Southern district Rocks and Rocky Mount

Due to computer problems, I've experienced a delay in posting on my latest hikes.

To accelerate my completion of trails and miles, I'm planning to go to the southern district for two days running, spending the night at Loft Mt. Campground in between to get in more miles.  Last Monday was my first day and it took me a while to get away.  That plus a couple of stops en route meant I didn't get on the trail until 11 AM.  Gotta do better next time.

Monday.  Parked at Browns Gap, MP 83 (even though the map says nothing about it, there's a nice-sized parking lot there).  Hiked up the AT to the Big Run Loop Trail (0.6 mi) which I took (left) to the junction with the Madison Run Spur and the Rockytop Trail (0.7 mi) .  After hiking out and back to the Madison Run Fire Road on the Madison Run Spur Trail (0.6 mi. RT) I hiked down the Rockytop Trail to the junction with the Austin Mt. Trail (0.4 mi.).  So far the trails were through open woods and lovely.  The Austin Mt. Trail was great because there was just enough open space to the the ridge to my left.  I love the environment with more rocks and lichens, fewer understory plants, and more space in the green tunnel.  Not sure what it is about the soil/geology/moisture creates this kind of woods but I feel very much at home in it.  I was having a little problem with my recently-fixed camera's exposures so some of these pix are overexposed. 

I noticed that sassafras trees have berries, which I've never seen before.  I think bears might eat them because I saw a lot of sassafras branches bend over so far that they blocked the trail.

Saw some neat yellow wildflowers but not sure of their name:

At first the Austin Mt. Trail was relatively flat, maybe even descending a little, but then it ascended the little bump that is the summit.  It didn't actually go over the top but rather slabbed across a large number of rock slides.  I wasn't prepared for the large amounts of sun on the trail and got overheated. 

Then the trail ended at the lower end of the Madison Run Trail, which I took to the Park boundary and returned to the start of the Furnace Mt. Trail.  En route I met an older gent who was out photographing dragonflies and butterflies.  After crossing Madison Run on terrific stepping stones

I ascended the trail, once again in more sun than I had bargained for.  It was really hot by this time also (1:30 PM).  I passed a pretty neat mushroom along the way.

I did take the 0.5 mile side trail to the summit (which is not included in the list of trails even though the shorter Lewis Mt. Summit Trail is included, so I added it to my list).  The summit itself had a shaded camping spot but just beyond was a great overlook from which I could see Austin Mt. and the other terrain I had traversed earlier.

Once I sat down, drank a quart of Gatorade, and enjoyed the view for a while I felt much better.  I'd say Furnace Mt. is a worthwhile hike with a great viewpoint, especially if you do it from the bottom of the Madison Run Fire Road (1.9 miles to overlook). 

I returned to the main trail and followed it more gently uphill to the junction with the overgrown Trayfoot Trail which I took up to Black Rock.  As always, Black Rock was terrific.  I couldn't resist scrambling up to the top. 

View from Black Rock

I took the Black Rock Spur Trail 0.1 mi. to the AT and then walked back on the AT to the Browns Gap parking area.  At that point I was ready to set up camp so I went off to Loft Mt. Campground, stoppiing at the Wayside for a milkshake.  The night at Loft was terrific with a steady wind blowing all night and an almost full moon.  No noisy campers nearby either.

Total miles for day:  13.8
Unique side trail miles:  9.4
New trails completed:  4

I got off early the next morning and was on the trail by 7:45 (I had to be home that evening for a meeting).  I took the Rockymount lollipop circuit.  Taking the Rockymount Trail to the top of Rockymount then coming back by way of the Gap Run Trail and the initial 2.2 miles of the Rockymount Trail.  Autumn is arriving in the forest.

This beech-like tree had already turned.  The trail up to Rockymount was similar to the Austin Mt.Trail:  lots of slides and open views toward the main Shenandoah Range.  Much of it was also that open forest milieu I like.  The actual top of Rockymount wasn't spectacular but you could climb on some rocks for a good view.  It was actually a better view just below the summit. 

The descent crossed dry hot rockslides and then transitioned into an almost jungle like, most, streamside walk through thick undergrowth.  Just after I go onto the Gap Run Trail I met a Park Technician, Dale, and summer intern, Jackie who were travelling cross country with equipment to protect the hemlocks from the wooly adelgid.

The Gap Run Trail was more work than I had anticipated and gained a fair amount of elevation before rejoining the Rockymount Trail.  I returned to the car by 12:30.  I had thought I would hike out and back on the One Mile Run Trail but I didn't think I had enough time for the (either 7.4 miles or 9 miles).  So I decided to do a quickie circuit hike up the Smith-Roach Gap Road to the Hightop Hut Road and down the AT back to Smith Roach Gap.  I met several long distance hikers in the parking lot and was able to provide a small amount of trail magic to two of them in the form of apples.  The circuit hike was overgrown, sunny, and hot.  I can see the value of the Smith Roach Gap fire road for people staying at the Mutton Hollow Cabins. 

Total miles for day:  13
Total unique side trail miles:  9.4
New trails:  4