3 on 211

Today I went out for the second day this week.  I'm trying to complete as many trails as possible before a presentation I'm making on Sept. 25.  Starting next week I hope to spend 2 or even 3 days in the Park at a time, spending the night in campgrounds.

I've always wondered, as I drove up US 211 from Sperryville to Thornton Gap, why all the cars were parked in pullouts along the way.  Now I know because today I hiked all three trails that leave from 211 in the Park.  First I hiked up and back the Pass Mountain Trail.  The trailhead is right at a sharp turn in the road and the parking area is across the street so it seemed a bit dangerous getting from my car to the trail.  Luckily there wasn't much traffic on 211.  The trail was pleasant ... an old forest road that rose gradually from 211 up to Pass Mountain Hut, which is a shelter for AT and other long distance hikers (one night limit).  I believe I stayed there during my thru-hike in 2007.  I continued on another 0.3 mi. to trail's end at the A.T.  Except for a few patches of Japanese stiltgrass which had overgrown the trail, it was very well maintained.  There were a few wild phlox along the way but not many other wildflowers. 

Pass Mountain Hut

I signed the log book in the hut and returned to the car, passing a neat fungus on the way down.

Then I drove down 211 about a mile to park at the trailhead for the Buck Ridge/Buck Hollow trails.  The parking lot looked like a butterfly convention.  At least a dozen swallowtails were congregated around the puddles but they flew off as soon as I got my camera out.   .

I decided to go up the Buck Ridge Trail (which starts 0.3 miles up the Buck Hollow Trail).  Just after the Buck Ridge Trail starts the hiker is presented with an incredible feat of engineering and volunteer labor.

Incredible stairs up Buck Ridge Trail

These stairs go on and on and on and on.  I cannot imagine how many hours of labor went into improving this trail.  About half way up the stairway to heaven, I spied a tiny yellow ringed black snake (the internet suggests it's called a northern ring necked snake).  This one was a few inches long and no more than 1/4 inch thick.  After sweating and panting up the stairs I finally reached the ridge which offered peekaboo vistas to both sides.  I'd imagine the views would be great in winter.  After about an hour, after a little rock scramble, an inconspiruous side trail led to a rocky outcrop with great views to the north and east.

Rocky outcrop on Buck's Ridge Trail

Toward the top of the trail, it went through the woods and finally emerged onto the Hazel Mt. Trail, my old pal from many months ago.  I took that trail up to Skyline Drive (thereby completing the Hazel Mt. Trail at last) and continued on up the Meadow Spring Trail, which always seems way longer and steeper than it should be.  Although it wasn't on my planned itinerary, once I reached the top of Meadow Spring Trail I decided to hop over the Mary's Rock because it's so close and so wonderful.  Mary's Rock has one of the best vistas in the park.

Mary's Rock

Mary's Rock

View from Mary's Rock

Then I retraced my steps to Skyline Drive and took the Buck Hollow Trail back down to the car.  At first the descent was so unrelenting (though not steep) that it was hard on my ancient knees.  But eventually it flattened out and I was treated to the sounds of the stream flowing next to the trail.  Unfortunately I couldn't get to any pools to take a dip (and there were very few large enough to fit me).  It never ceases to amaze me that after a no-snow winter and droughty spring and summer that the streams continue to flow in the Shenandoah National Park.  It started to rain and then thunder so I put my camera in my backpack to keep it dry.  Which meant I didn't get a picture of the huge black snake (4 feet long I'd say) along the trail.  It was gorgeous and didn't seem in any hurry to get away from me.

Got back to the car earlier than expected.  

More changes to the Excel table of SNAP 500 trails to reflect Trail Guide miles. 

Trails completed:  4 new (86 total)
Miles hiked:  15.2
New side trail miles:  9.8 new (213.8 total)
Total miles hiked to date:  320.2

Jones Mountain/Staunton River Circuit

Well I'm back in the saddle after another extended absence for family vacation and a visit to my 90 year old father in Florida.  Glad to be back on the trail, I was not exactly in fine form yesterday.  I had gotten a late start and felt a little groggy from my alarm's going off while I was deeply asleep.  Melanie Perl told me the Jones Mt. Trail was one of her favorites and I can see why. 

