The whole idea behind the Grand Loop is to create a trail entirely around the Linville Gorge that stays entirely within the Wilderness and does not walk a road. The GL is 39 miles. But to gain merti badge requirements for the Boy Scouts, Wigg Faulkner added extra loops and resupply exit points and stretched it out to 52 miles. If Rockjock trail is ever extended to intersect Pinchin trail, it will become possible to bring cliff edge hiking into the GL for those who like that sort of thing. Best of luck in your rambles.
Very cool snake! Haha they act like they own the trail don't they. Looks like some grueling hiking, awesome! I love it like that lol! Haha good job on the hammock cluster, sometimes ya gotta do what ya gotta do! Soggy and foggy last day which canceled out the great views and that's a shame, but hiking in those conditions is an experience all its own. Great trip!
Linville Gorge is vertical. To attempt a 39 mile hike around it ( the Grand Loop ) is just asking for it. Better to take it in little short hikes until you get a feel for what you are getting in to. No one yet. I mean NO ONE yet. Has made the GL completely in one continuous hike...as of April 2018. People have been run out by the weather, by being lost, or just beat down by minor injury or fatigue. Some have had a VERY painful river crossing..impossible in high water...unthinkable Nov to March... The hikers here did not have a complete map (!) There will be other attempts on the Grand Loop and I am happy to see it..but I fear that too many get lost in the northeast quad section. Easy to hike but rough to navigate.
@@ethanholshouser5648 yes, that was their claim but they were a little bit lost. The NE Quad is very tricky with some turns actually hidden...or they were when I pioneered the Grand. I have yet to see a map other than Weatherman 2011 that I believe is accurate including Kevin's latest work. It would be easy to make the corrections. Names have been changed or ignored. OR MAYBE things have changed and hidden turns have been cut open. Maybe Curt Teague came quite close to a complete loop but weather stopped him. Hyde and Faulkner and I have done it but in bits and pieces. Faulkner managed to add some very adventurous loops and stretch it out to 52 miles. One group added the Rockjock on to what was already a monumentally challenging hike but they also shortcut the last few miles and walked a road. SORRY, that wont count ! But ya gotta give em credit for adding Rockjock. So to date, I know of no one. NOONE, who has done the continuous loop in one trip. Be glad to hear of other efforts. GPS is necessary.
You need the water collection system from Hennessy. I wasn't sure about them but the first time I tried it it took less than 5 seconds to fill two liters.
That place looks awesome! It's on the long list. I'm taking by buddy Jeff aka Common Sense Camper on his first hike since he's gotten all healthy. Looking for something fairly easy. I'm thinking starting out with the short loop at Wildcat and if he's doing good we can continue on with the long loop. I'm not sure about Archers fork loop yet because there's a few long climbs that are pretty tough. You know any other fairly easy trails? Are the Mohican trails not even worth it?
Wildcat is nice but I hate the fact that you have to haul all your water. Check out Lake Vesuvius and the lakeshore trail it would be perfect for what you’re describing.
Nobody..and I mean nobody has made it thru the NE Quad without getting lost. Part of the problem is that there is a confusion of names fro some of the trails. It is hard to talk intelligently about trail when folks use different names. I think that with a little correction ,Kevin Massey will have a good map on Avenza. Until then you might have better luck with Weatherman Grand Loop 2011. The most beautiful and the roughest trail in this sequence is the Ledge Trail which follows the base of the cliffs on the west side of Hawksbill. It is a rockhop-scramble and I wouldn't want to do it with a pack and definitely not in the rain. No one has really videoed the Ledge because when you need both hands to scramble, the camera tends to hit the pack ---and the best views are lost. LEDGE is a short trail but it almost requires a trip all of its own.
Robert, I really appreciate all the information you’ve provided and when we go back it will be very helpful. The gorge is truly an amazing place and was a challenge (which made it so much fun). Thanks for taking the time (on both videos) to provide this, I’m sure many people will also find it very useful. Now I need to look into the Ledge trail...
The whole idea behind the Grand Loop is to create a trail entirely around the Linville Gorge that stays entirely within the Wilderness and does not walk a road.
The GL is 39 miles. But to gain merti badge requirements for the Boy Scouts, Wigg Faulkner added extra loops and resupply exit points and stretched it out to 52 miles.
If Rockjock trail is ever extended to intersect Pinchin trail, it will become possible to bring cliff edge hiking into the GL for those who like that sort of thing.
Best of luck in your rambles.
Just got back to cbus from doing the VA tripple crown and I was jonesing for bojangles the entire time! :) stopped on the way back in WV.
Old Hwy 105 and Bojangles biscuits!
A moment of silence.....................................................................................................🤫!😆
Love linville Gorge. Great area to backpack. Enjoyed your video and keep the videos coming. 😃👍
It was an awesome place - will def. be going back
SBOutdoors I’ll be going back one day too. Too beautiful of place not to go back.
I’m planning a trip in June. Can’t wait, it looks awesome!
J Perry that’s excellent. No joke, don’t plan a trip with high mileage per day.
