Puddle of Life!

Linville Gorge Loop

September 11-13, 2015

Map can be found HERE

 

Day 1 - 5.2 miles hiked with 846 ft up and 2187 ft down of elevation change

Growing up about 45 minutes from Linville Gorge, my friends and I made many day trips down into the Gorge to go swimming and hang out.  Today would begin my first, but certainly not last, time backpacking in and camping there and I was greatly looking forward to the endeavor.

Setting out from my house early in the morning, I headed west toward the Pinch In trail parking area to meet up with Crockett, JJ and Formy who had all gone up the day before and spent the night car camping on the west rim of the Gorge along old 105 aka Kistler Memorial Highway.  They would be sure to regale us with tales of their breakfast of sausage and eggs later on in the trip.  Probably while I'm eating a cold Pop-Tart one morning.

 

Gary would be driving down from Michigan to meet us at Pinch In as well.  He must REALLY enjoy our company to be willing to drive 13 hours to hang out with us for a couple of days!  I know we're all glad he's able to come join us as that gives us another person to make fun of with some good-natured ribbing.

Today's plan is to leave the Pinch In trailhead and road walk up to the Rock Jock trail and take it along the west rim of the Gorge.  We will then turn right on the Conley Cove trail and head down to the river where we'd set up camp along the river.  Little did we know what lay in store...

Sunset over JJ, Formy and Crockett's pre-trip campout.

We don't normally eat like this on backpacking trips.

 

JJ sporting the newly created emblem for our little group.
The Latin reads "We came. We saw. We walked"

Pack lineup awaiting Gary's imminent arrival.  

Between all of us we may have tried nearly every pack brand there is.

"You sure it's not upside down?  I think it's upside down."

The intrepid explorers set off on the road walk to begin the trip.

After finishing the half-mile road walk on old 105 we would arrive at the southern terminus of the Rock Jock trail.  This sometimes treacherous trail skirts the western cliffs of the southern end of the Linville Gorge and offers some amazing views of the chasm below.  Just watch your step, first one is a doozy!

We would spend the first part of the day picking our way along Rock Jock stopping often to gawk at each new view.  The going was a lot slower than anticipated due to the difficult nature of the trail.  There's an axiom about the Gorge that states "A mile in the Gorge is worth two miles anywhere else."  We see the wisdom in this phrase in short order.

 

This part of the Gorge fell victim to a wildfire a couple of years before, leaving us much more exposed to the sun and heat than we anticipated.  The hot and sweaty day would take its toll on us.

 

Part of the adventure in hiking through a wilderness area is the condition of the trails.  Human activities are much more limited in designated wilderness and the trails are unmarked and can get overgrown.

 

Crockett, Gary and Formy exploring one of the numerous rock outcroppings we'd encounter.

What a view!  The Gorge looks nice too.

 

The reality of hiking in the Gorge starting to set in at this point.

 

Formy treading gingerly across the rocks.

 

View of Shortoff Mountain from our lunch spot.  Not too bad!

After lunch we continue making our way along the cliffs of Rock Jock with our water supplies getting lower and lower.  We had severely underestimated our ability to find water along the rim of the Gorge.  The late summer conditions had dried up most water sources along the trail.  We now know that due to the terrain around the Gorge, water is sometimes difficult to acquire and we need to prepare for that.  

 

With a couple of hours of dry hiking behind us, we are about to resign ourselves to the fact that we might not find water until we reach the river.  When what to our wondering eyes should appear?  Not eight tiny reindeer, but the PUDDLE OF LIFE!  We have found a trickle of water that has collected in a muddy depression and luckily Gary is still carrying a pump filter. He is able to withdraw water from this mudhole and give us a little water to make it down to the next source.  The Gorge sometimes teaches its lessons harshly.

A newfound spring in our step carries us on to the Conley Cove trail and down to the river where we will look for a campsite.

Last views from the rim until near the end of the trip atop Pinch In trail.

ALABAMA SWEAR WORDS!!!  I think the water might have been cold.

One of the finest camp sites in Linville Gorge.

Once camp is made we gather some firewood, build a fire and sit down to relax and discuss the day's activities.  Formy has pulled out his new backpacking chair and begins to lord it over us.  He claims he was just happy to be sitting down after the hard days hiking, but we know the truth.

