This was supposed to be the year to slow down and let the body recover... but the tenth 20-miler weekend in a row with ideal hiking weather... OK, I'm a hiking addict (is there a "hikers anonymous"?). Shorter days, shorter hikes, right? No, they're getting longer. The culprit? The waysides for blackberry shakes!. Gotta include a wayside stop in the hike. Why haven't I been doing this all along?!
The full moon was setting as fellow hiker Steve and I approached the Park early Saturday morning. That moon would cast some light for a fire road finish hours later. There was one car in the parking lot for Little Devils Stairs when we arrived and the same one there when we left. I suspect there were a few more in between. The other car likely belonged to the campers that were setting up tents a short distance in on the LDS trail. The east side color is pretty lackluster, still more green than other, and not a healthy green. There's a fairly high leaf fall as well, so I'm not expecting much color from what remains. It's been dry again lately, and Keyser Run had quite low flow. Leaves coated the surface of pools, parting as cascades gently poured in. There's the occasional bright orange or yellow tree, and sunlight not yet reaching the canyon floor was casting a warm glow off the yellow-green leaves above. Cool and crisp with little wind made for a pleasant climb up Little Devils Stairs. Eventually reaching "Fourway", we took Keyser Run fire road to Skyline Drive.
Instead of picking up the AT across the Drive from Keyser Run fire road, we hiked the Drive north a half mile to include Mount Marshall Overlook. Primarily yellows and greens from here, with North Marshall and The Peak the main features to see. The Drive was starting to get busy, as this is prime leaf-peeping season. We picked up the AT at the Drive crossing and followed it south to Elkwallow Wayside, stopping at the usual spots along the way- Little Hogback, the old hang-glider site on Hogback (when was this last used for hang-gliding?), the rocks behind Hogback Overlook, and Sugarloaf. There was very little traffic on the AT, but Elkwallow Wayside was buzzing (with people and bees).
The wayside blackberry shake; not as rich and creamy as the Skyland version, but mighty fine nonetheless. Add a soda and a bagful of fries, and I needed very little other food the entire hike. Lately, all the food I've brought on the hike has been consumed in the car on the ride home. We didn't stay at Elkwallow long, it was just too busy and too hot in the open sun. As we were leaving, I counted at least three dozen women in line to use the restroom. Yikes!
What? Hikers on the Elkwallow Trail? People actually hike this pleasant trail from Mathews Arm campground instead of driving? Well good for them! The Elkwallow Trail comes out on Mathews Arm road near the campground entrance station. We hiked through the campground on our way to Overall Run Falls. The campground was full but didn't feel it, as the sites are good-sized and the setting peaceful. There was good color here and families out enjoying the fine weather. Plenty of hikers were coming up the Mathews Arm Trail as we descended, some looking happier than others (it's a strenuous climb up from the falls if you're not used to it).
By the number of hikers encountered on the way to the falls, I expected it to be quite crowded there. Crossing a dry feeder and from the low flow of Keyser Run, I didn't expect much to see in the way of water at the falls. The overlooks were not too crowded, and a single ribbon made up the falls. Overall Run Falls was a pleasant out and back, providing good views of decent color down the Overall Run valley. I made it back to the AT/Tuscarora junction first, and parked on a rock to contemplate next weekend's hike and watch hikers pass. I don't know why so many hikers get confused here. We've directed a number of hikers at the Tuscarora junction, some with just the NPS visitor map, some with a map from a book, some with no map at all. I talked with a trio of backpackers here. The female of the group was wearing "foot gloves". She spoke quite highly of them, her only complaint being that they didn't keep her feet warm. I just can't imagine hiking in those things!
The plan was to catch sunset from the rocks behind Hogback Overlook. Normally a quiet place hidden just enough from the car people, it had now been discovered as the low angle sun was illuminating them. We found a place to sit, but people were crawling all around. I found it somewhat amusing actually, and I think I'm in a number of other people's pictures. We had arrived too early, and the legs would seize if we held out for sunset, so we took in the low angle sun for awhile, then started our descent via the Sugarloaf Trail and Pole Bridge Link back to Fourway. There were other hikers at Fourway at sunset, though they didn't look like the flashlight carrying kind. We had lights, but didn't have much need for them, as our exit would be on high quality Keyser Run fire road. 3.5 miles of fire road walking in the dark. I didn't turn on my LED lamp until reaching the Bolen Cemetery, and could have gotten by without it all the way, as the low angle full moon was casting long shadows with enough light to see (sort of). Night hiking down fire roads, ahhhhh, love it!
