WNCOutdoors.info Blog

Ok, so in the past, the sites in the WNCOutdoors.info network haven’t been among the most interactive sites on the Internet. That’s because we’ve spent all the available time we have enhancing the content and functionality of the site itself – not to mention visiting new places to share. In the mean time, all kinds of people have come along and built better communications tools than we ever could have! So we’re going to try using them all in an attempt to stay connected with the people who use these sites and enjoy all the outdoor activities of Western North Carolina. Do you have questions about the trails? Need a recommendation for an upcoming hike this weekend? Here are some ways you can get connected with us (and other people who use WNCOutdoors.info):

• This blog. We own it, and all of the stuff on it, and so we’re kind of fond of it. Feel free to comment and ask questions as you see posts you’re interested in.
• Facebook. Check us out at http://www.facebook.com/wncoutdoors.info. We’ll post links there back to articles that show up here, and there are some good forums you can use for discussion as well.
• Twitter. Yeah, I didn’t get the point of twitter either at first. But it can be useful! Check us out there at http:///twitter.com/wncoutdoors. We’ll try to make sure the first few words of my posts are relevant and informative, so stuff will trickle in there appropriately.
• Google Buzz. This is the newest social tool to hit the Interwebs, and it comes from one of the biggest and most innovative companies there is. We expect it to be a useful resource for staying in touch. Visit our profile at http://www.google.com/profiles/wncoutdoors

We hope to hear from you soon!

Due to tree damage from the severe winter weather we’ve had in the last few months, and more potential erosion damage that could be caused as the frozen ground thaws and becomes soft, officials at Dupont State Forest have decided to close several trails starting tomorrow (March 6) until further notice. Some are closed to just bikes & horses, but some are closed to all uses. The full list of affected trails can be found at the link below.

In addition to official closures, many other area roads and trails – particularly roads – could be closed without prior notice, and even those that are open could be severely damaged and treacherous by the winter weather. Always consider this appropriately before heading out on the trails, and maybe have a backup plan that includes pavement!

Dupont State Forest Trail Closure Official Notice

According to the Forest Service in Asheville, the main recreation area on Roan Mountain will be closed prior to June 6th this year, and again after July 7th, for road paving and trail work, as well as reconstruction of the restrooms in the Cloudland area. This narrow window of time for the area to be open does correspond with the best time for viewing the famous rhododendron blooms in the Rhododendron Gardens area. The $700,000 needed for this project is coming from the unpopular American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

But don’t hesitate to visit this beautiful area. As a short-term bonus, the $3 fee usually charged to access the area will be dropped (presumably because they’ll be in the middle of construction and it will be a mess). Also, the Appalachian trail will remain open across the mountain, and some of the best hiking is to be done away from the construction area across the balds to the west anyway. The balds themselves will be receiving some restoration work, but this won’t prevent the Appalachian Trail from being closed this summer.

Instead of watching the super bowl, I hiked to the waterfall on Hickory Branch today, near the historic Curtis Creek area in the Pisgah National Forest. It was a beautiful winter day, and not only would I rather do just about anything but watch football, there’s not much I’d rather do than hike to a waterfall I’ve never seen before!

Waterfall on Hickory Branch

The Curtis Creek area, in the shadow of Mount Mitchell and the Blue Ridge, was one of the first areas to be added to the National Forest after the creation of Pisgah. The hike starts at the Curtis Creek campground, which has just received major renovations and more campsites in the last few years.  There are several trails in the area. The Hickory Branch trail goes past a waterfall, of course, but the others climb into the higher elevations and eventually lead all the way up to the Blue Ridge Parkway.

The big winter storm of last Friday dumped record amounts of snow on the mid-atlantic states but didn’t do much in the Asheville area. However, it left this valley blanketed in about 6 inches of snow. The higher elevation ridges, visible through the trees and from the open areas near the campground, were glittering a brilliant, silvery white with the remains of the damaging ice storm – nature’s pruning shears – that they received just a couple of days ago. The gate at the campground was closed, but it’s only a short walk from there up to the trailhead anyway.

There were no tracks on the trail, so Darla and I forged ahead into fresh snow territory. The going was a bit tough – the snow was a lot deeper than I thought it would be – but it actually provides good traction on some of the really steep parts of the trail. Better than mud would, anyway. It was quite a sight – the woods were hush, except for the sound of rushing water. The streams are all higher than normal this winter, making it a good time to go out and see waterfalls.

