Laurel Knob

RyanD wrote:Thanks so much! I think I found the trail. Another question I have is where is the closest camping. We don't need much for camping we just want a place where camping is allowed.

The camping at the gate on Breedlove is very nice. Be sure not to block anyone in and don;t park in front of the gate, blocking access by the USFS. If the parking is crowded, back down the road a ways to several other clearings just a few yards from the main trailhead. Don;t park in front of the trail sign. Bring your own firewood, if necessary. The car camping area stays picked over. There are several tent sites in the woods in different directions from the trailhead. There are groceries 10 minutes away in cAshiers and several eating options nearby.

Beware of black bears. Not prolific, but you should take the typical precautions when camping. Clean up after yourself, pack food away. There are also other animals that will get your stuff. Mice, possums, chipmunks, raccoons, pheasants.

IF you are up there on a nice weekend, chances are you'll run into some of the regulars. Be freindly and you might even get fed.

Hiking in should take no more than 1 hour 15 min. Hike downhill, out of the trailhead for several hundred yards on Breedlove, to a trail on the right. This trail will take you downhill parallel to a stream and waterfall system. Several vantage points on the right. YOu wile eventually encounter slabs over which you should trend down and slightly to the skiers left. The trail will then tighten down as it levels out in a bottom of sorts. Continue to parallel the stream in a more jungle-style environment until an obvious crossing takes you to the other side. From here, you will meander up, out of the rhodo covered bottom and onto a roadbed upon which you head to the right. After a while, the roadbed will narrow and rise until you pass a heavier road heading up and left and come to the clearing where the neighborhood culdesacs start. This is about where the sign pointing to LK is. HEad up and right, then contouring to the left following the trail over a huge down tree, then along the contour of the hill, over some water seepages/streams, and onto a slabby section. Over this, then back into pines on a more defined trail which will follow the edge of the Lonesome Valley property. You'll see some nice cabins to your left. Eventually, you'll encounter the CCC trail sign. Read the notes, stash some water and a snack for the hike out. Following the trail in from here, you'll start to descend to the rightmost side of LK after a few hundred yards. THe trail is in great condition right now and after 500' vert of switchbacks, you're at the base of Manatee FLuid's slab. There's some flaggage about halfway in that marks the start to the Girdle traverse and several moderates on that end. You can get all the way across to the left side, base of Groover in another thirty minutes if you hustle. There are a couple tricky sections of trail, but it can be worked out.

Be safe. Headlamps, rain jacket, skills, all that. My essential LK kit includes a fresh headlamp, Gor tex, extra layer, comfy slab shoes, a small backpack, water bottle clipped to harness, double 70s, tricams to blue, offset Mastercams, and plenty of slings. Bring the number 4 and just a few stoppers. Lots of finger to medium cams. A small wrench to tighten loose hangers is nice. Oh. And lots of chalk.

Awesome! Thanks so much for all that info Rhett! Your LK kit sounds pretty close to what we have only we have double 60's. Hopefully we'll be ok.

Anyone have any idea what the uppers pitches are looking like (or can comment based on previous experience)? I know the western part of the state has been getting sun and showers all week, however, the weekend looks great. I've done Fathom before and the grooves on the upper pitches were running with water after pretty sunny weather. I want to hop on Seconds and give it ago. I know that you can rap from any pitch on the route (please correct me if I'm wrong) so retreat wouldn't be too bad. Long story short; is it worth the drive from Boone to the Cashiers Valley to try Seconds, or would the entire climb be wet?

You might luck out Jonathon, but I doubt it following the rainy weather. As has been said before, LK seems to trickle not only based on rain patterns, but also based on the overall water table....which I imagine is pretty high given all the rain this year. Seconds will trickle for a long time, especially up high.

That said, give it a shot. If Seconds is wet, try one of the routes between grooves....lots of face and slab type terrain that dries quickly. Check the routes immediately to the left (Central Pillar, High and Dry, Squirrely Man) and the right (Night of the Climbing Dead).

