Shining Rock Wilderness Loop

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Shining Rock Wilderness Loop

The Basics:

Event Type:

Backpacking

Event Location:

Shining Rock Wilderness, North Carolina

Backpacking: Shining Rock Wilderness Loop

Date(s) & Time:

Sat, Mar 7 2015 9:00 am >> Sun, Mar 8 2015 10:00 pm (Carpool Departure: 6:00 am *log in for location*)

Registration Opens:

Thu, Feb 12 2015 9:00 pm

Registration Cut Off:

Thu, Mar 5 2015 11:59 pm

Event Duration:

1 Days 12 Hours

Difficulty Rating:

D6: Advanced

Distance:

24 Miles

Pace:

Moderate

Trip Leader(s):

Eric P

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Member Cost:

None

Participant Info:

Who's Invited:

Members Only, 21 And Older Only

Maximum Group Size:

Minimum Group Size:

Number Registered So Far:

9 / 0 (To see who's signed up, log in to the Member Area)

Are Dogs Permitted:

Yes

Itinerary:

The Shining Rock Wilderness is one of my favorite backpacking spots in the south east. This 20+ mile loop contains a bit of everything that the wilderness offers.

Please be aware that in early March the weather can be anything from snowy and extremely cold to sunny and warm. With that being said there is a good chance that our camping area will be cold as it is located at over 5000ft in elevation. Last year it was warm during the day and around freezing at night with several inches of snow in places from a storm the day before.

While the elevation gains are fairly gentle for the most part, this trip is not for beginners as the mileage makes it a D6 trip based on club guidelines.

With the Blue Ridge Parkway likely being closed we will see many less people than normal during the trip.

Another thing to be aware of is that I am not a huge fan of camping and most of the time during the event will be spent either on the trail or at scenic spots along the way instead of sitting around in camp. Additionally I plan to break camp no later than 9 AM so this may not be the event for you if you like to sleep in, this is especially true seeing that the time change occurs that night so 9am will feel like 8am.

You can view a rough plan for the trip here:
Click for Image of Trip Route
Day 1: 12-14 miles
Day 2: 9-11 miles

We start at the Big East Fork parking lot at 9am Saturday morning and take the Big East Fork trail to the Mountains to the Sea trail. We will take a short detour onto the Blue Ridge Parkway to view the Looking Glass Rock overlook. From there we will head towards Graveyard Fields on the MST and check out both water falls before continuing on to our camping area in the Black Balsam Knob/Sam Knob area.

The second day will start with us crossing over the open bald areas that give great views in all directions as we make our way to the shining rock. After checking out the view from Shining rock we will make our way back to the cars using the Shining Creek Trail.

Required Items to Bring:

Backpack

Tent / Tarp

Sleeping Bag / Sleeping Pad

1 Dinner, 2 Lunches, 1 Breakfast, and Snacks

Clothing appropriate for the weather

At least 2 Liters of Water

Way to treat additional water(Pump,chemicals,etc)

Way to safely secure your food(Rope+Bearbag,bear canister, etc)

Recommended Items to Bring:
Use our Event Checklists to make sure you have everything you need.

Head lamp/flashlight

Camera

Spade and Toilet Paper

How to Get There:

Event Directions:

Google Map Directions

Carpool to Event Distance (round trip):

332Mile(s)

Carpool Departure Time:

6:00 am

Carpool Location:

Carpool Directions:

Carpool Cost:

Estimated cost per vehicle for this event is $132.80 using a reimbursement rate guideline of $0.400 per mile. The total amount should be divided by the number of people in the vehicle, including the driver. This is a guideline, not a rule, for drivers but the cost should not be higher unless there are extenuating circumstances.

Notes:

I am only allowing one dog on this event.

* We encourage all members to follow our Etiquette Guidelines while participating in AOC events.

Cancellation/Partial Attendance: Please review the AOC cancellation policy.