Worst trail in the Park

On Dec. 20, I had enough time for a half day of hiking.  The rain was supposed to start around 1 PM and I had guests arriving on Friday.  I hadn't been able to hike on Tuesday, which was a much better day, because I pulled a back muscle struggling with our Christmas Tree.

At any rate, I wasn't well organized and ended up doing 2 out and back hikes that did not connect together.  First off, I hiked one of my favorite short hikes from Thornton Gap up to Mary's Rock on the A.T.  It was a grey cold day.

When I reached the ridge, the fierce wind chilled me to the bone.  I didn't spend long at Mary's Rock admiring the peasoup non-view

When I got off, I was tempted just to finish up the AT section to Jewell Hollow Overlook but the wind made it so unpleasant on the ridge that I turned around.

When I returned to my car, I decided to drive up to Jewell Hollow Overlook and hike down the Leading Ridge Trail.  If I had given more thought to my day, I should have just gone to Jewell Hollow and hiked the missing AT section plus the Leading Ridge Trail.

The Leading Ridge Trail is by far the most unpleasant trail I've hiked in the Park.  It's a trail constructed the old fashioned way without switchbacks.  Going down was misery.  In addition to being a steep rough trail, it had a thick covering of leaves which hid all sorts of ball bearings underneath (acorns, small stones, sticks).  It took me 45 minutes to walk a mere 1.3 miles, grumbling all the way and falling 3 times.  The trail leads down to dirt road which (if you know where you're going) can lead you around to the bottom of the Crusher Ridge Trail.  I know this because one of the Vigorous Hikers routes has used this loop.  I was not happy when I reached the bottom.  Slogging steeply up hill (think walking upstairs for 1.3 miles) was better than going down.  I do not intend to hike this trail ever again, even when I do hike the Crusher Ridge Trail.

The best thing I can say about this trail is that after the leaves are off the trees you get some nice peekaboo views of the valley.

Total miles for day:  6.4.  One additional trail

I discovered, in my planning, an uncounted trail in the Central section (neither on the map nor in the Guidebook):  the Rapidan Camp Rd. (0.8 miles) which goes from Rapidan Camp to the Rapidan Fire Road.  It is only mentioned in the Guidebook in the description of the Rapidan Fire Road.  So we're back up to 172 trails and 511.5 miles of trail (both including the AT).

It sounds like snow is going to arrive this week.  I hope I can keep on hiking!