Linville Gorge 

I received this update via email from Bob Underwood

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Rockjock Trail

This largely abandoned and overgrown trail was listed in Sept 2006 for the US Forest Service Adopt-a-Trail program . The trail runs about four miles ( by crow ) across the top of a 400ft wall sometimes called the 'Goldcoast'. Altho the NC Wall directly across the Gorge is higher and cleaner, the Rockjock area contains some clean rock on the south side of the 'canyons'. it is currently being 'mined' by various groups of independent climbers. It is a spectacular trail which passes by about 6 waterfalls, overhangs and caves and several unusual promnitories and outcrops.
The agreement with the USGS allows us to work from Conly Cove south to an unpublished trail i call "Mossy Canyon Ridge Trail" (MCRT) about half mile north of Pinchin. If/ when this work is Done, i will requsest Your help in petitioning the USFS to extend the agreement to continue the Rockjock trail south to Dobson Knob Road--which was its original length.

The reason the USFS did not allow us to continue south of MCRT is because that portion of Rockjock never appeared on their maps and they are required to go thru a lengthly process to approve "new" trail. They seem reluctant to do this. Common sense woud suggest that MCRT is a steep trail and highly vulnerable to erosion if it became better known and that the Dobson entrance is Clearly the best way to protect the forest. We hope MCRT will be abandoned and allowed to revert to nature when this project is complete.

This area was burned by the Nov 2000 fire and burned again on its south end in the spring of 2007. It is now a charcoal forest and easy to get thru. A spare fire crew did a wonderful job of restoring trail from both ends and the middle is still unfinished. Your help is needed.

Work began on Rockjock in Oct 2006 and about 60% of the trail is now open.

An interactive map of the entire Linville Gorge is available at www.linvillegorge.net with an index of 39 trails not published on USFS maps ,

Google Earth has hi-res photos of the Gorge which would allow you to see a person standing anywhere in it ,

and Yahoogroups Linvillegorge keeps a open forum running of Rockjock progress.

Finishing this beautiful trail is not going to be a one-day one-shot process , it will requre dedication. Go out and have a look. The Rockjock trail will speak for itself!

Bob Underwood

the US Forest service has opened the Rockjock trail from Conly Cove south to Mossy Canyon Ridge trail allowing a backpacker to return via MCRT to kistler Road

Work on Rockjock was finished by the USFS in Spring of 2008. This trail remains on the USFS Adopt-A-Trail program and will always need occasional maintenance. The southern exit shown on the USFS maps is mislabeled. It is a rim-to-River trail called MCRT (Mossy Canyon Ridge trail). MCRT is now a steep barren flag route thru the heart of fire blast from the 2007 'Pinnacle' fire. Since it is mislabeled as being the south end of Rockjock, it will become an erosion ditch with increased use. Rockjock TRail is unmaintained south of MCRT but continues along the rim of the Gorge 0.5 mile south to Pinchin and beyond all the way to the intersection of kistler Road and Dobson knob road. This fire-damaged trail is now survey flags thru thin scraggly brush but it is relatively flat and will not erode. Pinchin is the better exit. Rock face along this broken wall is a fantastic area of fracture and erosion but not much clean rock. --Bob

Correction to directions:

When you get to Forest Service Road 210 continue down this gently descending and very winding road. A mile past the parking areas for Spence Ridge Trail take a sharp right. This puts you on FSR 2105, the road that leads past OUTWARD BOUND and on up to Table Rock. Bring water as spring at TR is not reliable. Parking can be crowded at TR. Hyde's Linville Gorge Trail guide suggests that it is about as quick to park at Spence and hike up via the MST.

Is there a peregrine closure period for shortoff or north carolina wall?

EliShank, yes.

You can keep updated on closures through the year here: www.carolinaclimbers.org/area-reports-mainmenu-30/linville-g>>>

Keep in mind that despite being in the south, Linville is not a winter rock climbing destination. Many areas are above or near 4,000 feet and get snow as early as late October.

"Linville Gorge (Shortoff Mountain and NC Wall) closed from January 15th - August 15th"

Does anyone know if this includes the Amphitheater?

^No