More of a pleasant stroll than an actual hike, this gentle path leads to one of New Hampshire’s most beautiful waterfalls.  The entire walk is only a mile (round-trip), so this waterfall is easily accessible by nearly anyone, regardless of age or fitness level.

Sabbaday Falls has two sections. The top is a large, beautiful cascade. The bottom section takes almost a right angle through a slot in the rock. Below: A view looking downstream through the slot

Adam Says…

Sabbaday Falls has to be one of the prettiest waterfalls I have visited.  There is a reason it is on the current cover of the White Mountains Visitor Map & Guide – it is very photogenic.

The falls were once known as Church’s Falls, named after Frederic Church, who was a landscape painter.  The area is now known as Sabbaday Falls. The name was allegedly coined by some road builders who stashed their tools near the falls, so they wouldn’t have to carry them home at the end of the building season and could return to them the next year.  Before leaving on a Sunday morning they named the area for the “Sabbath Day” or shortened to “Sabbaday”.  Later, the Shackford family had a house nearby after the Civil War.  They housed guests visiting the White Mountains and ushered them to popular spots, such as these falls.

The pool at the bottom of Sabbaday Falls is lovely and green! Below: A wider view of the pool and lower half of the falls.

This is a fee area, so you will need to deposit $3 for a parking pass for the area.  The waterfall has an overall drop of 35 feet, but the main plunge is 22 feet.  The pathway up the stairs gives you very close looks along the entire waterfall.   Similar to much of the interesting geology in the area, this gorge was formed by a glacier carving through the rock.  You can see near the base of the falls, some clear lines of black basalt dikes mixed in with the granite.  These are formed from the rapid cooling of molten rock.

For those hoping to bag some geocaches, there are a few in the area:

• Sabbaday Falls Cache
• Sabbaday Picnic Area

This is a very easy “hike” that is very family-friendly and takes you to a great place to get some photos.  I highly recommend a trip next time you are in the White Mountains.

Christine Says…

This short one-mile walk can barely be considered a “hike” – it follows a smooth, well-graded path and several sets of wooden stairs to a view of spectacular Sabbaday Falls.

The wide, crushed stone trail runs parallel to crystal-clear Sabbaday Brook.  At .3 miles, you’ll arrive at a clear, green pool bottomed by round stones.   Water enters the pool through a narrow chute between two sheer rock walls.  At the top of the chute lies the lower half of the falls.  This section of the waterfall is the smaller of the two.   Even though it’s smaller, it’s no less pretty.  The rock formations are dramatic in this section.  There is even a perfect, round “pothole” in the stone.

Lower Sabbaday and the Slot in the Rock. Below: The area includes several informational plaques about the area's history.

The top of the falls is about tenth of a mile beyond and is reached via a couple walkways and sets of steps.  The upper falls are quite a bit taller, and sit at almost a right angle to the lower falls.  Without a doubt, this is one of the prettiest waterfalls I’ve seen in the area so far.

The trail has a railing and staircases to make viewing safe and easy from almost any angle.  There are signs all up and down the trail indicating that swimming is prohibited in the falls.  However, when we visited, there was a group of four unsupervised kids that kept getting into the pool at the very top of the waterfall.  It was pretty dangerous.  They generally acted like idiots and were the main reason we didn’t hang around the falls for very long.

Sabbaday Falls is very popular, and you should expect thick crowds.

Trail Notes

• Distance – 1 mile, out-and-back
  
• Elevation Change – 125 ft
• Difficulty – 1. Very easy!
• Trail Conditions – 5. Smooth and well-graded with well-planned stairs and railings.
• Views –0. You’ll be in the shady woods the entire time.
  
• Waterfalls/streams – 5. Simply gorgeous!
  
• Wildlife – 0. The heavy human traffic probably scares any wildlife away.
• Ease to Navigate – 5.  Impossible to get lost.
• Solitude – 0. Prepare for heavy crowds. People love Sabbaday Falls!

Directions to trailhead:
From Conway, NH follow the Kancamagus Highway for about 15 miles.  The trail parking is well-marked.

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The Greeley Ponds trail is a popular hike that leads to a pair of beautiful ponds surrounded by the White Mountains.

We didn't have great weather for our hike to the Greeley Ponds. It was very muddy and overcast, but the ponds were still really pretty! Below: There were several small stream crossings along the hike; We saw Indian Pipes growing along the trail; the terrain in this area is very wet and dark, making it a perfect place for mosses and mushrooms.

