First: id appreciate it ifsome of you connected with the CCC would repost this list to their forum. Im haveing trouble getting in and dont want to retype. Appreciate it.

Second: All the trails mentioned here ( and about 88 others ) are on the Index of Linville Trails at www.linvillegorge.net. Some of these trails are PROPOSED which is a separate Index. Most trails are GPsed and almost all have at least a hand-drawn map.

'Proposed' means that the trail either never existed or is now so overgrown that efforts to restore it start from scratch.

Third: Any of these would be suitable for Adopt-A Craig day projects.



The List:

1) ROCKJOCK TRAIL
runs from Conly Cove to Mossy Canyon Ridge Trail ( MCRT). Opened all the way in spring 2008. Maintained by the Adopt-A-trail program under the US Forest Service. Volunteer maintance is ocasional. Trail needs a little more help. Runs parallel to 300-500ft walls for about 4 miles. GPSed. This is the only Published trail ( ie, on the USFS Map) and the only one with an AAT Agreement on this list.

2 (PROPOSED) ROCKJOCK NORTH
runs from CC to Wisemans view. This trail destroyed by 2000 fire. Not officially recognized as part of ROCKJOCK and requires USFS approval.(NORRUSFSA) No gps track available - yet. 200ft walls, scraggly.

3)( PROPOSED) ROCKJOCK SOUTH
runs from MCRT to cross Pinchin and continue to Dobson Knob road intersection with the Kistler Road. From MCRT to Pinchin walls are broken, fractured and grotesque. South of Pinchin almost no rock until the south end of rotten 70 ft walls.
GPSed, NORRUSFSA.

4) (PROPOSED) SHORTOFF NORTH RIM study the possibility of a climbers access paralleling the MST along the edge as one continuous trail rather than disconnected segments.
NORRUSFSA. 200ft wall running about 4/5ths of a mile. Overshadowed by the spectacular climbs to the south. No Gps track-yet.

5)(PROPOSED) UPPER HAWKSBILL
Help the USFS reroute the Upper Hawksbill trail. Informal USFS interest has been noted: the Hawksbill trail is an overused ditch. GPS not yet available. No particular advantage to Climbers except that, like the rest of the public, we are part of the erosion problem. {{NOTE: Climbers volunteered maintenance work on the Hawksbill trail as a public service but this labor is only a bandaid for the erosion problem which can not be stoped until this trail is closed.}} Parking at Sitting Bear is the eco-friendly route, but parking there is also very limited. No need to consider this until a more accurate GPS track is available.

6) MIDCLIFF POINT/ north LOWER CROSS. Midcliff
Trail is short narrow and scraggly. ACcess via north Lower Cross is also a thin stumble-thru trail. Needs widening. GPSed
NORRUSFSA. Accesses the clean 200ft Futuristic wall which is the south face of Midcliff ridge.

7) WESTFACE trail/ FANTASY Creek
Westface runs from Henson Creek Canyon to Fantasy creek. Climbers have been intimidated by the 120?ft overhang at Henson. The route runs under outcrops and thru a spectacular boulder field and passes beneath Westface Rock which is the western tip of the Midcliff ridge / Futuristic wall. Occasional trail maintenance desired. NORRUSFSA. GPSed but needs to be re-done. You see Westface from Babel Tower. Fantasy creek is not a trail, not Gpsed -yet, but segments at the bottom and top of it are open. This 'trail' stairsteps along the base of Futuristic wall.

8) WOLFPIT-MST/SHORTOFF CLIFFBASE
Old trail used to run from wolfpit trail along the contour around the the south flank of Shortoff to cross MST and continue to the base of the Shortoff cliffs and run north into the Rockgarden area just past the Descent Gully. Condition unknown. It might be considered a PROPOSED trail (?). No gps track available for the MST-to-Wolfpit trail segment. NORRUSFSA.

