SNP central: Cedar Run, Stony Man, Whiteoak Canyon

Lacking a clear-cut plan, this hike was a little free-style and somewhat open-ended. It was bounded by the start/end point at the Whiteoak parking lot in Berry Hollow, which meant a return down either Whiteoak Canyon or Old Rag and Berry Hollow fire roads. The initial legs had been decided- up Cedar Run to Hawksbill summit and down to the Appalachian Trail via Salamander, and for good miles and water, north on the AT to Skyland stables. We made up the route on the fly from there... Millers Head?... Robertson?... perhaps loop around Stony Man back to Skyland for a blackberry shake at the Dining Room? The blackberry shake route won. The loop from Skyland stables would be a northbound continuation on the AT up and over Stony Man to Little Stony Man cliffs then back to Skyland on the Passamaquoddy Trail. The route from Skyland was a no-brainer- straight down Whiteoak Canyon.

Very few cars were in the unattended Whiteoak lot when Steve and I arrived soon after 8:30am. The trail up Cedar Run was in excellent condition. The trail has improvements every outing, and this is no easy trail to maintain. The crossings of Cedar Run were hardly crossings at all. Water levels are very low right now. The swimming holes are shallow and the falls and cascades are lazy. Several improved paths lead to the run, allowing easier access. With the low water levels, I explored a couple places that I would otherwise shy away from. Climbing the rock slope above the upper cascade was fun. We met a few groups that were heading down, some asking about the pools. Hawksbill summit was pleasant, with hazy views through the moist air. Dropping down to the AT on the Salamander Trail, we headed north to Skyland, with a side trip to Crescent Rock and Bettys Rock. It seems that few visitors to the overlook know impressive Crescent Rock is just a few steps away. Bettys Rock was empty except for a young buck beside the trail. Back on the AT, we passed below Timber Hollow Overlook, which is currently undergoing reconstruction. They'd better not mess with that sentinel tree! On to Skyland stables for a water break, passing by the horses and several wild turkey, then on to Stony Man.

Stony Man summit isn't my favorite place, as it's usually too crowded, but when there you gotta go, right? Crowded it was. The best time to be here is when Skyline Drive is closed. Little Stony Man cliffs afforded great views, much like North Marshall in the north district, with the AT right on an exposed rock ledge. There were climbers rappelling here, and the return route could be seen directly below. Following the AT via switchbacked descent, we doubled back onto the rocky Passamaquoddy Trail and were soon under the cliffs looking up at where we'd been. The trail leads directly to the Skyland Dining Room, just where we wanted to be.

I'd never been in the Skyland Dining Room before. Seeing the chandeliers, I feared it might be too fancy and not suited for sweaty smelly hikers. We did look out of place. We really wanted a grab and go shake and fries, but the Dining Room is a real restaurant, not of the quick wayside grill variety. So we were seated, our order taken, and eventually fed. The fries portion size was on the small side (for a hungry hiker), but the blackberry shake was superb. Now, the wayside shakes are great, but the Skyland shake is something special, extra thick, extra creamy, very rich, topped with real whipped cream and a real blackberry. It should come with a spoon, as it takes a lot of suction to get anywhere with a straw. It was delicious!

The Skyland break had taken 45 minutes, long enough for the legs to tighten up, and we had nearly six more miles to go. On top of that, there was a chilly breeze and a light rain falling as we departed. Descending Whiteoak Canyon on wet rocks was not something looked forward to. After a walk along Skyland roads, we were soon on the Whiteoak Canyon Trail. Very little rain made it below the canopy and it eventually ended, so no problem with wet rocks. Owls were heard calling near Limberlost as the day grew long. A steady stream of hikers was heading up as we descended, but the numbers thinned before reaching the uninspiring upper falls viewpoint, and the lower falls were too occupied to bother stopping. As the sunlight dimmed, we passed two groups that looked confused... we were too tired to offer any assistance and moved on before they had a chance to ask.

The final tally was 19.5 miles with 4600' elevation gain. The hike took 11 hours, considerably longer than most hikes of this distance. Much of the extra time was due to the meal at Skyland, some due to not having a route planned in advance, and in part due to the particularly rocky route. We both noted that our sense of balance descending Whiteoak was rather fuzzy. It must have been those shakes.