Christine Says…

We got up early to take a scenic drive and do some hiking along the Kancamagus Highway.  We decided to check out the trail leading to the Greeley Ponds.  This hike intrigued me, because it is so different from anything we have in Virginia.  Ponds and lakes are not terribly common in the Blue Ridge, so I thought a hike leading to two ponds surrounded by mountains sounded really perfect.

The trail did not disappoint!  The woods in New Hampshire are so thick and green and different.  I love the abundant evergreens in the New England woods. Everything is so fragrant, lush and moss-covered.  Old fallen trees become nurseries for tiny mushrooms and tree seedlings.  Streams trickle in seemingly every direction.  Even the birds are different – singing unfamiliar songs up in the trees.

The Greeley Ponds Trail is relatively easy – with only about 500 feet of elevation gain over 2.5 miles. The things that slow you down are the roots, rocks and mud.  You have to watch your feet with every step.  We found our trekking poles to be very helpful.  Many places along the trail are traversed using wooden planks and split logs. There are several small streams to cross along the way, hopping from rock to rock.  Some of the trail system is a little confusing because cross-country skiing trails cross the hiking trail in many places.  The key is to look for yellow blazes.

At the 1.7-mile mark, the Upper Greeley Pond comes into view.  There are several places to climb down to the shoreline and take in views of the pond.  Although Upper Greeley is the smaller of the two ponds, I found it the prettier of the two. I loved seeing the towering mountains all around the pond.

Lower Greeley Pond has a lot of dead trees at one end, giving it a swamp-like appearance. Below: Trailhead sign along the Kancamagus Highway; New Hampshire's "Hike Safe" Signs are posted at all trailheads. Hike Safe (http://www.hikesafe.com) was developed by the state to help hikers become safer in the outdoors; Adam checks out the trail map illustrating skiing and hiking trails.

Lower Greeley Pond is just several tenths of a mile past the end of Upper Greeley.  There is a big stand of what appears to be dead hemlocks at the end of the pond.  It gives the pond a swamp-like appearance. The lower pond also has fewer places to enjoy a shoreline view.

We turned around for our return hike a little past the end of Lower Greeley Pond.  Although, if you want a longer hike, the trail continues, following the Mad River all the way to Livermore Road.

We didn’t see a soul on the hike out to the ponds, but passed numerous groups of hikers on the return trip.  Greeley Ponds is clearly a popular hike in this area.

Adam Says…

The Greeley Ponds Trail is close to the western side of the Kancamagus Highway, so it was our first stop along the way.  The trail has a small parking lot that tends to get crowded during the busy summer.  This is a fee area, so you’ll need to deposit $3 in an envelope and display your pass.

The trail wasn’t difficult, but due to the recent rain, it was a little muddy and slick in spots.  I also felt overwhelmed by mosquitoes and had to flail around and swat them at every step.  It reminded me of the quote from Lord of the Rings when Merry asks, “What do they eat when they can’t get hobbit?”.  Well, my answer to Merry is “me”.  The bug repellent held many off, but other than taking a DEET bath, you’ll likely find a bite or two without multiple applications along the hike.  Christine asked if I would rather have the flies and mosquitoes in New Hampshire or the gnats and ticks in Virginia.  Maybe it’s because of what I’m experiencing now, but give me some ticks and the threat of Lyme Disease over these pesky creatures.

Much of the trail was traversed by boardwalks and planks. Below: The trail intersects a couple other trails; Adam enjoys the view from a small, sandy beach at Upper Greeley Pond.

The yellow-blazed Greeley Ponds Trail goes for 1.3 miles until it reaches a junction with the East Osceola Trail (you could add this to your hike if you want for an additional three mile out-and-back hike). At this junction, you will see the sign stating you should reach the Lower Greeley Pond  at 1.7 miles.  The trail intersects several times with a blue-blazed trail, but this is a cross-country skiing trail to the ponds (Hikers stay off the ski trails in the winter, so they can avoid leaving footprints over the cross-country ski tracks).  Both will get you to the same place, but you’ll notice the yellow-blazed trail will be a shorter route.  Once the pond comes into view, you can see a short off-trail path to a beach-y area with good views of the pond.  Going back on the trail, you continue along the bank and can continue to get different views.  Staying on the main trail, you will reach the Upper Greeley Pond around the 2 mile marker.   There are a few good views of this longer pond for the next few tenths of a mile and then you can return the way you came.

There is no camping allowed within .25 mile of the Greeley Ponds, but we did see some illegal campsites around the area created by people that weren’t respectful of the ecosystems around the area.

The area around the ponds, especially the Upper Greeley Pond seems like a great area for birdwatchers.  We were treated with songs from warblers and the knocking of woodpeckers.

