Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 25
  1. #1
    Senior Member OneClick's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Location
    IN
    Hammock
    DIY 10.5' HyperD 1.6
    Tarp
    Warbonnet, SLD
    Insulation
    Hammock Gear
    Suspension
    WB Straps+Buckles
    Posts
    13,158
    Images
    20

    Linville Gorge, NC (Is That All You Got Loop)

    I had my eye on the Linville Gorge after watching some of Shug’s videos and reports from others here. I finally decided to drive down and check it out. Originally I had planned a solo trip, but just a few weeks ago I went on a date and she was into backpacking also. So I kind of joked about joining me, but we really hit it off so it ended up being planned as our third date! Possibly a risky move but we felt confident it would work out well.

    We left at 6am and started pounding out some miles. For lunch, we stopped at a Mexican restaurant in London, KY which was amazing. One last real meal for a while.

    Arriving at the trailhead with only about 2 hours of daylight left, we changed into hiking clothes right away. My heart sunk and I’m sure I turned ghost-white when I grabbed my trail hiking shoes to find out I accidentally packed two right-foot shoes! The garage was dark and the blue/black shoes looked alike. I wore some cheap $50 New Balance shoes on the drive down, so those would have to do. I guess it could have been a lot worse.

    After the first 30 minutes of climbing, I was already sweating in the cool air and wondering what I got us into. But after seeing Lake James and the surrounding mountains in the setting sun, we were totally motivated. The good site on the point overlooking the gorge was occupied as expected, so we just had to make do with whatever we could since we wanted to get set up with some daylight. First-night’s beer consumed. It worked out fine and we slept well with a clear cool night down to about 45°. One of the brightest nights I’ve ever experienced even though it wasn’t a totally full moon.

    The next morning we gathered some water from the spring and continued north. With a high of 73° and sunny it was a bit warm for me, but you really can’t complain about that. Great views of the gorge before dropping down…then back up. A full-on leg workout climbing up to the top past Chimney Gap. But the descent shortly before that? I never want to climb that thing!! Going down was hard enough. The views were great all the way to Table Rock. Then another big drop down towards Spence Ridge trail…I don’t ever want to climb that either. Brutal!! At the bottom, we filtered some water and decided to call it a day. We were ready and wanted a couple hours of daylight to hang out in camp.

    Up next was the river crossing. Even though people told me the best place to cross, I still had it in my mind “I’ll find a way across without getting wet.” Nope. So we took the plunge and got not quite waist-deep. I was glad I went barefoot to keep my shoes dry as I watched her dump the water out of her boots. We sat on the other side with our shorts/pants drying in the strong sun while we had lunch. The quick-changing terrain and views of this place really keep the hike interesting. Down in the gorge, we had a great time listening to nonstop crashing water from the river and hiking through rhododendron and over rocky terrain. After having another snack break by the river, we noticed the cloudless blue sky became cloudy in an instant. The NWS forecast was right on the money. We wanted to knock out more trail so we didn’t leave too much for the next day. As we approached camp it just smelled like rain. Then a few drops. Then a little more, but not enough to really feel it because of the thick canopy above. Once we got to camp we started setting up quick to try and beat the rain. Not a second to spare! I finished staking the tarp out about 15 seconds into the rain. Then it started coming down heavy. It was nice sitting under the tarp having some coffee and chocolate, just watching the fall colors, listening to the river. One of those moments you’re kind of glad it rained. It only lasted about an hour, so afterwards I gathered some firewood and slowly got it started. This night was around 45° and everything dried out nicely in the breeze.

    Waking up, the cold front was now past us and the sun coming over the ridge above was a wonderful sight. It felt great to be a little chilled after the previous warm sunny day. Today would be about 63° and sunny with some stiff breezes kicking up later (44mph gusts per the forecast). We had our coffee and breakfast then continued on down the river. As we approached the point of the second river crossing we saw another couple getting ready to cross, so we watched them. It was only about knee high at the deepest point, but the wind was howling through there and almost knocked us in a few times. If there was ever a case for hiking poles, this was it. I couldn’t have done it without them. In fact, they got used HARD on this trip. Best $17.99 I ever spent. On the other side, we took a break and realized we were close to the end. I thought the last 800’ push would be tough but it wasn’t so bad. We just took it slow and enjoyed the unique terrain. Some kind of red clay, smooth rock, pines, bone dry…maybe what some places in AZ or out west look like? Again, the ever-changing terrain during the entire trip kept things interesting. The wind was so strong I lost my cinched-down hat a few times. But it was great to not sweat a drop no matter how much effort I put into the hike.

