GetBackpacking! Intermediate Skills: Linville Gorge

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Welcome to the second of our Advanced Backpacking Skills weekend trips scheduled for summer 2017. All trips are Friday afternoon through mid-afternoon Sunday, and focus on different skills. Each class is limited to 12 participants. These are not boot-camp type classes: we’ll practice specific backcountry skills, but the overriding goal is what it always is on a backpack trip: have fun!

The classes are:

• Wilson Creek: July 28-30. Skills: water crossings, setting up camp at night. (See below for a more detailed account.)

• Linville Gorge: August 25-27. Skills: water crossings, navigating a wilderness area. (See GetBackpacking! Advanced Skills: Linville Gorge entry.)

• Pisgah National Forest, location tbd: September 15-17. Skills: solo backpacking (See GetBackpacking! Advanced Skills: Going Solo entry)

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Linville Gorge Backpack Trip

Linville Gorge has been called one of the wildest spots in the eastern U.S. During its 12-mile run, the west rim rises, abruptly, 1,400 feet above the Linville River below. Trails that lead into the gorge from the west have horizon lines, that point at which, upon approach, the trail seems to wander off into space. Because of its steep and rugged nature, there was minimal logging in the gorge, leaving virgin stands of towering timber. Because 11,651 acres of the gorge are designated wilderness, easily making the first class in 1964, when one of these behemoths goes down, there’s no effort to remove it from the trail. It is some of the most rugged — and impressive — scenery around. Our trip aims to expose you to the scenery on a modest budget of pain.

Skills: water crossings, navigating a wilderness area

When: Aug. 25-27

Friday

Noon Carpool leaves Durham

2:30 p.m. Arrive Morganton

3:30 - 4 p.m. Arrive Table Rock Mountain Trailhead. Begin 6-mile hike along Linville Gorge east rim to Shortoff Mountain.

6 p.m. Arrive Shortoff Mountain. We camp here for the evening, enjoying some of the best views of gorge and of Lake James beyond.

Saturday

9 a.m. - 4 p.m. From Shortoff, we take the Mountains-to-Sea Trail south, crossing the Linville River, which is about 60 yards wide at this point and typically knee deep, then picking up the Linville River Trail and heading north up the gorge. We will camp mid-gorge. An 8- to 10-mile day.

Sunday

9 a.m. We’ll continue up the gorge, then cross the Linville River again. It’s narrower here, but the water may be deeper and moving faster. We will evaluate several crossing options. We cross at the the Spence Ridge Trail, the “easiest” access into the gorge, and return to Table Rock and our awaiting cars. Expect to cover about 7 miles.

River crossings: There are two. Early on Day 2 we have a fairly mellow crossing of the Linville River below the mouth of the gorge. On Day 3, we cross a section of the river that was, for a short while, bridged. This is a more challenging crossing; you may get wet, but you will be near the end of the trip.

Trip size: 10 people (maximum for a group in a wilderness area)

Planning meeting: We will meet at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 23 at the Great Outdoor Provision Co. in Raleigh’s Cameron Village to go over the route (each backpacker gets a map of the gorge, plus a custom map of the trip and detailed agenda). We will discuss unique aspects of the trip and any special gear that might be needed.

Included with this trip

eguide, including: Maps and elevation profiles of the three days hikes Descriptions of each hike, with mileages Overview of the trip, with key logistic information Gear Checklist: What, specifically, you need for this backpack trip: recommended footwear, hiking/swim trunks, quick dry tops, day pack, sunscreen, bug spray, etc. ,

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Cost: $75