There are a few geocaches along the trail:

• Greely Pond
• Greeley Pond Trail Earthcache

The hike exhibited a lot of different features of the area’s forests –  dense pines and birches, gorgeous ponds, and erratic boulders along the way.  The minimal elevation change makes this a good hike for families as long as you can maintain good footing on wet surfaces.  We saw a few groups with dogs along the trail, so it is even four-legged friendly. (Please note…dogs are not allowed on the ski trails in the winter)

Trail Notes

• Distance – 5 miles
  
• Elevation Change – 500 ft
• Difficulty – 2. The hike has a very gradual uphill.
• Trail Conditions – 2. Like most trails in New Hampshire, this one is rocky, muddy and covered with roots.
• Views –2. Some nice views of the mountains at the ponds.
  
• Waterfalls/streams – 3.5. Ponds aren’t really lakes or streams, but they do qualify for a high rating for water features.
  
• Wildlife – 2. Lots of bird species near the ponds.
• Ease to Navigate – 3.  Pay attention to the yellow blazes and you won’t get lost.
• Solitude – 2. This is a popular and well-traveled hike.

Directions to trailhead:
Take I-93 Exit 32 at Lincoln and go east on Route 112/Kancamagus Highway about 10.5 miles to the marked Greeley Ponds parking lot.

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The Basin  and Kinsman Falls is a short 1.2 mile out-and-back walk to a lovely waterfall in Franconia Notch State Park.  The trail follows Cascade Brook and passes many beautiful (and popular) water features.  The falls are also called Tunnel Falls.

The Basin is a beautiful glacial pothole at the base of this hike. Below: Kinsman Falls is a pretty 20 foot waterfall that plunges into a wide pool at the bottom; Many of the streambeds look sculpted.

Adam Says…

We had visited the Basin last year, but it is always worth a quick stop off I-93.  It takes only .1 mile to reach it from the parking lot.  You will see signs to lead you directly to the Basin.  The Basin was formed about 15,000 years ago as an ice sheet eroded the pathway.  According to the plaque at the site there, Henry David Thoreau wrote “this pothole is perhaps the most remarkable curiosity of its kind in New England.” Samuel Eastman called this area, “One of the most beautiful haunts of Nature, a luxurious and delicious bath fit for the ablutions of a goddess.”

There are several paths to walk along in this area to explore streams and small waterfalls.   If you go back the way you came, you will see a larger junction with a sign for Kinsman Falls being .5 miles away.  The path up to Kinsman Falls was filled with roots and rocks, so you do need to continually watch where you are stepping.  Shortly up the ascent, you will see several spots to your left along the way of the river.  These are good places to soak in the sun or to wade in a small pool.  Be careful about footing if you venture into the water, since the water does rush through these areas rapidly. Getting back on the trail, you have more of an ascent, but you will quickly come up to the sign pointing to Kinsman Falls.  The falls were very impressive as they plunged into a serene pool at the base.

View of the Mountain from Cascade Brook. Below: Colorful fungus on the trail; Christine's dad and Adam climb back up from the base of the falls.

I definitely recommend checking out these areas if you are taking a trip through the White Mountains. Most people just view the Basin and some of the swimming holes along the way and don’t venture any further, but it is worth the hike up to Kinsman Falls and most families can easily make the trip.

There are several geocaches in the area:

• Pemi-Pothole
• The (other) Basin
• The Basin
• Kinsman Kache

Christine Says…

We planned to do lots of family hikes on this visit to New Hampshire, but about a week before the trip an MRI revealed that my dad had torn his meniscus.  His doctor told him to be careful and to limit activity that could extend the tear.  Sadly, this put most of his hiking plans on hold for the time being.  He did decide that he felt up to joining us on the short hike past the Basin and up to Kinsman Falls.

Like Flume Gorge, this little hike packs in a lot of impressive scenery over a very short distance.  Also, like the Flume, it is extremely popular and crowded.

The Basin is such a gorgeous spot.  I love how the water curls through the rock formation.  The rock walls of the Basin are smooth and sculpted – they almost look unnatural. The water is blue-green colored and crystal clear.  It’s one of those spots you’ll never forget!

After the Basin, the beautiful water features keep on coming!  There are so many small waterfalls and cascades along the trail, that you always hear the pleasant sound of rushing water.  A sign marks the way to Kinsman Falls, but honestly, we could say “just follow the water uphill” and you’d find your way there.

The trail was rocky and root-y. Below: The base of the falls was a nice place to stop and contemplate nature; Cascade Brook rushes over the rocks.

