Appalachian Trail - Day 058 - Blackrock Hut to Hightop Hut

Day: 058

Date: Wednesday, 21 June 2023

Start:  Blackrock Hut (AT Mile 885.0)

Finish:  Hightop Hut (AT Mile 906.4)

Daily Kilometres:  35.7

GPX Track:  Click here for Julie’s Strava & Photos

Total Kilometres:  1525.9

Weather:  Cold, overcast, occasionally foggy and raining most of the day.

Accommodation:  Shelter 

Nutrition:

  Breakfast:  Egg sandwich & carrot cake/Honey bun & carrot cake

  Lunch:  Cheeseburgers & fries

  Dinner:  Rehydrated meals 

Aches:  Dave - still has sore heels; Julie - nothing reported 

Highlight:  Our early lunch in the Loft Mt Wayside diner was not only tasty, but it allowed us to get out of the rain and cold.

Lowlight:  The afternoon was wet and miserable for hiking.  There were many places we would rather have been.

Pictures: Click here

Map and Position: Click here for Google Map

Journal:

We woke at 5:30am and very quietly packed up so as not to disturb the other shelter residents.  This was in contrast to about seven hikers who arrived at the shelter around 8:30pm last night and made little effort not to disturb the rest of us who were already in bed.

It wasn't raining at fawn, contrary to the forecast, but it started raining after a couple of hours hiking and barely let up for the rest of the day.

Our first break for the day was at the Loft Mt Campground store where we bought some breakfast from the limited offering and ate it in the breezeway (more like a wind tunnel) outside the store where there were some powerpoints for hikers to charge their devices.

By the time we left, about 10:00am, we decided to hike for an hour to near the Loft Mt Wayside then detour off the trail for an early lunch at the diner, which opened at 11:00am.  The lunch was good and the break from the weather was very welcome.  We met a hiker there who had been in our shelter, who had just hiked to the diner along the Skyline Drive, much shorter and easier than our trek along the AT to get there.  Other hikers are doing the same thing.

After lunch the rest of the day was spent hiking through sopping wet overhanging vegetation and undergrowth in miserable conditions.  The trail went up and down, but any views were obscured by the fog and rain.

We took an afternoon break in the cabin of a steam-roller that was parked near a road crossing to get out of the rain.  While there we were visited by a doe and her fawn.

Julie went ahead with six miles to go to try and get a spot in the shelter we were targeting, knowing that many hikers would have the same idea.  She was successful in a crowded shelter with wet gear and clothing hanging everywhere.  We had dinner and went to bed hoping no more hikers arrive looking for space.

The rain is forecast to continue all night and tomorrow as well.  It's officially the first day of summer in the US, but seems far from it.

Passed 900 miles today!

Appalachian Trail - Day 057 - Rockfish Gap to Blackrock Hut

Day: 057

Date: Tuesday, 20 June 2023

Start:  Rockfish Gap (AT Mile 864.3) but staying in Waynesboro

Finish:  Blackrock Hut (AT Mile 885.0)

Daily Kilometres:  36.7 (Ascent 4938', Descent 4098')

GPX Track:  Click here for Julie’s Strava & Photos

Total Kilometres:  1490.2

Weather:  Mix of overcast and fog with rain in the afternoon.

Accommodation:  Shelter 

Nutrition:

  Breakfast:  Motel cooked breakfast 

  Lunch:  New York sub 

  Dinner:  Rehydrated meals 

Aches:  Dave - sore heels; Julie - nothing to report 

Highlight:  None really.

Lowlight:  It got a bit miserable when a heavy rain shower came through, accompanied by a strong cold wind, in the early afternoon.

Pictures: Click here

Map and Position: Click here for Google Map

Journal:

We ate our fill at the motel's complimentary breakfast before getting an Uber back to the trail from Waynesboro.  We were hiking by soon after 8:00am in thick fog.  Thru-hiking friend, Phoenix, was coincidentally also dropped off just as we were about to enter Shenandoah National Park and joined us for the first few miles.

The vegetation was wet from overnight rain and the forest gloomy.  Dave was wishing we had stayed back in the motel on what was forecast to be a showery day.  For those first few miles the trail kept climbing up towards a ridge and then dropping down again, often on slippery rocks and it wasn't much fun, but as the day wore on the trail quality improved and the ups and downs weren't so steep.

The trail is now paralleling Skyline Drive, an extension of the Blue Ridge Parkway, which runs the length of Shenandoah NP, and it was often audible or visible during the day and we crossed it a number of times.

The trail was mostly through forest, but sometimes through thick undergrowth and not very scenic.  Views were also limited by fog and trees.  We did see deer a number of times and they didn't seem to be too bothered by people.