    We got back to the lot around 4PM and had to decide what to do now. I sort of wanted to sneak back in for another night and camp near the cliff, but 44mph wind up there would be pretty nasty. So we started driving west. A hotel, hot shower, beer and dinner sounded really good at this point. So we stopped in Ashville to spend the night while knocking off a little drive time for the next day.

    Whew “Gorge Miles”!! I’m glad a heeded the “1.5mph” advice from others. That’s about what we managed to do. Great weather. Everything just worked out perfect. Water, clothing, camps, mileage per day, everything. I’m sure I’m leaving out a lot of details, but this is already getting long.

    Even though I was having fun the entire time, there were some tough parts where I thought to myself “I wouldn’t want to do this again; this is a one-time trip.” 30 minutes driving down the highway, I was ready to go back.

    If the photos don't show up, you may have Dropbox blocked at your workplace.















    Using the clothes dryer after crossing.


    Second crossing, much drier!



  2. #2

    Join Date
    Jul 2015
    Location
    homewood, al
    Hammock
    SLD Trail Lair
    Tarp
    Tadpole
    Insulation
    HG 20 Econ Phoenix
    Suspension
    Fiddling...
    Posts
    714
    Great pictures! I'm glad it all worked out for y'all.

    Charlotte

  3. #3
    ObdewlaX's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2016
    Location
    Deep In The Heart of...
    Hammock
    SLD Trail Lair, Chameleon
    Tarp
    HG, Zpacks, DIY
    Insulation
    Loco Libre, HG
    Suspension
    MyersTech
    Posts
    1,051
    Images
    148
    Nice trail report & pics… looks like you guys had a great time and with cool/crisp Fall weather with the leaves changing, I’m sure made it more fun too.

    Thanks for posting.

  4. #4
    Senior Member OneClick's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Location
    IN
    Hammock
    DIY 10.5' HyperD 1.6
    Tarp
    Warbonnet, SLD
    Insulation
    Hammock Gear
    Suspension
    WB Straps+Buckles
    Posts
    13,158
    Images
    20
    Quote Originally Posted by ObdewlaX View Post
    Nice trail report & pics… looks like you guys had a great time and with cool/crisp Fall weather with the leaves changing, I’m sure made it more fun too.

    Thanks for posting.
    The colors were amazing! Greener in some areas as we went down but overall we nailed it. It's a weird year...TN and KY were nice too but it just got greener and greener as we drove north. Practically all green around home. Weeks if not a month behind!

  5. #5
    gfstanley's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2015
    Location
    Raleigh, NC
    Hammock
    DIY 11.5 ft
    Tarp
    DIY xenon sil 5300
    Insulation
    HG UQ/TQ
    Suspension
    webbing and rings
    Posts
    321
    Great trip OneClick! Glad you were able to get down here and enjoy the Gorge. I was there the previous weekend with sustained winds of 25-35 mph and gusts up to 50-60 mph. The trees were dancing at night. Shug has a great quote about the Gorge, "The Gorge will break your lil' heart .... then give you a gift!" I think he is spot on!

  6. #6
    Senior Member OneClick's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Location
    IN
    Hammock
    DIY 10.5' HyperD 1.6
    Tarp
    Warbonnet, SLD
    Insulation
    Hammock Gear
    Suspension
    WB Straps+Buckles
    Posts
    13,158
    Images
    20
    Quote Originally Posted by gfstanley View Post
    Great trip OneClick! Glad you were able to get down here and enjoy the Gorge. I was there the previous weekend with sustained winds of 25-35 mph and gusts up to 50-60 mph. The trees were dancing at night. Shug has a great quote about the Gorge, "The Gorge will break your lil' heart .... then give you a gift!" I think he is spot on!
    Absolutely! I wish the drive was a few hours shorter...I was getting worn out on the way back home. There were 3 good spots arriving at the trailhead, and maybe a couple more I could have squeezed into. That was my biggest worry.

    Everything worked out great. My pack seemed to carry better than ever for some reason. Carrying 1L of water in a side pocket and the 750ml Smartwater bottle on my shoulder was perfect. I was worried about running out, but just as I was getting low, the next water source popped up well before running out. Looking back I could have cut it down to 1/2L in the bigger bottle. Didn't touch any rain gear, but as usual I had to bring it. One thing I really noticed was the lack of trash; for a busy place I didn't see one piece. A few odds and ends in some fire pits don't really count IMO, they'll get burned next time.