The trail followed alongside Cascade Brook for a half mile.  There were many little side-trails leading to scenic spots along the brook.  Dozens of people reclined on the rocks while kids used the streambed like a natural waterslide.  One mother remarked to us that her family had visited the spot two days in a row, and both her boys had worn through the backsides of two sets of swim trunks.

The trail is muddy, with a mix of gnarled roots and slick granite underfoot.  It’s all uphill, but it’s never steep.  It really is an ideal family hike.

A small sign announces Kinsman Falls.  From the trail, you get a view of the falls from above.  The twenty-foot waterfall crashes into a large, round pool in a chasm below.  There is a rough footpath down to the base of the falls – take care if you climb down – it’s slippery with numerous rocks to scramble over.

There are lots of big rocks to sit on around the edge of the pool.  It’s a nice place to relax and enjoy feeling the mist from the falls spray your face.  We were really surprised to have the falls all to ourselves.  Even though there were many people in the area, no one else was at the waterfall.  Odd – but very welcome!  On our return trip, we passed quite a few people hiking up, so I suppose we just had fortuitous timing.

Trail Notes

• Distance – 1.2 miles out-and-back. Plus a couple additional tenths of a mile to get to and from your car.
  
• Elevation Change –Around 300 feet
• Difficulty – 2. The hike is all uphill over slick granite and gnarled roots, but it is short and never steep.
• Trail Conditions – 2. The trail is extremely rocky, muddy and covered with gnarled tree roots.
• Views –2. From the Cascade Brook streambed, you get a decent view of the mountains.
• Waterfalls/streams –5. Nothing short of spectacular!
• Wildlife – 0. A few squirrels and chipmunks.
• Ease to Navigate – 4. After walking uphill from the Basin, look for the sign to Kinsman Falls and follow the blue blazes uphill.
• Solitude – 0. This area is extremely popular.  We saw dozen of people along the way, but surprisingly had Kinsman Falls all to ourselves.

Directions to trailhead:
From I-93N. Once you enter the Franconia Notch area, take the Basin exit.  The area is well-marked and has ample parking.

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Located in Franconia Notch State Park, this two-mile path around the Flume Gorge showcases a lot of beautiful scenery on a short and easy walk.  If you crave solitude, this is not the place for you.  But if you don’t mind crowds and want to see some unique scenery, don’t miss a visit to this area.

The Flume is a beautiful and unique place. Below: Avalanche Falls is located inside the Flume; Liberty Gorge Cascade is also impressive; The trail is lined with large boulders called glacial erratics; The Sentinel Pine Covered Bridge is for pedestrians only.

Christine Says…

Last year, when we visited New Hampshire for the first time, we went to Flume Gorge with my parents.  It was insanely crowded, unusually hot and glaringly sunny on that visit, so we decided to make a return visit on this trip – hoping that the clouds and cooler weather would keep the crowds at bay.  There were definitely fewer people this time, but that’s not to say we had solitude.  Flume Gorge is an extremely popular area. There will always be hordes of people, no matter the time of day, week or year you visit.

It’s no surprise the area draws such large crowds – it packs an amazing amount of unique scenery into an easy, two-mile loop.  For anyone who doesn’t want to walk the two miles, there is a bus that will take visitors to a drop-off point at the Boulder Cabin.  This option substantially shortens the distance and climbing necessary to see the gorge.  However, bus riders miss seeing a lot of the other impressive scenery along the loop.

The two-mile loop starts off along a shady, wooded path that climbs down to the Pemigawasset River.  In .25 miles, there is a bright, red covered bridge across the water – the bus goes through the bridge, but pedestrians cross a walkway attached to the side of the bridge.  After a short uphill, both the bus riders and the walkers arrive at the Boulder Cabin.  The building is full of exhibits – both historical and natural.

The first covered bridge in Flume Gorge is brilliant red. Below: Table Rock; The path through the woods is peaceful and shady; Bear Cave is located near the top of the Flume; The side view of Avalanche Falls.

After passing the cabin, the path follows alongside an area called Table Rock.  The water in the river passes thinly over a wide, smooth expanse of granite.  A sign announces the beginning of the Flume.  The Flume is a fascinating geological area – a narrow slot canyon carved out from thousands of years of river flow over the rock.  Wooden walkways are attached to the sheer canyon walls and allow people to climb through the gorge using a series of ramps and steps.  Near the top of the Flume, visitors are treated to views of the crashing water of Avalanche Falls.  The falls take several directional turns through the Flume – each angle makes it look like a completely different waterfall. After passing the waterfall, be sure to take a quick peek inside Bear Cave.