There is rain forecast to start overnight and continue through tomorrow, so we decided to aim for a shelter tonight so that we wouldn't have to pack up in the rain with a wet tent tomorrow morning.  Blackrock Hut was in the right place and we reached there about 6:30pm.

Several other thru-hikers are here, but it's not too crowded and we enjoyed a chat while we had dinner.

Appalachian Trail - Day 056 - Wintergreen View to Rockfish Gap

Day: 056

Date: Monday, 19 June 2023

Start:  Wintergreen View (AT Mile 852.0)

Finish:  Rockfish Gap (AT Mile 864.3) but staying in Waynesboro.

Daily Kilometres:  20.5 (Ascent 1703', Descent 3100')

GPX Track:  Click here for Julie’s Strava & Photos

Total Kilometres:  1453.5

Weather:  Mostly overcast, warm and humid.

Accommodation:  Motel 

Nutrition:

  Breakfast:  Pop tarts 

  Lunch:  Bacon double cheeseburger & fries.

  Dinner:  Burrito, rice & salad, ice-cream.

Aches:  Dave - still dealing with blistered right heel; Julie - nothing to report.

Highlight:  A bear sighting, up close, around 8:00am.  We had heard there was a bear that had troubled campers north of Humpback Rocks and then, as we hiked through that area this morning we met a hiker coming the other way who told us she had just seen a bear, but that it had run off.  Twenty minutes later we saw a black bear in the undergrowth about 20 metres from the trail.  It didn't seem to be bothered by us, or interested in us, as it moved through the forest to cross the trail behind us.  Julie, retracing our steps, got a couple of good photos.

Lowlight:  None really.

Pictures: Click here

Map and Position: Click here for Google Map

Journal:

We woke at 5:00am and were hiking by 6:00am, hoping for easier trail than yesterday, and a fast trip to Rockfish Gap, 12 miles ahead, from where we planned to hitch a ride to Waynesboro for resupply, showers, laundry and a soft bed for the night.

The trail initially followed the top of the ridge along Humpback Mountain (3615') with tree-filtered views to the east, but there was a heavy haze, that persisted all morning, and really only the silhouettes of the surrounding mountains were visible in the early sunlight.  Underfoot, the trail was generally easier, and our pace good, despite the long day yesterday and our lack of sleep.

About four miles later, we had some excitement with our second bear encounter on the trail (see above) which have us a fillip.

Our breakfast break, after 6 miles, was taken on a rock shelf in the peaceful forest, before we tackled the remaining 6 miles to Rockfish Gap.  The trail wound around the sides of several mountains passing signs of past human habitation - stone fences, a cemetery and the ruins of an old stone cabin - and was generally good going, but time seemed to drag, as it often does when we are keen to finish.  The hum of traffic noise, which never seemed to get any closer, didn't help.

Around 12:15pm, we reached the busy Rockfish Gap with its freeway passing through, and after walking a few hundred yards to a good hitching spot on the road to Waynesboro, stuck our thumbs out and almost immediately got a lift from a hiker hostel employee on his way into town.  He filled us in on the best places to eat in town and dropped us at our motel.  We were allowed to check in early and were in our room by 1:00pm.

Julie went and bought some lunch for us while Dave showered, and then later took care of the laundry and resupply shopping to give Dave maximum rest-up time.

Around 5:00pm we walked to a nearby Mexican restaurant for dinner with fellow thru-hiker, Tassie, who arrived in town later this afternoon, and then bought an ice-cream at Walmart on the way back, before having an early night.

Appalachian Trail - Day 055 - Priest Summit to Wintergreen View

Day: 055

Date: Sunday, 18 June 2023

Start:  Priest Summit (AT Mile 830.1)

Finish:  Wintergreen View (AT Mile 852.0)

Daily Kilometres:  35.6 (Ascent 5620', Descent 6129')

GPX Track:  Click here for Julie’s Strava & Photos

Total Kilometres:  1433.0

Weather:  Warm, sunny and humid.

Accommodation:  Tent 

Nutrition:

  Breakfast:  Pop tarts 

  Lunch:  Trail mix

  Dinner:  Cheeseburgers, banana pudding 

Aches:  Dave - exhausted and both heels playing up; Julie - nothing to report.

Lowlight:  The climb up to Three Ridges (3965') in the Three Ridges Wilderness was exhausting, particularly for Dave.  It was very technical, crossing multiple talus fields with rocks of all shapes and sizes to be negotiated, as well as incorporating some very steep ascents.  The climb went on and on, in warm humid conditions, and it seemed your foot needed to be carefully placed with every step.

