Fri, Nov 29 2019 - Panthertown Valley Basecamp and Day Hiking (Bear Canister or Ursack Required) (View Original Event Details) Trip Leader(s): Eric P, Grant Brown Participants: Jane, Yong, Cathy, Eric P, Grant Brown

Well, we had yet another great AOC excursion into the little jewel: Panthertown Valley. We headed out early at 0730 in an environmentally friendly manner with five backpacks and five passengers; all in Eric's Subaru. We parked at Salt Rock Gap and headed down the Blackrock Trail to the top of Blackrock MNT, elevation 4495'. After 3.5 miles via Powerline RD, we crossed the slippery rock bottom of the Riding Ford trail at the south fork of the Tuckasegee River. We made camp at the pool below Jawbone Falls, an exceptionally beautiful sand beach site. Jawbone is the second of six waterfalls along the river as it winds into Tanasee Creek Lake in the shadow of Bonas Defeat. After setting up camp we hiked like goats down to a vantage point of Riding Ford Falls and then down to an eroded granite overhang at a bend in the Tuckasegee. Then, most of the group hiked to the top of Little Green MNT, elevation 4094', to watch the sunset. The return trip conducted with headlamps lit. During the evening we happened upon AOC member #2, Kat Martin, and we enjoyed her campfire and conversation until bedtime. the following day we did an 8-mile loop. A fair amount of any hike in Panthertown involves going on un-maintained trials with numerous fallen trees and thick Rhododendron forests in order to reach the prizes of secluded waterfalls. On this trek, we visited Mac's Falls, Greenland Creek Falls, and after a return to the top of Little Green MNT, Warden Falls. Upon returning to camp we waited on the rain to begin. We wound up building a fire and cooking dinner in our rain gear while drops came down intermittently all evening. During the night, the rain persisted and finally moved on after 4 AM. We packed up many dampened pieces of gear and left on a different route out of the valley.
Link to photos:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/28YTydnsG8Hiz6K17