I knew my luck would run out sometime. After the snow Saturday and Sunday I figured the Shenandoahs would be covered in snow on Monday when I went out for a hike. So I picked a low-risk hike: the Dickey Ridge Trail. Not only is it the closest trail to me, it is also gently graded and relatively low altitude. I started out in the parking lot at 8:45. The ground was frozen and bare. Lots of locals seem to use the first couple of miles for exercise and dog walking but after I crossed the Skyline Drive the first time I saw no one else. I believe there might have been one person ahead of me because the tracks looked fresh but I never saw him or her. The snow started just about at the first SD crossing. In the shady northern and western facing slopes there was a couple of inches of snow. But much of the trail was bare. I hiked up to Lands Run Gap because I can finish the rest on a future circuit hike (Hickerson Hollow/Dickey Ridge, AT, VA601 Access trail). I saw many deer and a few large birds. On my way back I noticed a bright red patch in the trail and thought I had carelessly left some litter behind. As I approached, the bright red cardinal flew up into a tree. After complementing him on his attire, I continued on. The highlight of the trail is the expansive view to the west just under the FAA signal tower and hang glider site. The whole valley was brown but up on the ridge it was snowy, especially between the Snead Farm Road and the Hang Glider site. The trail between Low Gap and Lands End gap was so exquisitely engineered that I thought it might have originally been the A.T.
Since I was in a bit of a rush to get home early, I just turned on my heel in Lands Run Gap and retraced my steps. I discovered that mud is far more dangerous for hiking than snow. All the previously-frozen ground had turned to mush and I had many a slip in the muck going down hill. Then, when I reach the parking lot again there were crocuses to great me.
Total miles for day: 16 (yes I did the little bit between 522 and the parking lot (twice))
New Trail miles: 8
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