Full Moon at Shining Rocks

“I have finally settled on which full moon in October to visit the Shining Rocks in Pisgah Forest/Shining Rocks Wilderness area. Though I really like to take the 3rd week in October for a fall appalachian excursion, the full moons occur on Oct. 2 and October 31 this year so,

I have decided on the halloween full moon so that I can then head on to Virginia and make the Mt. Rogers trip (the first weekend in November....right?( you Mt. Rogers hike people please correct me if I am mistaken)
I have the entire week off (10-29 thru 11-5), but I will be heading up Friday, Oct26th to make the trailhead early Saturday the 27th if anyone interested in coming can only do a weekend thing. The moon is not actually full until 10/31,(wed) but this previous weekend should provide enuff illumination on the rocks (ifn the weather is clear).

ok, so dates 10/27 to 10/31 for Shining rocks/Cold Mountain , there will be howling at the moon involved. heh

more details on trail head and options too follow. This is a cool spot with a big open fire circle area and lots of hiking and side/loop trails to explore and beautiful sunrise views. Also, depending on trail you take, a silvermine or two to explore.






I”

“Sounds like a great trip! I will not be able to make either. I am goin out west and do a week with some local friends. SOrry.”

“Blue Moon light pollution! *grrrrrrrrr* LOL

One of The Damndest things I ever saw was on that tiny trail that leads up to the rocks. A friend and I were heading up there one afternoon when we heard something big coming down the trail and we squeezed off to the side just as two guys On Horseback came down the manway being scraped half to death by those bushes, *GRIN*!”

“i'll be with ya, OM!”

“I somehow knew OM would be the author of this thread. Pencil me in!

Hey om! How'ya been? Loooong time.

Um...
did you hear "Gojo's Big News"? If not, search for the thread...”

“Gosh I wish I could go!”

“Can't wait to meet you at Mt Rogers!”

“running girl....same here!....can you tell me what thread to search for details of the Mt. Rogers trip?
I have not seen much on it since I got back from LLamaRama

rad and gojo...yay!....i been missin y'all...its almost time for a cumberland island anniversary gathering too, isnt it?

tilt....i know there are a couple of horsetrails coming up from the sunburst area (from memory...need to check the map) I came in on the art loeb trail. Do you have any idea where the mine is "under the shining rocks" Someone told me last time I was there I should go see the mine at night.....i tried hunting for it one evening, but I get lost enough in the day, and I was solo , so I did not get far before turning back... just wonder if you had run across it.”

“hhhmmmmmm. Don't know for sure. There was a spooky little cave on the north side of Flower Gap, opening to the east (?) I need to dig out the map. That's not "under the rocks", though.

The trail I was talking about is just the last 100 ft. or so leading up to the rocks. Those were some unhappy cowboys. Come to think of it, they had bows and arrows. Most peculiar. Must've been some of those new-fangled cowboys, *G*.

Last time I was up that way (a While ago) the area had been over-camped and there was a fire ban in effect. There were some folks set up in Shining Rock Gap (the small gap just below the rocks), and the WIND came up during the night. I went up there the next morning and they were gone. There was one dome tent up in a tree, but that was it.”

“the wind does come up over that gap! The last night I was there, my tent was flapping all night...I thought it was going to start snowing.......i remember getting up around 2 am and packing my pack except for tent and sleeping bag and putting it in the tent ( i never do that) ......but it was just a lot of wind...no storm ... that was a long night tho....had never really experienced that "windy gap" phenomenon before....now it is kinda neat.”

“oh...and thanks for the link baume66!”

“That was a wild night. There were two of us in a Sierra Designs Lookout (the 3-person) with ALL the stakes in the ground... like 17 of 'em. You could hear the wind coming in the treetops, then it would suck the air out of the tent... then the tent would fill with air again (*POP*) and try to jump off the ground with us in it.

And we were up in the trees surrounded by bushes! Those poor folks out in the open... I can only imagine.”

“Tell me about this Shining Rocks. Must be one of those magical places?
Got a link where I can read about it or maybe there's been a trip report?”

“Go to google.com and you'll find a mess of links. This is one I found last night. There must be trip reports too, go to the TT search feature.”

“fire ban still in effect,art loeb trail has been re-reouted from the iverness TH!”

“The trail doesn't go up Grassy Cove Top from Ivestor Gap anymore does it?

Here's another
link or two. Check that webcam on Cold Mountain -- it looks kinda foggy right now.”

“gee, lastntime for me there was in '99. looks like i will be re-exploring....
flatlander...did you read Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier?...that is what led me to do this hike before...”

“I ended up in grassey cove, but I followed an animal trail, whoops! It is a beautitful area!”

“Om, Please include me on any emails/plans etc for this trip..I may be able to make it..

I'll cross my fingers! My email is lapb24@yahoo.com

Is anyone else flying in from out of town?”

“Namaste and good morning

TX....so far, I think of the folks that have expressed interest in going, you will be the only flier.
I will be driving and coming in on Saturday, staying thru Wednesday, then continuing on to the Family Fforest fling at Mt. Rogers.

the dates for the Shining Rocks/Cold Mtn trip again are Oct. 26-31 , that is a friday to a wednesday. Wed. is a full moon (blue moon and Halloween too, for those of you into that) I will be leaving my broom at home tho.

