Worst trail in the Park

On Dec. 20, I had enough time for a half day of hiking.  The rain was supposed to start around 1 PM and I had guests arriving on Friday.  I hadn't been able to hike on Tuesday, which was a much better day, because I pulled a back muscle struggling with our Christmas Tree.

At any rate, I wasn't well organized and ended up doing 2 out and back hikes that did not connect together.  First off, I hiked one of my favorite short hikes from Thornton Gap up to Mary's Rock on the A.T.  It was a grey cold day.

When I reached the ridge, the fierce wind chilled me to the bone.  I didn't spend long at Mary's Rock admiring the peasoup non-view

When I got off, I was tempted just to finish up the AT section to Jewell Hollow Overlook but the wind made it so unpleasant on the ridge that I turned around.

When I returned to my car, I decided to drive up to Jewell Hollow Overlook and hike down the Leading Ridge Trail.  If I had given more thought to my day, I should have just gone to Jewell Hollow and hiked the missing AT section plus the Leading Ridge Trail.

The Leading Ridge Trail is by far the most unpleasant trail I've hiked in the Park.  It's a trail constructed the old fashioned way without switchbacks.  Going down was misery.  In addition to being a steep rough trail, it had a thick covering of leaves which hid all sorts of ball bearings underneath (acorns, small stones, sticks).  It took me 45 minutes to walk a mere 1.3 miles, grumbling all the way and falling 3 times.  The trail leads down to dirt road which (if you know where you're going) can lead you around to the bottom of the Crusher Ridge Trail.  I know this because one of the Vigorous Hikers routes has used this loop.  I was not happy when I reached the bottom.  Slogging steeply up hill (think walking upstairs for 1.3 miles) was better than going down.  I do not intend to hike this trail ever again, even when I do hike the Crusher Ridge Trail.

The best thing I can say about this trail is that after the leaves are off the trees you get some nice peekaboo views of the valley.

Total miles for day:  6.4.  One additional trail

I discovered, in my planning, an uncounted trail in the Central section (neither on the map nor in the Guidebook):  the Rapidan Camp Rd. (0.8 miles) which goes from Rapidan Camp to the Rapidan Fire Road.  It is only mentioned in the Guidebook in the description of the Rapidan Fire Road.  So we're back up to 172 trails and 511.5 miles of trail (both including the AT).

It sounds like snow is going to arrive this week.  I hope I can keep on hiking!

One Mile Run in 3.7 miles plus AT

Yesterday, 12/11, was a fine day for hiking.  I started the day by hiking the last side trail in the South District (aside from a 0.2 mile spur trail from the AT to the entry gate in Rockfish Gap).  To hike the One Mile Run trail you need to park at the Two Mile Run overlook and walk south on Skyline Drive a short distance.

The trail is like a secret garden, little used but lovely.  The leaves were pretty deep, indicating that few hikers have pounded them down.  The trail descends from Skyline Drive gently to a gap then more steeply down to One Mile Run, which is a small but picturesque stream.

You can see there are a few select spots for a dip in summer.  As it was, the temperature was rather chilly and my feet were cold and wet from tromping through deep wet leaves.  The trail crosses the stream 12 times before it leaves for the border of the park (marked only by a concrete hiking post).  The PATC map says "no public access" so I didn't continue on the trail past the post.  I met a man dressed all in red with binoculars around his neck.  Santa on his morning constitutional?

I turned around and crossed the stream another dozen times (luckily the water was low) and returned to the car.  I really admire the trail maintainers that keep this trail so well cleared and blazed.  It's hard work for rather few hikers.

Then I moved on the fill a gap in my AT miles by driving up to the South River Picnic area just inside the Central District.  I hiked from there up to Pocosin Fire Road and back.  Aside from some pleasant views north from a rocky descent just before Pocosin Cabin, there wasn't much scenery to oogle at.  I made good time and decided to fill in the gap from South River picnic area to the Saddleback Mt. Trail.  That short stretch went quickly and I was able to get out by 4:30 (the gates now close at 5 pm). 

Total miles for day:  15.2 or which exactly half counts toward the SNAP 500.  One new trail.

379 miles finished out of 509.6 and 128 trails completed out of 170 (including AT).  Of the 41 side "trails" left to go only about half are hiking trails (the rest are fire roads, horse trails, and other roads).  

