Trip Report: Cold Mountain via Art Loeb Trail

This past weekend we got a little time to get back and prototype some straps on the laser. Up until now all our prototyping has been done with our "The Grey" material so we switched it up and ran"Coyote Fugly". We also tested a new adhesive so you know what that means...Trip Report!

It's April in the Southeast so if you're in Appalachia and you forage that means one thing, Ramps. So Saturday, after riffing on the laser, new strap in hand and a fresh Oak and Oscar SWAG limited edition we headed west to my little spot for Ramps but the fun really started Sunday for a run up Art Loeb to Cold Mountain. Cold Mountain has been on my list for my last 2 trips to the area and both times I was skunked. Once because I didn't leave myself enough time and wasn't willing to descend Art Loeb in the dark (rocks, incline, wet conditions...) and the other during a backpacking trip across all of Art Loeb where we were just too damned tired.

The other riffing on the laser included some playing with settings for etching logos and text onto the surface. Which as the above photo shows was a success, shoutout Redbar Raleigh. We're not quite ready to bring this to the mainstream but we're close so feel free to reach out if it's something you're looking for. Standard Coyote Fugly straps are good to go!

As for Art Loeb, it's a burly hike that will put hair on your chest in a hurry. Rarely flat, you're always either walking up an incline that gets the blood flowing or down a staircase that gives your knees a direct communication line to your pain receptors.

I parked at the Camp Daniel Boone/Art Loeb Trailhead, grabbed my small day bag (complete with a flask of Pegleg Porker Bourbon), a nalgene bottle and was off on my way for 3.8 miles of uphill goodness. Once you get about a mile up there are some areas where you can start to see the expansive wall that leads up to Cold Mountain. It's a wonderful reminder that you still have a ways to go.

The path comprises of a few switchbacks which have a habit of funneling water down into the valley and fortunately the ample rocks along the trail offer plenty of stepping stones when not also doubling as staircases on the steep ascent. Mixed in you'd find a few softer "flat" portions and a few creek crossings as you carve into the valleys. If the sound isn't enough to prompt you, you'll notice a quick change at how dense the foliage becomes as the carpet of dried oaks and maples give way to a thick lush cover of green matter. It's through this area you'll come across the most backpackers, typically beatdown and staring through the woods hoping to catch a peak of the camp parking lot. It's their last descent and quite welcome if they know it.

At the 3.8 mile mark you'll see a great place to camp right on the saddle where the spur to Cold Mountain continues to climb. This is an awesome spot for a snack or hydration with decent views out both sides of the mountain. The couple of downed trees near the campsite are great to take a load off. At this point you have 1000' of elevation staring you in the face after almost 2000'. Art Loeb is no joke.

A little over a mile and you'll be at the top. The one complaint about Art Loeb and specifically this section is the lack of major picturesque views. They're mixed in with nice viewing windows especially those on Cold Mountain. If you look around you'll find a vew rock outcroppings that are perfect for a panorama of the nearby peaks including Pisgah, Frying Pan and Old Butt Knob (had too).

Here I sat down, took in the views, had a swig of some Pegleg Porker from a flask I filled god knows when. Normally I would have stayed for about 10 minutes before heading back down but I was captivated by a pair of ravens which were catching thermals coming up the valleys. I did my best to let out a few "kaw-kaws" which they repaid by riding up towards the sky and swooping down a few feet from my head. One of them hung onto a breeze and didn't move an inch. It was like staring at a painting with birds in the sky.

Now it was time to walk down the mountain, 5-ish miles and time to put those knees and quads to good work. Heading back down continued the solitude with not a sole on the trail. Just a nice Sunday afternoon, in the woods, in the quiet, with perfect weather and a soft breeze. The perfect ending to a weekend and launching pad into the work week.

As for the strap, nothing to report back. The test adhesive worked and I didn't drop a black pvd watch on the rocks. It was my first time spending significant time with our Coyote Fugly colorway and not one I would normally pair with a black on black watch but that's what happens when you let friends borrow watches and they send you pics of your watch with their straps. Speaking of which...do we need a loaner watch program?