Lost Cliffs. It's marked on the PATC central district SNP map, west side, down Dry Run Falls fire road. Each year, I plan to go the short distance down the fire road and check them out, but never do. Years come and go. I wasn't going to let another year slip away without giving it a look, and as long as I'm down the fire road, why not attempt Dry Run Falls as well? The PATC map shows three falls along dry Run, USGS maps show just the middle falls, which would be the target for the hike. Not much information out there about either. From what I did find, it sounded like both were difficult, particularly the falls. I've got a mental defect about doing short hikes, so it would have to be part of a larger hike. With nightly Drive closures in effect, the hike would have to be from the Park boundary. Entry Run seemed a good choice, though the hike would be a 17+ miles. My brother saved the day by joining me and Steve, so with two vehicles, a more manageable 15 miler was set.
After a shuttle to leave a vehicle at Swift Run Gap, we were at the Entry Run trailhead near John's Rest around 9am. It's winter now, and this was our first really cold hike of the season. It doesn't seem to matter how many layers one has, it's cold! It takes about 15 minutes of uphill hiking for the hands to warm, and this hike started with quite an uphill- 1700' on the Entry Run Trail, broken only once as the trail drops to PATC Rosser-Lamb cabin (a house, actually). There was a trace of snow here and there from snow showers the previous day. The sun was veiled and provided little heat and there was enough of a breeze to add that extra chill. Frost heaves made the trail very pretty, though rather crunchy with crumbly footing. Entry Run is a well graded high quality trail, with several switchbacks on the final climb to Pocosin fire road.
Layers removed earlier were put back on after leveling out onto Pocosin fire road. It was "Hot Hands" time for me. Those really save the day when the fingers go cold, which usually happens after topping out after a climb. We followed the fire road to the AT, passing the Pocosin Mission ruins and icy runoff streams along the way. After a snack break out front at Pococin Cabin, it was south on the AT up and over Bald Face Mountain. The trail was a path of frost heaves, icy fingers that grow from the ground, lifting soil and rocks. This can make for a minor challenge, as the ice may give way under foot.
We'd met no other hikers until encountering a backpacker resting on the ground by a tree. Surely a section hiker, but no, a thru-hiker! Northbound? "The Compassionater" had started from Springer May 28th, but had left the trail twice due to family tragedy, and was on his "victory lap" to Harpers Ferry to complete his journey. He had met Ewok, the thru-hiker we had met on his first night on the trail, on Ewok's third day on the trail and later at Harpers Ferry. We had missed meeting Compassionater by a day or two, or perhaps we passed without knowing. The Compassionator has raised over $100,000 for Tulsa area charities on his journey. He is quite the inspiration. The story of his quest is at http://archive.lib.msu.edu/tic/wetrt/article/2011jun22.pdf
The clouds were thickening by the time we reached the view on Bald Face Mountain. There was snow in those clouds, it was just a matter of time before some would reach the ground. Fortunately, the wind had slackened, and it didn't feel quite as cold. We took South River fire road to the Drive, and crossed over to descend Dry Run Falls fire road. This would be my first trek down this road. First up is "Lost Cliffs" three quarters of a mile in. I had built it up in my mind as bigger, but still, it towers a hundred feet over the surrounding flat ground. What was billed as a difficult scramble was actually quite easy from either end. On top, the views west and south are superb. Why had it taken so many years to get here? We stayed here a good while.
I was ready to abandon the search for Dry Run Falls- the limited reports on the web call it an ugly bushwhack. Would we find it? Would it be worth it? Steve said go for it, which we did. The fire road crosses Dry Run then parallels the run as it drops in cascades. Soon after the point where the road veers away from the run is supposedly the best access to the falls. An ugly scramble it is. A bushwhack down a steep slope, then a treacherous drop at an unending slippery ledge. The falls were in view, but there was no easy drop down point. Somehow we managed to reach the base of the falls, class 3 bushwhacking indeed! We were in a winter wonderland, with icicles draped along the ledges above the falls, and spray from the falls freezing on rocks and limbs. It was beautiful here! It was one of those places you don't want to leave. Eventually came the dilemma of getting out... gravity was not our friend. After exploring options, we exited the same route we came in, and it was not easy. Don't attempt Dry Run Falls unless you're ready for some serious bushwhacking.
Back on the fire road, hiking seemed too easy. Had I really just done what I did? Man, that was fun, and quite the challenge! We rested a spell at South River picnic area, then resumed the hike south on the AT to Swift Run Gap. The hike ended nearly an hour past sunset (I never used my light!). No snow, just flurries on the drive home. From seeing The Compassionater's pictures, it looks like Shenandoah got a dusting. One thing's for sure- it's brutally cold there this week. Ya know what that means, don't ya?... frozen waterfalls!