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SNP north: Little Devils Stairs

From the Devils Marbleyard last weekend to Little Devils Stairs on a devilishly warm day. Thinking that the recent rains in the lowlands had also occurred in Shenandoah, it seemed a good time to hike up Little Devils Stairs along Keyser Run in the north district. Surely there would be many nice cascades along the 2 mile 1500' ascent. Wrong. Dry, very dry. Had there been any rain here at all? Keyser Run was just a trickle. Steve and I were on the trail at 8am, trying to beat the heat of the day. An hour later we were at "Fourway", the top-end trailhead of Little Devils Stairs. Certainly no stream crossing issues today. An easy walk on "Jinney Gray" road led to Skyline Drive and the Appalachian Trail, which we'd take south for nine miles. A planned break at Little Hogback Overlook was not to be, as it is currently fenced off during the ongoing overlook reconstruction project. Get things done before the stimulus money runs out. Other things are changing too- some back-country markers have been replaced, and at least one concrete trail post has been replaced with a dark composite material.

A decent breeze greeted us on ridgeline after the switch-backed climb up Hogback. Near the top of Hogback I heard bears running away on both sides of the trail. This just isn't my year for sightings, so I'll take what I can get. We stopped at a favorite break point on the rocks behind Hogback Overlook. One can spy on the car people that stop at Hogback Overlook below. There's even some light scrambling here should one be so inclined. We soon resumed our southbound trek on the AT. There was a strong smell of recently burnt wood just south of the Tuscarora junction, too strong to be from Matthews Arm campground, but no sign of any burn. A couple backpackers passed us at Sugarloaf, but we caught up with them at the Drive crossing south of Rattlesnake Point. They had missed the turn onto Overall Run. All they had to guide them was a small map in a book. The Tuscarora/AT junction seems to cause confusion, as I've had to redirect hikers here several times over the years. We dropped down to Range View Cabin for a break and water refill from the spring. A PATC trail patrol volunteer was here. We had passed him earlier as he was clearing a downed limb, and would see him again at Elkwallow. We could overhear on his Park radio that someone was in trouble somewhere, but it was a good 40 miles away he said. It'd be interesting to just listen in to what goes on in the Park on a weekend.

A pleasant treat appeared trailside south of Range View cabin- ripe raspberries! I figured they'd have come and gone, so this was a welcome find. Very tasty. The blackberries are out there too, but not yet ripe. Our blackberries would be in a cold shake from Elkwallow Wayside. The wayside was doing a fair business. We talked with a ranger there for a bit soon after he set up a bear exhibit table.

Rain had been removed from the forecast, so of course the sky darkened as we departed Elkwallow, and soon it was thundering. We geared up after a few drops were felt. A few drops was it though, and it quickly heated up again as we approached the climb that would lead to Byrds Nest #4. The heat was getting to us. Much of the uphill was done, with a prolonged downhill ahead on Hull School Trail. Sweat on a downhill and you know it's humid. That's how it was on Hull School, no breeze, just heat, humidity, and pesky bugs. The final two uphills did not come easy and Thornton River and Piney Branch looked sad. Shenandoah needs rain, bad.

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JNF/GWNF- Devils Marbleyard, Rocky Row

A hike somewhat outside day hike range, but never pass up an opportunity of a car shuttle to make the perfect hike. When my niece Devin mentioned that she and boyfriend Wyatt might be doing a short out and back hike to the Devils Marbleyard in the James River Face during a Roanoke trip, it didn't take long for me to start conjuring up some linear hike route that would get me there and beyond. When hiking the AT here in 2004, I remember being in the James River Face talking to a couple backpackers that raved about the Devils Marbleyard and not to miss it. We didn't go. One of my favorite climbs in all the AT hiking I've done was from the James River to Rocky Row in 2002. This was my chance to do both.

The ending point for this hike would be on the Blue Ridge Parkway at mile 51.7, north of the James River on Punchbowl Mountain, a long way from home. The starting point would be at the Belfast Trail in Arnold Valley south of the James, even further from home. My niece said she could do the shuttle and I talked my brother John into coming along. Too wet Saturday, so we set our sights on Sunday. Logistics worked that John and I drive together from King George, on the road at 3:45am for a 7:30am rendezvous on the BRP. We got there at 7am and my niece showed up soon after, and after a visit to the James River footbridge, we were on the Belfast Trail around 8:30am, headed up to the Devils Marbleyard.

It's easy access to the Marbleyard- 1.5 miles and 700' up the Belfast Trail from Arnold Valley near Natural Bridge Station. The Devils Marbleyard is huge- 8 acres, 350' wide and 1000' long. The top of the boulder field is nearly 500' above the base. The lower stretch is adjacent to the Belfast Trail and rock hopping opportunities are endless. One could spend all day here! The boulders are the big blocky type, perfect for scrambling and rock hopping. There are small boulders and big boulders, something for everyone. There could be dozens of people here and you might never see them. The boulders appear to have a terraced structure, where you can climb out along a somewhat flat area with a wall of boulders upslope. Climb to the top of the next level and there's another wall waiting. A few trees dot the lower middle section and provide some shade. The Belfast Trail skirts the lower portion only, as I found out after climbing about 30% up the boulder field and trying to locate the trail off to the side. I spent 50 minutes exploring just a fraction of the boulder field, but it seems like 10 minutes. I can tell by how sore my upper body is today that I had a good time there. Put me there on a cool cloudy day, and I'd be in heaven... in the Devils Marbleyard!