Trayfoot Mt. and Paine Run

Dec. 6 was much colder than Dec. 4.  When I started there was still frost on the ground.  I parked in the Black Rock Summit parking lot, where the Trayfoot Mt. trail starts.  It snakes around and under Black Rock before ascending Trayfoot Mt.  The Trail is much better in the winter than it was over the summer because all the grass is dead and you get much better views. 

Li

The Trayfoot Mt. trail is another ridge trail with views and viewpoints to both sides in winter.  I thought I heard shots to the West and was glad I wore my blaze orange bandanna.  When I got to the Paine Run Trail, I turned right and went out to the park boundary and back.  Then I hiked up.  Paine Run is a small but attractive stream. 

The Paine Run trail itself is an old fire road and thus well graded and wide.  It joined the AT at Blackrock Gap.  Although I was warm walking uphill, when I hit the top of the ridge, it was pretty chilly.  But slogging up Black Rock I got warm again, in part because the sun was warming my back.  I swung around Blackrock for another fabulous view (though I resisted climbing the rocks). 

Total mileage for the day:  10.9; 2 new trails. 

Patterson Ridge, Big Run Portal and Big Run Loop

On Dec. 4 (after a one week hiatus to visit my father in Florida), I hiked a very pleasant loop in the South District.  After paking in the Loft Mt. Wayside parking lot, I went north a short way on Skyline Drive to the Patterson Ridge trail and ascended steeply from the road.  This is a true ridge trail with good winter views to both sides.  It goes up and down a number of high points with some lovely overlooks along the way. 

The day was incredible for early Dec. ... close to 70 degrees I believe.  I hiked in shorts and t-shirt.  I reached the bottom (Big Run Portal Trail) in good time and started up that lovely trail. 
I couldn't tell if Big Run had less or more water than the last time but the few stream crossings I made seemed to have less convenient rocks to step on.

I was even tempted to take a dip in Big Run but decided that was pushing the season a little much. 

 I saw not a soul.  When I reached the junction with the Big Run Loop Trail, I chose the northern half (thus completing that trail) and finally encountered 2 other hikers.  The trail ascends gently uphill to the Big Run Overlook.  Then I walked across Skyline Drive to the Doyles River parking lot to pick up the AT north. 

While the woods were generally brown, I noticed lots of bright pink American Beautyberry and the almost neon purple stems of blackberries.  My camera couldn't quite catch the shocking purple of the blackberries but I tried.

. There were viewpoints en route to Loft Mt. and from the top.  It was in fact a gorgeous day. 

Great hike.  Total miles:  11.3 completing 2 trails. 

I've now gone back to my Excel table of trails to divide up the AT into smaller sections.  Having nixed an AT Shenandoah thru hike because of the broken rib, I'm now going back the recording all the little AT sections I've already hiked. 

Riprap/Wildcat Loop: perfect day, perfect trails

Today was a perfect day for hiking and I hiked on the most beautiful trail yet:  the Riprap Trail.  Oddly enough, I saw more hikers today than I've seen on any of my earlier hikes too.  I think they're related.

I parked at the Riprap Trail parking lot off Skyline Drive in the Southern District.  I got a fairly late start (10 AM) because it's a 3 hour drive.  The Riprap Trail first descends to a saddle and then climbs up Calvary Rocks then Chimney Rock with panoramic vistas to all sides.

On the gentle descent after the high point there were more scenic pullouts and plenty of views from the trail

Although the day started out cloudy, little patches of sun gave way to a sunny day with a few scattered clouds.

After descending a while, the trail joins a beautiful stream complete with cascades, pools (too bad the temperature was in the 40s), and plenty of stream chatter.

There were many side trails to swimming holes and campsites (probably illegal).  I remember well camping here on one of my shakedown cruises before I hiked the A.T.  It has gotten more overgrown in the last six years, probably because of enforcement of camping regulations.  Close to the valley, I came across the mother of all swimming holes.  I'll have to go back during the summer.

Shortly thereafter I met the Wildcat Ridge Trail.  Before ascending, however, I needed to walk out the 0.9 miles of the Riprap Trail to the Park Boundary.  I was a little worried about hunters illegally doing their thing within the Park, but my fears were allayed when I met 4 women walking a few dogs up the trail.  On this section too the stream is lovely and there are many campsites.  After returning to the Wildcat Ridge Trail I followed it a short distance to the stream crossing where I plonked down to have a quick lunch.