The trail climbs a bit more steeply at the very beginning and again near the falls, but overall it’s not that difficult. And it’s a short hike of less than a mile one-way. While not a magnificent or spectacular falls, this one definitely has its charm. I don’t know that I’d recommend making a special trip out here to see it, but if you are already in the area or camping at Curtis Creek, it’s definitely worthwhile. And if you’re looking for solitude after a snowstorm, apparently there’s no better place!

Get all the details on how to get there on NorthCarolinaWaterfalls.info!

According to the Asheville Citizen Times and the Times-News Online today, the Blue Ridge Parkway Protection Act has been introduced into the house, which would authorize $75 million to acquire high priority lands adjacent to the existing Parkway corridor. The goal of the bill, which is being introduced while the Parkway celebrates its 75th anniversary, would be to protect adjacent land from development for resource conservation and viewshed preservation. Although the bill does not specify which lands are being targeted, and will not seek to acquire land through eminent domain, added lands would likely be available for recreational purposes, so this could eventually have an effect on the total area available for on-trail opportunities for hiking and mountain biking in the region as well.

An article in the Roanoke Times mentions the possibility of adding mountain bike trails to the Blue Ridge Parkway’s list of off-road recreational activities. In 2008, the Parkway asked for public comment on its trails development plan, and specifically those trails which connect to other trails on public lands in the area. Many riders from our region enthusiastically supported adding mountain bikers as an acceptable user type, including myself. Although, according to the article, the plan won’t come out for review until at least next year (and then it could be years until the trails are opened or built), it appears that there is hope that the National Park Service might start opening some of its trails to bikes.

Currently, there is only one trail on National Park land in the entire region that is open to bikes: the lower portion of the Deep Creek trail (and it is more of a gravel road). And although bike-friendly Forest Service trails connect directly to the Blue Ridge Parkway, users must stop riding and carry their bikes over the short section of trail on Parkway property until they reach the roadway, an awkward and senseless requirement which would hopefully be lifted once the new plan goes in place.

We’ll keep you posted as we here more about the prospects of bikes on National Park Service lands.

It turns out I had the Panthertown Valley trails mistakenly under the South Mountains State Park trailhead! I’ve corrected this, and added all the new official Forest Service trails in Panthertown Valley. Check ‘em out, and GPS maps of the trails are coming soon!

I spent New Year’s Eve visiting two waterfalls near Highlands, NC which I have added to NorthCarolinaWaterfalls.info: Picklesimer Rock House Falls and Big Shoals (Secret Falls). The weather was foggy, and it had snowed around 1-2 inches the night before, which was actually great weather for hiking! The recent precipitation meant the water was up, and it was cool so I didn’t have to worry about overheating. And the fog made for some great, moody photography.

Picklesimer Rock House Falls

Picklesimer Rock House Falls is a free-fall over a big rock bluff that old-timers used to call a Rock House. And apparently, someone named Picklesimer lived nearby, or named the falls. It’s a great destination for families with older kids, as the trail is not too hard, and the area around the falls is pretty safe. Just use the usual caution around creeks and rocks, but there’s no big cliffs to worry about below you. And with the really cold weather we’re getting now, there should be some really cool ice formations here later this week!

Big Shoals (Secret Falls)

Big Shoals is what I presume the “official” name of this waterfall is, since the newly blazed & graded trail that leads to it goes by that name. In reality, everyone calls it Secret Falls, which is ironic since it’s not even slightly a secret anymore. It’s a beautiful place, though, and I can see why locals might want to keep it that way.

These are some easy hikes that should be well worth trying this winter. Click the falls’ names at the top of this post for links to maps, directions, and trail descriptions, and then go check them out!

Catawba Falls is located just off of I-40 in the Pisgah National Forest, near Old Fort, in McDowell County. Despite its’ being on National Forest property, however, the falls has long since been off-limits to the general public due to the only reasonable access trail being on private property. But good news! Recently, the Foothills Conservancy bought the 23-acre tract over which the access trail passes for $400,000.00, on a loan. A temporary access agreement with the County was put in place, and since then the public has been allowed to access the fails simply by parking at the end of the road and walking up the trail.

