Pisgah Trail Conditions

I was out in Turkey Pen this morning and it looks like last night's storms put a lot of tree crowns and branches on the ground. Nothing like what we see in the winter but there are still a lot of scattered branches and trees down. I cleared what I could by hand on Squirrel from Cantrell to Bradley but there are a few trees that will need a saw. Bradley Creek is impassable just before the Eastern intersection with Riverside. A very large tree is down and the only way around it is to wade up the river. The worst of it seemed to be down low by the creeks and rivers.

Anyone riding this weekend feel free to help out and play pick up sticks!

In other news there was quite a bit of water in the river! During one of the waist deep crossings I was a little worried about losing my bike :eek::D

The storm that came through yesterday afternoon was very intense. I was at Sycamore Cycles at about 5:45pm, the sky got scary dark, and for about 5 minutes, all that was falling from the sky was chunks of ice up to a half inch across. Then came the rain and a very intense wind.

At about 5:15pm Art and Wes had gone up 276 for a road ride. Needless to say, they got front row seats to this event. They made it as far as Sliding Rock before turning back.

I was out on Cove Creek this morning and there is a small log-over that could be gotten with a handsaw and a very large one that would be best cleared with a chainsaw. They're about 1/4 of the way up from the campground. Both are passable, although the large one requires an over the head bike lift. Otherwise the trail was in great shape except for at the top where there are usually mud puddles. The old familiar ones are same as always but there's a new one at the bottom end of the little rock armored section that's over the hubs deep.

Instead of starting a new post I thought I'd piggyback on this one. Haven't been to Pisgah since the summer and will be spending a few days up in the hills.
I'm taking my nephews, pisgah virgins other than bent creek, with me tomorrow and thought Laurel Mountain out n back would be a good ride. I don't think they could handle going down Pilot. Anybody ridden Laurel recently and got any updates on conditions? If nothing else we can park at the hatchery and ride the trails in that area.
Thanks in advance!

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Originally Posted by BlackMoth

Instead of starting a new post I thought I'd piggyback on this one. Haven't been to Pisgah since the summer and will be spending a few days up in the hills.
I'm taking my nephews, pisgah virgins other than bent creek, with me tomorrow and thought Laurel Mountain out n back would be a good ride. I don't think they could handle going down Pilot. Anybody ridden Laurel recently and got any updates on conditions? If nothing else we can park at the hatchery and ride the trails in that area.
Thanks in advance!

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DANG. I started reading this thread and got all worried, all over again ... and then I saw the dates. Whew!

Laurel is in GREAT shape. I've been on it each of the last couple of weekends, no problems at all. We did get some wind and rain this week, but nothing like back in June.

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Originally Posted by crossboy

DANG. I started reading this thread and got all worried, all over again ... and then I saw the dates. Whew!

Laurel is in GREAT shape. I've been on it each of the last couple of weekends, no problems at all. We did get some wind and rain this week, but nothing like back in June.

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Thanks Crossboy! Sounds like we'll be hittin' up some of the goodness o' Pisgah.

2 trees are down on Laurel, as of last Sun 11-12-11, with one causing tread damage. approx 12 and 18". I didn't pay attention to how far in they are. Maybe someone else knows.

Conditions are very leafy. Would someone please go out with a leaf blower and clear all the trails so I can see the giant rocks before I hit them.

Thank you.

Blasted down Trace and couple of other trails in MIlls Creek area. I think I went down Trace faster than I did a month ago. I couldn't see any rocks, so I didn't have to worry about dodging them. :D all of that area is good

Met some Nice Horse people @ Fletcher (2), Probably some of the best mannered Horses and riders I 've ever met. It was pleasant expirience.

Riding from the Hatchery is golden -- a bit muddy on Butter in the usual spots, but SWANK mulched down a lot of the leaves so the lines on Davidson, Cove Creek and Daniel are nicely bedded in. Cemetery Loop has a few trees down, but all in all it's a great time to be in Pisgah!

Bottom of Sycamore has multiple trees across the trail just in from 276. They're together as a bunch but big ones, in need of a chainsaw.

Update 1/11/12:

Lots of rain recently and freeze/thaw has many trails very soft. I'm not going to tell anyone they can't or shouldn't ride but it is in the best interest of the trails and your equipment to pick your routes carefully. Much of the North slopes in Bent Creek are very sloppy. All the new machine work in Pisgah on Fletcher Creek and Squirrel Gap is very wet and delicate as well. I'd assume most of Dupont should be avoided.

Best bet are the higher ridge trails. I rode over the top of Black Mtn. in the rain on Monday and it wasn't bad (other than the severe erosion caused by lack of maintenance and riders cutting waterbars).

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Originally Posted by driftwood

Update 1/11/12:

Lots of rain recently and freeze/thaw has many trails very soft. I'm not going to tell anyone they can't or shouldn't ride but it is in the best interest of the trails and your equipment to pick your routes carefully. Much of the North slopes in Bent Creek are very sloppy. All the new machine work in Pisgah on Fletcher Creek and Squirrel Gap is very wet and delicate as well. I'd assume most of Dupont should be avoided.