At the top of the Flume, the trail has two options – one returns people to Boulder Cabin and the bus stop, the other follows a trail for a little over a mile back to the main entry.  If you’re able, it’s definitely worth following the longer route to see Liberty Gorge Cascade, the Pool, The Sentinel Pine Covered Bridge, the Wolf’s Den and several impressive erratics along the trail.

My favorite view along the trail came at the spot overlooking the Sentinel Bridge. Below: The river under the bridge is very scenic; The Pool is a wide, still spot on the river.

One of my favorite views along the trail was looking back at the Pool and the Sentinel Covered Bridge from a little spur trail to an overlook.  From this point, the walk back is steeply uphill for a short while.  Once you gain the ridge, the path levels off and you get a nice view of Liberty Mountain.  A short while later, you arrive back at the visitor’s center – where you can treat yourself to an ice cream cone.

Even though Flume Gorge is crowded and rather expensive to visit, it’s still very worthwhile.  Not many short two-mile loops pack in quite so much scenery into a pleasant, easy-to-walk package.

Adams Says…

After dropping off our thru-hiker friends, The Traveling Circus, we headed off to hike around Flume Gorge.  We did this trip last year with Christine’s parents, but thought it was worth a second trip.

This is a very popular attraction and is definitely one of the highlights of the Franconia Notch State Park.  Similar to many areas of New Hampshire, it requires a fee (in 2010, it was $13 for adults).  The visitor center has a theatre that shows an informational film throughout the day and a few exhibits around the entrance.  The snack bar is also fully equipped to provide enough refreshment and food for a lunch or snack.

The entire Flume Gorge area is loaded with small waterfalls and cascades. Below: Tree roots grow over rocks; The crowds at Flume Gorge are always thick; Ramps and stairs allow people to climb easily through the gorge; We saw lots of chipmunks and red squirrels.

This hike packs a lot of features into one short hike.  The covered bridge was built in 1886.  While you can’t walk inside since it is for bus traffic, it does provide a nice photo opportunity.  Table Rock is a large rock outcropping where Flume Brook slowly glides over the water.  The rock is 500 feet long and 75 feet wide.  The Flume Gorge is quite impressive.  You walk along a boardwalk that clings to one side of the gorge.  The Conway granite walls rise on either side 70-90 feet as you see the brook rush out of Avalanche Falls and down the brook.  We were impressed to see all of the small trees and moss that grows amazingly out of the cliff walls.  The Flume was discovered in 1808 by a 93 year-old woman while she was fishing.  Signs describe a large boulder that was suspended between the walls of the gorge but a storm in 1883 swept it away and no signs of the boulder have been spotted since.  Avalanche Falls is an impressive 45-foot waterfall that you can see from several angles while along the boardwalk.

After walking another .5 miles from Avalanche Falls, Liberty Gorge is your next stop.  There is a nice overlook to see the water flow through this gorge.  After a few tenths of a mile past Liberty Gorge, you will come across the Pool overlook and another covered bridge.   Shortly after the covered bridge, you have an option to join go through the one-way Wolf’s Den, but it does require crawling on your hands and knees to make it through the cave.  We continued pass the Wolf’s Den, to catch the additional overlook of the Pool.  We thought this was a better view of the covered bridge and the Pool.  Continue from here to arrive at the Glacial Boulder garden to view some nice erratics.

While there aren’t any geocaches inside the gorge, there are a few outside the area:

• Oops that’s not the way to the Flume
• Happy 1000 StarBeam Belated
• Mish Mash Flume Cache

Trail Notes

• Distance – 2 miles
  
• Elevation Change –400 feet
• Difficulty – 1.5. There are some steps and hills, but most people should be able to do this without too much effort.
• Trail Conditions – 4.5 The trail is covered in small crushed gravel, allowing for easy footing.
• Views – 1. You do get one view of Liberty Mountain, but otherwise you won’t see many far-off views.
• Waterfalls/streams – 5. Great views of Avalanche Falls and much of the trip is in sight of water.
  
• Wildlife – 1.  We saw a few red squirrels and chipmunks, but this is so popular with tourists, you won’t see a lot of wildlife.
• Ease to Navigate – 5. The area is secluded from other areas, so you can’t get lost.  You just have options to cut distance off of the trail.
• Solitude – 0. You will always find lots of people here.

Directions to trailhead:
From I-93, once you enter the Franconia Notch area, take the Flume Gorge exit.  The area is well-marked.  Park at the Visitor’s Center.  The trail starts from the Visitor’s Center.  Purchase tickets and proceed.

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Posing on the wooden horse outside Polly's is somewhat of a tradition.

