Showing posts with label Hiking. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Hiking. Show all posts
Monday, October 20, 2014
Old Rag: Fall Colors in the Clouds
We volunteered last Sunday on Old Rag. The weather was not fall's finest: cold, damp, and cloudy. The mountain was crowded anyway, although not nearly as many people came out to hike as would have been there on a clear, sunny day. People didn't linger, though, clouds make for interesting pictures, and we were off the mountain in time to get pizza for dinner. A good day.
Leaves just starting to turn on the Saddle Trail. This is part of my effort to take pictures of different parts of the mountain.
An interesting fungus on a rotting log.
A cool little caterpillar.
The view down the rock scramble from the summit. This valleys on this side of the mountain were largely socked in with clouds.
Looking south from the summit towards Fork Mountain.
Hamamelis virginia (Witch Hazel), the last-blooming flower of the year.
There is a spot on the Saddle Trail where you get a clear view of the summit. Most people walk right by it with their heads down, focusing on the rough, rocky trail beneath their feet. For years, I didn't know it was there until we paused for a rest there on a rescue last year. Now, I try to look up and point it out to people in my group when I descend the Saddle Trail.
Monday, October 29, 2012
Old Rag: Hurricanes, Crowds, and Ravens
This weekend was both the best and worst that Old Rag can be: crowded, beautiful, quiet, crazy, frustrating, time well spent with old friends, and relaxing.
Saturday, the lower parking lot filled by 10 a.m. and there must have been a memo for every large group in the tri-state area to get a hike in before the impending doom of Hurricane Sandy. We were a bit early for our shift with Old Rag Mountain Stewards, so we had plenty of time to sit and watch the unfolding chaos: Several groups arrived with dogs (not allowed on Old Rag), one woman mentioned not having any food as she walked away from the fee station and proceeded on her way up the road to the trail, another woman asked the rangers what time the weather would get better (sometime Wednesday). It was a relief to leave the crowds climbing the Ridge Trail and begin walking up the Weakley Hollow Fire Road.
We had a quiet walk up the road. The leaves are still on the trees in the valley. We stopped for lunch at Old Rag Shelter and had a great surprise when Shenandoah Mountain Guides walked up the trail. None of us had seen him since August and none of us expected to see him there. We spent about an hour catching up with him before he had to head back down and go to work. Before he left, he said that he hoped nothing happened while he was there because he wasn't really prepared. Not 15 minutes after he left, as we headed up the Saddle Trail, we got a call for an injured hiker. We hurried up the trail. Fortunately, the hiker was able to walk, so other than adjusting a splint, he just needed to be walked out so he could be transported to his car.
At the Byrd's Nest Shelter, we found that someone had left a gift of an entire bag of trash. Someone else decided that one of the granite slabs below the summit was incomplete without their graffiti. At the summit, there must have been 150 people crowded around the rocks. Although outreach is part of our mission, I was in no mood to speak to anyone. In spite of that, I found a little bit of solitude and watched the ravens riding thermals over the valley. Since there were still crowds of people coming through the rock scramble, we decided to hike back down the Saddle Trail. We had a very pleasant walk back down.
Sunday was as different from Saturday as possible. We arrived to less than 30 cars in the parking lot. We hiked up the Ridge Trail and saw just a handful of other hikers. It was colder, windier, and cloudier than Saturday as the leading edge of the hurricane-disturbed weather approached. We saw the improvements that the hardworking NPS trail crews have made in the last few months. And absolutely nothing happened.
The wind screamed out on the summit and it was cold enough to need a stocking hat and gloves for the first time this fall. While we were at the summit, we watched the ravens riding thermals again. There were even more than on Saturday. A couple of them carried something in their claws that they tossed into the air and then plummeted to catch. It was fascinating. Then a hawk appeared and they all scattered. We could see them further down the valley harassing the hawk, but they didn't come back before we left. We had a completely uneventful hike out.
It was a good weekend overall, but it is frustrating to see people trash a mountain that I love.
Pictures (click to enlarge):
Hiking up the Weakley Hollow Fire Road. As of yesterday, the leaves were still on the trees in the valleys. I would expect that, as of this evening, Hurricane Sandy has blown most of them off of the tress.
Changing maple leaves.
Ladybugs huddled inside Byrd's nest.
Looking out over Weakley Hollow towards Hot Short Mountain from the summit on Saturday.
A raven riding thermals.
A pretty fern, possibly Woodwardia virginica (Virginia Chain Fern) along the Saddle Trail. I'm happy to be corrected on that.
