THEE UNRELENTING
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| | Raps:9, max ↨200ft
Red Tape:No permit required Shuttle:Required 2 hours Vehicle:Passenger Rock type:Granite | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Best season: | Mar-Oct
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35.7818, -82.2548
35.7673, -82.2646
35.7881, -82.2137
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Introduction
Introducing The Biggest Baddest and Most Remote Canyon on the East Coast!
Starting at the Highest point East of the Mississippi
Your want do this one for the challenge Once you’ve proved your worth in all the other N.C canyons and not before!
Views Views Views! Although it does have vertical, some of the waterfalls are sloping and by nature it’s typically a low flow creek especially starting so high up at 6000 feet in elevation! So the only correct way to do this High Elevation Canyon is in higher flow. So descend after a good rain and it’ll be full on Epicity!
So what’s all the hype about?
Thee Creeks’ real lure is its remoteness, it’s extremely steep terrain and it’s full on committing effort to complete the canyon. Hence the name “Thee Unrelenting”
DO NOT underestimate this venture
Be advised the only feasible access is Mt. Mitchell State Park via highway 128 and is only accessible via the Blue Ridge Parkway and is thereby dependent on the Parkway being open and accessible. Please check the NPS website for latest closures as the Parkway will be closed at various time and especially in the Winter months.
Approach
Starting at the top of the upper parking lot either park there and walk to the lower lot the one with all the picnic shelters. Your start your hike there. But it would behoove you to get dropped off as the park closes their gates at dark and your vehicle will be stuck there until morning.
What is Thee?
Its logistically hard to get to and It will take an entire day to descend. Your need to set up a vehicle shuttle at the bottom of rock creek and arrange ride to the top. Leaving a car in the Mt. Mitchell parking lot does not help much since the park closes the gates at dark (typically 9pm in the Summer) so the car will be locked in and you will not have time to retrieve your car. However if you do decide to leave a vehicle in the upper parking lot or here (35.76734, -82.26457) please me ensure you fill out an overnight camping form available in the park office or at the top near the gift shop. Alternately you could leave a car at Stepps Gap just outside the park gates. However that adds 4 miles to an already long weekend, and you must get a permission form there too.
Alternately one could hike from the bottom of rock creek via maple bald (great camping but still far) or bolens creek in Burnsville or even Montreat via any number of trails to get you up on the Crest trail. However those options will take a full day to reach the headwaters.
Currently the Blue Ridge Parkway is closed at the East entrance due to Hurricane Helene damage. That means NO access from 80S from Burnsville or Spruce Pine. The normal 40 minute shuttle will now take 2 hours as you must approach it from the East getting on the Blue Ridge Parkway either through Westerville or Asheville so Start early once the East Parkway opens up it’ll only be a 40 mins shuttle, but that is undetermined when that will happen.
There are multi backpacking camping options at the top for a fee in the black mountain campground it fills up quickly and as an alternative there camping available through your journey a great spot is here (35.77543, -82.25299) on the (BHT) The best way to do this trip and fully appreciate its allure. On day one, set up the vehicle shuttle get a ride to top then hike in a few miles and camp. It’s 1/2 mile away from the start of the headwaters in the BHT. Then on day two descend the canyon to awaiting vehicle.
Start at the top of Mt. Mitchell hike North at the Start of the Black Mountain Crest Trail for 1.3 miles, Climbing up Mount Craig (long) and Big Tom. Just before you climb Big Tom (which is very short) look left just off trail is a small single engine airplane crash. They just missed the top of the gap by scud running under the clouds. This is one off two airplane crash sites your pass. The other one is just off the BHT. There are many others here in the blacks. At the intersection of the Black Mountain Crest and Big Tom Gap Trail hang a right and descend .3 to the BHT hang another right for 100 yards to the headwaters of Thee Creek leave the well maintained trail and follow the surprisely open soggy game path for .1 to the Top of Nahnaiyv Falls!
Descent
Descend the canyon as follows for the next 1.75 miles to the confluence of rock creek. The first 1.3 miles drops over 2000 feet and features 9 rappels to get you to the island then creekwalk .4 and pick up the fisherman’s trail on the right ASAP for next 1.5 miles to vehicle (35.78807, -82.21369)
Total of 5+ miles from parking lot to Shuttle vehicle
Rap #1 DCR slung Tree -60 feet-This will be addressed on next expedition rappeling on DCL to remain in flow.
