Let's Climb some Shenandoah Mountains th is weekend

“Anyone up for a buttkicker in Shenandoah this weekend? Weather is looking pretty nice.

My plan is to arrive Friday night and camp just inside the park along Hughes River.

Saturday, get up and climb Old Rag and then White Oak Canyon and up and over Hawks Bill and camp Saturday night at the Rock Spring Hut. This will be worth over 5,000 feet of hard earned elevation gain and Old Rag offers up a mile long rock scramble.

Sunday, I 'd like to hike the AT south to Bootens Gap and up and over Bearfence to the parking on the other side of the mountain.”

“Oh to be single again, I'd be there in a heartbeat. I loved Old Rag!”

“so what sort of beer do ya'll want this time?”

“It would be great to see ya HOI! Yuengling Black and Tan would be awesome. We can have fires at Rock Spring Hut right?”

“I think it might make more sense to come back down the Cedar Run Trail and then over the Weakley Hollow Fire Road to make it a loop trip. No shuttle necessary then.”

“old rag?? wouldn't it be great to see how much in shape I am. I hate driving through VA though. how many miles total each day? elevation each day?”

“yes - fire at Rock Spring Hut is OK - I'll even bring a good saw if someone else does the sawing - my shoulder is F'ed up from clearing blowdown on SGT Rock's part of the BMT last week”

“I'm interested.”

“Mmmmmmmmm to see Gemini's ass scrambling over Old Rag again................

Sorry I won't be able to make it.”

“ENS did you give up on women again? What is up with this trip every weekend crap!”

“Gotta rest up this weekend -- legs still sore from 35-mile VA Highlands jaunt this past weekend...”

“hey Phantom report to the Pre FYAO trip”

“speaking of the VA Highlands jaunt - where is the freeeeking trip report????”

“jmitch, you'd love this one, some nice peaks and some nice (really nice) water falls!!!!”

“We can let Pennsy do the sawing, he likes it. ;)”

“does Yuengling Black and Tan come in cans? I have only ever seen it in bottles and even that few and far between (a Sheets store in Madison to be exact)”

“hmmmm it does up here. Any beer is good beer after a hard days hike with lots of climbing.

I have always said it, HOI is the man!”

“I think it is 2500 feet up Old Rag and then 1200' descent into Weakley Hollow. The Weakley Hollow Fire Road descends another 1000 feet or so before we get to the White Oak Canyon Trail. The climb up White Oak Canyon to Hawksbill is 3000 feet. So the total elevation gain for Saturday will be 5500+ and probably 2500 feet of loss.

I think the mileage for Saturday will be around 12.

Sunday should not be as hard. I am still planning out Sunday, but I'd like to get in a bunch of waterfalls.

One route I am looking at is taking the AT south to Lewis Falls and then crossing Skyline drive and going down to Dark Hollow Falls and then over to Rose River Falls and then finally descend down the Cedar Run Trail for more waterfalls. That would be around 13 miles.

If we did that, we'd shuttle to the Cedar Run Trailhead. It's not that far from Old Rag.

I'm still looking that over and deciding though.”

“we could also just descend right down Cedar Run and that would be less than 5 miles on Sunday.”

“Check with the park to see if they've cleared the ice storm damage on those trails yet. I've heard that a lot of the park trails are still a mess.”

“oooh good thanks ginny”

“Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm”

“it's going to be in the friggin 60s this weekend!!!!! Talk about going from one degree to another.

and HOI is bringing beer!

oh btw Pennsy, crazypacescrambler has your post hike gear bucket. I still have to give you my extra Black Forest Trail map and guide set.
last edited: 1/02/07 7:12:54 PM”

“You bonehead! Didn't I tell you to put the map in the bucket as soon as you got home? Dang kids.

This jaunt is definately on my radar.”

“well, you did, but when I was at his house this weekend, he said, "give me Pennsy's stuff and he can get it at my work."

I didn't have the map/guide with me.”

