This hike has my vote for the premier hike in North Carolina. The Art Loeb Trail leads from the Black Balsam Mountain parking area over 4 peaks above 6000 feet to Shining Rock Mountain. This is one of the largest areas of open bald in the NC mountains.

Route Type:  Loop                      Difficulty:  VERY HARD  (Petzoldt Rating:  11.65  )

Hike Length:  8.0 miles              Hike Duration:  4:00

Trailhead Temp:  40'F                Trail Traffic:  25-50 people

Min. Elevation:  5,700'                Max. Elevation:  6,214'

Total Vertical Gain:  1,825'        Avg. Elevation Gain / Mile:  228'

Trails Used (Blaze Color):

Art Loeb (white), Ivestor Gap (unblazed), Old Butt Knob (unblazed)

GPX TRACK, MAP, & DATA

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10-23-05