Back in May, we met and hosted a group of three Appalachian Trail thru-hikers collectively known as the Traveling Circus.  We’ve been reading their blog all summer long and following their progress.  As luck would have it, our paths crossed again in Lincoln, New Hampshire a few days ago.  It was exciting to see them again as they near the end of their journey.  We picked them up in Lincoln, and went for breakfast together at Polly’s Pancake Parlor in Sugar Hill, NH.  Polly’s is a local favorite.  They have amazing food and a lovely view.  After breakfast, we dropped them back off at the trail and wished them luck for the rest of their hike.

Kate (Ringleader), Emily (Lightning) and Brandon (Monkey) looked happy and healthy – although they all claimed to be exhausted.  They’re scheduled to summit Mt. Katahdin sometime between August 10-12.

Check out their blog!

The yellow-blazed Tibbet Knob trail offers spectacular views. Below: The first overlook on the trail comes within the first few tenths of a mile; The footing along most of the trail is extremely rocky.

Christine Says…

After a string of eight 90-100+ degree days, we finally got a break in the heat and humidity!  We picked a shorter, easier hike to celebrate the cooler weather – Tibbet Knob.  We’ve found we’re doing lots of longer hikes lately – partly because we’ve simply run out of shorter hikes.

I don’t know how Tibbet Knob escaped our notice for so long, because it’s a beautiful hike.  Tibbet seems to play second fiddle to its sister hike, Big Schloss – though I’m not really sure why.  The views are nearly as spectacular and the crowds are much thinner.  The terrain is definitely steeper and rockier, but not so much so it would scare hikers off.

We started our morning with breakfast at Cracker Barrel in Woodstock (worst/slowest service ever *and* they burned the bacon!)  We finally made it to the trailhead a little after 9:00 a.m.  At the very beginning, the trail passes through several lovely, primitive campsites.  One even has a picnic table that someone dragged a couple tenths of a mile into the woods.  The ascent starts almost immediately and follows a steady, but gradual, uphill to the first open view of the valley below.  This overlook is pretty, but pales in comparison to the summit of Tibbet Knob.

You can see Big Schloss way off in the distance (circled in yellow). Below: Adam enjoys his perch on the summit; The trail was often open and out in the sun; There is a lovely (but dry) campsite about 10 yards from the rocky ledge at the summit.

From the first vista, the trail drops gently into a saddle.  The footing becomes increasingly rocky from this point on.  Through some sections, it’s like walking on a dry riverbed of basketball-sized stones – some smooth, some pointy.  The last .8 of a mile is very steep and rocky.  There are two short rock scrambles.  At the first one, I abandoned my trekking poles because they were seriously getting in the way.  I can telescope them shorter, but I decided it was just as well to leave them stashed along the trail to retrieve on my way down.

Shortly after the second scramble, we arrived at the summit.  We stayed at the top for quite a long while.  Normally, we’re not the lingering type, but the morning was so pleasant that we spent at least half an hour sitting on the rocky outcropping.  It was cool and breezy.  The sky was crystal clear and blue and the scent of pine trees was all around.  There were several rocks to recline on, so I laid back and closed my eyes while Adam hunted for his geocache.  We didn’t see another soul on the entire hike.  I love having a beautiful summit all to myself.

The return trip was more downhill than uphill, so it went by quickly and we were back at the car within 45 minutes.

Adam Says…

We had been meaning to try out Tibbet Knob for some time now, since we’ve been several times to do the Big Schloss hike, but this was our first experience on this hike.  The hike takes off from Wolf Gap campground.  This campground is a great area for camping and has a lot of established campsites.  We always see plenty of cars in the campground and usually many of the sites are taken, but you should be able to find a spot for overnight camping.  We definitely plan on doing a camping trip in the future since this site provides access to some great hiking trails.

As soon as you begin the yellow-blazed trail, you will come across several other campsites alongside the trail – one even had a picnic table near the firepit.  At about .6 miles you come to a nice overlook with a decent viewpoint to the south.  If you look closely, you can even see cars on the road below you.  You descend from this overlook for a short distance, but then you begin your climb.  At some points along the ascent, the terrain opens up to larger grassland areas.  You will also pass by several blueberry bushes along the trail, which reminded us of our hikes in New England.  Due to the already hot and arid summer, the blueberries were already past their peak so we weren’t able to pick any on the trail.  The terrain does get quite steep towards the end of the trail.  You don’t have to quite crawl up the slope, but it is almost that steep.  Once you get pass the two steep areas, you are very close to the summit.  The views from the top were gorgeous and I believe give you a little better view than Big Schloss, since you get a better perspective of the valley with mountains around you.  To the east, you can see the side of the Big Schloss hike.   There is also a primitive campsite near the top of the overlook if you wanted to camp at the top, but there is no nearby water source.