Best bet are the higher ridge trails. I rode over the top of Black Mtn. in the rain on Monday and it wasn't bad (other than the severe erosion caused by lack of maintenance and riders cutting waterbars).

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Nice bump and thanks for the heads up. In case y'all haven't heard, we're expecting 2" more of rain today (Wednesday 1/11/12), with 3-4" predicted for the eastern slopes -- which could mean Brevard and Mills River may be washed into the French Broad. Batten down the hatches boys, this is going to get rough!

Do you guys think that some trails will be dry enough to ride by saturday. If so which ones would you stick to?

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Originally Posted by turbolsvt

Do you guys think that some trails will be dry enough to ride by saturday. If so which ones would you stick to?

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Laurel > Pilot, Black, Turkey Pen Gap, Trace Ridge (gonna get logged anyway)....

The freeze/thaw is what is really bad right now. Try and ride while the ground is still frozen.

Of course, I'm likely gonna ride today though :rolleyes:. If I do I'll report back.

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Originally Posted by driftwood

Laurel > Pilot, Black, Turkey Pen Gap, Trace Ridge (gonna get logged anyway)....

The freeze/thaw is what is really bad right now. Try and ride while the ground is still frozen.

Of course, I'm likely gonna ride today though :rolleyes:. If I do I'll report back.

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If you could let me know that would be great!

I rode

276 > Clawhammer > Maxwell Cove > Black > Thrift

today in the rain and Maxwell Cove was the wettest. the tread on Black was solid but I opted for Thrift at the bottom instead of what was sure to turn into a slop fest.

I'm trying to think how to stay slop-free on Saturday (assuming the ground unfreezes at all). If you went up 229 towards Farlow Gap, then took 140A, 5031,140,140A,5003 back to Glouchester, is that route clear and how does it drain? I almost never go over that way, so I don't know what to expect...but it seems like it's "high". Are the roads marked at the gates? how lost could I get?

Advice appreciated.

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Originally Posted by litespeedchick

I'm trying to think how to stay slop-free on Saturday (assuming the ground unfreezes at all). If you went up 229 towards Farlow Gap, then took 140A, 5031,140,140A,5003 back to Glouchester, is that route clear and how does it drain? I almost never go over that way, so I don't know what to expect...but it seems like it's "high". Are the roads marked at the gates? how lost could I get?

Advice appreciated.

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Yes, probably decent since it's roadbed though 140A might be a bit muddy, no and very.

Good luck. :madman:

That's old Pisgah back there. If you drop down from Farlow, look for the ribbons in the trees marking the roads and make sure you have a map. And everything is farther than you think it is. Except when it's not and you missed a turn.

Good news is, this time of year you can sort-of align yourself with the backside of Pilot Mtn. and its corresponding gaps. If you know which ones they are.

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Originally Posted by crossboy

And everything is farther than you think it is. Except when it's not and you missed a turn.

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There's a life lesson in there somewhere, but I don't learn so good.

Woo - hoo! My first sticky! Now I just need to get a mod to tell me how to edit the first post and I'll keep it updated up there.

Freeze/thaw is likely going to be in full effect this weekend. Best bet is to ride early when the ground is still frozen. I'm heading out now :)

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Originally Posted by driftwood

Woo - hoo! My first sticky! Now I just need to get a mod to tell me how to edit the first post and I'll keep it updated up there.

Freeze/thaw is likely going to be in full effect this weekend. Best bet is to ride early when the ground is still frozen. I'm heading out now :)

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I am in route to the trails! Which trails you riding today?

Did my first ever ride of Squirrel Gap (now I see why it's such a favorite!) out and back. Trail was mostly frozen at 1pm, but it did soften up a bit as the afternoon got warmer. We walked a few sections where work has been done recently and were slick, so as not to trash them. Looks like they'll refreeze again tonight and with sun and 40 degree high for Sunday, I agree with Driftwood... better to get out early.

Good idea. A sticky with some meaning. I do think that in order to keep things current and uncluttered the content should remain pertinent to the title, ie. trail conditions and not ride reports. So, Hardtimes connector and Powerline should be avoided at all costs. An absolute slop fest.

From the Hatchery, 475C is a blast, Davidson River is in pretty good shape, and Butter and Daniel were solid on Saturday -- though the approach up 471D was pretty soft, and the seep on Butter was a solid sheet of ice. Shee-t!

There's snow above about 3500ft, which made yesterday's descent of Farlow pretty ... um ... interesting -- actually, it was quite fun, since the ground below was frozen (where there wasn't water), so I was just bike-skiing down ...

The lower sections were in good shape, just slightly soft. There are a couple of trees down that need a sawyer, and watch out for sticks -- blew apart a rear derailleur pulley wheel and hanger yesterday.

The west side of Daniel Ridge (the rocky side) was just fine.

We're expecting more rain this week, and warming temps ... could get nasty by the weekend ... or could be awesome ...