As a cold week in January ended, the forecast for Shining Rock Wilderness was 18 degrees, 74 mph winds, and rain turning to snow.  We therefore decided to delay our departure until Saturday.  Early Saturday we started out trying to make Shining Rock before dark.  We did make it, but not before freezing temperatures, and sheets of ice formed on the hign mountain roadway.  We had to turn back in a thick snow shower just a few miles from the pass going to our trailhead. 

Luckily, due to the service running the National Forest reservations, we had a campground already reserved for Saturday night.  It turned out to be a nice campground.    Kuykendall campground is a large field, with a well for water, picnic area, and firepit.  We spent the night in the 60 mph winds and 27 degree temperatures. 

The next day we decided to go hiking up to the Blue Ridge Parkway and into the Shining Rock Wilderness. There was a road going from Kuykendall Campgound to a trail-side parking lot along the Art Loeb trail.  After coming to the Glouecester Gap intersection, a car coming from the parking lot said a tree was across the road and you could not pass.  We were sunk again.  However, we found the Art Loeb trail passing directly across the intersection where we stopped.  We all decided to take the Art Loeb trail from there. 

Not having studied the topographic map from that point, we did not realize the Art Loeb trail left that intersection at 3400 feet to climb to the top of Pilot Mountain.  Pilot Mountain is a 5,093 feet mountain.  Many of us were expecting a casual stroll through mountains.  What we encountered was the most grueling portion of the Art Loeb trail - rated "MOST DIFFICULT".  A steady climb up a very steep wall to the summit.  One would be hard pressed to count the incessant flow of switchbacks!  It was a good challenge to all.  The view from the top was impressive.