“from Sperryville, VA (near Old Rag)

Friday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 46.

Saturday: Partly cloudy, with a high near 64.

Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 37.

Sunday: A chance of rain. Partly cloudy, with a high near 52. Chance of precipitation is 40%.


sunday is been moving around from partly cloudy to rainy to cloudy and back.

One of the great things about Shenandoah, is so many trails = options.

I'll call the park tomorrow to inquire about trail conditions.

to follow the weather, click here :)
last edited: 1/02/07 7:52:09 PM”

“ENS, you think it's gonna kick my ass?
I do have time this weekend, but a) don't wanna be behind everyone, b) don't wanna have to crawl on all 4 out, and c)...well there is no c”

“you can handle it. It will be a good asskicking and it will be lots of fun. Lots of Old Rag is practically involves crawling anyway.

I am making Sunday's hike easier.

It's warm enough you can use your tarp.”

“ENS send me an email on where to meet, what day/time, etc.
City, etc...so I can mapquest it.”

“60-46? #&%!$ I need to get back in shape.”

“here is a map of the Shenandoah National Park area.
http://www.shenandoah.national-park.com/map.htm

We'll meet at the Old Rag Parking area Friday night around 8pm.

you got mail on myspace
last edited: 1/02/07 8:43:55 PM”

“got everything. thanks ENS”

“Hey ENS, don't forget about last time ;)

Wish I could make it, have fun.”

“btw I second Ginny's recomendation about checking to see what trails have been cleared - some trails are in very rough shape with all the blowdown from the ice storm”

“i'm gonna leave Friday around 12. that should give me plenty of time. I give ENS a call on my way up there.”

“can't make it, car needs to get worked on.”

“bummer jeff

Pennsy, if you make it this weekend, I need to bring my plastic boots and crampons with. Todd was looking at them and thinks I got the wrong size.. I want to see what you think.”

“Day hikers are telling me that as of a week ago these 2 trails are really screwed up from the Thanksgiving Eve Ice storm. Might want to contact the superintendent on these and other trails. The AT is open. Everything on Old Rag is open. I can vouch for that having just hiked it on the 1st. Day hikers tell me that Whire Oak Canyon is in good shape. The fire roads are probably all OK.I don't know how yall BP over Old Rag.”

“keep an eye out for Leo too while hiking : link
last edited: 1/04/07 7:12:31 AM”

“hmmmmm”

“backpacking over Old Rag is fun!!! Since it's going to be relatively warm, I'll pack somewhat light.

yo Baume!!!

Wow, hope they find him HOI.
last edited: 1/04/07 10:57:02 AM”

“I spoke with a lady at the park office and she said all the trail we're doing are ok, except for the Cedar Run Trail. As far as the Cedar Run trail goes, she thinks that one is ok too and is open, but she wasn't totally certain. She is going to check to be sure and call me back.

She said the trail crews have been working hard lately to get the trails open! Kudos to them for their hard work!
last edited: 1/04/07 11:06:15 AM”

“Maybe he went looking for some hotties?”

“just got a call back.. all of the trails in the central district are cleared and open. All of the potential routes/trails on this trip are in the central district.

She just suggested we be careful of hanging limbs and that sort of stuff.”

“Baume - are you in?

so far it sounds like Gemini, Pennsy, and EarthNsky

Gemini - any preference on the beer?

being a wimp I'll meet ya'll at Rock Spring Hut for Saturday night”

“Cedar Run is a steep Rocky canyon with not a whole lot for the huge dead Hemlocks to hold on to. It doesn't take much to bring them down.

I raised 2 crews (about 8 each, not counting Overseers and sawyers) to work in the Thornton Hollow, Piney River Hollow area in the north district of the park this weekend.”

“I'll post a blurb on my site about it.”

“she said that they're still working on the northern and southern districts.”

“and Central supposedly got it the worse, especially on the west flank of the ridge. I'm not even sure the AT is open through the Southern District.”