sharing the joy

“Nomad 1 asked that I post this for a few folks that might be interested in joining us this weekend. Our trip plan will be a loop called Matthew's Arm Overnight Loop....p.79 in day and overnight hikes in shenandoah national park. sounds like there is a swimming hole to take advantage of, as well as another waterfall. The dates of the trip are the 19-21 (sat thru MON due to our schedules).

If anyone is interested feel free, although it would be nice to know how many so we could grab enough maps....

Hope to hear from you.

Micah, you're not invited :-)”

“Good luck, and may dog be with you!”

“I believe he's hiking with bacpac that weekend anyhow.”

“Micah's mommy wouldn't let him go anyway. He's been bugging her about letting him have a dog so much, and she just hates dogs. That's why Micah can't handle the idea of dogs in the backcountry.”

“thought there would be more for this one,,,,,”

“VV - I am hoping that my foot problem will be recovered enough to meet up with y'all for Saturday night at least. I am not sure about Monday yet - might have to work but I may be able to take it off if things work out right There are two possibilities that I might do - either meet y'all at Elkwallow Picnic area / trail head (ie the back side of the picnic area) or if my foot is still giving me some problems then possibly hiking in from the boundary on Heiskell Hollow Tr. and possibly meet y'all at the intersection of Beecher Ridge Tr. In any case I'll let y'all know what I will be doing by Friday noon.”

“Wish I could make it but I have stuff to do that weekend already!

Another time I hope.”

“would love to see you again bitpusher but I would guess that the drive would be somewhere around 12 hours from Huntsville - long drive for just a weekend although I have done worse - Manistee River (MI) hike was 14 hours for me.”

“Yah, it's a long way. It'll be next year before I'll be able to take a trip that far away. Families demand that you spend most of your vacation time with them, dammit...”

“bitpusher, I am so sorry that I am missing you once again. We'll miss you!!

Hog on ice. Love the name!!! And would definitely love to see you there. I think we will aim at being there (the parking area)around 11am. Let us know what you think your foot can take.”

“hey, wait.....
did I miss something? Does micah actually get outdoors and do things besides

sit by his computer waiting for inopportune moments to harass people on unrelated subjects?!?!?!?!

What a novel concept. Keep it up micah. The fangs may even recede.”

“I hate that I am missing out on seeing y'all and HOI too. But there's always another trip down the road!”

“ya, will miss ya to bit,i thought maybe more would be up for a hike and a swimm but oohhhh well,mybe more next time can't wait to meet the hog.any way we are leaving out saterday about 8am should get to the trail head about 11am ,,,will give more in for as the week progress......”

“just trying to keep it up on the board untill we leave,,,,somemore might join in,,,,,,,,,,,,,”

“Hay Creek Dancer we're talking swimming hole here - ya interested ???”

“Better watch out, no telling what strange hankerins Creek Dancer might get...”

“Hey Vasque I thought that you and Nomad were going on the rock run trip with jmitch?”

“OK I'll be at the trailhead at 11 AM tomorrow (Saturday). Look for the white (well sort of) hat and the Gearskin pack - that will be me. I plan on waiting at the back end of the Elkwallow picnic area but if y'all want to meet somewhere else like the Elkwallow wayside that is OK too - just let me know.

The foot is somewhat better and I am going to try to do the entire loop however if it turns out that I can't I'll just bail. Fortunately the per day milage is low (<6 miles per day) so there is a good chance that I'll be OK.

I have Monday off - actually I have the next two weeks off as vacation - so no problem going for all three days.”

“HOI, that sounds familiar? Think I did that route last weekend. Jeremy's run was fantastic :o) I guess that's what you're up to?”

“Opps, sounds like Outlook Run....”

“yeah - it looks to be a good one - a couple buttkicker climbs but its a nice area and for the most part I have not hiked much of those trails before - just the bit down to Jeremy's Run. The water falls should still be going fairly good I think.”

“There seemed to be plenty of water up there. climb back up to the AT is the biggest pain. Trying to work out how I can join you guys as my wife steals the car on Saturday mornings.”

“outlook - overall, :o)”

“where are you located ? I'm about 10 miles north of Charlottesville and if you are down that way too I could give you a ride.”

“I'm the wrong way, over in DC, will have to return Sunday evening too. Thanks for the offer though :o) - I should be able to leave the district by midday and I could try and catch you guys.”

“So what's the route then, (I don't have the guide book) you start at Elkwallow picnic area, get to Matthews Arm, follow it to Overall Run???”

