VA hike #2, day 7

Thursday, March 31st, 2016
Start: Bearswallow Gap/VA 43
End: US 220/Daleville
Miles: 21.6 (+0.2 for shelter side trail, +0.8 for in-town walking)

I got up at 6:15am, after waking every 15-30 minutes since 5am, and was out the door by 6:45am. I walked down to the the nearby Shell station and got breakfast. While I was eating it and considering how to best go about soliciting a ride, the young fellow who'd checked me in and gotten me my pizza arrived and offered me a ride to the trail. I gratefully accepted; I was back on trail at Bearswallow Gap (2228') by 7:15am.

I passed over the Blue Ridge Parkway many times, passed by Bobblets Gap Shelter (2086'), past Harveys Knob Overlook  (2527'), past Wilson Creek Shelter (1854') and Wilson's Creek (1549'), past Salt Pond Rd (2248'), and then up to Fullhardt Knob Shelter (2632'). From there, it was all downhill to Daleville's US 220 (1253').

On my hike, I stopped and chatted with Nightingale, a NOBO section hiker who's a nurse at a local primary school (currently on vacation). We had lovely conversations about children, schools, teen pregnancy, and sex ed.

Overall, my body is doing well. I did develop blisters on my heels yesterday, as my feet have swelled and shoes that used to fit no longer do. I used a spare pair of thinner socks today and that seemed to help prevent chafing. Additionally, my left knee has begun to hurt on downhill portions of trail, so I'm going to see about getting a knee brace/ace bandage here in town.

With today, it's been 7 days straight of hiking up some pretty big mountains. It's supposed to rain most of tomorrow; so I think I'll take tomorrow as a zero day and let my body heal! Also, it should give me time to figure out the issue with my friend's stove.

VA hike #2, day 6

Wednesday, March 30th, 2016
Start: Thunder Hill Shelter
End: Bearswallow Gap/VA 43
Miles: 20.6

After a cold night, I got up this morning around 7am, hitting the trail by 7:30am.

I climbed by the Guillotine (4005'), over Apple Orchard Mountain (4225'), past Black Rock Overlook (3450'), past Cornelius Creek Shelter (3114'), up Floyd Mountain (3560'), past Bryant Ridge Shelter (1277'), up Fork Mountain (2042'), down to Jennings Creek/VA 614 (951'), past Cove Mountain Shelter (1942'), up Cove Mountain (2720'), and down to Bearswallow Gap/VA 43 (2228').

While I was debating going into Buchanan to stay at the Wattstull Inn or just continuing on to the next shelter, a man pulled over and offered me a ride. So I took the ride to the inn. The folks at the inn kindly ordered me a pizza and picked it up, since no one delivers to the inn.

Tomorrow morning, I'll need to hitch back to the trail but then it's ~20 miles into Daleville, where I'm planning on taking a zero day! Woohoo!

VA #2 hike, day 4

Monday, March 28th, 2016
Start: Hog Camp Gap/3 Springs Hostel
End: Punchbowl Shelter
Miles: 17.6 (+0.2 to shelter)

I took a slow start this morning, having breakfast with our hostel hosts and my friend before heading back to the trail by 8:30am.

I climbed up Bald Knob (4059'), passed by Brown Mountain Creek Shelter (1358'), went over Pedlar River Bridge (952'), climbed Rice Mountain (2166'), and ended my day at Punchbowl Shelter (2487'). I arrived around 5pm.

Tonight, I'm sharing the shelter with AT Wheeler, a retired, flip-flopping thru hiker from Michigan/Florida.

VA hike #2, day 3

Sunday, March 27th, 2016
Start: The Priest Shelter
End: Three Springs Hostel
Miles: 14.3

Today, we woke up at 7am and hit the trail by 7:30am. The weather today was thick fog, windy, and misty rain. It seemed like we were walking through clouds all day.

We climbed up to Spy Rock (3781'), through Porters Field (3517'), past Seeley-Woodworth Shelter  (3806'), past Piney River north fork (3482'), over Tar Jacket Ridge (3847'), and down to Hog Camp Gap (3485'). We arrived around 5pm.

Today's miles took a long time; it took much longer than expected because my friend's knee had swollen up yesterday, didn't get better overnight, and started giving them very serious trouble today. It became bad enough they decided they needed to stop hiking and leave the trail.