Stripping down to t-shirt, I then started the ascent, sometimes steep, of the Wildcat Ridge.  First it passed through a wonderful ravine of sorts with huge rocks and cliffs to both sides.  Then is crossed the stream and swung up out of the valley.  I love hiking after the leaves have fallen because you get great views.  This trail, like many in the South District, slabs along the side of ridges and provides lots of winter views.  As with much of the South District, this area also has lots of old rock slides which helps the views as well.  I made the ascent in very good time, telling me I have recovered much of the fitness I lost to my broken rib.  At the junction with the AT, I continued on to the parking lot (a very long 0.1 mi.) and returned, just to complete the trail.  Then I walked north on the AT.  I have already walked this section of the AT at least once this year.  It too provides panoramic winter views to the south and west.  Although the warning sign was still up about aggressive bears, I saw none.

When I returned to my car (around 2:30) part of the group I had met on the Riprap Trail was there waiting for their car shuttle mates to return.

Total mileage for day:  11.3.  New trails:  2.  New trail mileage:  7.2. 

The jewel before winter

I had hoped to save Old Rag for my victory lap but the impending winter and my delayed completion argued for hiking the Old Rag loop sooner rather than later.  So yesterday I climbed the wondrous peak.  As Melanie Perl had suggested, I parked at Berry Hollow which enabled me to complete the Berry Hollow Fire Road and the Old Rag loop without any mileage penalty.

The Berry Hollow FR went up steadily but it's a smaller road than Old Rag and Weakley Hollow Fire Roads so it was quite pleasant.  When I reached the junction with the latter, I walked down it to the Ridge Trail.  As I walked I stole frequent glances through the leafless woods at Old Rag.  Was that a sheet of ice hanging off the northern side of the ridge?  Yes!  Then I thought I remembered something about the Park's closing the Ridge Trail for repair work.  Was this the time they were doing it?  Luckily, on both counts, the trail was open and the ice was avoidable.

Here's some of what I saw going up the Ridge Trail.

Ice coated rock in middle of photo

I started noticing more and more ice as I reached the ridge and first overlook.  I figured I'd find ice in the usual places and on the top and both turned out to be the case. For those readers who haven't hiked Old Rag before, the Ridge Trail is quite a challenging trail.  It winds over, under, and through rocks, involves rock scrambling and even low grade rock climbing in a few places, and it has panoramic views all along the ridge.  Much of the trail is in shadow and once ice forms, it takes a long time to melt. 

 But none of the ice got in the way of my progress.  Muddy and wet trail runners did make me slip a bit on the rocks however.  Sometimes I think I'm getting too old for the Ridge Trail.

As I sat on top eating a late lunch, the sun finally broke through the clouds.  The temperature was still quite cold, though (I'd say the upper 30s).  But it was quite a fine day for hiking nonetheless. 

And the panoramic views from the top of Old Rag were spectacular.

I encountered more ice on the way down

but also trail improvements.  Where before there was a slippery wooden staircase, there is now an excellent stone staircase (below the first shelter).

I finished the loop and returned home.  Just as I left the Rt. 600 to go up and out of the valley, a bright bluebird flew in front of me.  Absolutely goregeous.

A snag on the beltway meant that it took me 4 hours (instead of the usual 2) to get home.

I would like to introduce my blogging partner now.

Black Girl often helps me out by sitting on the keyboard or just pressing a few keys down.

3 more trails finished.  I'll calculate my thermometer progress after I have recalculated my AT miles since I'm unlikely to do the AT through the Park in one go.

One stupid mistake I made earlier this week was NOT to hike the Hull School Trail from Thornton River Trail to the Knob Mt. Trail.  For some reason (and without my Excel table in hand) I thought I had previously hiked this section.  Now, because of my idiocy, I'll have to hike 5 miles to gain 0.7 miles remaining of the Hull School Trail.  GRRRR. 

Thornton River Trail

I had set the alarm for 5 AM because I wanted to go to the South District for a hike.  It was pouring out so I went back to sleep.  When I got up later I saw from the Doppler radar that the rain was passing the Shenandoahs.  So I quickly got my stuff together and went to the North District to pick up the Thornton River Trail.  Although the guidebook says to park at the junction of 612 and 653, I managed to find a spot further up 612 just before the "No Parking Beyond This Point" sign.  What a fabulous day it turned out to be:  clear and crisp with a full river next to me.