Also, Dillard Canyon's left side (looking uphill) dries quickly as well.

Maybe someone can chime in on current conditions.

They need to rename it from the Lonesome Valley, to the Pissy Valley, because its always pissing with rain!

I thought it was called Pantertown Valley?

It's certainly not lonesome, what with the construction of the mansions and all.

Hey Ben, Sorry you got shut out at Tallulah on Memorial weekend. I think that is the first time I ever heard the Park Service maxing out on the climbing permits! Should of called me, could of hooked you up with climbing at the "Dungeon", eight stellar routes from easy ten to easy twelve. We ended up climbing at the "Overlook Wall" after a short light rain.

We should have just stopped at the SW Corner, but decided to chance Tallulah. The Ranger said they sold out immediately. There must have been a line for the gorge what with the perfect weather. It was, indeed, dry at Tallulah while raining near Cashiers/Sapphire.

How is access to the Dungeon?

Regarding Seconds, it was wet as of Saturday morning, but dry in the afternoon. We started the day on Oasis, then finished with a few pitches of Seconds.

Hey Rhett, access is a short walk to the top, then a full rope length rappel puts you at the bottom of the wall. I think the park only lets so many people into the Gorge. wheather hikers or climbers, I serious doubt that the Park gave out all their climbing permits, unless the Atlanta Climbing Club showed up in force.

The permit system in Tallulah is oppressive!

The Atlanta Climbing Club is not made up of Sport Climbers, they are actually a very diverse group who do a lot for the climbing community! Even if they travel in mass, their presence is a good thing and I did not mean to give them a bad rep. I think the DNR only lets so many people down in the Gorge and they probably were all hikers!

In defence of the Atlanta Climbing Club, I will say that when Wayne and I climbed "Groover's" Direct finish and were accused of retro-bolting Jeep's route, two Atlanta Club Climbers did climb our variation, taking a big whip before finishing it! Wayne and I asked both F.A. parties, Jeep and Fichesser, to show up at LK to clear up the controversy but neither were interested in figuring it out!

I always call the Tallulah SP office before making the drive to see if they are giving out permits. I do this mainly in the winter, because they don't allow climbers down if there has been a lot of rain. It makes sense when you consider how easily the trail could get destroyed, but a main rap station would alleviate all of that. This is the perfect place to be after a rain, the walls dry very quickly or are completely protected by roofs. I've made the mistake of not calling once in the beginning. I posted in the comments section of Tallulah to call before going. I have never been turned away once the SP office confirmed they are still giving them out by phone. Currahee and Yonah are also good options if you do get shut out, although not as high quality, still something to climb. They do limit the number of climbers to 10 or 20, I can't remember the exact number. It is good that they even let us down there considering they don't even advertise rock climbing on their website. Also, I believe all the other walls except the main is considered off-limits (from a good source). I am not discouraging climbing on them, just clarifying.

DanP, the Atl Climbing Club does plenty of trad. I have never climbed with them, but have some friends that do and have had a blast with them.

shannon stegg wrote: .....taking a big whip.....

Denmark and John mean business!

The Atlanta climbing club has donated lots of hours to field-work in Alabama. They're okay by me!

Rhett and Ben,

I'm back boys. Im coming out of retirement...

This place looks amazing. Anyone want to go there next weekend for some moderate leads?

Hey, Ben sorry about telling you about the Dungeon. My information needs to be updated. The climb "Spent Brass" has been perfectly erased! I guess my old hero's are a little worried about their own legacy!

Tallulah, for me, has been lost in a quagmire of govt regulations with the permits and whatnot.
Great climbing, no doubt, and some of the best routes in the SE are there on the main wall....

FORBOS!! GET SOME!

Ok I'm in the Tetons in 2.5 weeks, then probably back out to Moab to hang with some monkeys.. anytime in between that.

I have a stress fracture in my foot right now but one more week and I'll be 100% so I'll be jones'n for some NC granite and 3 routes in a day in Tallulah to commemorate my divorce