Dolly Sods Hangout

[lukesteg]

Hey all ohio hangers, Im putting together a 3 or 4 day trip down to the beautiful linville gorge in North Carolina. I used to live down there for 11 years and have been wanting to go back.

Currently i am shooting for the week of July 30---Aug 2 or 3rd. Whatever. Im pretty flexible through that week.

I would love for some people to tag along with me but if i have no takers, hell im still going.

Come on everybody, you know you wanna go. I might even pay for all the gas!! More convincing yet?

Let me know

[exup]

Ahhhh, I doubt ill be able to make it happen, but know that ill do everything I can too! Ill have to toss it up at home and work and feel it out this week and hopefully I can do it. I've really wanted to hike there.

[Hawk-eye]

I'll just toss this out there ... that's the hottest most brutal time of the year for the gorge. If you can ... I highly reccmd. spring and fall especially for first time visits. Less tourists than in the summer as well.

[HamMike]

I'll just toss this out there ... that's the hottest most brutal time of the year for the gorge. If you can ... I highly reccmd. spring and fall especially for first time visits. Less tourists than in the summer as well.

Yeah I'd be down for a fall trip.

[Gqgeek81]

Unless it involves water I can't imagine a trip anywhere in NC in July or August. Even then I don't want to have to sleep outside in it personally. Takes a lot to convince me to sleep where I'll be sweating at the same time, but that's just me.

[wisenber]

Unless it involves water I can't imagine a trip anywhere in NC in July or August. Even then I don't want to have to sleep outside in it personally. Takes a lot to convince me to sleep where I'll be sweating at the same time, but that's just me.

There are places in NC that aren't that bad in the Summer, but you'll want to stay above 3500' or so (trout think the same way). Shining Rock and Cold Mountain will take you over 6000' feet which should buy you about 12 degrees F of relief. It can actually be chilly up there at night in July. Rain during the day can make it drop into the lower 50's in a flash as well.

I still go out in the Summers, but I try to get some elevation between me and the heat.

[Big Papi]

I'm too fat for the heat. I could do a winter trip.

[Hawk-eye]

I've hiked, camped and worked trail in mid summer ... the main things you'll need to remember is the water supplies will be limited in a lot of places if we get dry again like we have the last few summers. So that will make some of the rim (most scenic) trails a stretch of your water supply. With the heat ... you'll need to carry a lot more. Probably not a lot different than most places ... but gorge miles are not normal trail miles. So if you over estimate your group's abilities and the heat ... you could have problems.

[krugd]

I'd be up for a fall trip (though I'm not quite in Ohio.)

[exup]

I was kinda shooting for fall there as well.