The original plan is to get up early and hike up to Babel Tower before retracing our steps on the Linville Gorge Trail down to the area below Pinch In.  After some discussion about the unexpected toughness of the hike so far, a decision is made to forgo Babel for another time and just meander down the river to our targeted campsite.

  

Gary and Crockett relaxing by the fire while preparing their dinner.

 

I THINK THAT STICK JUST MOVED!  Turns out it was not a stick, just your friendly neighborhood copperhead.  I immediately rethink my decision to do the trip wearing my trusty Chaco sandals and retreat.  No harm was done to the snake, but we did attempt to shoo it away from JJ and my hammocks.  It went as far as a rhododendron bush about 15 ft away and would not budge.  We made sure to watch our step the remainder of the evening.

Day 2 - 3 miles hiked with 271 ft up and 674 ft down of elevation change

With the pressure of making miles off of us, we lollygag around camp until almost noon!  There's no rush so we wait a little bit to see if our gear will dry from the night's brief rain showers.  We eat a leisurely breakfast sitting on logs or a bench made from river driftwood, except for YOU KNOW WHO in his chair, then pack up camp and head downriver.

 

LORDING IT!  Just look at his face. 

 

Gary and Crockett lounging by the swimming hole near camp.  

We did take advantage of this a little bit the previous evening.

Mandatory group shot before heading out of camp.

The Linville Gorge trail runs most of the length of the Gorge from Pine Gap on the north end until it reaches the Mountains to Sea trail below Pinnacle.  It can be difficult to follow at times but the beauty of the Gorge makes it well worth the effort.  We lose the trail a few times in the rocks but as long as you have the river to your left as you go downstream you'll eventually find it again.

Due to its ruggedness many parts of the Gorge were not commercially logged and it's not unusual to find some large trees like this tulip poplar.

 

How did this rock get lodged perfectly in the crack in this large boulder?  It's hard to tell from the photo but the rock is about 8 ft in length and would weigh hundreds of pounds.

Crockett and Formy navigating one of the boulder filled sections of trail.

After several hours of hiking we reach the end of the Pinch In trail which we will use the next day to return to our vehicles.  Scouting around on the west side of the river we don't see any sites that look like what we'd want to use for the night.  Looking across the river we can see what looks to be a fairly flat open area at the base of the seldom used Cambric trail.  Heading across the river we end up pitching camp in what has turned out to be a very nice riverside campsite.

Once camp is set up and basic chores such as filtering water are taken care of, we decide to take advantage of another swimming hole next to our campsite.  The water is cold but so refreshing after the warm sweaty afternoon of hiking we've put behind us.  After a couple of laps in the pool below camp I find a place in the rapids to wedge myself in and just let the cooling flow wash over me.  One of the river residents is apparently not very happy about this and lets their feelings be known by nipping at my toes.  Thankfully the fish in the river have no teeth and just get you with their fish lips.  Everyone eventually takes a turn getting "attacked" and we have a good laugh about it.  I am not sure we told Gary about the fish as he was a late arrival to the festivities which makes his look of surprise even funnier.

Hoping I don't step in a hole more than knee deep and fall in.  

Our eventual camp is visible on the far shore.

Looking up at the cliffs of the Rock Jock trail from the river next to camp.

It's hard to imagine that we were on top of these just the day before.

JJ's setup to the left and Formy's to the right.  Formy comes from the "Meh, I probably won't die" school of hammock tarp pitching.  The end of his hammock did get wet in the showers of the previous night but it didn't phase him.  He is by far the toughest of us when it comes to his sleeping arrangements.  This will become very evident as these trip reports continue.  😂

Crockett inspecting his new hammock setup.  He ultimately decides that he is more comfortable in a tent for later trips.  We think he's just afraid of making it easier for a bear to sneak up in the middle of the night and give him a kiss on the cheek.

Relaxing in the river.  Pretty sure Gary has figured out the fish at this point.  After getting out and drying off we realize that a couple of guys have made camp on the far side of the river.  Not sure we want to hazard a guess at their thoughts about a group of middle aged men laughing hysterically at their own shenanigans splashing around in the river.

 

Day 3 - 1.25 miles hiked with 1757 ft up and 4 ft down of elevation change

PINCH IN!!  If you know, you know.  

 

The day had arrived to ascend one of the steepest, if not THE steepest trail we'd ever encounter.  The Pinch In trail ascends from the river to the rim, rising nearly 1700 feet in just over a mile.  To make things worse it's in the fire scar and will expose us to the late summer sun almost the entire way up.  But that's part of hiking in the Gorge, what goes down must come up.

