Summer Backpacking & Rafting Adventure June 21-24
Wayah Bald to the Nantahala River
4 days/3 Nights on the Appalachian Trail
PLUS a Rafting Trip on the Nantahala River
$159.00 per person
Includes a training/gear selection hike before the trip, a foodkit with all meals on the trail, shuttle service between trailheads, and a 3-hour rafting trip down the gorgeous Nantahala River on our final day!
THE BRIEFING:
This is a 4-day, 3-night wilderness backpacking adventure along 18 miles of the Appalachian Trail, followed by a 3-hour rafting trip on the Nantahala River on Sunday. We’ll start the AT at the historic stone Wayah Bald firetower and travel North for 4 days. Our hike culminates at the beautiful Nantahala River where we’ll enjoy a 3-hour rafting trip on Sunday. Your registration includes a 1-hour training/gear selection session before the hike, a guided 4-day, 3-night backpacking trip, all your meals on the trail, 3-hour rafting trip on the Nantahala River, shuttle service between trailheads, and memories that will last a lifetime!
THE MISSION:
We’ll leave Huntsville AL at 6:00 AM on Thursday, June 21st. We’ll stop for breakfast on the way, arriving at the NOC around noon. Our shuttle will pick us up and take us back to the trailhead to begin our adventure!
Thursday – Cold Springs Shelter (6 Miles)
We’ll begin our hike at the Wayah Bald Fire Tower. This historic stone firetower has some amazing views to kick off our adventure. Immediately leaving the summit of Wayah Bald,we’ll begin to descend down past the Wayah Bald Shelter and continue descending to Licklog Gap. (yummy, right?) After a brief 300 foot climb we’ll continue our descent into Burningtown Gap. After that, it’s uphill some 800 feet in just over a mile and a half to our camping area just beyond the Cold Springs Shelter.
Friday – Wesser Bald Shelter (6 Miles)
We begin with an uphill hike to Copper Ridge Bald, then on to the Rocky Bald lookout. This .2 mile side trail to the summit has some spectacular views and makes a great lunch spot. Afterwards we’ll descend some 1,200 feet to Tellico Gap. Then it’s uphill all the way to the Wesser Bald Fire Tower where you’ll wanna stop and take some 360 degree pictures! We then descend to the Wesser Bald Shelter area to camp overnight.
Saturday – A. Rufus Morgan Shelter (5 Miles)
This will be a major downhill kind of day, with a few ups just to keep us honest. About two miles in, we’ll reach the Jumpoff which has some decent views, depending on the amount of foliage. Either way, it’s a good lunch stop, before we descend another 3 miles finally stopping for the night at the A. Rufus Morgan Shelter area.
Sunday – Nantahala Outdoor Center (1 mile)
We’ll have a short 1 mile hike down to the Nantahala River, where we’ll store our hiking gear in our cars, change clothes, have a quick lunch, then prepare for our rafting trip down the river! We’ll pick up our equipment at the NOC, then get shuttled 8 miles up river. About 3 hours later, we’ll finish at the NOC, take showers, change clothes, and get a well-deserved dinner at a local restaurant.
Then we’ll load up into our travel vehicles and head for home!
We should arrive back in Huntsville, AL between 7:00 and 9:00 PM.