So we looked through the guidebook and found Three Springs Hostel. We called them from Tar Jacket Ridge and they said they weren't yet open for the season but they could provide shuttle service to the nearest Greyhound bus station in Lynchburg. When we arrived at Hog Camp Gap, it was still raining and we realized we'd need to split up our gear. So we called the hostel and explained the situation. They very kindly and graciously agreed to put us up for the night, shuttle me back to the trail in the morning, and shuttle my friend to Lynchburg in the afternoon. The hostel is beautiful, the food is great, and the hosts are very kind and friendly.

Tomorrow, I'll head out with my rearranged gear (sans tent) back on trail by 8am. I anticipate making Daleville by Thursday afternoon. My friend is going to ship me a 1-person tent for me to pick up there. Until then, I'll be reliant on shelters which will make my mileage a bit odd. But I'm happy to be continuing onward!

VA #2 hike, day 2

Saturday, March 26th, 2016
Start: Maupin Field Shelter
End: The Priest Shelter
Miles: 13.8

This morning, we got up at 6:30am and headed out by 7:45am. It was extremely cold (~30-35 degrees) and it made it harder to break down our tent and pack up.

We climbed up Three Ridges Mountain  (3959'), past Harpers Creek Shelter (1892'), over VA-56 and the Tye River suspension bridge (970'), and then up, up, up the Priest (4063'), and finally down a bit to The Priest Shelter (3885'). We both arrived by 6:30pm.

Tomorrow is looking like a much easier day with less elevation changes. We're hoping to make the ~22 miles to Brown Mountain Creek Shelter.

VA #2 hike, day 1

Friday, March 25th, 2016
Start: Rockfish Gap, Waynesboro, VA
End: Maupin Field Shelter
Miles: 20.8

My friend and I were dropped off to Rockfish Gap by a friend at 7:15am. We hiked all day, arriving at Maupin field Shelter at 6:30pm. We hiked past Paul C Wolfe Shelter and over Humpback Mountain (3628') and Cedar Cliffs (2800').

My friend had a rough day; the climb up Humpback was long and persisted over 6 miles. Tomorrow holds a climb up the Priest; given today's mileage, we may need to change our current mileage plan but we shall see!

January 2016 CT AT hike

Saturday, January 23rd, 2016

Start: Old Sharon Rd, Sharon, CT

End: Hoyt Rd, Wingdale, NY 

Mileage: 22.8 miles (map completed after the fact)

I parked my car at Hoyt Rd, right on the CT/NY line, and got a shuttle to Old Sharon Rd from Dave of Backcountry Outfitters. The day was overcast, windy, and cold (high was 28 degrees). Snow was forecast for that afternoon and evening. 

I started hiking at the AT at 8:30am from Old Sharon Rd. 

I quickly came to Guinea Brook and made a careful crossing on icy rocks and tree trunks. 

I hiked by Silver Hill Campsite, making a stop at the privy on my way past. The site had multiple picnic tables, a pavilion, a look-out point, a water pump, and a swinging love seat. I saw three people outfitted for overnight backpacking resting at the campsite.

I passed by Stewart Hollow Brook Shelter, Mt Algo Shelter, Schaghticoke Mountain Campsite, and Ten Mile River Shelter. 

I climbed St Johns Ledges (943'), Caleb's Peak (1164'), Indian Rocks (1232'), and Ten Mile Hill (1000'). 

I hiked for a few flat, scenic miles paralleling the Housatonic River.

It snowed from 11am-12pm, dropping an inch or so of snow and then began snowing in earnest around 4pm. There was ~3 inches of snow by the time I hiked back to my car, arriving at 6pm. I hiked the last half-hour by headlamp. 

It was cold enough that my water bottles would freeze if not handled regularly; by the end of the day, they'd frozen closed. There were gusts of wind up to 40 MPH which added a wicked windchill; overall, the day's weather made it challenging to stop and take breaks. The cold weather irritated my asthma, making my breathing more labored in general. The terrain was made more difficult by layers of dried leaves, icy rocks, ice patches, and frost heaves/needle ice. The ground would often give away underneath me 1-3 inches if I stepped on the ice and dirt formations. 

During the course of the day, I gained over 4,000 ft of elevation, which goes a ways towards explaining why I was so tired and why my legs were so sore in the days following my hike. 

With this hike, I completed the Connecticut section of the AT and approximately 51% of the entire trail. The remainder of the AT I have left to hike includes: Stratton, ME to Katahdin; Pinkham Notch, NH to Gorham, NH; and Waynesboro, VA to Springer.