High Peaks of Pisgah
Backpacking Trip

September 15-18, 2022

The Great Balsams of Pisgah National Forest are home to some of the most iconic mountain views in Western North Carolina!  On this intermediate 4-day backpacking trip, we'll summit six 6,000ft peaks in around 33 miles of hiking.  Your hike will begin on the Art Loeb Trail and finish on the Mountains to Sea Trail, two of the long distance trails that pass through NC.  This is a challenging itinerary with some exposed hiking and around 7,000ft of elevation change, so this trip is ideal for folks with some previous backpacking experience or a high level of fitness.  This trip is designed for hikers to push themselves to try a more advanced backpacking trip, surrounded by other outdoor adventurers.  The sense of accomplishment and empowerment will be well worth the challenge!

"Communication was great, our guide was wonderful, everything ran so smoothly.  BRHC did a great job meeting our specific
needs and I would recommend them to anyone." - K.M., High Peaks of Pisgah Women's Backpacking Trip, May 2021

Cost:

$780 per person.
Scholarships and Sliding Scale Fees are available for this trip.  Please reach out to us at trips@blueridgehikingco.com for more information.

This trip will run if there are a minimum of 2 participants signed up.  The maximum group size is 6 participants.  If the trip minimum has not yet been met, we'll reach out to participants two weeks before the trip start date to discuss options.  If you are traveling in a party of 4 or more hikers, we encourage you to consider a private backpacking trip.  You can find more information about our private trip offerings by sending us an email. 

In addition to your guide, this price includes backpacking gear for the trip, all on-trail food, transportation between the meet-up location and the trailhead, and any necessary backcountry permits.  Price also includes an insulated mug for each hiker.  It does not include gratuity for your guide.
 

Sign-Up Details:

In order to sign up for this trip, please go to our trip calendar and select the trip start date (September 15th).  You will find the trip listed there. 

A few weeks before the start of the trip, we will be in contact via email with an information packet for you to fill out.  This includes a waiver, health form, and gear request form.  Please complete and return this form at your earliest convenience.  At that time we will also send a detailed packing list, and any trip-specific information.
 

Itinerary:

This trip meets at 9am on Thursday September 15 in Pisgah Forest, NC.

You will meet your guide at the Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education (1410 Fish Hatchery Road, Pisgah Forest, NC 28768).  Your guide will hand out your gear and food, go over necessary packing items, and discuss safety, weather, and logistics for the trip. She'll walk you through how to properly pack your pack, and may look in detail at the items you've packed to make sure you're not carrying too many extra items. 

Around 11am, you'll head to the northern terminus of the Art Loeb Trail, where you will start your hike!  After 4 days of hiking, your trip will finish along the Blue Ridge Parkway, where a shuttle will pick you up to take you back to your car.  Drive time for both shuttles is approximately 1 hour.  This hike covers approximately 30 miles over 4 days, with daily mileage around 6-10 miles per day.  Total elevation gain is 8,600ft and total elevation loss is 6,700ft.  The first two days of the trip have the most climbing, gaining around 3,000ft of elevation the first day and 2,00ft the second day.  The third and fourth days of the trip will have mostly rolling terrain.  Hikers wishing to join this trip should be able to complete a 12-13 mile day hike on hilly terrain or walk 15-16 miles on flat ground and be comfortable on uphills and uneven terrain.  Sections of this trip are on rugged, poorly marked trail and cross exposed balds.

Hike generally finishes around mid-afternoon the last day.  Itinerary is subject to change based on a variety of factors, including weather, trail conditions, and participants needs and abilities.  Please inform our admin team or your guide ahead of time if you have a time constraint the last day of your trip.

Elevation profile created with Gaia GPS
 

Trip Difficulty Rating:

Participants on this trip should have a minimum fitness level of 6 out of 10, and this trip is ideally suited for hikers with a fitness level of 7-8 out of 10.  This is an intermediate trip, meaning hikers should have some previous backpacking experience, and are very comfortable on trail.  Sections of this trip are on rugged and poorly marked trail and cross exposed balds.  For more information about our difficulty and experience level ratings, please see our blog - we've written posts explaining how we describe fitness levels, experience levels, and how to tell if a trip distance is right for you.
 