Hiking poles- love them, but should have left them home for this hike. Already cold hands just get colder holding the poles, and they only got in the way on the scrambles. Wound up carrying them tucked under the arm a good portion of the hike.
Pictures
After a shuttle to leave a vehicle at Swift Run Gap, we were at the Entry Run trailhead near John's Rest around 9am. It's winter now, and this was our first really cold hike of the season. It doesn't seem to matter how many layers one has, it's cold! It takes about 15 minutes of uphill hiking for the hands to warm, and this hike started with quite an uphill- 1700' on the Entry Run Trail, broken only once as the trail drops to PATC Rosser-Lamb cabin (a house, actually). There was a trace of snow here and there from snow showers the previous day. The sun was veiled and provided little heat and there was enough of a breeze to add that extra chill. Frost heaves made the trail very pretty, though rather crunchy with crumbly footing. Entry Run is a well graded high quality trail, with several switchbacks on the final climb to Pocosin fire road.
Layers removed earlier were put back on after leveling out onto Pocosin fire road. It was "Hot Hands" time for me. Those really save the day when the fingers go cold, which usually happens after topping out after a climb. We followed the fire road to the AT, passing the Pocosin Mission ruins and icy runoff streams along the way. After a snack break out front at Pococin Cabin, it was south on the AT up and over Bald Face Mountain. The trail was a path of frost heaves, icy fingers that grow from the ground, lifting soil and rocks. This can make for a minor challenge, as the ice may give way under foot.
We'd met no other hikers until encountering a backpacker resting on the ground by a tree. Surely a section hiker, but no, a thru-hiker! Northbound? "The Compassionater" had started from Springer May 28th, but had left the trail twice due to family tragedy, and was on his "victory lap" to Harpers Ferry to complete his journey. He had met Ewok, the thru-hiker we had met on his first night on the trail, on Ewok's third day on the trail and later at Harpers Ferry. We had missed meeting Compassionater by a day or two, or perhaps we passed without knowing. The Compassionator has raised over $100,000 for Tulsa area charities on his journey. He is quite the inspiration. The story of his quest is at http://archive.lib.msu.edu/tic/wetrt/article/2011jun22.pdf
The clouds were thickening by the time we reached the view on Bald Face Mountain. There was snow in those clouds, it was just a matter of time before some would reach the ground. Fortunately, the wind had slackened, and it didn't feel quite as cold. We took South River fire road to the Drive, and crossed over to descend Dry Run Falls fire road. This would be my first trek down this road. First up is "Lost Cliffs" three quarters of a mile in. I had built it up in my mind as bigger, but still, it towers a hundred feet over the surrounding flat ground. What was billed as a difficult scramble was actually quite easy from either end. On top, the views west and south are superb. Why had it taken so many years to get here? We stayed here a good while.
I was ready to abandon the search for Dry Run Falls- the limited reports on the web call it an ugly bushwhack. Would we find it? Would it be worth it? Steve said go for it, which we did. The fire road crosses Dry Run then parallels the run as it drops in cascades. Soon after the point where the road veers away from the run is supposedly the best access to the falls. An ugly scramble it is. A bushwhack down a steep slope, then a treacherous drop at an unending slippery ledge. The falls were in view, but there was no easy drop down point. Somehow we managed to reach the base of the falls, class 3 bushwhacking indeed! We were in a winter wonderland, with icicles draped along the ledges above the falls, and spray from the falls freezing on rocks and limbs. It was beautiful here! It was one of those places you don't want to leave. Eventually came the dilemma of getting out... gravity was not our friend. After exploring options, we exited the same route we came in, and it was not easy. Don't attempt Dry Run Falls unless you're ready for some serious bushwhacking.
Back on the fire road, hiking seemed too easy. Had I really just done what I did? Man, that was fun, and quite the challenge! We rested a spell at South River picnic area, then resumed the hike south on the AT to Swift Run Gap. The hike ended nearly an hour past sunset (I never used my light!). No snow, just flurries on the drive home. From seeing The Compassionater's pictures, it looks like Shenandoah got a dusting. One thing's for sure- it's brutally cold there this week. Ya know what that means, don't ya?... frozen waterfalls!
Hiking poles- love them, but should have left them home for this hike. Already cold hands just get colder holding the poles, and they only got in the way on the scrambles. Wound up carrying them tucked under the arm a good portion of the hike.
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