More recently, a Federal house bill has been passed that will allocate the funds for the US Forest Service to acquire the land from the Nature Conservancy, thereby paying off the loan, and possibly develop a larger parking area for public access. Since this news was released mid and late last year, I’ve put the falls high on my list for a visit – and it was well worth the wait. Catawba Falls is a beautiful, multi-charactered falls with two distinct sections – a wonderful addition to the selection of trails and hikes available in Western North Carolina.

The trail begins at the end of Catawba River Road off of I-40, at the bottom of the Old Fort grade (directions on Google Maps). On the day of my most recent hike, there was still a good 6″ of ice and snow on the ground from two recent winter storms in late 2009 (the major snow of December 18th and the big ice storm Christmas morning). The trail was muddy where there was no snow, and it was actually easier to walk on the crunchy snow than the places where the trail was clear!

The trail is mostly level at first, and I noticed that it followed an old power line (which is down in places). The trail starts on the left side of the creek but eventually you must cross to the right side where it continues. There is one place where it is possible to rock-hop, but it was above boot level with the high water. Upstream from that, at the old powerhouse, was a slippery log which I was able to use as a makeshift bridge. It still had snow and ice on it, so it was tricky at best. Expect to get wet on this crossing if you come after wet weather!

After you cross, the trail follows the creek upstream on a gentle grade at first, then a moderate climb. You will pass by the ruins of the dam that supplied the old power house (seen here). The trail drops off steeply to a cascade below the dam, so be careful. This creek used to be the sole power source for the town of Old Fort.

Beyond the dam, the trail climbs a bit more steeply before making another creek crossing. That crossing is an easy rockhop. Next, the trail comes out in a dry wash. Cross to a rocky “island” in between the wash and another creek crossing, and cross that as well. This second crossing was tricky again on my last hike – a big hemlock log makes a good bridge but it too was snow and ice covered.

The trail then continues uphill a short distance through an area of very large boulders to the lower falls, seen below (from a prior trip with no snow). There is a good bit of room for hanging out an enjoying the scenery. The uppermost parts of the falls might be obscured from view when the leaves are on the trees, so I’d recommend going before the winter is over. In very cold weather, I bet lots of ice forms on and around the falls:

Lower Catawba Falls

Now from here, there is a scramble path that leads up the right side of the falls. There is a sign warning you not to go that way and let me tell you – heed the sign. It starts out steep, gets steeper, and eventually gets so steep up some rocks that there is a rope in place to help numbskulls (like me) who go up there anyways keep from getting killed. Because that’s what will happen if you slip – you’ll tumble down the path and off the falls. Not only is it steep, but it’s narrow, with a sheer drop-off into the creek.

So why would anyone even bother climbing this path? There are some pretty neat (scary?) views of the lower falls from up there, but the real reason is to reach the upper falls – which are about 5 minutes upstream from the top of the lower falls. The upper falls is really nice, but until a better path is established, I can’t recommend anyone attempting to reach them. So I got a photo for you:

Upper Catawba Falls

So from the photo you can probably see why people would want to haul themselves up the mountain. It is such a beautiful waterfall, but the trail up there is so bad that I’m torn as to whether I’d even go back that way to reach them.

I’ve added Catawba Falls to NorthCarolinaWaterfalls.info, and I’m considering adding it to HikeWNC.info as a Best Hike also. But for that, I’ll probably wait until the Forest Service buys the land near the trailhead, making the “temporary” access more permanent.

A while back, I was surfing around Google Maps and noticed that “The Loop” on US 441 in the Smokies wasn’t showing up properly on the map. And when you tried to use the Street View to go around the loop, it jumped from the lower part of the road to the upper part at the tunnel. So, I used the nifty little “Report a Problem” link on the map to describe this to Google. It’s now been fixed! Here’s the email Google sent me as notification:

On Tue, Dec 15, 2009 at 10:04 AM, <noreply-maps-issues@google.com> wrote:

Hi Jordan,

Google Maps has been updated to correct the problem you reported. You can see the update here, and if you still see a problem, please tell us more about the issue:
Link to view and/or reopen issue

Report history
Problem ID: FB89-4FC9-1447-A5D4

Your report: US 441 loops over itself right here. It’s a bizarre little bit of engineering to get the road to a lower elevation in a hurry. “The Loop” isn’t shown on the map, nor is it possible to follow Street View around the loop – it jumps right from the lower part of the road to the upper part as you go through the tunnel.

–
Thanks for your help,
The Google Maps team