I had nearly ventured out more than I should have and was unaware of the time. I had lost track of my brother John, and could only hear my niece. After working my way back to the trail we assumed that John must have gone on up the Belfast Trail thinking that I had done the same. I said a quick goodbye and headed up the trail, encounter John coming back down to look for me. The fun scramble part was over and it was time to do some serious hiking. We made good time on the upper Belfast Trail and Gunter Ridge Trail to the AT. Fears of finding this stretch overgrown were unfounded. We reached the AT near Hickory Stand, then started the 2000' descent to the James River. While taking a break at Matts Creek Shelter, NOBO thru-hiker "buck-twenty" stopped in. He'd been on the trail since mid April, and the recent heat has really been hitting the thru-hikers hard. Add to that the water sources drying up, and it's a tough time out there. He's posting updates on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/k1kb0t

Several teens were using a rope to swing off the AT footbridge into the James River. It was plenty hot at the lower elevations and what breeze we'd had up top was gone. It was a hot hike. We crossed the James and started the climb up to Little and Big Rocky Row. We watered up at Rocky Row Run, where two more thru-hikers were keeping cool before heading up the trail. They had resupplied in Glasgow. "Red" had started the first of May. On up we went, passing by Johns Hollow Shelter, then the grueling switchbacked ascent to Little Rocky Row. I remembered the switchbacks well and the payoff views at the top, but had forgotten just how aggressive some of those switchbacks were. I'm in better aerobic shape now than back in 2002, so it must have been the heat that zapped me. There was little relief on that south facing slope. The views of the river and the James River Face were as good as I remembered, and distant peaks and ridges could be seen. There were more views along Rocky Row's south facing ledges, and again just past Big Rocky Row, though it seemed the views are not as open as they were eight years ago. During a rest stop I encountered a couple doing AT day hikes. We talked about Shenandoah. The gentleman mentioned that his grandfather once owned the land that is Old Rag Mountain. His last name sounded like "Ayelet" or "Ayelot". Does that ring a bell?

Our work was not done, as the final 777' climb to Bluff Mountain was still ahead. It was a pleasant level woods walk after the descent off Big Rocky Row and before the Bluff Mountain climb. There were more switchbacks on the climb up Bluff. It's the switchbacks that I remembered most about this stretch. There were fine views from the former tower clearing atop Bluff Mountain. There is a memorial marker for Little Ottie Cline Powell here, a young boy who died after straying from Tower Hill School in 1891: http://blueridgecountry.com/archive/favorites/ottie-cline-powell/

The day was long and the drive was far, so we did not stop in at Punchbowl Mountain Shelter to talk to thru-hikers. I had been entertaining the notion of taking a dip in the pond behind the shelter, but it was time to head home. The hike ended at 7pm. I got home at midnight. I hope to make it back to the Devils Marbleyard again someday and just spend the day there. It is indeed a "must do" as the backpackers had told us years ago.

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SNP central: First light marathon hike