Rap #2 DCR Nahnaiyv Falls bolted Anchors out of Flow -200 feet
Creekwalk 300 feet to
Rap#3 DCR Slung Tree Spirit Falls
95’ Rappel to slide into pool
Walk 300 feet
Rap #4 Salamander Falls DCR 20 feet sloping waterfall can be down climbed on DCL
Walk 300 feet “Thee Creek Falls” Multi Stage rappel
Rap #5 200 feet Thee Creek Falls DCL Slung tree 160 feet transverse to DCR to remain in flow on the way down.
Rap #6 Rebelay 100 feet To bolted anchors DCR to finish rappel in Thee Creek Falls -
However, being so close in at this spot has its disadvantages, the pull is too steep and vertical.So to mitigate that you can just climb up on rocks on DCR, so your up about 25 feet and pull from there then you can butt Scoot back down. -Creekwalk awhile-.4
Rap #7 DCR 100 foot double sloping waterfall
Creekwalk .1
Rap # 8 Massive tree over Watercourse
Rappel -130 foot Barber Falls Walk 200 feet around the corner to the left.
Rap #9 DCL Slung Tree roots solid 150 foot
Rappel Bobbi Falls Drop into a massive swimmer Exit DCL To get up on Badger Island and must stay down Canyon Right to get out!
After the elevated island then creekwalk .2 passing by horrifying falls, which is not so horrifying after Helene and continue another .1 to slick twister falls and tombstone falls then finally cleft falls. All easily negotiated, unless the water is up which is really the only way this canyon should be done. Once you start to see massive Helene Debris deadfall in the creek you’re getting closer to the confluence (.4) with Rock Creek. It doesn’t last long, creekwalk .4 and pick and follow the canyon downstream to the confluence of Thee and Rock Creek coming in from the right. Once at the confluence Stop at the confluence of Rock and Thee creek and put away all vertical gear. Although you could do that at Badger island if your feeling confident and your legs aren’t mush. Then pick up the fisherman’s trail on the right ASAP beware it’s tough to get out on right due to landslide damage the left is hemmed in by massive rodeo Hell 10 feet high, for next 1.5 miles to vehicle (35.78807, -82.21369)
Exit
At the confluence catch your breath and your team mates then hang a left and follow the now much flatter terrain and various creek walking. Try to get up to an old fisherman’s path on your right and to your shuttle vechile , which is easy walking for 1.5 miles to your vechile. Congratulations you’ve done the most Epic Canyon in North Carolina and quite possibly the Entire East Coast.
Red tape
None really, except overnight parking so make sure you decide how to handle the vehicle situation as once the State Park close the gates they will not open them unless you are camping and it’s an emergency. If leaving a vehicle inside the state park make sure you fill out an overnight camping form and put it on your dashboard. Also Absolutely No Alcohol is permitted within the State park so be mindful since you will be transitioning through the park on their hiking trial, as arrest have been made in the past.
Beta sites
https://www.ncparks.gov/park-features/mount-mitchell-state-park
https://www.nps.gov/blri/planyourvisit/roadclosures.htm
Trip reports and media
1st technical full descent took 11 hours including approach due to setting up rigging to reach confluence of Thee and Rock creek.
Background
Mt. Mitchell holds many secrets over five airplane crashes, including the body of Elisha Mitchell. Whom the mountain is named after and subsequently entombed at the top. In 1857 as an intrepid explorer his quest to prove the Mountain was higher in elevation than Clingmans Dome in the Great Smoky Mountains, he unwittingly stepped off a 25 foot waterfall (Mitchell Falls) at dusk on the Western flank. It took over two weeks for Local bear hunter Big Tom Wilson to locate his body. The Black Mountains Western flank holds the largest privately owed tract in the entire state, and strictly prohibited and patrolled by deputized armed individuals but the Eastern side is all fair game.
1st Full Technical descent in entirety by John Podlewski, Summer Harper, Brandon Cofino, Jorge Alvarado, and Scott Smith