Shining Rock Wilderness (Fall 2011)
After bailing out of a trip in Linville Gorge my 13 year old brother Joseph and I worked things out to extend our trip and spend two nights exploring the Shining Rock Wilderness Area. We didn't do anything epic or special but we had a great time together.
The trailhead leading into Shining Rock Wilderness is right off the Blue Ridge Parkway. As we shouldered our packs in the bone chilling wind tourist helpfully told us we were crazy. I would have loved to have showed them our minimal gear!
It was getting late so we hiked a short distance and pitched camp by a creek. I knew it would be cold so I pitched my 9x9ft. tarp with three sides flush to the ground. The open end I faced downhill and into the brush. It was a cold night. We passed the time chatting about varies things. Joseph is a very smart young man at 13 wer're lucky too have always gotten along pretty well as brothers.
At first light we were up and hiking.
The trail led up to the ridge and the Art Loeb Trail.
Once on the ridge the views became much more open and dramatic.
It was still cold and ice linger on the trees from a storm the day before. We enjoyed the scenery silently. We didn't talk much we just quietly enjoyed the scenery and the experience of seeing a cool wilderness together.
As the sun got higher it warmed up a bit but it was chilling all day long. Hiking at a good pace helped us stay warm.
There had been a light snow sometime earlier and you could still see a dusting of snow in shady spots.
This was our first time in the area and Joseph absulutely loved the scenery. He took dozens of pictures from every angle.
We ate lunch on a rock and dried out Joseph's sleeping bag which had picked up some condensation.
We had planned to hike a few more miles and camp near Shining Rock. The next day we'd climb Cold Mountain and head home.
The problem was my ankle was starting to hurt. I was recovering from a really bad sprain earlier and I knew if I pushed myself it could get really painful and it would not heal again quickly. That nixed any hope of climbing Cold Mountain either that day or the next.
We agreed that since we couldn't hike much farther we might as well take a side trail off the ridge and back to the car. I told Joseph we could stay the night be he said "No thanks." If we weren't going anywere new he had no interest in another cold nice on a windy mountain.
The trail out was pretty but nothing like the ridge we'd been on. We moved quickly and didn't stop for much. We skipped dinner knowing we'd buy somethign on the way home.
It was a fun trip but I was a bit dissappointed. Our original hiking plan for Linville Gorge had fallen apart and now the three day epic hike I'd planned had turned into a realatively tame overnighter that was barely more than a day hike. I changed my outlook when my mom reported that Joseph told her it was his favorite trip ever. I guess that makes it a success. I'm blessed to have an awesome family and spending quality time with them is way more important to me than how far I'm able to hike on a trip.