Highlight:  After we had been over the Three Ridges (see above) we descended to Maupin Field Shelter where we stopped for lunch and chatted with two other thru-hikers we knew (Grits and Monkey Man) there, watching day-hikers pass by and speculating on what nice cold drinks and food they might have in their light backpacks.  We had all just completed the hike over Three Ridges and were all feeling depleted, tired and over it.  Grits and Monkey Man left and we followed soon afterwards.  Two miles later, as we entered a car park on the Blue Ridge Parkway, there were our friends seated in camp chairs drinking cold drinks and eating appetizing food.  A young couple, who met while hiking the AT last year, were providing food and drinks to thru-hikers.  Trail Magic!  It could not have come at a better time as we were hungry and dreaming of cold drinks.  We spent about 45 minutes there enjoying the company and food.  Dave downed three Mountain Dews in quick succession, hoping to revive himself for the afternoon's hiking.

Pictures: Click here

Map and Position: Click here for Google Map

Journal:

We were hiking by soon after 6:00am, hoping to cover as many miles as we could today so that we had less than 10 miles to do tomorrow to get to Waynesboro, our next resupply town.

Although it was a beautiful morning for hiking, the trail was immediately very technical and slow.  Not a good start.  After a few hours we reached the end of the descent from Priest Summit, crossed the Tye River, and began what turned out to be an epic climb up to Three Ridges (see above).  The Appalachian Trail was part of a loop with the Mau-Har trail which is popular with day-hikers and we saw plenty on this sunny Sunday.  The Mau-Har trail actually provides a short-cut for AT hikers, not only being shorter, but missing out on the diabolical climb over the Three Ridges.  Later we met a couple of thru-hikers who had done just that.

After descending from the Three Ridges and having lunch (see above) we were well behind our target mileage and hoped the afternoon's trail would be better, but it was a forlorn hope.  There was barely mile of easy trail today and, despite being revived by the "trail magic" we received mid-afternoon, we still found the trail rocky, technical and slow right to the end.

We walked late, not finding a tent site until 7:30pm, and got our mileage up to nearly 22, so not too far short of our target, but a long and tough day.

Appalachian Trail - Day 054 - Long Mountain Wayside to Priest Summit

Day: 054

Date: Saturday, 17 June 2023

Start:  Long Mountain Wayside (AT Mile 809.1) but staying in Lexington

Finish:  Priest Summit (AT Mile 830.1)

Daily Kilometres:  34.0 (Ascent 6050', Descent 4062')

GPX Track:  Click here for Julie’s Strava & Photos

Total Kilometres:  1397.4

Weather:  Mild and sunny 

Accommodation:  Tent

Nutrition:

  Breakfast:  The Waffle House big breakfast 

  Lunch: New York sub

  Dinner:  Rehydrated meals 

Aches:  Dave - still dealing with right heel blister; Julie - nothing to report

Highlight:  It was a long climb to get there but Cole Mt Bald was a beautiful long ridge-top meadow with views all around on a stellar day. We met a number of day hikers on their way up to picnic there, some carrying kites.

Lowlight:  None really.

Pictures: Click here

Map and Position: Click here for Google Map

Journal:

We got up early and walked across the road to the Waffle House soon after 6:00am for a very filling breakfast seemingly replete with all of the calories we would need for the day's hiking.

We checked out of our motel at 7:30am and were picked up by our shuttle driver, Derek, at 7:40am for the drive back up into the mountains and the trailhead where we had finished on Thursday.

By 8:10am we were hiking on a perfect day.  Of course, it was uphill and it took an hour and a half to reach the summit of Bald Knob (4045') with a couple of hazy views near the top.

We descended a little to a gap before climbing to Cole Mt followed by a beautiful journey across the Cole Mt Bald (see above).

There were a lot of hikers out and we took our first break at Salt Log Gap where there was a full car park.  From there, apart from a few short meadow sections, the rest of our day was spent in the "green tunnel" with occasional tree-filtered views.  Mostly, the trail was good, though some loose rocky sections slowed us down.

The last climb up to Priest Summit (4018') was long and rough underfoot in places.  We had hoped to get one of the prime tent sites we had heard about on the ledges looking north, but we were late, nearly 7:00pm by the time we got there, and they were already taken by other thru-hikers.  Nevertheless, we found a nice site a little further along the summit, although with no views, shortly after.  By this time a cold wind was blowing so maybe better not out in the open anyway.

We were relatively late to set up camp and get to bed, but happy with a nice day's hiking and 21 miles after a late start.

Appalachian Trail - Day 053 - Lexington Day Off.

