Linville Gorge

I think I may have shot more photos and video in and around Linville Gorge than anywhere else in the southeast. It is a unique place, easily the most rugged territory I have witnessed here on the eastern side of the continent, and that includes places such as the White Mountains of New Hampshire and Katahdin in Maine. It is a seriously huge chunk of wild and jumbled mountain scenery.

Since I have been experimenting with my basic video software I decided to create a longer piece on one of the more unique day hikes I have ever taken. This was into Linville Gorge on February 7, 2010. The North Carolina mountains had just had a snow storm which was followed by a brief icing event and subsequent sub-freezing temperatures which locked in all of that icy beauty for a day. This is what we encountered when we parked my truck and hiked up Shortoff Mountain in the southern end of the Linville Gorge Wilderness.

I could describe the hike, but I'll let the photos and video do the talking.

High on Shortoff Mountain with the bulk of the Linville Gorge Wilderness behind me.

Video montage of a truly special day hike.