Headed down the Saddle Trail on Saturday.
Ageratina altissima (White Snakeroot) seeds.
A raven diving near the summit on Sunday.
The mess someone left in Byrd's Nest Shelter. Unfortunately, the wet spot is, let's just say, not water.
Saturday, the lower parking lot filled by 10 a.m. and there must have been a memo for every large group in the tri-state area to get a hike in before the impending doom of Hurricane Sandy. We were a bit early for our shift with Old Rag Mountain Stewards, so we had plenty of time to sit and watch the unfolding chaos: Several groups arrived with dogs (not allowed on Old Rag), one woman mentioned not having any food as she walked away from the fee station and proceeded on her way up the road to the trail, another woman asked the rangers what time the weather would get better (sometime Wednesday). It was a relief to leave the crowds climbing the Ridge Trail and begin walking up the Weakley Hollow Fire Road.
We had a quiet walk up the road. The leaves are still on the trees in the valley. We stopped for lunch at Old Rag Shelter and had a great surprise when Shenandoah Mountain Guides walked up the trail. None of us had seen him since August and none of us expected to see him there. We spent about an hour catching up with him before he had to head back down and go to work. Before he left, he said that he hoped nothing happened while he was there because he wasn't really prepared. Not 15 minutes after he left, as we headed up the Saddle Trail, we got a call for an injured hiker. We hurried up the trail. Fortunately, the hiker was able to walk, so other than adjusting a splint, he just needed to be walked out so he could be transported to his car.
At the Byrd's Nest Shelter, we found that someone had left a gift of an entire bag of trash. Someone else decided that one of the granite slabs below the summit was incomplete without their graffiti. At the summit, there must have been 150 people crowded around the rocks. Although outreach is part of our mission, I was in no mood to speak to anyone. In spite of that, I found a little bit of solitude and watched the ravens riding thermals over the valley. Since there were still crowds of people coming through the rock scramble, we decided to hike back down the Saddle Trail. We had a very pleasant walk back down.
Sunday was as different from Saturday as possible. We arrived to less than 30 cars in the parking lot. We hiked up the Ridge Trail and saw just a handful of other hikers. It was colder, windier, and cloudier than Saturday as the leading edge of the hurricane-disturbed weather approached. We saw the improvements that the hardworking NPS trail crews have made in the last few months. And absolutely nothing happened.
The wind screamed out on the summit and it was cold enough to need a stocking hat and gloves for the first time this fall. While we were at the summit, we watched the ravens riding thermals again. There were even more than on Saturday. A couple of them carried something in their claws that they tossed into the air and then plummeted to catch. It was fascinating. Then a hawk appeared and they all scattered. We could see them further down the valley harassing the hawk, but they didn't come back before we left. We had a completely uneventful hike out.
It was a good weekend overall, but it is frustrating to see people trash a mountain that I love.
Pictures (click to enlarge):
Clouds rolling in over Fork Mountain on Sunday. The weather slowly deteriorated as the day went on. We managed to be off trail by the time the rain really started.
Monday, October 22, 2012
Leaves: A Beautiful Hike of Kennedy Peak
Sunday was a perfect fall day for hiking: crisp, dry, and clear. We decided to try a new hike in the Massanutten area of the George Washington National Forest: Kennedy Peak. Massanutten is the overlooked little sister to Shenandoah National Park (which is just fine with me). It is made up of the two steep ridges to the west of Shenandoah. There are a few hikes close to Front Royal that see some traffic, particularly Signal Knob and the Elizabeth Furnace area is popular with both mountain bikers and climbers, but even those don't see a fraction of the number of people that somewhere like Old Rag does, let alone Skyline Drive. The hikes are quiet and every bit as interesting and scenic as those in Mansanutten's better known neighbor to the east.
Bright red maple leaves.
The Massanutten trailhead at Edith Gap
A yellow maple leaf.
A large spider on the Kennedy Peak Trail. I think it is a Wolf Spider. It was about 3 inches across.
Michael taking a break after lunch on the tower on top of Kennedy Peak.
Symphyotrichum sp. (Aster).
Looking northeast towards Shenandoah and Front Royal
An interesting moth that appeared to be laying eggs. If anyone knows the species, let me know and I'll post it. Thanks to Old Rag Patrols for figuring out that this is a Buck Moth.
Walking north on the Massanutten Trail.
Hamamelis virginiana (Witch Hazel) - the very last flower to bloom in the fall and a sure sign of the coming winter.