After a quick breakfast we pack up camp and prepare to cross the river back to the west side of the Gorge.  There's no getting around wet feet so we just wade right in.  Once on the other side we rapidly approach the junction of the Linville Gorge trail and Pinch In and begin our climb.  The day is warm as we emerge into the burn area making us long for a cold river at the top.  However the openness of the trail affords us some amazing views as we climb.

JJ already thinking about lunch.

Gary leads the way into the river.  

He doesn't look very excited to put his feet in the water.

I think I can!  I think I can!  Said the out of shape engine that could.

JJ wondering if he forgot something down at the bottom.

 

Don't look up!  Just makes it worse.

Part of the way up we turn around to enjoy some amazing views.  The Chimneys and NC Wall are visible on the far side.  The cliffs of Linville Gorge are home to several nesting populations of the protected peregrine falcon.  This bird is one of the fastest on earth with speeds of its dives documented at well over 100 miles per hour and suspected to approach 200 mph.  During nesting times several areas are closed to protect the nests of these amazing birds.  Please respect these closures so the population can continue to thrive here.

Almost to the top!  Gary can't believe we were just down at the bottom of this.

 

 Finally making it to the top we gladly change into some clean clothes and bag up our attire soaked with 3 days worth of "adventure."  Heading over to Famous Louise's Rock House restaurant for a well deserved lunch, we make a quick stop to enjoy the view from the substantially easier to reach Wiseman's View overlook.  If you don't want to attempt the descent and climb out of the Gorge, this overlook is just a short paved walk from old 105 and offers unforgettable views of Linville Gorge.

Looking down the Gorge from one of the two Wiseman's View overlooks.

Table Rock and the Linville River as seen from Wiseman's View.

No trip to the Gorge is complete without a stop at Louise's in Linville Falls.  

Another amazing trip in the books!  We will return to the Linville Gorge many more times in the future as it is such an amazing place.  If you are in the area, put on your mountain goat shoes and give it a visit.  You won't regret it!

Til next time...

 

Copperhead Road

Harper Creek

August 7-9, 2015

Map can be found HERE

 

Day 1 - 2.5 miles hiked with 533 ft up and 250 ft down of elevation change

Since I had been extolling the virtues of backpacking after completing my first two trips, my son Wilson decided that it was time he went with me.   I pieced together a kit for him from things I already had and a hammock from Amazon and shoved it into a book bag for him to carry his clothes and sleeping gear.  I put the remainder of our stuff in my new Zpacks Arc Blast and waited for him to finish his first week of middle school soccer practice.  Setting out from school shortly after noon, we drove up to the Harper Creek trailhead in the Wilson Creek Wilderness area grabbing a quick lunch on the way.  The plan is to hike up to Harper Creek falls, swim a little while and then head on up the trail and find a place to camp for the night.  Getting a later start in the day we didn't anticipate hiking too far today.

The newly minted backpacker, eager to begin.

Pretending to rock climb in order to freak out Mom when she sees the pictures.

A little rock scramble never hurt anyone.  At least not on this trip.

Getting down to the falls takes a little rope work to manage the slick rocks.  There's also a rope down to the upper ledge of the falls that's even longer.  We elected not to attempt that.

Made it to the falls!  Sucked in my gut so this awful shirt looks better.

 

Thoroughly enjoying himself.  This is before we got into the freezing water to swim!  I knew I may have hooked him on the experience when he tells me he can't believe how beautiful it is out here.  Like it shouldn't even exist it's so pretty.

 

Always fun to slide down Harper Creek Falls.

Having worn ourselves out swimming and sliding at the falls, we decided we'd better get back on the trail and get serious about finding a place to camp.  We wanted to get as far upstream as possible to make the next days hiking to South Harper Creek Falls as manageable as possible.  Didn't get very far.  Darkness comes a little quicker down in the steep valley walls of the mountains so we found the first suitable place upstream and set up camp.  It does rain a little bit on us, 3 for 3 for my trips, so we don't build a campfire and just go to bed.

Wilson is proud of his first backpacking camp set up.

Please excuse the crappy lowlight iPhone picture.

