have taken you to cold mtn. I made the same mistake once and that is how I figured it out. My next trip through went without a hitch.
Thanks. That confirms our hypothesis.
And sadly we figured we were probably within a few tenths of a mile of hitting the ALT while we were bush whacking on the old original trail. Guess we should have bush whacked a bit longer! We just had envisions at the time of bush whacking for way too many miles and that was not the hike we wanted. Live and learn. That's what it's all about.
Was that Cold Mt we could see in the distance with a tower on it?
Nope. That is Mt. Pisgah. Cold Mt. is to the West of there. It is the pointy one if you took any pics.