Video: The Riddle of the Sphinx: In the Linville Gorge If There Isn't a Trail We'll M
Video: The Riddle of the Sphinx: In the Linville Gorge If There Isn't a Trail We'll Make One
Josh (Black.Red.White) and I headed up to the Gorge for a quick stop over at the Rat Gathering Saturday night with my buddy Caleb. We left my place around 7:30pm and arrived sometime around 10pm. After talking with some Rats around the fire, we set up camp and came back to the fire. Someone (a non-rat) had hit their shine too much and lay flat out on the dirt when he lost his balance on the stool he was sitting on. Michelle the Camper, Melissa, several others and I helped him and one other non-rat back to their tent.
Since the weather looked good and our group of three had some energy left, we headed up Hawksbill around 11:15pm to look for the Brown Mountain lights. Along the way we saw a small Barred Owl. When we arrived at the top, we noticed a significant drop in air pressure on Caleb’s pathfinder watch and a dark cloud filled sky rolling in from the North. Not seeing the lights, feeling tired, and fearing rain we began our descent. After passing a flat area that’d make a good camp, I realized that we had missed the turn right back down the mountain and we were on the JRT.
Back in camp, we made quick work of find our hammocks and drifting off. That was until the wild and raging winds hit. The gusts were likely around 50-60mph. Tarps were blown around a bit and one of Josh’s stakes was pulled up. I had set my tarp up touching my head but away from my feet. This worked well. The tarp was pushed against my head all night pretty consistently rather than smacking me as it vibrated under the gale.
Morning came at 7:30am. We had originally planned on leaving camp to hike Spence Ridge to Table Rock, but decided the night before that the wise idea was to sleep in. I’m glad we did, so was everyone else. Breakfast was lingered over, well at least mine was. The others eat and started packing up. Thankfully, it doesn’t take me long to pack up. At 9am, we were leaving for Table Rock parking lot. Waiting for us at the top was Mark (the photographer), Lonnie (another photographer), another Josh, Rick, and Tyler. Melissa and Darkbyrd rode up from the Hawksbill camp right behind our trio.
The trip began with a stroll through the Chimneys where we had to stop and take pictures. The winds up top were enough in the cool morning to make me keep my buff pulled up over the back of my head to protect my ears. The scenic vistas of the Gorge will never get old. The route called for a westerly turn towards the Mossy Monster, down to the LNCW and then find a direct route to the Sphinx. Sounds easy to me. Only Josh (Black.Red.White), Darkbyrd, Caleb, Lonnie, Rick, Tyler, and I went to face the Mossy Monster and the riddle of the Sphinx. The Mossy Monster included a great bit of rock hopping and watching out for snakes. Thankfully it was cool enough that snakes were not an issue all day, though we likely just didn’t see them. Someone at one point mentioned that I reminded him of a mountain goat. It made me smile, but I was just glad my knees were healing from my past adventures (plyometrics, squats, and jump rope have helped a lot).
The Lower NC Wall had some nice views. It really made me feel the immensity of the Gorge and realize, yet again, my own insignificance. When we could see the Sphinx bellow us to the west, we looked at Josh and asked, “I guess we start looking for a way down?” Hesitantly he said yes, but his hesitation must only have been for the safety of the group and not the task at hand. He all but leapt off the cliff after the beast. A direct route is possible, and Josh has the GPS Track. Being out in front and caring little for my own safety, the term I began using to inform others if a route was safe was “This path is actionable.” At one point, I scurried out onto a cliff face to see if a path was actionable only to find out that for the rest of the group, it was not. I was able to make it thirty feet down before I slipped the final six or seven feet. In honor of my crazy bouldering bother, if the ledge has no name, I propose it forever be called “Zach Cat Ledge.” The pines dumped needles down our back and held tight to our clothes. Briers tried to give Rick a pierced ear, and Lonnie a lip ring. We prevailed. Finally to the Sphinx. Two and a half hours after leaving the parking lot at Table Rock.
Mark took some victory shots of us from high up above near Pucker Point on the UNCW. We ate lunch and I got some timelapse for my video. We were not done. There was more for us to do. We now had to make it back up to the top.
We traversed the contour just below the LNCW and made our way over to the Amphitheater. Darkbyrd radioed up to Mark and the others that we had made it to the Amp and that we were on our way up. When asked our ETA, I jokingly said 20min. I lied.
If you’ve never done the Amp, I recommend it. I can best say that it resembles a vertical boulder field that has been overgrown by plants trying to suck up any water from a prehistoric waterfall. Although most was dry, Caleb and I split off from the group about a third of the way up following Josh’s words, “When in doubt, go left.” He didn’t want us ascending the Mummy’s gully. Crawling over roots, rocks, and wet rhododendron, we lost all track of the rest of the group. It was only our echoing “Whoo-hoo Buddyyyyy”s acting as echolocation. With Mark’s sound offs getting ever closer, Caleb and I scrambled further up and further in. We could hear the voices of those awaiting our upper arrival and climbed the final incline out of the Amp. As I said earlier, I lied. Caleb and I finished the Amp in 30min, not 20. It was another 30min before the rest of the gang sauntered in.
After the joyous reunion, we decided to split again. Rick, wearing some mighty manly wounds across his face, and Darkbyrd headed back with the rest to the MST toward the parking lot. Josh, Caleb, Lonnie, Tyler, and I continued to explore by heading back along he UNCW. This was the clearest Josh ha ever seen it and was a welcome blessing after our escapades earlier. Again we were greeted with breathtaking views. Somehow, our group made it back to the MST from the UNCW via the Mossy Monster spur prior to the other groups arriving at that point. Here we all joined back up to walk back to the car. Josh being who he is, and Caleb and I being crazy, figured we still had energy to do the summit of Table Rock.
Josh, Caleb and I took a brief break at the car to refill on water before going uphill yet again. I’m just enough of a nutter to recommend running up to the summit. The others agreed. We only made it a quarter of the way (not including our brief detour) before we couldn’t run uphill anymore. We walked the rest of the way. At this point I felt my right quad burning in a bad way. I knew I couldn’t take the impact of walking slowly back to the car. To save my knees Caleb and I ran back down the mountain to the parking lot. Josh came in not long after we did. Mark was finishing up at his car putting all of his gear away (an impressive feat).
Our trio said a final goodbye to the Gorge by visiting the Hawksbill camp one last time. Right before I got out of the car to say hello to Hanging Burrito (HB), my legs seized. These were by far the worst leg cramps I’ve ever had. Thankfully after some serious massaging (and beating) I was able to move my legs again. HB was kind enough, as usual, to give me some electrolyte tabs. Back in the car we went. Lonnie was a great host and invited us to stop by his place for a bit. We got to meet Sue and their incredible home. After seeing their place, I wanted to visit a hot tube to relieve some aches and pains. Instead, we went to Louise’s. Josh, Caleb, and I had the burger. Caleb and I also had the BBQ plate. Josh and Caleb had pie. I was too full on the Gorge to gorge myself anymore with the wonders of pie (though I wanted to).
The ride home didn’t last as long as the drive up. I was thankful for Josh’s driving. Being Caleb’s first time in the Gorge we had a lot to talk about. We all will be back if we have anything to do with it. The Gorge is calling.
Originally Posted by FLRider
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