Day 2 - 7 miles hiked with 535 ft up and 728 ft down of elevation change

After a good night's sleep and a quick breakfast, we pack up camp and prepare for the day's hike.  The plan is hike up to South Harper creek falls and then loop around to Raider Camp Creek trail and make our way back to Harper Creek trail, camping somewhere along the way.  However you know what they say about the best laid schemes of mice and men; we were thwarted in our efforts by the unmarked trails of the Wilson Creek Wilderness.  When we reached the turn for where the Harper Creek trail continues up to South Harper Falls we had a little trouble finding the trail.  Once assured that we were on the trail we continue upstream.  After a few hundred yards of the trail getting more and more grown in and difficult to follow an executive decision is made to scrap this plan and head up the much better defined North Harper Creek trail towards Bard Falls, aka Hole in the Wall Falls.

There's always time to play in the creek.

Pointing out what might or might not be the trail.

Taking a break trying not to show my frustration at not being able to find the trail we want.

The hole in the wall at Bard Falls.

Of course we did a little swimming here.

Since it's close to lunch time we dry off and have lunch by the falls on the warm rocks.  Wilson declares that canned deviled ham is not something he ever wants to eat again.  New lunch items will have to be secured for future trips.  

 

With our stomachs full I ask if we should try to continue on up to North Harper Falls.  Wilson says sure and we start up the trail.  I can tell pretty quickly that he isn't feeling the steeper narrower trail above Bard Falls and I ask him if he'd rather just turn around and go back to Harper Falls and slide down the waterfall some more.  He immediately agrees to this plan and we turn around to make our way back down to the falls.

Tasting a Jolly Rancher Green Apple drink powder for the first time.

Two thumbs up.

Harper Creek Falls viewed from the trail above.

After another round of swimming we continue down the trail to find a campsite for night two.  Harper Creek is a very popular area during the warm summer months and many of the campsites we come to below the falls are already occupied.  An attempt is made to find a site up the Raider Camp Creek trail but after a quarter of a mile or so it looks as if the valley is getting steeper and narrower so we turn around.  Seeing the trail from this angle as we backtrack, we find an excellent site at the intersection of Raider Camp Creek and Harper Creek and set up here.  

 

As I'm walking back from retrieving some water I notice a copperhead coiled up next to another fire ring.  After a quick startle I realize that it is dead and someone has left it here as a prank.  By the way please don't kill them as they do serve a purpose in the ecosystem, as much as I'd rather not ever run across one.  Anyway, I calm myself and head back to our camp.  I have forgotten that Wilson is following some distance behind until I hear a blood curdling scream.  "SNAKE!!"  He has also found the same copperhead next to the trail that I did.  Going back to reassure him that it is dead, he then gives me a hard time about not telling him that it was there.  

After we recover from all of the excitement, we gather a little firewood and build a fire since we didn't get to have one the night before.  Some quality time is spent hanging out by the fire and Wilson carves a knife out of a stick.  He decides a little while after dark to turn in to his hammock and go to sleep.  I sit by the fire a little longer and then start to tidy up camp.  

 

As I walk around camp I feel a sharp pain in my big toe.  Have I just found another snake while traipsing around in the dark?  Nope, it's Wilson's wooden knife he's left laying beside the fire pit.  The meat under my toenail has met up with the sharp pointy end of his creation.  I'll have to hand it to him, he did get it very sharp.  A gauze pad and some duct tape stems the bleeding and I head off to bed.  Was this a karmic payback for not telling him about the snake?  Possibly.

    Hanging out by the fire.

 

Carving the wooden knife out of a stick.

Day 3 - 1.2 miles hiked with 126 ft up and 220 ft down of elevation change

Rousing Wilson out of his hammock we begin gathering up our belongings for the short hike back to the trailhead.  He has slept 11 hours so I guess sleeping outdoors agrees with him. Scarfing down a few Pop-Tarts we pack up and hit the trail back to the Jeep.

 

Approximately hour 10 of 11.

 

One last look back at camp as we pack.

We make the short hike back to the parking lot and start dreaming about the delicious lunch we have earned.  Wilson seems more than pleased with his first experience backpacking and I have found another adventure buddy.  The Harper Creek area is a fantastic place to take someone on their first trip and I highly recommend it.  Just make sure to have a good map and stick to well-defined trail.

 

One of the most important lessons learned from this trip and from subsequent trips with Wilson and my nephews is it is important to have a destination and interesting things to do and see along the way.  Children aren't as enamored with just walking in the woods as an adult might be.  Having a place to stop and swim is always a bonus!

Til next time...