Very cool snake! Haha they act like they own the trail don't they. Looks like some grueling hiking, awesome! I love it like that lol! Haha good job on the hammock cluster, sometimes ya gotta do what ya gotta do! Soggy and foggy last day which canceled out the great views and that's a shame, but hiking in those conditions is an experience all its own. Great trip!
Yep very grueling but absolutely amazing scenery. Thanks for watching!
Good trip boys. A lot of type A fun it looks like. The Gorge has been on the list for years now.
Thanks for watching! If you’re in TN, you’re probably decently close
Looked like all kinds of cuben tarps around that tree lol. Great trip you guys.
Jason Helmandollar Thanks Jason! All hammock gear
The Gorge never yields her charms easily. She beats you down and then gives you a reward you can’t find in other places.
Excellent Video! I really enjoyed this one. 👍😀 We should be seeing you guys at the meet in Ohio soon.
Oh excellent! Can’t wait
Absolutely loved it!
Couldn’t have done this without you Ian. Come to Ohio sometime and we’ll set something up
SBOutdoors sounds good brother
Looks like a beautiful place. Going to have to plan a trip there.
Josh Herod Outdoor Adventures For sure do it. It was a great time (and you’re in excellent condition for it too)
Seems like one of those trips that you need to do a little preconditioning for. Beautiful area for sure. Take care, Al
Preconditioning is a must there, gotta work hard for those views.
Linville Gorge is vertical. To attempt a 39 mile hike around it ( the Grand Loop ) is just asking for it.
Better to take it in little short hikes until you get a feel for what you are getting in to.
No one yet.
I mean NO ONE yet.
Has made the GL completely in one continuous hike...as of April 2018. People have been run out by the weather, by being lost, or just beat down by minor injury or fatigue. Some have had a VERY painful river crossing..impossible in high water...unthinkable Nov to March...
The hikers here did not have a complete map (!)
There will be other attempts on the Grand Loop and I am happy to see it..but I fear that too many get lost in the northeast quad section. Easy to hike but rough to navigate.
@@robertunderwood1011 there is a video here on CZcams of the Hickery Brothers doing it back in 2013 or so.
@@ethanholshouser5648 yes, that was their claim but they were a little bit lost. The NE Quad is very tricky with some turns actually hidden...or they were when I pioneered the Grand. I have yet to see a map other than Weatherman 2011 that I believe is accurate including Kevin's latest work. It would be easy to make the corrections. Names have been changed or ignored.
OR MAYBE things have changed and hidden turns have been cut open.
Maybe
Curt Teague came quite close to a complete loop but weather stopped him. Hyde and Faulkner and I have done it but in bits and pieces. Faulkner managed to add some very adventurous loops and stretch it out to 52 miles. One group added the Rockjock on to what was already a monumentally challenging hike but they also shortcut the last few miles and walked a road. SORRY, that wont count ! But ya gotta give em credit for adding Rockjock.
So to date, I know of no one. NOONE, who has done the continuous loop in one trip. Be glad to hear of other
efforts.
GPS is necessary.
What your saying is that Frozen hikes the trail twice to film it.
You need the water collection system from Hennessy. I wasn't sure about them but the first time I tried it it took less than 5 seconds to fill two liters.
LOVE YOUR VIDEOS BRO !!!!!!!!! I am an OHIO boy too born and raised
Whitetail Bushcraft Thanks for watching!
You and your wife have dream hammocks. I’m looking at going from tent to hammock. Any suggestions?
Can y’all do a vlog on hammock backpacking. I’m interested in y’all’s dream hammocks.
That place looks awesome! It's on the long list. I'm taking by buddy Jeff aka Common Sense Camper on his first hike since he's gotten all healthy. Looking for something fairly easy. I'm thinking starting out with the short loop at Wildcat and if he's doing good we can continue on with the long loop. I'm not sure about Archers fork loop yet because there's a few long climbs that are pretty tough. You know any other fairly easy trails? Are the Mohican trails not even worth it?
Wildcat is nice but I hate the fact that you have to haul all your water. Check out Lake Vesuvius and the lakeshore trail it would be perfect for what you’re describing.
Yeah I forgot about Vesuvius.... That would be perfect. Its a lot flatter and has the water.
You guys missed the best views. You have to go back and get the views from the north rim. They're worth the trip. Good job and thanks for sharing!!
You guys should do something with Tim
Nobody..and I mean nobody has made it thru the NE Quad without getting lost. Part of the problem is that there is a confusion of names fro some of the trails. It is hard to talk intelligently about trail when folks use different names.
I think that with a little correction ,Kevin Massey will have a good map on Avenza. Until then you might have better luck with Weatherman Grand Loop 2011.
The most beautiful and the roughest trail in this sequence is the Ledge Trail which follows the base of the cliffs on the west side of Hawksbill. It is a rockhop-scramble and I wouldn't want to do it with a pack and definitely not in the rain.
No one has really videoed the Ledge because when you need both hands to scramble, the camera tends to hit the pack ---and the best views are lost. LEDGE is a short trail but it almost requires a trip all of its own.
Robert, I really appreciate all the information you’ve provided and when we go back it will be very helpful. The gorge is truly an amazing place and was a challenge (which made it so much fun). Thanks for taking the time (on both videos) to provide this, I’m sure many people will also find it very useful. Now I need to look into the Ledge trail...