Art Loeb water sources?

[10-K]

Anybody know the water sources on the AL trail going north to south?

[Johnny Thunder]

multiple stream crossings heading up to cold mountain from the scout camp. then about a mile later you come to a multi-trail junction big enough to land a helicopter. trail-left is a spring. then there's a spring labeled at the mst intersection after the balds but i've never found it. orrrrrr...you can go about .25 trail-left down the mst to find a spring running east off the balds. then water at both shelters and about 3 miles from the southern terminus assuming the trail is still detoured onto the forestry road (it probably isn't).

[Papa D]

hey 10K, you'll start near the Daniel Boone camp right on a creek and head up the mountain to cold springs gap - there is a little water source on the other side, but you shouldn't need it. The first really good reliable spring that you get to that you'll want to stop at is just about 100 yards past Shining Rock Gap - it's got a few railroad tie looking steps heading down to it - if the trickle at the top is low, you can go down to a second or even third spot. The next series of spots are right before and after the campsites around Black Balsam - I can't remember them exactly, but you'll find them. When we did the trail in a day, we stashed a gallon of water at the parkway (about mile 15) but I later found out that the Art Loeb in a Day purists think this is cheating. The next good obvious spot is right below the first of two shelters you pass - Deep Gap. After you go over Pilot Mtn, you will do a big long downhill to Glouster Gap (dirt road) - make a left on the dirt road and go about 200-250 yards - there is a super nice piped spring right there. The next obvious water stop is the piped spring at the Butter Gap Shelter. Past Butter Gap you cross several creeks so there is plenty of water there all the way to Davidson River. There is more water than this that I'm sure others will mention, but these are the main ones. Let me know if you need a shuttle .....

[10-K]

Good deal... sounds like there's plenty of water or at least enough not to worry about running dry.

I'm thinking about hiking it next Thursday/Friday. Get my son to give me a ride to the boy scout camp and then my daughter is currently living about 3 miles from the southern trailhead so that's very convenient.

[Spokes]

10-K, You prolly already have this but here's a link that includes the GPS data for the entire Art Loeb. Give us a hike review when you get back!

http://www.hikewnc.info/trailheads/p...e/artloeb.html

[10-K]

Thanks Spokes - I do indeed have it. When I imported the GPS track it's the first one I've seen that didn't perfectly correspond with the trails on the "My Trails" map from gpsfiledepot.com which is interesting. But, the gpx file lines up with the Nat Geo map for the Pisgah Forest so I'm sure it's good.

Only thing is now we're supposed to get up to 5" of snow about 2500' tonight and tomorrow. I expect it'll be quite a bit more than that above 5500'-6000' - don't know if I'm up for bumbling around in an unsigned wilderness area with a foot of snow or not....

[Spokes]

Be careful..... I did a 24 hour hike of the Art Loeb Trail several years ago when some heavy fog rolled in and it got a little scary. Easy to get turned around up there. Not the best marked trail in spots. Didn't have a GPS back then just a poor map in a ziplock bag- Yikes! Can't imagine doing it in a foot or more of snow.

[10-K]

Just an FYI... here is a better gpx for the ALT and other trails in the area.. http://bp2.trimbleoutdoors.com/ViewT...1&tripID=43579

[WingedMonkey]

Only thing is now we're supposed to get up to 5" of snow about 2500' tonight and tomorrow..

There are no snakes in the snow.

[beaudetious]

With all of this wet weather we've been having, I'm sure water won't be much of an issue right now.

[10-K]

There are no snakes in the snow.

You *completely* made my day!!!

[10-K]

What kind of traffic might I expect this coming Thursday/Friday? Does the trail get a lot of winter traffic during weekdays?

I'm thinking about taking my dog but would probably not if there are going to be frequent encounters with other hikers.