Got up at 4:30 and ran 5.1 miles. Anne and I loaded the car by 6:30 and drove about 160 miles to Shenandoah National Park. We drove north from Columbia on MD-32 to west on I-70 to US-15 south at Frederick, MD through Leesburg, VA to US-29 south to Warrenton, VA to west on US-211 to Sperryville, VA. We followed US-522 then right on VA-231 to VA-600 to Old Rag Mountain. Due to high winds several trees were down across the road to the trail head parking so we retraced our route about ½ mile to the large park service parking lot arriving at 9:30.
Twenty six people started gathering for the hike many of them late for the 10:00 start. Jack Bateman, the hike leader, finally showed up and after organizing we got started at 10:30. We had to hike up the narrow black top road for a little more than ½ mile going around, over and through fallen trees. As we walked a huge tree in front of us came crashing down in the woods beside the road with a loud deep noise. Quite spectacular! We arrived at the small dirt parking lot at the trail head and turned left up the Ridge Trail into the woods. Pat Bowie, Carol Mooney and Jane Sneeringer continued straight on a fire road going to the summit the longer wind driven back way but avoiding the tough rock climbing on the upper third of the mountain.
Our route switch backed up through the woods for about 2 miles. The group got scattered out as we climbed forming several small groups. We were sheltered from the wind in the trees. Anne and I were with Dick and Susan Whiteford, Nora Scanlon, Ron Mayer and other people at various times.
We emerged from the woods onto the huge rocks for some great views especially east
towards Washington and south down the valley towards Culpepper. It is clear but cool.
We are buffeted by winds as we clamber up, down, over and around large boulders. We had to climb down into a crevice, climb up through a crevice passing under a large rock wedged in the crevice and step over a 2-3' wide crevice about 15' deep. At one point we hiked under a tall rock turned right into a 20 yard passage bending over to pass through. The toughest part was climbing up a crack between two large rocks having to twice pull yourself up over rocks blocking your path. Our group completed the 2188' three and a half mile climb to the 3268' summit about 1:00.
There were three or four people who came up behind us and the three women coming up the back way were the last to arrive. Amazingly, 25 out of 26 people made it to the top including many first timers.
After a good look at the 360o views cut short by the high winds that made it difficult to maintain your balance, we settled down behind some huge boulders for wind protection to eat lunch. Anne and I had tuna salad sandwiches, celery with cream cheese, Oreos, pear and a nectarine.
We started down the back way in a very strong wind which didn't abate until we reached the fire road in the woods near the bottom. Ron Cully, Joe Flannery, Bill Spangler and son-in-law Steve, Anne and I were out front. We walked the 5 mile return down the fire road along the mountain stream past the dirt parking onto the blacktop road to our parked cars at 3:30. We hiked 8.5 miles in 5 hours.
Ron Cully rode with us back to Sperryville up to Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park and south on Skyline Drive about 20 miles to Big Meadows Lodge at mile post 50. The drive is spectacular in the clear fall air with great overviews in both directions.
Anne and I checked into cabin #111. There is no power and electricity will not be restored until the high winds abate (tomorrow). We are allowed to stay because our cabin has a fireplace. We gathered in a duplex with a large lounge and roaring fire. The hikers there were Pete Flaton, Jim Andreatta, Pat and Carol Mooney, Don and Pat Bowie, Bill and Jane Sneeringer, Dan and Anne McQueen. We were joined by Marty and Sandy Kappert, Frank and Carol Heber, Joe and Mary Lou Flynn. Everyone brought snacks, finger food and a bottle of wine. I brought my traditional smoked oysters, Triscuits and McQueen's Australian Shiraz. Since the lodge restaurant is closed we all made a meal out of the food we had and enjoying the evening with it's unique atmosphere.
October 16, 2003 Thursday Hike Cedar Run-White Oak Canyon
Got up about 7:00 and drove to the Skyland Restaurant about 9 miles north on Skyline Drive. I had orange juice, milk, sausage, eggs, home fries and toast with Anne's breakfast and tip cost $24.75. Small groups of people are doing different things today. Anne and Sylvia Cully are going shopping in the Shenandoah Valley. Many people are hiking to Hoover Camp at 10:00. Ron Cully, Pete Flaton, Jack Bateman and I are hiking down Cedar Run over to and back up White Oak Canyon. This is a reunion of the May 40 mile day Hike Across Maryland Yahoo Team minus Norma Walker. Mary Jo who hiked with us yesterday has decided to join us. We are meeting at the trail head at 9:30.
We start off on time down the rocky upper section of Cedar Run. The trail parallels the stream all the way down and is quite beautiful in it's own right. It just can't compete with White Oak Canyon and it's six waterfalls. We keep moving at a good pace all the way to the bottom and over to White Oak Canyon. We make a few stops for photographs as Mary Jo is trying to log and photograph some national parks.
We start climbing up White Oak Canyon with it's six spectacular waterfalls. We hike
into the bottom of each falls climbing out into the stream on rocks to get good photographs. The falls are full of water from the recent rain and are better than they have been for a few years. We are taking our time
up the canyon as Ron and Jack are being met at the trail head at 3:30. We stop for lunch at the third or fourth falls. We hike in to the bottom of the top falls probably the best of them all. There is a high overhanging cliff next to the falls which we hike around and to the top for great views down the canyon to our left and the falls below. We then hiked to the top of the falls and more great views. We crossed the stream above the falls hiking along a fire road before turning left on a horse trail for about half a mile returning to the trail head at 2:30. We hiked 7.7 miles in 5 hours climbing and descending 2046'.
Mary Jo left for home in Bethesda after a few minutes. I had a cold Yuengling Lager, a Scottish Dark Heather Ale and a McQueen's Scottish Ale in a cooler in my trunk. Ron, Pete and I drank them as we lounged in the warm afternoon sun waiting for their rides discussing the world situation.
Anne and I returned to the Big Meadows Lodge and they had electricity. We went to our cabin but we had no electricity. I reported it and they said the maintenance man would work on it. An hour later Anne checked on the status and was told it would be at least another hour. Faced with another night without lights we decided to leave. They refunded half what I paid last night so our cabin cost $46.42 for one night.
We left at 5:15 and decided to go home another way through Front Royal. I turned too soon on a scenic country road and was lost. I decided to keep going figuring it would come out on the road we intended to turn on. It did come onto US-522 in Flint Hill, VA. The Cully's, Whitefords and others had eaten at Griffin's Tavern in Flint Hill last night and told us how good it was. We pulled in and had ice tea, salad, a rack of barbecued spare ribs and ice cream for $59.46 including tip.
We continued up US-522 through Front Royal to east on US-340 through Harpers Ferry to Frederick then east on I-70 to MD-32 south into Columbia arriving home at 10:40.