The Thornton River Trail is another one of those scenic river trails so special to the Shenandoahs.  This trail and river is right up there with Nicholson Hollow in terms of beauty and ease of access.  It has lots of potential dunking spots and even a few holes big enough to submerge in.  It was also wonderful to be back hiking.  Unfortunately, my camera battery died (I had snatched the little camera that I hadn't recently recharged) so I tried to take some photos with my phone (the 2nd and 3rd photos below) but I couldn't see the screen well enough to take decent photos.

The Thornton River trail rises gently and steadily to Skyline Drive.  There were a number of blowdowns en route.  Beyond Skyline Drive the trail rises steeply to meet the Appalachian Trail.  There I had lunch in the sun.  It was chilly enough for me to be wearing three shirts and mittens.  I walked down the AT as far as the Beahms Gap cutoff (having already taken the side trail to Byrds Nest 4 and now wanting to maximize my AT miles).  There was no snow to be seen (but the trail only lightly grazed the 2500 altitude mark).  At Beahms Gap I had to walk north on Skyline Drive for a short stretch (I never found the connector to the Byrds Nest fire road (described in guidebook and on map) but that was ok because I logged more AT miles.  Then I took the final section I needed to complete the Hull School Trail, a pleasant but unremarkable piece of gentle trail.  Once again I encountered some blowdowns.  Then I repeated the last 1.8 miles of Thornton River Trail to get back to the car.    Two additional trails and 7.4 additional new miles on side trails.  I have to go back to old hikes to document all my AT miles since it looks like I won't get to my AT backpacking trip. 

Lower Thornton River Trail

Cascades on upper Thornton River trail

Old car skeleton, Thornton River Trail

Hot-Short & Sweet

Today was simply too beautiful a day not to be out on the trail.  The temperatures were in the 40s, the sun was out and the air was clear.  So I decided to take my still-mending rib for a short spin. 

I parked at Nethers and walked up the ever-enchanting Nicholson Hollow Trail.  I was once again reminded how lovely the Hughes River is, regretting that I didn't make it back here during the summer so I could take a dip.

After 1.7 miles from trail head (which is about 0.5 miles from parking lot) I turned right up the Hot-Short Mt. Trail.  This climbs steadily up, first along an old stone wall and then along a lovely stream, between Hot and Short Mountains to the Hazel Mt. Trail. 

I remembered why I like winter hiking.  When the leaves are off the trees you have great views.  I knew that Sandy had dumped some snow on the Shenandoahs and the high winds had probably downed a bunch of trees.  So I tried to clear the branches off the trails whenever I could.  On the Nicholson Hollow trail I found 4 trees down across the trail. 

En route up the Hot-Short Trail, I encountered two other hikers, one of whom was Cliff who I had met through the Vigorous Hikers.  He recognized me first and asked me how my rib was doing!  Amazing to meet someone I know and then to find out he reads my blog!  And of all places to meet him.  On the basis of a query I had put in my blog way back in February, he had told me how to get back to Nethers from the base of the Pine Hill Gap Trail (which I was about to hike!).  So it was a triple delight to see him!  Thanks Cliff!

The higher I climbed, the more downed trees and limbs I encountered.  I estimate there were at least 10 of them in the last mile of the Hot-Short Trail.  When I reached the height of land I found some vestigial snow but not enough to care about.  Driving in it was clear that the main ridge of the Shenandoahs had plenty of snow cover.

 I guess the elevation here wasn't high enough. 

At the trail junction (after 2.1 miles) of  Hot-Short, Hazel Mt., and Pine Hill Gap Trails I sat down for a quick lunch.  Then I proceeded down the Pine Hill Gap Trail.  Slowly at first because there were many downed trees and limbs.  After I got finished with climbing over, under, and through trees, the going was slow because the Pine Hill Gap trail is a horse trail and as a result there are lots of loose rocks which, combined with a deep bed of dead leaves, makes is hard to figure out where to put one's foot.  I'm not sure where is the Pine Hill but I did see a nice stand of pines close to the bottom of the trail.

When I reached the final trail post  (2.1 mi) I followed Cliff's instructions and turned right down an obvious horse trail (old forest road).  In spite of lots of downed trees, I was able to follow it all the way to a bunch of cabins at the end of VA 707.  Then I followed the dirt road back to VA600 and the parking lot in Nethers. 

My rib felt great except when I took deep breaths.  I was very happy to be back on the trail. 

total mileage for the day 7-8 miles.  New trails:  2.  New trail mileage:  4.2 mi.