    Just a side note, I was totally uncomfortable in Ashville. It seemed really hard getting around with confusing intersections, tight turns, blind turns, etc. And those left-lane exits!

    We had some loud neighbors in the hotel room next to us. The whole family was loud from 2-3:30am, tv blasting, cooking stinky food. You can see light under the adjoining door. What the hell Holiday Inn?

  7. #7

    Join Date
    Jul 2020
    Location
    Durham, NC
    Hammock
    DIY GE 12’ Hexon 1.6
    Tarp
    SLD Winter Haven
    Insulation
    CDT Gemini DIY
    Suspension
    Whoopi slings
    Posts
    109
    Images
    11
    Nice report! I’d love to hear your reflection on your shoes….would you bring boots next time or stick with trail runners?

  8. #8
    all secure in sector 7 Shug's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    Minnesota
    Hammock
    I have many so....
    Tarp
    Blackcrow DIY Tarp
    Insulation
    FrankenquiltUQ/Pod
    Suspension
    Whoopie Slings
    Posts
    23,394
    Images
    62
    Ahhhhhh....Fall in the Gorge.
    Uhhmmmm, hope the date went well.
    Shug
    Whooooo Buddy)))) All Secure in Sector Seven

  9. #9
    Senior Member OneClick's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Location
    IN
    Hammock
    DIY 10.5' HyperD 1.6
    Tarp
    Warbonnet, SLD
    Insulation
    Hammock Gear
    Suspension
    WB Straps+Buckles
    Posts
    13,158
    Images
    20
    Quote Originally Posted by SubaruWx View Post
    Nice report! I’d love to hear your reflection on your shoes….would you bring boots next time or stick with trail runners?
    I would totally wear trail running shoes again. No issues whatsoever. In fact, I'm thinking these cheap shoes worked better than my Topo shoes that cost more that twice as much. But I can't say for sure. I haven't worn boots for a few years now, but they would be fine of course. I just like the breathable and lightweight feeling of the shoes. She wore the typical Merrel ventilator boots and did great.

    Since I forgot my proper trail running shoes, I wore the "everyday" shoes I drove down in which are New Balance MT410. I think I got them at Kohl's for $50. Definitely nothing special.


    Quote Originally Posted by Shug View Post
    Ahhhhhh....Fall in the Gorge.
    Uhhmmmm, hope the date went well.
    Shug
    Thanks Shug! The trip, date, drive, everything couldn't have gone any better! One of those trips you wish you could replicate all over again. We enjoyed every minute!

    I forgot to mention I almost stepped on a snake while messing around with my phone! Right on the trail soaking up the sun. I don't know anything about snakes; this one was black with tan/orangish patches (not perfect lines or stripes).

    p.s. Sorry about the crazy long report. I didn't notice until looking at it again for myself!

  10. #10
    Senior Member Twistytee's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2021
    Location
    North Carolina
    Hammock
    SLD Trail Lair
    Tarp
    Thunderfly
    Insulation
    JRB Greylock 3
    Suspension
    UCR/Spider Straps
    Posts
    372
    Sounds like a Copperhead, or a Timber Rattlesnake. Both inhabit the gorge and are poisonous so good thing you didn’t step on it.

  • + New Posts
  • Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast

    Similar Threads

    1. Linville Gorge - Is That All Ya Got Loop
      By Dvankirk in forum Trip Reports
      Replies: 2
      Last Post: 10-08-2019, 18:30
    2. Linville Gorge Loop
      By litetrek in forum Southeast
      Replies: 18
      Last Post: 05-04-2014, 09:19
    3. Linville Gorge 22 mile loop
      By mcochran28 in forum Southeast
      Replies: 15
      Last Post: 03-26-2013, 19:49
    4. Create my Linville Gorge 4-5 day loop
      By ikemouser in forum Hangouts, Campouts, and Trip Planning
      Replies: 62
      Last Post: 06-14-2010, 18:53
    5. Linville Gorge, NC Loop - May 14-16, 2010
      By JerryW in forum Hangouts, Campouts, and Trip Planning
      Replies: 1054
      Last Post: 05-20-2010, 10:41

    Bookmarks

    Posting Permissions

    • You may not post new threads
    • You may not post replies
    • You may not post attachments
    • You may not edit your posts
    •