Mt Rogers yall come!

“Cool Jim I am am also a Jim H. Your last name isn't Harrison is it?”

“before I read the whole thread...what campsite do you all meet? and when? what parking area are ya gonna park? backpacker lot?”

“Gem - Friday night meet at Old Orchard AT shelter which is about a mile or so up from 603 - there is a parking area on 603 where the AT crosses - this is approx 4 miles west of Troutdale iirc”

“hmm...I got to look at my map. It's been so long, but I know I've been at the Old Orchard AT shelter before.
Thanks HOI”

“well it is possible to get there from the backpackers lot at Grayson Highlands - its about an 8 mile hike iirc - either go up the AT spur to the AT and head "north" or go to the campground and pick up the trail to Wise shelter and pick up the AT there again heading north or take the trail from Wise shelter to Scales (Scales Tr. ???) and pick up the AT at Scales or ...”

“OMG!!! Gem is coming to this?? I better pack extra whiskey!

The laff meter will be pegged!!!! I might just have to change my plans and come on down to the shelter for Friday.”

“hey sticks!!! :D
Yupp...I am going. gonna be my first trip since a while. Got to jump into this thing called backpacking sooner or later, right?”

“Great the more the merrier! More whisky that is LOL!”

“Yeah make mine hun'ard proof




Gem we haven't seen each other since the RRG trip that Fridge put together...it is time to catch up!
last edited: 4/17/06 4:38:03 PM”

“As long as it's bourbon or sour mash I'm A Okay!”

“ewww...i don't like whiskey. but that's okay. I'll bring a beer. :) oh, i don't like beer either. okay...I'll bring some wine.

Hope to see ya sticks, yes it's been a long time.”

“Dang why don't yall get a room!LOL Some of the rest of us would like to see ya again too!”

“bring some of whatever trekngirl had at the Sipsey Gem and we will talk about polar bear hunting ;-)”

“So HOI are you officially in on this trip?”

“90% probable at this point Spam - assuming no last minute work FUs”

“Hi Jamie,
I still don't know if I can make this trip. I do appreciate the invite. I haven't been on a real camping trip in years. Being that I am an old man now I must ask just how many miles it is in and out, without the side trips? And the terrain? And oh, did I haer someone say something about eatin ramps & mushrooms & drinkin licker. I hope it will be down hill back to the truck. It gets tough carrying a pack with a hangover and bad breath.
Please advise.
Thanks and God bless, Jimmie”

“hey spam you bring BBQ this trip? LOL”

“think we might find that guy and the _five liter_ box of wine he packed in again?”

“No BBQ this trip JB everyones on their own.Sorry thats more than I can do right now.

Bostic boy this trip will be up to the individuals for milage. We meet at a shelter less than two miles from the trailhead on Friday night, move Saturday morning to a basecamp and dayhike whichever direction you want and whatever milage you want for the rest of the weekend.Come on man ou're not but a year older than me and I ain't old!
last edited: 4/18/06 2:07:10 PM”

“think we might find that guy and the _five liter_ box of wine he packed in again?”
Hog On Ice
1:05:47 PM
4/18/06

I think he signed on here as Five Liters for awhile.

HOI,I hope you have better luck with trees this trip than you did then.”

“spam i was jokong..
but you bbq was good”

“compared to the recent Sipsey trip that one at Old Orchard was nothing”

“didn't hear about that one!!”

“Waaa! I can't go! I bailed out on friends last weekend so I could go camping. These friends have been wanting me to take them on a wildflower hike. So we are going Sunday. I can't let them down again.

Also, gas prices are creeping up again. Not sure I can afford to drive all the way to Mt. Rogers.”

“Maybe next time woodzie.Have a nice Sunday hike.”

“Temps on friday to be 70 with a chance of a thunderstorm and 50's at night,saturday high 60's with chance of thunderstorms and 50's at night. A perfect weekend this time of year throwing all the spring time elements at us,,,,,bring it on........I plan on bringing a 12x12 nylon tarp to catche up near the camp fire iffin we get some rain.


Sticks, you need to go in with us to OLD Orchard.”

“hey woodzie check out the Cranberry Wilderness trip - great area and great time for wildflowers”

“Hey Frig what time you going to be gettin to the trail head???”

“Has anyone heard from lonewolf or stratusloop? I sent out an email but haven't heard back from either of those guys.”

“could not pass up a chance to meet leagendary Gemini I'll be in Fri. night Save a little room in shelter for me please I'll Bring the Turkey”

“How far past the Scales turn off is the Trailhead?”

