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.
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.
Li
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