N.C. hammockers

**slowhike** · 02-15-2007, 20:38

here's information on the trails taking you from wolfpit rd to the top of shortoff mtn.
i up loaded a picture of that section of map.
http://www.hammockforums.net/gallery...5/P2150005.JPG
also i did a drawn map because the topo dosen't show the trails the way they actually are.
http://www.hammockforums.net/gallery...5/P2150001.JPG
both maps will show up larger if you go to the camp outs gallery.
you can see wolfpit rd on both maps, ending in a loop turn around. if your vehicle has a little clearance & you have some skill at maneuvering rough roads, you can park at the loop. you'll see were people a been parking along the edges.
SUVs should have no problem but be careful of rocks & don't stop or slow down to much in the large puddles<g>.
i have driven a mini bus & a volvo sedan in there, but i probably shouldn't have<g>.
if you want you can find a place to park just past the last house, before it gets rough. and you could walk it just to check it out if you like, just don't park in the road.
you can see on the drawn map where the trail starts.
when you get to an intersection in the trail go strait ahead & you will then be on the MTS trail (white blaze).
as for water, you will cross a spring w/ a pipe in the trail (seen on the drawn map as a blue dot just to the left of the word "shortoff").
but there should be water closer to camp.
note the shallow, spring fed pond on the drawn map & the trail across from it.
the spring across from the pond has been the best source, but several large blow downs have covered the trail a short ways in. so you have to try to see where it's going & go around.
it can be a challenge to find the spring trail past all the blow down, but when you do, it soon becomes easy to follow again to the spring.
just pay attention to where you came from.
the pond it's self can be used too & if it has water in it, that would be much easier. it's just easy to stir up silt there.
as far as places to camp, i put on the drawn map the cliffside camps that i love to use, but if the wind is bad, you may want to retreat back into the woods.
make a mental note of the several camp clearings w/ good trees you see after you get on the MST in case you decide to go back to one.
there may be a place for hammocks on the spring trail.
but you need to at least see my favorite spot. it's about a 5 minute walk past the shallow pond. just keep an eye out for a trail on your left & it will take you over to the cliffside camp.
from that camp you can walk out onto a large rock for a great view of the gorge!
let me know if you have more questions. ..tim

**blackbishop351** · 02-15-2007, 20:43

Tim, you missed your calling man! You should've been a cartographer! That hand-drawn map makes anything I've ever done look like a squiggly line..

**slowhike** · 02-15-2007, 20:53

Originally Posted by blackbishop351

Tim, you missed your calling man! You should've been a cartographer! That hand-drawn map makes anything I've ever done look like a squiggly line..

just something i trew together for ya man

and for others that might need it later.

**stoikurt** · 02-15-2007, 22:12

Come on down, Slowhike. I am a cartographer, maybe I can put you to work.

**slowhike** · 02-15-2007, 22:48

Originally Posted by stoikurt

Come on down, Slowhike. I am a cartographer, maybe I can put you to work.

thanks my friend, sounds tempting, but i don't think i could take the heat down there<g>.

**NCPatrick** · 02-16-2007, 09:18

That's great Slowhike. Thanks for the drawing.

**Bird Dog** · 02-16-2007, 10:53

Originally Posted by slowhike

a little more about the linville hikes...
it's about a 2 hour hike in to the top of shortoff that's basically all up hill. according to the hikers using the trail, it may take less time, but it has taken closer to 3 hrs when i took someone that wasn't used to hiking.
the friend who struggled w/ the hike in, said it was well worth it when we got to the camp site near the cliff edge.
he just sat in amazement for hours at a time looking at gorge & all it's features from his high & lofty perch.

the other hike i mentioned as a possibility is spence ridge trail. possibly the easiest trail to get to a section of the linville river in the gorge, yet removed from the tourists at linville falls. you wont get the big views there, but it's a great close-up shot of the gorge.
i don't remember the mileage & i've only been down it once, but i believe you would be at the river in about an hour or less from the parking area. all down hill going to the river & coming back... you guessed it<g>. but it's not bad at all, as long as you take your time.
there are additional trails that can be hiked from either location.

If Im not mistaken, the Spence ridge trail is like 1.2 miles. BD

**blackbishop351** · 02-16-2007, 10:58

Originally Posted by Bird Dog

If Im not mistaken, the Spence ridge trail is like 1.2 miles. BD

Hey BD - tell the PD you came down with a rare case of Hikinhanginitis...they'll buy it, I swear! Then you can come with!

**Bird Dog** · 02-16-2007, 11:02

Originally Posted by blackbishop351

Hey BD - tell the PD you came down with a rare case of Hikinhanginitis...they'll buy it, I swear! Then you can come with!

You have no idea how bad i have it. Its the selling it to the boss part that I still havent figured out. However, I took four days off in April (that will give me 12 days off the way my schedule works) for my FTC hike. I cant wait. Hopefully I can get to the gorge again soon. thats the first place I ever backpacked. Kinda like my first love. BD

**NCPatrick** · 02-16-2007, 15:03

Slowhike, did you ever hear from Egads? Blackbishop351 and I are headed on up to Shortoff around 4:00 today. I have color printouts of your maps.

Wish everyone here could join us. We'll take pictures.