Looking back toward Kennedy Peak on the Stanley Trail.
Kennedy Peak is no exception to that. We started off at a parking lot just below Edith Gap. The fall colors were definitely peaking. Everywhere the sun hit, yellow and red leaves glowed against the sky. The hike started on the Massanutten Trail, with a well-switchbacked climb up to the gap and then followed the ridgeline north a couple of miles to the Kennedy Peak Trail. We didn't really make good time because there were so many pretty trees to look at and to photograph. We did startle several several Pileated Woodpeckers along the way. The little tower on top of Kennedy Peak made a perfect stop for lunch as turkey vultures soared above us, riding thermals over the mountains. From there we returned to the Massanutten Trail and hiked another mile north to the Stanley Trail, where we began to work our way back to the car. At one point we stopped briefly to take more pictures and a raptor began to fly back and forth shrieking. Since it was pretty high above us, I don't know if it was because of us, but it was fascinating to watch.
At the end of a fabulous day, we had walked 9.2 miles and seen a total of four other hikers.
Pictures (click to enlarge):
More beautiful foliage.
Monday, April 16, 2012
Epic Day on Robertson Mountain and Stony Man
Epic.
That is the only word that can describe what transpired yesterday. We
planned to hike Old Rag and Robertson Mountain in a figure eight, which
would have been a long hike (~14 miles) with quite a bit of climbing
and, of course, the Old Rag rock scramble. We ended up hiking almost 21 miles with more than 4500 feet of climbing. Michael and I broke our personal distance records by 4 and 3 miles, respectively. And we never did hike Old Rag.
We were late meeting Horizontal Tread and another friend due to a traffic hangup on the beltway, so we didn’t get to the parking lot until 8:30. By that time, it was already half full. We all agreed that, rather than starting with Old Rag, we should end the day there so we would still avoid the inevitable lines. Then there was a suggestion to add Stony Man Mountain to the mix, making what promised to be a challenging day into a truly epic day.
We spread the map out and picked a long route that would take us over Robertson Mountain, down into Nicholson Hollow, up to Stony Man, and back down with a side trip over Old Rag (the full route is below the pictures for anyone who is interested). Phew! I’m worn out just typing that. What I failed to do in the parking lot, was a quick tally of the mileage. In the long run, that was probably good, because, had I realized what we had just planned, I likely would have pushed for something shorter.
Anyway, the flowers were blooming along the Weakley Hollow Road and we were grateful for overcast skies on the climb up to Robertson. We took a break for lunch at the summit of Robertson. The hike up the Old Rag Fire Road and to the saddle on Indian Run Trail went by quickly. Indian Run Trail is just as steep as I remembered it, but going down wasn’t as bad as climbing it and the Nicholson Hollow Trail up to Skyline Drive was a pretty easy climb. In contrast to the crowds on Old Rag, by the time we reached Skyline Drive, at the top of the Nicholson Hollow Trail, we had seen a grand total of 8 people.
By this time it was sunny and probably around 80 degrees. Since it has been cool for the last couple of weeks, the heat was bothering me a little. The trees high on the ridge haven’t really begun to leaf out, so there is little shade. I stopped at one point to pour some water over my head, which did help. In July, I would be grateful for 80 degrees, but it is April. We took a break in the Stony Man Overlook parking area before heading south to Little Stony Man and then on to Stony Man Mountain.
By the time we reached Skyland resort, it was after 4 pm and we still had a lot of hiking left to do. We took stock of where we were and how far we had to go and realized we just didn’t have enough time, on a Sunday evening to do Old Rag. Even without it, we still had 8 miles to hike. We also decided to get dinner at Skyland, which would give us a longer break and the chance to rehydrate. Sitting there, waiting for a menu, I finally did that quick tally of how far we had come: 12.5 miles. That was kind of a startling moment. Dinner was good and we drained more than a pitcher of iced tea.
Refreshed, we made good time down the long, quiet fire roads back to the car, catching glimpses of Old Rag in the sunset along the way. We made it back to the car just after dark. It took us 11 1/2 hours, but that also included almost 1 1/2 hours at Skyland, so we made reasonably good time. The amazing thing is that I feel pretty good today: just a little stiff and a little footsore.
Pictures (click to enlarge):
Uvularia perfoliata (Perfoliate Bellwort) on the Weakley Hollow Fire Road.
Orobranche uniflora (One-Flower Cancerroot)
Galearis spectabilis (Showy Orchis)
Mitella diphylla (Miterwort) on the Indian Run Trail.