Other lunatics threatening to show up so far: :)
weekenders
Rad - coming in on friday
Skiracer - coming in on friday
Gojo - ?? still coming???
TXWoodswoman - dates?

Right now, the easiest plan is to start at the Ivestor Gap trailhead off the Blue Ridge Parkway and take an easy/flat
5 mile hike to the campsite at Shining Rock. from there, it is about 5 miles to Cold Mtn. (ups and downs on the ridge, complete with an apple tree, hopefully still there and bearing) I did it as a dayhike last time, but I think I might like to do an overnighter this time, This is all in the Shining Rocks Wilderness, so camping is wherever you please, but fires are not allowed. Also, it may still be bear hunting season, and they suggest wearing an orange vest or similar thing while hiking. In four days, I did not run into a hunter or a bear or a person (after some weekenders left on sunday) last time i went, but who knows what can be this year. folks with just the weekend have lots of trail options to explore..
as a "the path is the goal" person, I try to leave "plans" loose, but will get more specific on congregation points in email

y'all have a grateful day, its friday and maybe even payday for some of us....i dont know how to spell hal-eh-lu-ya, so i will just say jai ram!”

“Hallalulu?
/o:3”

“I'm thinking we'll be there! Drive up there late on Friday night and leave on Sunday afternoon though. Looking forward to it.”

“Hey!

Planning on hitching a ride over from the airport and showing up on Friday eve til whenever my ride is staying..Sun afternoon?”

“Yes, I read the book. I loaned it to my daughter or I would read it again.”

“Thanks Ghost...good article..
i loved that book. a love story...love of the mountains.

I started out at the Daniel Boone trailhead (ARt Loeb) on my first trip, it was fall and the unmarked trail ( heh..like lost cove trail at wilson creek) was also covered with leaves, so, I was relying on my compass and map. ( It got dark and I was no where near what seemed to be the trail and I was pretty much disoriented , so I camped out there that night . Because I was solo and it was the first hike after ankle injury recovery, I wimped out and headed back to Danl Boone camp the next morning. Then I drove up to the Blue Ridge and hiked in on the Ivestor Gap trail which was much easier to follow,
I get " lost" easily when the trails are covered with leaves...heh.....so, any one still wanting to come along...bring yer maps. I can copy my map and send it to anyone needing one if you email me with your home address.”

“I can pick one up at a local outfitter for anyone that would like one. It's $6.00 and from the U.S. Dept of Agriculture (Forest Service). Shining Rock Wilderness and Middle Prong Wilderness in Pisgah National Forest.”

“Hey Ski, do you want to carpool? YOU can drive.”

“ski, come pick me up, too. LOL!!!!”

“Is this hike still on?”

“OM email me I would like to do this trip wit ya!”

“OM email me I would like to do this trip wit ya!”

“I am very much still looking forward to this trip!
Friday Oct. 26 (i forgot i am the boss, so I took friday off too) thru Wed Oct 31 in the shining rocks wilderness, then off to Mt. Rogers family fling thursday...

yay! glad you may join jerbear!
i will e ya....
my computer is sick, so i am using my sons while he is out gallavanting. it smells really gamey in here.....”

“Got my plane tickets really, really cheap!!

I'm coming so count me in!!

As far as I can tell no "undesireables" have signed up for this hike..gooooood times!!

Gojo? Sarabelle? Ya'll coming? I've got some really cool bonies for ya Belle!! Sorry, Gojo, nuttin fer yew!

Tex”

“givin' the DOG a BONE!”

“"undesireables" PLEASE define?I may fit that catorgey! Mohaaaaaaa!”

“i have been undesired for many moons ...heh
so...
it looks like this so far.....
rad
skiracer
txwoodswoman (thanks for adding some gender balance)
jerbear

gojo??????? u an belle coming?”

“cool. i'm looking forward to a groovy trip!”

“radster...is jen coming? say yes.....”

“hmm. i'll ask her.”

“I'll be there.”

“jai ski!
txwdswmn....to where are you flying?

oh im bein followed by a moonshadow
moonshadow moonshadow
leepin an hoppin on a moonshadow
moonshadow moonshadow....
=%}
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~”

“look out for big CATS!”

“OM I need some info on this trip I think I can make it. I need to know what the meeting plan is and at what time.Are you all starting out from the Boy Scout camp or are you coming in from the parkway or from Hwy 226 or have I missed something here. I will only be good for the weekend. Friday thru Sunday.

mapsIlike@hotmail.com”

“jai spam!! kewl!
i will email you the details...
i am looking forward to meeting you.”

“Thanks. I got the info from skiracer already.I think I know exactly where this trail is.Iffin I am correct the first part of the trail is across a bald.”

“spam, email me the info on the bald trail, pleez. thanks.”

“OM- I would like a pound of Wasabi peas. Do you have access to these morsels? If so pick em up and I will repay you on the trail.”