Trip Reports - Linville Gorge, North Carolina
August 8, 2003

The one climb wonders strike again!

I must admit I'm in kind of a rut. Now, it's not my fault, it just the result of circumstance, and things could be worse. But like it or not, I'm turning into a one climb wonder. The news keeps talking about the wettest year on record in North Carolina. Herein lies the source of my affliction. I must be thankful that nearly every time I've taken a chance on the daily deluges I have been able to get up at least one climb. I am grateful I'm granted that liberty. However, without fail, as soon as that initial route is completed, the skies open and the soaking begins.

Not long ago, Bryan Hall and I hiked into Panthertown Valley to climb at Big Green. Sure enough, as soon as Bryan joined me at the anchor atop the route, the thunder rumbled and the dousing followed. Last week, we went over to Looking Glass Rock to explore the North Face. I'd no sooner flaked out the rope while Bryan racked the gear, and kaboom!, the sky exploded again.

And so it's been through this summer. Nonetheless, climb we must. When the opportunity presented, we chose to go to Linville Gorge this Saturday. Bryan had never been to the gorge and wanted to get on the classic Amphitheater route The Mummy 5.5. I'd told him how much I liked the 5.7 roof variation and suggested if he could do just one route in the gorge, this was one of the best choices. Additionally, we hoped to bag The Daddy 5.6 and maybe The Prow 5.4 to complete a tour of the easy classics in a day.

Enlarge photo of Amphitheater floor

Arriving at the parking lot at Table Rock, it was apparent it had rained a good bit recently, probably last night. The lot was only about half full, unusual for a weekend at Table Rock. It was still foggy and the vegetation along the muddy trail was wet as we hiked south. Once we past The Chimneys the terrain started taking a foreign appearance. Nearly all the pine trees in the once dense ridgetop were dead, victims of the fires that raged through here a couple of winters ago. The fires probably weakened the trees then the pine beetles finished them off. Deadfall was everywhere and the underbrush was growing up strong. The Mountains-to-Sea Trail along the ridgetop was fairly well cleared but once we turned west onto the descending Amphitheater trail, the effects of the fire became more pronounced. The trail now weaves between the fallen tops and trunks of the trees that block the old path. New detours had been worn to circumnavigate the obstructions. The whole character of the area was changing as the forest recycled itself.

We dropped down the descent gully. Over time it has eroded from a slippery mud chute to a series of slippery steps, now easier to negotiate. The waterfall near the base of the gully was running strong. We stepped across the stream and followed it down into the canyon. There were several small rivulets running down the floor of the gorge. Here too, the character had changed dramatically. Once an overgrown tangle of rhododendron and trees, the area was now filled with light. Skeletons of the once dense trees were decomposing and collapsing to the forest floor. You could now see some distance and the area seemed smaller because of it. The descent, though more convoluted, was easier and the vegetation opened. There was a lot of erosion and the soil was loose now that the large plants were releasing their hold of it.

Show large image of Bryan on The Daddy

We made our way across the sloping floor of the Amphitheater towards the Mummy Buttress and drew up under the large hemlock tree that stands near the start of the climb. The first few moves on this route are usually wet and a little mossy. Today they glistened while a steady stream drooled from the crack above. Bryan took the sharp and of the rope and started up, hoping once we got up higher the route would be drier. It wasn't long before the slick and slimy holds had him more than a little concerned for his safety. I suggested we move over to The Daddy. I knew it would be drier, at least at the start.

As expected, there was no river of water pouring down the face of the Daddy. The rock had sprouted a fine green crop of moss that did make it a tad more insecure than usual down in the lower areas where it was shaded by the tress, but the climbing here is relatively easy and Bryan scampered up to the first belay ledge. Much better!

The muddy brown Linville River roared in the gorge a thousand feet below us as is poured through the boulders leaving white tails of roiling foam below them. The sky maintained it's indecisive character, maybe getting better, maybe getting worse as we scaled to the second ledge. Arriving at the pine tree below the long traversing ledge of the third pitch, Bryan though to spice things up a bit by going up the 5.8 diversion through the middle of the wall. It proved disappointing though, as it was over in just a couple moves then eased up through some big pillows of moss onto the ledge above.

View larger photo of Bryan at the 4th pitch

We watched the skies, still undecided, from the big rock at the far end of the ledge for a few moments before Bryan set out to diagonal up to the crack that leads to the big boulder and willow tree of the fourth belay ledge. This was his most interesting pitch as he detoured right through a steep section to avoid damp areas.

The last pitch went quickly. I joined Bryan at the top and we took a break for some lunch. Finally, the weather broke with a loud clap of thunder. As we started up the trails, the sky unloaded on us. The water running down the Mountains-to-Sea trail was deep enough to fill our shoes. Not that it mattered much. We were thoroughly soaked from head to toe anyway. We returned to the truck, and make a soggy retreat back home. One day, one climb.

See large view of Bryan atop The Daddy

Submitted by Wayne Busch

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