“my calibrated eyeball indicates that it is about 1.25 miles past the turnoff for Scales - see map http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?z=17&n=4061346.00010028&e=454690.999999998&datum=nad83&size=l&s=50 x marks where I think is the AT crossing and the Scales road is on the right edge of the map I could be off by up to .25 miles however - the AT crossing is not well indicated on the map


FYI link to a part of the trails map from prior trips: http://www.fototime.com/{65941B18-EF59-4DDA-9D73-C7217F6E5B45}/picture.JPG but it does not show the AT crossing 603
last edited: 4/19/06 6:52:30 AM”

““Hey Frig what time you going to be gettin to the trail head???”
jb2638nc
8:03:33 PM
4/18/06

I live 4 miles from the Trail Head so I am hoping I can make it by 1 pm.”

“cool fridge i should be there betweet 1 & 2
From Boone,nc looking forward to seeing every one”

“my trip will most likely be short cut a day. I'll be there Friday, but if I can't work it out will be going back afternoon. I'll have to be home around 11PM. my kid got track meet, and someone must pick him up.

I'm still gonna be there though.”

“Well at least your pack will be lighter! LOL”

“Better bring the good stuff...

Hazardous Weather Outlook

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
948 AM EDT THU APR 20 2006

NCZ001>006-018>020-VAZ007-009>020-022>024-032>035-043>047-058-059-
WVZ042>045-211200-
ASHE-ALLEGHANY-SURRY-STOKES-ROCKINGHAM-CASWELL-WATAUGA-WILKES-
YADKIN-TAZEWELL-SMYTH-BLAND-GILES-WYTHE-PULASKI-MONTGOMERY-
GRAYSON-CARROLL-FLOYD-CRAIG-BATH-ROANOKE-BOTETOURT-ROCKBRIDGE-
PATRICK-FRANKLIN-BEDFORD-AMHERST-HENRY-PITTSYLVANIA-CAMPBELL-
APPOMATTOX-BUCKINGHAM-HALIFAX-CHARLOTTE-MERCER-SUMMERS-MONROE-
GREENBRIER-
948 AM EDT THU APR 20 2006

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL
NORTH CAROLINA...NORTHWEST NORTH CAROLINA...CENTRAL VIRGINIA...
SOUTH CENTRAL VIRGINIA...SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA...WEST CENTRAL
VIRGINIA AND SOUTHEAST WEST VIRGINIA.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE MOVING INTO THE MOUNTAINS LATE
THIS AFTERNOON OR EVENING...AND THEN SPREAD EASTWARD OVERNIGHT. A
FEW OF THESE STORMS MAY PRODUCE LARGE HAIL. IN ADDITION...VERY
HEAVY DOWNPOURS ARE EXPECTED FROM THE STRONGER STORMS...MAINLY IN
THE MOUNTAINS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY

A STRONG UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE WILL GENERATE NUMEROUS
THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE REGION FRIDAY. SOME OF THESE STORMS MAY
BE SEVERE...WITH DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED FRIDAY.

$$”

“grrrrrrrrrr”

“looks like a good weekend to go hiking ...”

“Dang! That don't sound so good.This actually could be a dangerous trip huh?”

“typical Mt Rogers Weather this time of the year. Thunderstorms are always around April... May Ye haaaaaaaa Going to be powerful.”

“Where we will be camped saturday will be a safe place ,,,,,,not on the typical summits of Wilburn Ridge and we will be just in the wood line and not in an open meadow. If we get lucky there will be a lightning show saturday night, I have seen them before on the Mountain and they are wild and powerful.
I have a big tarp I will bring along to catche up over the fire to get under iffin we get a storm.
Be sure your tent is water proof hehehe!!!!
In the past weeks thunderstorms have moved throughout almost each day not lasting long and giving the air it's typical spring freshness, Lightning splits the 0 2 molecule to 0 3 like an ionizer giving you that fresh cool smell like spring time.
last edited: 4/20/06 5:05:02 PM”

“The lightning doesn't scare me...it the large hail that's painful.

This is one of several NOAA sites I check for weather...at least it doesn't mention hail

http://www.erh.noaa.gov/er/rnk/forecast.php#B”

“Hail will not harm you iffin you drink your Knob Creek like a good boy.”

“Weather thus far indicates some thunderstorms friday but friday night HEAVY thunderstorms, YE HAAAAAAA that will be great weather while in the OLD Orchard shelter. Saturday morning a chance of a storm then clearing up saturday evening. Day time temps in the 60s night time 50s

PERFECT WEATHER.”

“I'll just feel like the old infantry days where iffin we had a draught all we had to do was go to the field to get rain.”

“so honestly now...should I even consider going if I have to leave saturday afternoon [I HAVE to be back by 10 or 11 PM that saturday night or my kid will have no way go get home]”

“Yeah come on!”

“my son is only 15, he can't walk 6 miles in the dark...you are sure I won't be stuck in hail on rogers?

i am packed and ready”

“I'm bringing my youngin and she was 15 year before last up @ Mt Rogers.”