Michael and the Stony Man Overlook parking area with Stony Man in the background.
Viola pedata (Birds Foot Violet)
Green creeping up the valleys from the top of Stony Man.
Phlox subulata (Moss Phlox)
The sign on Skyline Drive at Skyland Resort.
Shadows growing long on the Old Rag Fire Road.
Old Rag at sunset from the Old Rag Fire Road.
The full route that we actually hiked: 1) Weakley Hollow Fire Road to Robertson Mountain; 2) Up and over Robertson Mountain and then up the Old Rag Fire Road to the Corbin Mountain Trail; 3) Corbin Mountain Trail to Indian Run Trail; 4) Indian Run Trail to Nicholson Hollow Trail, following that up to Skyline Drive; 5) a short walk south on Skyline Drive to pick up the Appalachian Trail south 6) Appalachian Trail across Little Stony Man to Stony Man Mountain, where we took the Stony Man Summit Trail to the top; 7) Skyland Horse Trail to Skyland Resort; 8) the Skyland Big Meadows Horse Trail to Old Rag Fire Road to Post Office Junction; and (finally) 9) back to the car via the Weakley Hollow Fire Road.
We were late meeting Horizontal Tread and another friend due to a traffic hangup on the beltway, so we didn’t get to the parking lot until 8:30. By that time, it was already half full. We all agreed that, rather than starting with Old Rag, we should end the day there so we would still avoid the inevitable lines. Then there was a suggestion to add Stony Man Mountain to the mix, making what promised to be a challenging day into a truly epic day.
We spread the map out and picked a long route that would take us over Robertson Mountain, down into Nicholson Hollow, up to Stony Man, and back down with a side trip over Old Rag (the full route is below the pictures for anyone who is interested). Phew! I’m worn out just typing that. What I failed to do in the parking lot, was a quick tally of the mileage. In the long run, that was probably good, because, had I realized what we had just planned, I likely would have pushed for something shorter.
Anyway, the flowers were blooming along the Weakley Hollow Road and we were grateful for overcast skies on the climb up to Robertson. We took a break for lunch at the summit of Robertson. The hike up the Old Rag Fire Road and to the saddle on Indian Run Trail went by quickly. Indian Run Trail is just as steep as I remembered it, but going down wasn’t as bad as climbing it and the Nicholson Hollow Trail up to Skyline Drive was a pretty easy climb. In contrast to the crowds on Old Rag, by the time we reached Skyline Drive, at the top of the Nicholson Hollow Trail, we had seen a grand total of 8 people.
By this time it was sunny and probably around 80 degrees. Since it has been cool for the last couple of weeks, the heat was bothering me a little. The trees high on the ridge haven’t really begun to leaf out, so there is little shade. I stopped at one point to pour some water over my head, which did help. In July, I would be grateful for 80 degrees, but it is April. We took a break in the Stony Man Overlook parking area before heading south to Little Stony Man and then on to Stony Man Mountain.
By the time we reached Skyland resort, it was after 4 pm and we still had a lot of hiking left to do. We took stock of where we were and how far we had to go and realized we just didn’t have enough time, on a Sunday evening to do Old Rag. Even without it, we still had 8 miles to hike. We also decided to get dinner at Skyland, which would give us a longer break and the chance to rehydrate. Sitting there, waiting for a menu, I finally did that quick tally of how far we had come: 12.5 miles. That was kind of a startling moment. Dinner was good and we drained more than a pitcher of iced tea.
Refreshed, we made good time down the long, quiet fire roads back to the car, catching glimpses of Old Rag in the sunset along the way. We made it back to the car just after dark. It took us 11 1/2 hours, but that also included almost 1 1/2 hours at Skyland, so we made reasonably good time. The amazing thing is that I feel pretty good today: just a little stiff and a little footsore.
Pictures (click to enlarge):
The full route that we actually hiked: 1) Weakley Hollow Fire Road to Robertson Mountain; 2) Up and over Robertson Mountain and then up the Old Rag Fire Road to the Corbin Mountain Trail; 3) Corbin Mountain Trail to Indian Run Trail; 4) Indian Run Trail to Nicholson Hollow Trail, following that up to Skyline Drive; 5) a short walk south on Skyline Drive to pick up the Appalachian Trail south 6) Appalachian Trail across Little Stony Man to Stony Man Mountain, where we took the Stony Man Summit Trail to the top; 7) Skyland Horse Trail to Skyland Resort; 8) the Skyland Big Meadows Horse Trail to Old Rag Fire Road to Post Office Junction; and (finally) 9) back to the car via the Weakley Hollow Fire Road.