9) LOWER NC WALL TRAIL
condition report desired but im guessing it is in good shape. Fire of 2000 might have burned off the scraggle...Im listing it because it is THE most beautiful trail in the GORGE and used almost exclusively by climbers. If it needs your help , i hope you will keep it in mind. GPS track NEEDED - including side trail to Sphinx.

Bob

Got it Bob

MUCH thanks ,Mike.

...............

Addition to text: #8 above:
The old wolfpit-to-cliffbase trail used to run southwest from the second sharp elbow of wolfpit trail. But since i saw no trace of it last time i looked, and judging from Gps tracks taken at the cliff base id guess that the Wolfpit-MST segment of the trail ought to be restored along the 2200 contour...

Bob

OTHER CLIMBERS TRAILS IN LINVILLE GORGE - a review.

The above list was oriented to trail maintenance and clean-up projects. What follows here is a list of the remaining trails of special
interest to climbers. Just for the Record. Currently there is no maintenance issue with these trails.

Almost All these trails are indexed and maped on www.linvilegorge.net

1 LINVILLE RIVER CRAIG
no map , no gps. At www.linvillegorge.net, we would be glad to have either or both. Any good level camping on top of the Craig?

2) MARION WRIGHT
This short trail in the north west corner of the Gorge runs from Pine Gap parking area to the National Park service trail network near Chimney View. Dont think climbers are useing these cliffs but the trail runs along 100ft wall. Very bushy near wall and few views. Easy and quick approach. GPSed.

3) HENSON CREEK
This trail will soon need occasional maintenance. The Henson Canyon has a long overhung south wall that as far as i know is not being worked. A Beautiful place. Also approachable form Babel Tower via Westface trail.
Long approach. GPSed

4)LEDGE
from the highest band of Hawksbill cliffs about 150 ft below the Hawksbill overhang, This well-used climbers trail stairsteps down below the cliffs, crosses rubble field 'draws', and eventually ties into level loging road back to 210. Rock is 300ft above and Clean. Dont know what climbers call this trail or even if there is a name for it. Gps track varies a lot each time it has been tried. It would be nice to have a list of the routes along this trail.

5)HAWKSBILL CLIMBERS TRAIL
From the clearing at the junction of Hawksbill and Jonas Ridge trails, a third trail leads south west and downhill under the lowest band of cliffs. Walls are high and clean. A list of routes is wanted. GPS is available but scattered because of the poor signal under the wall. Trail appears to fade out.... A Crevasse scramble leads up to LEDGE trail directly above.

6) UPPER NC WALL
Follows above cliff-edge from Apricot to AMP. Rare endangered plants grow in this area which has prompted USFS closure. Soil is thin and this is a fragile environment. The trail is thinly marked with pinkish paint spots and generous survey flags. It is best to walk strictly on trail or stay on the the rock as much as possible to avoid damage and risk closure. This is not a route to share with thoughtless hikers. Backpacking/camping is Not Reccommended but if done it is best limited to Apricot Buttress or AMP. Trail currently in good shape, GPSed.

7) AMPITHEATER:
From MST to NC WALL:
Some maintenance done on last years adopt a Craig Day. Trail will need occasional maintenance and ought to be included in the USFS Adopt-A-Trail program. ( SO SHOULD THEY ALL!) Trail in good shape but will eventually erode with increasing use. Log water blocks placed now will buy time later. GPSed
AMP: CLIMBERS DESCENT:
From north rim thru gully to base of AMP. Extensive work done to check erosion on Adopt-a- Crag Day. Have not seen, can not comment. No gps.
AMP: SOUTH RIM
From head of AMp to Mummy Buttress: conditon unknown. Probably good. No Gps.

...
MONSTER BUTTRESS ( aka MOSSY MONSTER)
From MST to NC WALL
Some maintenance done by climbers on AATD. Could be widened, log waterbars placed. Maybe if erosion became a problem far in the future, this trail could be rerouted to angle northwest and come out near Apricot. Right now, its ok. Accesses small camping area above Camel but no water. GPSed.

.........

Thats all the Unpublished Linville trails relevant to Climbers i can think of. Hope it helps.

Bob