“OK here is the route as far as I know - I am assuming the directions out of the book are indeed the route we will be traveling
1.) from Elkwallow picnic area go down the AT to Jeremy's run trail
2.) from Jeremy's Run trail go up Knob Mtn. Cutoff Tr.
3.) turn right (approx. NE) on Knob Mtn. Tr.
4.) turn left (approx NW) on Heiskell Hollow Tr.
5.) hike past Beecher Ridge Tr. and camp for the first night down in Heiskell Hollow

6.) next day backtrack to Beecher Ridge Tr. and go N
7.) pick up Beecher Ridge-Overall RUn COnnector Tr. and hike to Overall Run Tr.
8.) find the swimming hole near the Lower Overall Run Falls falls and take a break
9.) go up Overall Run to Matthews Arm Tr. being sure to get water at Twin Falls before getting on Matthews Arm Tr.
10.) go N and find camping spot off of Matthews Arm Tr. for second night

11.) backtrack to Overall Run / Tuscarora Tr. then head S until reaching the AT
12.) take AT S back to Elkwallow area”

“missed a step:

7.5 turn right and hike E on Overall Run Tr.

13. get a burger at the Elkwallow Wayside”

“lol, sounds good to me, I'll try and sure up my tranportation this afternoon. thanks for that.”

“For a shorter 2 day version you could park at Matthews Arm Camping area and pick up the Heiskell Hollow Tr. from there and then Sunday afternoon just go S on Matthews Arm Tr. back to the car instead of going N to camp”

“Thanks for the infor HOI. All I can say is that I'm a possible. I gotto check when the other half returns with the car, and if she's got to do anything essential with it over the weekend.”

“hello all,
Well cool glad you to could make it,,,the more the merrier,,,anyway,,, e-mail me and will give ya my phone and cell,,,so we can keep in touch,,,will be home tonight,,,, will check e-mail ,,,ynamiynami,,,good to have ya on board,,,,hog,, good to hear your foot is better,,glad you can make the whole trip,,,anyway e-mail will call ya,,,,,”

“Sorry,
under wifes login,,does anyone need abything,i work for hto outfitters,,let me know any last minute items,,,,,,,”

“Sorry,
under wifes login,,does anyone need abything,i work for hto outfitters,,let me know any last minute items,,,,,,,”

“Sorry,
under wifes login,,does anyone need abything,i work for hto outfitters,,let me know any last minute items,,,,,,,”

“ok,
what the hell was that.”

“ah, so it's me paying your wages then ;o) - ok so that is the route you're taking, if I'm able to go then I'll try and find you guys in Heiskell Hollow. If I can't make it then have fun. If if go but I can't find you then I'll solo it, so it's not a problem. I'm good to go gear-wise thanks.”

“no problem,,,hope to see ya,,,,

hog where ya at........”

“I'm OK on gear also - see you at the trailhead tomorrow at 11 am”

“meet ya there,,”

“look for a 97 nissan truck,with camper shell on back and a search and rescue on the back.........”

“Had a great overnighter in SNP with Nomad, VV and HOI. Blueberries, bears and a butt-kicking climb, and a wonderful swimming hole too. Thanks you guys. Hope to see you on the trail again soon.”

“Pics, anyone?”

“no pices from me bitpusher - by the end of the second day my foot was giving me some heck so I bailed - nomad and VV are still out today - maybe they will have some pictures when they get back - I think they were using digitals so it should be quick. The swimming hole was the best I had ever seen in SNP but the water - oooooooeeeeeeeee was cold - I soaked my foot and that helped for a while. The climb up Overall Run /Tuscarora to the Mathews Arm Tr. was a tough one and all those rocks at the bottom before going up did me no good. Due to the lack of good tent sites and my foot problems we decided to hike to the campground - nomad and VV to stay at one of the tent sites and me to pass through on my way back to Elkwallow. The Elkwallow Tr. was very nice after all the buttkicking of the Overall Run Tr. and the Mathews Arm Tr. - normally I would not consider the Mathews Arm Tr. to be all that bad but it was modestly up hill all the way to the campground and it basically finished the job that the Overall Run Tr. had done on my butt. Fortunately from the campsite back to Elkwallow wayside was either level or slightly downhill for the most part. The previous day coming down Heiskell Hollow Tr. I saw 5 bears: a sow and 2 cubs, a singleton adult, and an adolescent. Nomad and VV were delayed but caught up with me at the campsite off of Heiskell Hollow Tr. and ynamiynami rolled in shortly thereafter. The tentsites weren't the greatest but I had no problem in my hammock (grin). Good times were had by all (smile) even if we did get our butt kicked the next day. Today the foot is recovered somewhat - icing and elevating it last night was a good choice.”

“Hope it gets better HOI. I was glad to get back in the car at the end of the day :o)”

“Sorry to hear that your foot caused you to have to bail, HOI, but it sounds like you had a pretty good time anyway. I've gotta get up to that area sometime; it sounds like a lot of fun.

See my Mt. Rogers thread for pics of my trip there last month.”

“It was good meeting you ynamiynami - you are one good hiker.”

“thanks HOI, it didn't feel like that when I got out of bed this morning and creaked and groaned my way to the coffee machine.”

“I know exactly what you mean ynami - my legs were a bit sore this morning too - when added to the foot it was hobble hobble hobble to get anything done.

Bitpusher - the main reservation I have about SNP is that I think it is over regulated - and for a group of TTers the lack of a campfire at night is a bit of an issue IMO.”

“Yes, most TT'ers want a campfire in the evening. I know I like one, even in the summer.”