Pictures
The full moon was setting as fellow hiker Steve and I approached the Park early Saturday morning. That moon would cast some light for a fire road finish hours later. There was one car in the parking lot for Little Devils Stairs when we arrived and the same one there when we left. I suspect there were a few more in between. The other car likely belonged to the campers that were setting up tents a short distance in on the LDS trail. The east side color is pretty lackluster, still more green than other, and not a healthy green. There's a fairly high leaf fall as well, so I'm not expecting much color from what remains. It's been dry again lately, and Keyser Run had quite low flow. Leaves coated the surface of pools, parting as cascades gently poured in. There's the occasional bright orange or yellow tree, and sunlight not yet reaching the canyon floor was casting a warm glow off the yellow-green leaves above. Cool and crisp with little wind made for a pleasant climb up Little Devils Stairs. Eventually reaching "Fourway", we took Keyser Run fire road to Skyline Drive.
Instead of picking up the AT across the Drive from Keyser Run fire road, we hiked the Drive north a half mile to include Mount Marshall Overlook. Primarily yellows and greens from here, with North Marshall and The Peak the main features to see. The Drive was starting to get busy, as this is prime leaf-peeping season. We picked up the AT at the Drive crossing and followed it south to Elkwallow Wayside, stopping at the usual spots along the way- Little Hogback, the old hang-glider site on Hogback (when was this last used for hang-gliding?), the rocks behind Hogback Overlook, and Sugarloaf. There was very little traffic on the AT, but Elkwallow Wayside was buzzing (with people and bees).
The wayside blackberry shake; not as rich and creamy as the Skyland version, but mighty fine nonetheless. Add a soda and a bagful of fries, and I needed very little other food the entire hike. Lately, all the food I've brought on the hike has been consumed in the car on the ride home. We didn't stay at Elkwallow long, it was just too busy and too hot in the open sun. As we were leaving, I counted at least three dozen women in line to use the restroom. Yikes!
What? Hikers on the Elkwallow Trail? People actually hike this pleasant trail from Mathews Arm campground instead of driving? Well good for them! The Elkwallow Trail comes out on Mathews Arm road near the campground entrance station. We hiked through the campground on our way to Overall Run Falls. The campground was full but didn't feel it, as the sites are good-sized and the setting peaceful. There was good color here and families out enjoying the fine weather. Plenty of hikers were coming up the Mathews Arm Trail as we descended, some looking happier than others (it's a strenuous climb up from the falls if you're not used to it).
By the number of hikers encountered on the way to the falls, I expected it to be quite crowded there. Crossing a dry feeder and from the low flow of Keyser Run, I didn't expect much to see in the way of water at the falls. The overlooks were not too crowded, and a single ribbon made up the falls. Overall Run Falls was a pleasant out and back, providing good views of decent color down the Overall Run valley. I made it back to the AT/Tuscarora junction first, and parked on a rock to contemplate next weekend's hike and watch hikers pass. I don't know why so many hikers get confused here. We've directed a number of hikers at the Tuscarora junction, some with just the NPS visitor map, some with a map from a book, some with no map at all. I talked with a trio of backpackers here. The female of the group was wearing "foot gloves". She spoke quite highly of them, her only complaint being that they didn't keep her feet warm. I just can't imagine hiking in those things!
The plan was to catch sunset from the rocks behind Hogback Overlook. Normally a quiet place hidden just enough from the car people, it had now been discovered as the low angle sun was illuminating them. We found a place to sit, but people were crawling all around. I found it somewhat amusing actually, and I think I'm in a number of other people's pictures. We had arrived too early, and the legs would seize if we held out for sunset, so we took in the low angle sun for awhile, then started our descent via the Sugarloaf Trail and Pole Bridge Link back to Fourway. There were other hikers at Fourway at sunset, though they didn't look like the flashlight carrying kind. We had lights, but didn't have much need for them, as our exit would be on high quality Keyser Run fire road. 3.5 miles of fire road walking in the dark. I didn't turn on my LED lamp until reaching the Bolen Cemetery, and could have gotten by without it all the way, as the low angle full moon was casting long shadows with enough light to see (sort of). Night hiking down fire roads, ahhhhh, love it!
No comments:
Post a Comment