Linville Gorge, May 1-3, Spring of 09

[slowhike]

Hey Tim. Ramps are about the first thing to sprout in the spring. I haven't noticed any in the gorge, but they are probably there.

I guess some discussion on where to camp is in order. I don't have much in
the way of suggestions. Jim d. reported over 50 people in the Sandy Flats
area Saturday before last while working down there. The river sites get pretty
crowded in good weather.

Ken, if the Conley Cove trail is in decent shape (from down fall, etc) I wonder about going in that way, then taking the Linville Gorge Trail (LGT) south until we find suitable sites.
If it's not already taken when we get there that weekend, there's a large, flat, open pine clearing on a high place, well above the river that would hold as many hammocks as needed. You probably know the place I'm talking about.
It's a little ways south of the popular sites around the Conley Cove & LGT intersection, so maybe there would be a chance we could get to it before it's occupied that Fri.
If not, I'm thinking that finding a suitable area for 8 or 10 (or more) hammocks may not be to difficult in that direction on the LGT.

Thoughts?

[Ken]

Sounds good to me Tim. Conley Cove was completely cleared last fall. A fire crew cut out all the large logs. Jim d removed the small ones and I helped him finish up cutting the briars and weeds. It should be in good shape except for maybe some winter deadfall. I've only been down Conley that one time and never south from there on the LGT, but I sure trust your judgement. I think
if everyone wants to go to the river, that is as good an area as any.

Should we move this to the other thread for discussion or suggestions?

Ken

[slowhike]

Yep, that is if the majority of those wanting to try & make this trip want to go to the river. Good point to ask about.

Another possibility would be to hike & camp along the ridge lines were the big views are.
You can certainly get both the river (up close & personal views) & the big views on the same trip, but a lot of people underestimate the work involved in some of the longer routes.
Ken has seen multiple reports of people finding out that they had bit off more than they could chew in LG

As suggestions are made & decisions are made about what hike to do, just remember that not everyone going on this hike will have the same "trail legs"<G>. Some of us are older than others

Meeting at the parking area on Wolfpit Rd & hiking up to the top of Shortoff Mtn would be another reasonable hike.
Fantastic views of the gorge from on top of Shortoff & water should not be a problem.
If Shortoff was chose, my favorite campsites near the cliff edges probably wont work, but there are several other places just back in the woods that would take care of multiple hammocks & it wouldn't be far to walk to the views.

[Ken]

Shortoff is fine with me too, Tim. I'll probably be arriving sometime Saturday afternoon, so I think those going Friday and spending the day Saturday should choose the spot. I'm open to pretty much anything.

Ken

[MacEntyre]

I'll go anywhere in the gorge, ridges or rivers. I've probably got longer trail-legs than most old guys, but I'm not interested in testing limits.

My wife has informed me that one of my daughter's two piano recitals is on Friday, May 1. Perhaps they will videotape it... (NCPatrick and I have opposite approaches to the maintenance of marital bliss.)

[NCPatrick]

(NCPatrick and I have opposite approaches to the maintenance of marital bliss.)

Go with whatever works for you. Hope to see you out there.

[Ken]

I was in the gorge all day yesterday and Sunday doing trail work on Rockjock Trail. There are very few places along Rockjock to hang one hammock, much less several. The fire in 2000, then the storms and insect damage of 2004 and since, plus the 2007 fires have drastically reduced the number of live trees.

North of Wiseman's conditions are better, but I don't spend much time in that
area.

We had heavy snow flurries all day yesterday, but no real accumulation where
we were. Great day in the woods.

Ken

[slowhike]

I was in the gorge all day yesterday and Sunday doing trail work on Rockjock Trail. There are very few places along Rockjock to hang one hammock, much less several. The fire in 2000, then the storms and insect damage of 2004 and since, plus the 2007 fires have drastically reduced the number of live trees.

North of Wiseman's conditions are better, but I don't spend much time in that
area.

We had heavy snow flurries all day yesterday, but no real accumulation where
we were. Great day in the woods.

Ken

Yeah, though I've not done much on Rock Jock yet, my impression has been that at least parts of it would be limited for very many hammocks.
And I saw the snow videos you put on the Linville Gorge.net site!!!

[Ken]

Hope you liked the little videos Tim. On Shortoff, are you thinking of going to
the sediment pond and turning right, down toward the "spring tree"? I seem to remember relatively little fire damage down in that area.

Ken

[slowhike]

That could be a possibility. Also, there are at least a couple large areas along the MTS trail that have been used for camping before you get to the spring tree.
They are both between the spring flowing through a pipe in the trail & the spring tree.
One is a well used camp site on the left of the MTS trail. I can't remember if I checked to see how many hammocks it would support, but I'm thinking it might have plenty tree options.
If not, the next clearing would I'm sure.
One down side to both of those sites are that they are right next to the trail. But we usually don't see a lot of hikers on Short off in a weekend.

If one of us doesn't get a chance to check it out before our group hike, we may just want to play it by ear on the exact area we choose to hang in, whether it's on Short Off or else where.
I'm flexible<G>.