The trailhead near Graves Mill was easy to find and there was plenty of parking.  Several cars were already parked there but I didn't see anyone else until the very end of the trail.  Parkers must have been there to fish in the Rapidan River. 

The trail first heads up the Graves Mill Trail (for 0.5 miles of flat walking along the Rapidan) then cuts up the Staunton River Trail, which is thoroughly delightful.  The Staunton River is a loquacious stream with lots of small cascades to provide a calm soundscape for hiking.  The trail up to the Jones Mt. Trail junction (2 miles from prior junction) is gently uphill on what seems to be an old forest road.  The Jones Mt. Trail climbs steadily, sometimes steeply, up the ridge.  Along the way, the trail passes through mountain laurel bowers, which I find to be lovely even when not in flower.

At 0.7 miles from previous junction, I took the side trail to Jones Mt. Cabin which, somewhat to my consternation, descended.  Along the way there were some phosphorescent moss and a nice rocky outlook.

The cabin itself was quite secluded but looked like an ideal hideaway for someone wanting to write or commune with nature. 

I then slogged back up to return to the trail.  I met another phosphorescent fungus or moss along the way.

The trail continued its ascent, sometimes steeply, and finally I reached the ridge where a short trail leads off right to Bear Church Rock (1.2 miles from trail start), one of the lovely vistas I've encountered in SNP.

 As you can see, the day was grey and the ridge was swathed in clouds.  The next few miles of ridge walking would have been great except for the lack of visibility.  There were many scenic turnouts (some with campsites) and from the trail itself there might have been great views to both sides (at least in winter).  Eventually, the ridge flattened and widened.  I met many toads who were out wandering in the post-deluge damp forest floor.  Here's one of them.  My newly repaired camera seems to be having problems with zooming. 

There were some wildflowers and blackberries but nothing close to early abundance.

I also so more brightly colored funghi!

After many false summits I finally reached the (unimpressive) high point (3482') and then began to drop down, mostly gradually, to the junction with Cat Rocks Trail and then The Sag.  I had intended at that point to add a small circuit hike down the Fork Mt. trail to the Laurel Prong Trail up the Cat Rocks Trail and repeat the bit back to The Sag but it was getting late and I didn't have much oomph.  Later on I was glad I'd made this decision.  So I just walked back to the car via the Fork Mt. Fire Rd. (0.8 mi.) to the Staunton River Trail and down. 

Along the fire road there were scads of butterflies.  The bright orange ones and pale yellow ones didn't stand still long enough to be photographed but the swallowtails did.  The Joe Pye weed seemed to be their biggest attraction

The Staunton Rive Trail right from its western terminus is a delight.  The sound of the many cascades accompanied me all the way down. 

I noticed that the leaves are already starting to turn in significant numbers. 

And I saw another flamboyant fungus. 

Although the trail was well maintained, I had to watch my step descending.  Lots of rocks and stinging nettles forced me to pick my steps.

When I reached the junction with the McCaskill Hollow Trail, I hiked out and back to the Jones Mt. Trail (1/2 mile each way).  It was a stairstep kind of trail which ascended but never too steeply.  I guess this trail is used to make circuit hikes but it seemed a bit superfluous to me since it doesn't save much mileage compared to just using the Jones Mt. Trail.  In the woods I spied a discarded pillow but didn't have a trash bag with me to lug it out.  I need to remember to bring spare trash bags in the future. 

I had been looking at lovely pools all along the Staunton River as I walked and finally spied one big enough to take a dip in that had a trail leading to it.  After a quick dip I felt much better. 

After cooling off, I hustled back on the trail.  At around 4:15 the skies got quite dark.  At first I wondered if it was just because the sun was going behind the ridge to the west but then I felt a few drops of rain.  I hurried back to the car, stopping for a short while to converse with a guy who had come to fish but was disappointed that he couldn't drive his car up the Graves Mill Trail. 

As I was leaving the drops became more frequent and by the time I was back on Route 230 the rain had started in earnest eventually becoming a deluge by Warrenton.   

Total for the day (from Trail Guide):  14.3; new side trail miles:  10.6; new trails:  4

I discovered some problems with my Excel table (yet again). The Jones Mt. trail wasn't there so I added it.  As of today (with these new numbers) I have completed 50% of side trail miles and 48% of side trails.