My first official trip was to Shining Rock Wilderness with some friends. It was a beautiful fall overnighter up Shining Rock Trail and back down Old Butt Knob. I learned what gear I didn't need and what gear needed serious updating. More on that later.
The first time I visited Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest was in 2009 during a field course on forest ecosystems through Highland Biological Station. This ambitious 2-week course sent me to many beautiful landscapes in the southern Appalachians, but none quite so beautiful as Joyce Kilmer. I was determined to return one day and share its grandeur with others.
Fast forward almost 6 years to my current job with my current backpacking trip dreaming buddy. It's cold in my office (the record was a chilly 52 degrees in which I went right back home to work in flannel PJs), but we were still jonesin' for the mountains. When Liz mentioned she wanted to see the giant trees in Joyce Kilmer I promptly alerted her to the fact that there were great trails there as well (so I had heard). And that's about how easy it is for us to decide where to go.
We gathered a grand number of folks into our plan. We set a date, itinerary, bought guides and maps, scoured the interwebs for tips, planned out a baller route...only to have temps in the teens and freezing rain shut us out of our weekend. We were bummed. BUT - - we had a backup date set for the following month.
But, woe is life. As weekend B rolls around, more folks drop out. Soon it's just Liz, Northwest (my hubby), and myself. We are determined to have a kick ass time, though!
The original plan: A 3 day, 2 night point-to-point hike with a few day trips scattered in.
One car parked at the Jenkins Meadow trailhead just outside the Memorial Forest. We'd hike around and see the giant tulip poplars first (sans packs) and then head up Naked Ground trail around noon. We wanted to get the "Gold Star" campsite as others had called it. Day 2 would be a quick jaunt out to Bob Stratton Bald and then back to Naked Ground to pack up and head to the Hangover. Camp that night would be somewhere along the Deep Creek Trail. Day 3 was the hike out to the Deep Creek trailhead where another car would be parked. Then we'd head onward to Asheville for celebratory beer and pizza!
Spring is a funny time in the mountains. Weather fronts move in and out of the area so sporadically, it's hard to nail down a great weekend to sleep outside way in advance. That's not helpful for 9 to 5ers like us. Our forecast for the first day was to be glorious, and boy was it ever. However, rain was set to move in overnight and stay the remainder of the weekend. A last minute decision (as in, we made the decision while standing in the parking area of the Memorial Forest) left us with both vehicles at the Jenkins Meadow trailhead with plans to hike down that trail the following day sodden and defeated from the torrential downpour that was so eminent.
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| Old Growth Tulip Poplar in the Memorial Forest |
The trail is gorgeous and mostly well maintained. At around 4.5 miles long it's a great afternoon start if you are arriving the same day. The last 0.8 mile is a series of switchbacks that would make the devil cry (if he were also carrying his belongings on his back, that is). But once you reach the gap at Naked Ground you are well rewarded for your efforts.
One of the best views I've ever walked to was from atop Naked Ground. We were the first group to arrive (as planned) so we snagged the Gold Star camp site. This is primo, people. 100% beauty. Pictures and words cannot do it justice.
During camp setup, another couple of hikers emerged from the Naked Ground trail. We offered for them to camp anywhere near us and to share our already smoldering fire once they set up camp. They obliged. They have driven in from Raleigh that day and were totally pooped. One guy was from WV (my home state) so I immediately offered him some apple pie once he sat down next to the fire. Of booze there was aplenty.
Due to the impending rain, we decided to call it a night early. The bear bag was hung, the tarp was stretched out to create a dry place for breakfast in the morning, and the fire was extinguished. Minutes after we piled into our tents we heard the pitter patter of rain droplets on nylon. Just in time.
But what came next was the most intense wind I've ever been outside in. And my parents live in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. I'm pretty sure that's where wind was invented. Gales roared up the west face of the mountain and hit our camp site with such force I thought our rain fly would rip to shreds. I could hear Liz's tarp clinging for dear life just outside. Then the wind would roll down the east face and into the valley below. This cycle would occur roughly every 2-5 minutes. Not much sleep was had.
But I fell asleep at some point. I woke to the sounds of Liz cursing and grunting outside. It sounded as if she were wrestling something large and unruly. The wind had finally ripped the tarp stake out of the ground and the tarp was helplessly flapping about. I shimmied out of my bag to help Liz bring in the tarp. The day had been warm and beautiful, but the storm had brought cold, pelting rain. Back in the tent I layered on another shirt and my new down jacket. I snuggled up as close as I could to the dog and tried to warm myself as best I could. I eventually slept for what seemed like 5 minutes before the brightening sky told me that night was finally over. And then it was Day 2: The Not as Good Day...
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| The view from Naked Ground's Gold Star campsite |
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