Signs of Fall? Maybe... but more likely evidence of the drought we've been having lately. We saw lots of patches of red trees in the distant mountains, too. Below: The only wildlife we saw was a toad; Adam looked for, but did not find, the geocache; It was a beautiful, breezy, blue-sky day; the trailhead starts across the road from the Wolf Gap campground.

The trail does continue on from the overlook, but it just leads to SR 671 after about .7 miles.  You can actually approach this hike from SR 671 for a shorter, less steep option to give you a 1.5 mile out-and-back hike.  We stayed up at the top for a while to soak in the views and for me to look for a geocache.  I wasn’t able to find this one, but there is an alleged geocache here:

• Tibbet Knob Geocache

We really enjoyed the peaceful hike for the day.  We had the entire hike to ourselves on a day that was in the 70s and we even had the bonus of not having any bugs buzzing around our face.  This is a great short hike that provides enough challenge to get the blood pumping and marvelous views at the top.

Trail Notes

• Distance – 3.1 miles out-and-back. Add another .1 mile to get to your car.
  
• Elevation Change –830 feet
• Difficulty – 3. There are two significant climbs on this hike.  The first ascent gains several hundred feet in elevation and is pretty easy.  After a short, gentle series of ups and downs, the second ascent is significantly steeper/longer and includes two short rock scrambles.
• Trail Conditions – 2. The trail is extremely rocky.
• Views –4. The view are beautiful and expansive – a little more than 180 degrees of mountains and valleys.
• Waterfalls/streams –0. Non-existent.
  
• Wildlife – 0. The only creature we saw was a toad.
• Ease to Navigate – 4. Just follow the yellow blazes. There are no turns or trail junctions.
• Solitude – 4. Tibbet Knob is less popular than its sister hike, Big Schloss. You may see a few hikers, but you probably won’t see large groups.

Directions to trailhead:
From I-81, take exit 279. Follow Rte. 675 until it meets Route 42. Turn right on 42 and then take almost an immediate left on 675 (Wolf Gap Road). Follow Wolf Gap Road until you come to the Wolf Gap Campground (right on the Hardy County Line.) The trailhead is across the road from the campground.

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The Knob Mountain – Jeremy’s Run Loop takes hikers along a 12.4 mile route through one of Shenandoah’s most popular backcountry camping areas.  This hike could be done as a long dayhike, but the campsites in the area are too inviting to pass up.

The Knob Mountain - Jeremy's Run Loop offers beautiful stream scenery. Below: Mountain vistas can be seen along the descent on the Knob Mountain Trail; Blue Blazes mark the way across streams on the Jeremy's Run Trail; Adam negotiates one of the many stream crossings.

Adam Says…

Since the weather looked like it was going to be a cooler, we decided to take off and go on an overnight backpacking trip.  Our first overnight trip was the Hazel Mountain-Catlett Mountain trail which we did with a group from the PATC.  This trip was our first non-group outing, so we felt it would be a good chance to put into practice what we learned from our Backpacking 101 course.

To do this trail as a loop, leave from the Elkwallow picnic grounds.  You will see the entrance to the trail next to the pit toilet, which provides a last chance to “take care of business” before embarking on the hike.  You will begin the trail on a short spur trail to the white-blazed Appalachian Trail.  Turn left on the AT.  In .2 miles, you will reach the junction with the blue-blazed Jeremy’s Run Trail.  Continue straight on the Jeremy’s Run Trail.  Around 1.2 miles, you will reach the junction with the Knob Mountain Connector Trail.  Take a right at the post to join this trail.  As soon as you cross Jeremy’s Run with a little rock-hopping, you will begin this steep connector trail.   There are lots of switchbacks and this is definitely the steepest part of the entire trip.  Around 1.7 miles, you will reach a junction with the yellow-blazed Knob Mountain Trail.  Take a left at the trail junction and continue to follow this slowly ascending ridge trail.  We would probably name this portion of the loop the Bear Scat Boulevard, because there was a ton of bear evidence in the area.  You will see a few views through the trees, but nothing remarkable from the trail.  At mile 3.9 you will reach the summit of Knob Mountain, marked by a concrete post.  After the summit, you will begin your steep descent down the mountain.  This is broken up by several switchbacks.  The trail does open up at times to give you views of mountains along the way, including Strickler Knob and the Three Sisters.  At 6.8 miles, you will cross Jeremy’s Run and reach the junction with the blue-blazed Jeremy’s Run Trail.  Since we were fairly exhausted from our trip, we picked a campsite near the junction of the trail, which gave us great access to water.  From the junction, you just continue on the Jeremy’s Run Trail until you reach the parking lot, crossing over Jeremy’s Run fourteen times.   In some areas, it was necessary to rock hop across, but most of the time the traversing was quite easy.  I imagine during heavy rain seasons, this would be more of a challenge.