This marathon hike was destined months ago. My last one was late June 2009. Earlier this year I vowed to do a marathon hike July 2nd if the dew point temperature was in the 40's. It's a rare occurrence in July, but that's how it worked out. The motivational gimmick is first light and sunrise- be in the Park at a location to witness dawn and sunrise. First light becomes noticeable about 20 minutes prior to nautical twilight, or about 80 minutes before sunrise. With sunrise at 5:52am, it meant being at a viewing spot by 4:30am. There are a couple options- drive to an overlook or hike to a viewing spot. The past few marathons have been the latter. I've found Hawksbill to be the best location for first light and sunrise. I thought about a night hike up Cedar Run but decided instead to keep it simple and view first light from Buck Hollow Overlook and sunrise from Marys Rock, hiking up Buck Hollow Trail from US-211 at the park boundary, walking along the Drive, then up Meadow Spring and the AT to Marys Rock. Timing is everything. I did this route two years ago so knew that before 3:30am was the time to start the hike. Since this hike would not include Tunnel Parking Overlook (it's under construction and the rock wall is gone), 3:20am would do. So up at 1:15am (bedtime was 7:30 the prior evening), on the road at 1:30am, and on the trail at 3:22am.
Hiking alone in the dark is a little spooky, but focus is on not tripping over rocks that there's little time to be concerned about what's "out there". I've got a great system for night hiking- LED headlamp plus second LED light attached to my camera case at hip level. The lower angle really brings out the rocks and makes tripping much less likely. It was cool and breezy, it just couldn't be more comfortable! I sliced through the 3 mile 1800' Buck Hollow climb in 61 minutes, arriving at Buck Hollow Overlook at 4:30am. Perfect timing for first light. My pictures of first light are 15 second exposures at f2.0, so it's actually much darker than the pictures indicate. Stars are visible and there is no usable light other than moonlight. Upon stopping I started to cool. I brought a wind-breaker jacket and needed it. Later, up on Marys Rock, I would be wearing my Polartec cap... in July! I needed 45 minutes to get from Buck Hollow Overlook to Marys Rock, so left during best color, but had glimpses through the forest on the way up. I made it to Marys Rock about 20 minutes before sunrise and was the only one there. About 50 degrees with a breeze, and I had on winter layers. A few clouds, particularly cirrus, really make for a spectacular sunrise, but the atmosphere was bone dry. It was also nearly haze free with no inversion layer, so there was an unlimited view to the horizon. Sunrise was awesome! The effort to get here was worth it.
OK... six miles down, 22 to go... time to do some real hiking. The route from Marys Rock would be the Appalachian Trail south, Corbin Cabin Cutoff, Nicholson Hollow, Hot-Short Mountain, Hazel Mountain, Hazel River, White Rocks, Hazel Mountain, and Buck Ridge. There were backpackers, most likely thru-hikers, stirring at Byrds Nest Shelter just before 7am. I normally stop and talk to thru-hikers, but it's not good to stop long on these long hikes (can't give the legs time to tighten) and what good would I be without a box of trail magic donuts? Up over The Pinnacle (where I found a few hold-out mountain laurel blossoms), past Jewell Hollow Overlook and Pinnacles picnic area (got water there), then across Skyline Drive at Corbin Cabin parking. The Corbin Cabin Cutoff Trail drops steeply to the Hughes River. There were a couple trail traces shortly before the river. I followed one to some stone grave markers. The walk down Nicholson Hollow is as pleasant as it gets, easy grade on high quality trail, with the serene sound of the Hughes River and morning songbirds to clear all thoughts. I ventured about 3/4 mile beyond Hot-Short in order to visit my favorite cascade on the Hughes River. This was mile 14, about halfway, and only 9:30am.
Backtracking, the second major climb of the day awaited, Hot-Short Mountain Trail. It's a rather steep climb on quality trail, with a limited view of Old Rag near the top. Before long I was on Hazel Mountain Trail. Being an old road, it's a rather wide trail. I was cruising along on auto-pilot and took one step a little too far to the left and was over-correcting for it with a wide step right, with my foot about to come down on some bark or lichen. The brain rapidly processed the image and determined that it was not bark or lichen, but instead a coiled snake, a rattler at that! I had been listening to music, but it was still cool enough that this rattlesnake was not rattling. Still, stepping on it would have likely ended badly. That got my attention!
Somehow I took a wrong turn onto Catlett Mountain Trail. After the downhill turned into an uphill, I sensed something was amiss. This detour added nearly a mile to my hike. Back on track, I eventually came to the big downhill of the Hazel River Trail. Stickers and nettles were prevalent but I was too stubborn to put the pants legs on. I watered up at the Hazel River crossing on the White Rocks Trail before the series of steep climbs to views. This is bear country, and there was plenty of scat on the White Rocks Trail. My bear drought continues and no bears were seen, though one or two were heard running off through the woods, one at night on Buck Hollow and another on the AT. There are two excellent viewing locations from rocks along the White Rocks Trail, views north of Oventop and The Peak, west to The Pinnacle and Marys Rock, and Hazel Mountain to the south. There were also ripe blueberries here, and a few ripe red and black raspberries were found during the day. After a quick visit on the steep side trail to the falls and cave, it was on up to Hazel Mountain Trail then up to Buck Ridge. I'd gone down Buck Ridge just a couple weeks earlier, but those amazing log steps/waterbars on the very steep section make going downhill doable. I counted the logs this time and came up with 454 (unless it was 554). Nearly 500 logs placed, that's an incredible feat! I can't stress enough- if you haven't seen this marvel of work that PATC has done in the past year, go check it out.
It felt like I had the Park (and therefore the universe) to myself for most of this hike. I encountered a lone hiker along Nicholson Hollow at mile 14 and several others on Hazel Mountain as the holiday weekenders started pouring in. This hike was 28 miles with about 6700 feet of accumulated gain and loss. It takes a few days to recover from hikes like these, and getting up at 1am really messes with the internal clock. Worth it? You bet!

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