Day: 053

Date: Friday, 16 June 2023

Start:  Long Mountain Wayside (AT Mile 809.1) but staying in Lexington

Finish:  Long Mountain Wayside (AT Mile 809.1) but staying in Lexington

Daily Kilometres:  0

GPX Track:  Click here for Julie’s Strava & Photos from.her run/walk around Lexington.

Total Kilometres:  1363.4

Weather:  Mild and mostly sunny.

Accommodation:  Motel

Nutrition:

  Breakfast:  Cereal, biscuits & jam/Biscuits & sausage, biscuits & jam.

  Lunch:  Mexicali subs

  Dinner:  Bacon cheeseburger & fries, thickshake.

Aches:  Nothing to report.

Highlight:  None really.

Lowlight:  None really.

Pictures: No pictures today.

Map and Position: Click here for Google Map

Journal:

A very lazy day off the trail for us (and well-earned).

We had a sleep-in and then took advantage, we thought, of the motel's "complimentary hot buffet breakfast" which was less than stellar with a very limited offering.  We were regretting not walking across the road to the Waffle House, but won't make the same mistake tomorrow morning.

After breakfast, while Dave did some admin and watched TV, Julie went for a run/walk into Lexington along a local trail, passing through the storied Virginia Military Institute (VMI …. Google it) en route.  In town she stopped at the outdoor store and bought a few bits of gear we need before returning to our motel via Subway where she bought us some lunch.

We just hung around in the motel room for the afternoon, with Julie looking increasingly bored.

Later we walked half a mile to a Dairy Queen restaurant to buy dinner which we ate back in our room.

Back on the trail tomorrow.

Appalachian Trail - Day 052 - Salt Log Gap to Long Mountain Wayside

Day: 052

Date: Thursday, 15 June 2023

Start:  Salt Log Gap (AT Mile 794.7) 

Finish:  Long Mountain Wayside (AT Mile 809.1) but staying in Lexington

Daily Kilometres:  22.7 

GPX Track:  Click here for Julie’s Strava & Photos

Total Kilometres:  1363.4

Weather:  Warm, humid and mostly sunny.

Accommodation:  Motel

Nutrition:

  Breakfast:  Pop tarts 

  Lunch:  Cheeseburger & fries 

  Dinner:  Chicken burrito bowl/Chicken tenders & fries, ice-cream.

Aches:  Dave - still dealing with heel blister; Julie - nothing reported.

Highlight:  Hiking along the atmospheric Brown Mountain Creek where remnants of the freed slave farming community that lived there in the early 1900s could be seen amongst the woods.

Lowlight:  None really

Pictures: Click here

Map and Position: Click here for Google Map

Journal:

With the possibility of burgers for lunch, if we made good time, we woke at 5:00am and were hiking by 6:00am.

We started with a steady climb to the top of Bluff Mt (3351') that soon had Dave delayering to his T-shirt despite the early hour.  There was a small poignant memorial at the summit to a 4-y-o boy who had been found dead there in 1891 after wandering away from his schoolhouse several days earlier.  There were also amazing views to the west over rural countryside, mountains and fog-shrouded valleys.

For the rest of our hiking day we were predominantly descending through peaceful woodland and alongside rocky babbling streams.

We took our first and only break at the Redland River Bridge after 3.5 hours of walking to have breakfast.  In total, we had a little over 14 miles to hike for the day to get to Long Mountain Wayside and US Hwy 60, from where we planned to get to Lexington and our motel booked for two nights.

After the breakfast break, when we had phone reception on top of a knoll, Dave messaged a hiker shuttle operator estimating we would need a ride at 1:00pm from Long Mountain Wayside but, unfortunately, we did not have reception again until we actually got there 2.5 hours later and were able to confirm the ride.

Before that, apart from the usual woodlands, there were some bridged river crossings and a lovely stretch following the contours alongside the Lynchburg Reservoir.  Also the journey along Brown Mountain Creek was interesting and scenic.

Not long after we reached the highway an Asian thru-hiker we had last seen weeks ago in the Smoky Mountains emerged from the trail behind us.  His English was limited, but he did manage to say "Long time no see!" with a big smile when he saw us.  He quickly hitched a ride down the mountain making us somewhat regret having booked the shuttle, but it arrived soon after 1:30pm, as promised, and by soon after 2:15pm we were checking into our motel.

Dave went and bought some late lunch while Julie showered and then later, after the laundry was done, we had an early dinner at a restaurant next door before walking to the Walmart across the road where we bought most of the supplies needed for the next leg, so that we don't have too much to do tomorrow on our day off.