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.