Okay boys, I just got back from a long backpacking trip into the Wilson Creek area of Pisgah NF and here's the trip report. Most of the trip was on the MST.
To see all the pics from the trip go here---
http://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/Backpa...sgah-Holyland/
22 DAYS
INTO THE
PISGAH HOLYLAND
TRIP 157
June 27--July 18 2014
HIGHLIGHTS
** 22 DAYS IN THE PISGAH HOLYLAND
** 30TH ANNIVERSARY PISGAH TRIP 1984-2014
** DRIVING INTO BLACK MOUNTAIN NC
** AMY WILLOW HIKES ME INTO UPPER CREEK
** MY FIRST NIGHT IN THE PISGAH HOLYLAND SINCE 2006
** A NIGHT IN BURNT SOCK CAMP ON UPPER CREEK
** DANGEROUS HIGH WATER ON UPPER CREEK
** ON THE MOUNTAINS TO SEA TRAIL
** RAIDERS CAMP CREEK TRAIL
** HARPER CREEK TRAIL
** ENDLESS SWIMS
** HUNTFISH FALLS AND LOST COVE CREEK
** GRAGG PRONG TRAIL
** MEETING MST THRUHIKER HEATHER HOUSEKEEPER
** 15 DAYS ON THE WHITE DOT TRAIL
** TIMBER RIDGE TRAIL
** PATMAN MEETS ME ON TIMBER RIDGE
** LOST COVE CREEK TRAIL
** LITTLE LOST COVE FALLS
** ALL DAY WITH PATMAN AT HUNTFISH FALLS
** FRIENDLY VANESSA AND DALLAS ON LOST COVE CREEK
** CHESTNUT COVE BRANCH FALLS
** NORTH HARPER CREEK FALLS
** THE NUT CLIMB UP SOUTH HARPER CREEK FALLS
** 22 DAYS GETTING NOSEEUM BIT
** 13 DAYS ON UPPER CREEK
** IN THE STEELS CREEK CANYON
** JACOB AND HIS VENTURE WILDERNESS GROUP
** AMY POPS IN ON A FRIDAY DAYHIKE
** 6 YELLOW JACKET STINGS
** THE GREENTOWN SHORTCUT IS FOUND
** 10 RALEIGH DAYHIKERS PASS THRU PISGAH CAMP
** TRAIL 268A CLEARED
** FIRST TIME BACKPACKED THE GREENTOWN SHORTCUT
** THE PINE RIDGE 255 LOOP TO RAIDER CAMP
** THE ASU OUTDOOR PROGRAM GROUP
** AMY ARRIVES ON DAY 21 AND STAYS IN PISGAH CAMP
** ALL DAY RAIN ON DAY 22 BUT WE LEAVE
TRAILS
Entrance FS Road 197/Greentown Trail 268A
**Burnthouse/Pisgah Camp**
Upper Creek Extension
**Burnt Sock Camp on Upper Creek**
Upper Creek Extension/Mountains to Sea
**Greentown Camps**
Greentown East/Greentown North
Raider Camp
**Blue Dot Camp**
Raider Camp
Harper Creek
**Harper/North Harper Jct Camp**
Harper Creek
North Harper
North Harper Access 266A
FS Roadwalk 464
Huntfish Falls Access 263
Lost Cove Creek
Gragg Prong
**Beaverdam Camp on Upper Gragg Prong**
Gragg Prong/Road 981
Timber Ridge 261
**False Bee Mt Camp**
Timber Ridge
Lost Cove Creek
Huntfish Falls
**Grand Camp Huntfish Falls**
Huntfish Falls Access
Road 464
North Harper Access
North Harper
**North Harper Falls Camp**
North Harper
Harper Creek
South Harper Falls
Raider Camp
**Blue Dot Camp**
Raider Camp
Greentown
Greentown Extension
**Burnthouse/Pisgah Camp**(2)
Upper Creek
Greentown to Highway 181
**Greentown Creek Camp**
Greentown to Highway 181
FS Road 496
Steels Creek/MST
**Steels Top O The Canyon Camp**
Steels Creek/MST
FS Road 496
Greentown/Extension
**Burnthouse/Pisgah Camp**(3)
Greentown Shortcut
Greentown/MST
FS Road 198
Pine Ridge Connector 255A
Pine Ridge 255
Raider Camp
**Raider/Harper Creek Jct**
Raider Camp
**Blue Dot**
Raider Camp
Greentown/MST
Greentown Shortcut
**Burnthouse/Pisgah Camp**(2)
My trip begins by driving to Asheville and leaving my car at Amy Willow's house for 3 weeks and getting a shuttle from her to Morganton and north to Upper Creek and into the Pisgah Holyland. On the first day she hikes me in and cooks up dinner as I struggle into camp with my 85lb pack.
This map shows my starting point to the east and northeast of highway 181. The top red trail line is the MST but I start on Trail 268A and connect the two.
I spend 3 days camping at different spots on Upper Creek as daily rains keep me from pulling the two crossings to the MST. Here is a typical Pisgah swimhole.
The double white dots depict the MST Upper Creek crossing which has to be done to head north.
I finally get on the MST/Greentown trail which takes me to Raider Camp trail and "Blue Dot Camp" which overlooks the 200 foot waterfall of South Harper Creek Falls.
Raider Camp takes me to Harper Creek and North Harper Creek (all part of the MST) which takes me past Bard Falls above.