Monday, March 26, 2012
An Easy Hike in the Rain: Maryland Heights
The forecast for yesterday was pretty grim and my mood matched it when we pulled into the Weverton Cliffs parking lot. It was just one of those mornings where I wanted to stay in bed and nothing came together quite right in getting ready to go. In spite of my mood, we decided to go hiking. As would be the case yesterday, I rarely regret getting outside and getting some exercise, even and especially when I least feel like it. When we set off, it was drizzling and grey and I was in a funk.
The Appalachian Trail descends for about half a mile from the parking area, under Highway 340, to the C & O Towpath. Normally, this isn't a terribly interesting section of the hike, but yesterday the hillside near the bridge was covered in white flowers, all shining with raindrops. Then, at the highway, we passed a guy asleep right on the trail under the bridge. He looked like thru hiker, based on his gear, and we speculated on why he couldn't make it three more miles to the next shelter. At the Towpath, we turned right and headed towards Harpers Ferry. The flowers on the Towpath were spectacular: Dicentra cucullaria (Dutchman's Breeches) and Dicentra canadensis (Squirrel Corn) everywhere. We ate lunch on a concrete block on the side of the towpath in the rain.
After lunch, the rain finally ended and I realized that my mood had improved considerably. We made good time to the Maryland Heights trailhead. We stopped several times on the way up to the overlook to photograph flowers and to read the signs about the Civil War structures that are still visible. One of my favorite times of year is when the redbuds and dogwoods bloom in the woods. They are the first splash of color after the long, gray winter. The Maryland Heights Trail has countless redbuds and they were all blooming yesterday.
We spent a few minutes at the overlook before returning to the Stone Fort Trail. This trail climbs up to the top of the ridge, ending up at a Civil War fort that was only partially built before the war ended. The stone foundations are still visible. From the fort, the trail does a u-turn and descends the west side of the ridge. By the time we started down the hill, the sun was actually out. We enjoyed a sunny walk back to the car along the Towpath. We hiked 11 miles in all.
Pictures (click to enlarge):
Dogwoods on the Maryland Heights Trail
Mertensia virginica (Virginia Bluebells) on the C&O Towpath.
Dicentra cucullaria (Dutchman's Breeches) on the C&O Towpath
Dicentra canadensis (Squirrel Corn)
Spring on the Towpath
Looking south down the Shenandoah River and Harpers Ferry from the Naval Bombardment area of Maryland Heights.
Thalictrum thalictroides (Rue Anemone) on the Maryland Heights Trail.
A bootshot over Harpers Ferry and the confluence of the Shenandoah (left) and Potomac Rivers.
Micranthes virginiensis (Early Saxifrage)
Claytonia virginica (Spring Beauty)
Turtles on a log in the C&O Canal. On our way back to the car, the sun had come out. Turtles were sunning themselves on nearly every log in the swampy parts of the old canal.
The Appalachian Trail descends for about half a mile from the parking area, under Highway 340, to the C & O Towpath. Normally, this isn't a terribly interesting section of the hike, but yesterday the hillside near the bridge was covered in white flowers, all shining with raindrops. Then, at the highway, we passed a guy asleep right on the trail under the bridge. He looked like thru hiker, based on his gear, and we speculated on why he couldn't make it three more miles to the next shelter. At the Towpath, we turned right and headed towards Harpers Ferry. The flowers on the Towpath were spectacular: Dicentra cucullaria (Dutchman's Breeches) and Dicentra canadensis (Squirrel Corn) everywhere. We ate lunch on a concrete block on the side of the towpath in the rain.
After lunch, the rain finally ended and I realized that my mood had improved considerably. We made good time to the Maryland Heights trailhead. We stopped several times on the way up to the overlook to photograph flowers and to read the signs about the Civil War structures that are still visible. One of my favorite times of year is when the redbuds and dogwoods bloom in the woods. They are the first splash of color after the long, gray winter. The Maryland Heights Trail has countless redbuds and they were all blooming yesterday.
We spent a few minutes at the overlook before returning to the Stone Fort Trail. This trail climbs up to the top of the ridge, ending up at a Civil War fort that was only partially built before the war ended. The stone foundations are still visible. From the fort, the trail does a u-turn and descends the west side of the ridge. By the time we started down the hill, the sun was actually out. We enjoyed a sunny walk back to the car along the Towpath. We hiked 11 miles in all.
Pictures (click to enlarge):
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