Guide:

Your guide for this trip is Kacie Ross. Kacie grew up playing in the Eno River along what is now a stretch of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail in Durham, NC. Over the past decade she has enjoyed teaching and guiding in the outdoors all over the country. Kacie has thru-hiked over 7,000 miles including the Appalachian Trail, Pacific Crest Trail, and Te Araroa in New Zealand.  Following her passion for wilderness medicine, she worked as a wilderness EMT and currently volunteers with Buncombe County Search and Rescue Squad. She recently graduated from Western Carolina University and works as a Registered Nurse in Asheville. She enjoys cycling, birding, paddling, and yoga. Kacie loves fun conversation while hiking and finding all of little critters along the way!

What we Provide:

Food: BRHC provides all on-trail food. Your guide will pass out the food for your trip on the first morning. You will be expected to carry your own individually packaged food (such as oatmeal packets) and some shared community items (such as a jar of peanut butter or a block of cheese). We do our best to cater to requests, but options are limited because it is important to keep food lightweight and fresh foods can be heavy and bulky. If you have food allergies or dietary restrictions, please notify your guide or our admin team ahead of time. 

Individual Use Gear: BRHC provides high quality, ultralight, cottage industry backpacking gear to make your experience as comfortable as possible.  We offer the following five pieces of gear at no additional cost:
Backpacks - We use a lightweight 60L pack. We will ask for your height and weight in order to fit the pack appropriately to you.
Tents - We have one-person tents and two-person tents available. Please let us know if you would like to share with a friend.
Sleeping Bags - We use a 20 degree synthetic sleeping bag. We also have sleeping bag liners available. 
Sleeping Pads - These will insulate you from the ground and provide some cushion and comfort. We provide hikers with a closed-cell foam pad, for its excellent combination of weight and durability.
Trekking Poles - These will provide you with some added stability while hiking, and may be used to set up your tent.

Community Gear: BRHC provides all community gear for the trip, including water filters and back-up chemical treatment; camping stoves and fuel; bowls, spoons, and cups; bear canister; trowels, toilet paper, and hand sanitizer; first aid kit; and map and compass.
 

What to Bring:

We will send all participants a detailed packing list a few weeks before the trip. You are expected to bring your own clothing/footwear, personal gear (such as headlamps and water bottles), medications, and approved optional items. Generally, comfortable trail shoes are better than heavy hiking boots. Please do not pack any cotton - if it gets wet, it does not dry quickly and will not keep you warm. Athletic clothes are a good option. You will need only one outfit to hike in, one outfit to sleep in, a raincoat, and a warm layer. You will not need a new set of clean clothes each day. Because temperatures in September can be cool, you should also pack a set of baselayers, a hat, and a pair of gloves. We recommend bringing at least 1 hard-sided plastic water bottle (ex: Nalgene) to use as a hot water bottle in your tent/sleeping bag if overnight temperatures are cold. You will not need any make-up, hair products, scented products or deodorant. Just bring a toothbrush and toothpaste and enjoy going all natural for the trip!
 

COVID Safety Information:

We follow all local, state, and federal COVID safety guidelines.  All hikers joining a Group Backpacking Trip will be expected to show proof that they are fully vaccinated against COVID -or- a 7-day health log and a negative COVID test within 72 hours of when they arrive for their trip.  Masks are optional during pack shakedown and in our shuttle vehicle. Our policies may change before your trip as these guidelines change. 

If you have questions about our procedures or would like specific precautions to be taken, please contact our office at 828-713-5451 or trips@blueridgehikingco.com.
 

Cancellation Policy:

Payment in full is required to register. Trip cost includes a 15% non-refundable administrative fee. Hike may be cancelled up to 2 weeks before the trip for a refund (minus the 15% fee). Within 2 weeks, a 50% refund will be offered. Within 48 hours, a refund will only be offered if Blue Ridge Hiking Company cancels the trip due to severe weather. 

We hike rain or shine!  While it is incredibly rewarding, backpacking is an endurance sport, and it can be challenging and/or uncomfortable at times.  Maintaining a positive mindset, even when it is uncomfortable, is key to enjoying your time in the wilderness.  With our focus on lightweight gear, our goal is for your pack to weigh around 25 lbs (or no more than 25% of your body weight).

If your guide does an exceptional job, please show your appreciation with a tip.  Our team of highly trained professional guides never expects but always appreciates a tip.  Industry standard gratuity for a guided backpacking trip is 15-20% of trip price.

If you have any questions regarding this trip, you can reach us by phone at 828-713-5451 or by email at trips@blueridgehikingco.com.