The overnight trip started with a brief stop to fill out paperwork for our backcountry permit. Below: Adam makes his way down the Jeremy's Run Trail; Snacks on the Knob Mountain summit; A view through the trees from the Knob Mountain Trail.

Jeremy’s Run truly provided a great opportunity for camping in the backcountry.  We saw several previously-used campsite areas, so we decided to use our Leave No Trace principles and use an existing campsite rather than creating our own.   The campsite was short walking distance to a reliable water source.  After starting our trip around 9:30AM, we arrived at camp around 1:00PM.  We were very hungry, so Christine worked on getting some lunch together and I began working on getting our tent set.  The ground was very hard and rocky, so it took an effort to find a good place to get stakes into the ground.  After lunch, we finished getting our sleeping pads/bags ready, hung our bear-bag rope, and prepared our kitchen area.  We got some water to use for the trip at the nearby stream and I dug a few preemptive catholes.  With every thing set, we decided to relax a little in our tents to stretch out our backs.  I like to bring a book along the trip so we took turns reading aloud a few chapters from A Walk for Sunshine by Jeff Alt, an entertaining read about hiking the Appalachian Trail.  We took a short nap and then played a few hands of the Monopoly card game we also brought.  We then broke in our new JetBoil and prepared a great dinner.  After cleaning up dishes, we went down to a place along Jeremy’s Run and stretched out on a large rock.   We watched several brook trout jump out of the water, catching mosquitoes that were lightly dancing on top of the water.  We retired to our tents to the sweet chorus of whippoorwills and the “who cooks for you” hoots of nearby barred owls.

On the hike down from the summit of Knob Mountain, hikers get a few decent views of adjacent Neighbor Mountain. Below: A scenic spot on Jeremy's Run; Our campsite.

There were so many things I enjoyed about our trip.  We saw tons of wildlife – three black bears, a wild turkey, scarlet tanagers in glorious color, and heard lots of birds at night.  The temperature was perfect and the bugs were not out as much as we expected.  The trip also helped affirm our ability to handle a backpacking trip by ourselves. I think we really learned a lot of great skills in the last few months to help us feel well-prepared.   I was a little more apprehensive wondering if we could handle the 12+ mile hike with 35 pounds on my back, since our previous trip was about 8 miles total with a little less weight each.  The hike was more strenuous the first day, but we were able to complete the hike without much trouble.  I think we’re both looking forward to going on another backpacking trip, but we are now getting into the hot summer months.  Hopefully, we’ll be able to find a cooler weekend in the near future.

Christine Says…

When Mother Nature gives you the gift of a sunny, dry, 70-degree day in the midst of a long string of 90+ degree scorchers, you must take advantage of that gift!  We chose to make the most of the pleasant weather and go on an overnight backpacking trip.  One of the leaders on our last trip recommended Jeremy’s Run as one of his favorite places in the park.  As dayhikers (until recently), the Jeremy’s Run hike had always been a little out of reach.  At 12.4 miles with well over 2,500 feet of elevation gain, it was always more than we were willing to tackle on a day hike.  It seemed like a perfect candidate for this little weekend getaway.

After filling out all the requisite paperwork, we set out from the Elkwallow Picnic Area (View Map of the Area) along the Appalachian Trail.  Right away, I was struck by how much heavier my pack was compared to our last trip.  On that trip, we had seven people to split the weight of group gear.  But this time, we had to carry our own stove, fuel, collapsible bucket, water filter, food and rope.  I also chose to carry my old dSLR camera, a couple card games, extra batteries, a fleece and my iPod.  In the end, my pack weighed in about nine pound heavier than our last outing.

I brought my iPod along this time for a couple reasons 1) I wanted to be able to listen to my “workout mix” when climbing a couple of the big hills on the route and 2) my iPod is loaded with audio books, which I thought would be pleasant to listen to after sunset in the tent.  The first big hill we hit was on the Knob Mountain Cut-Off Trail.  It was really steep, so I put in my earbuds and started chugging up the hill.  Listening to mindless pop music with a beat – anything from Tupac to Lady Gaga to Gnarls Barkley – makes climbing hills so much less painful.  I had worked up a pretty good rhythm, listening to the early 90′s party song, “Rump Shaker”, when I rounded a curve a spotted two black bears about 50 yards up the hill.  I’m not sure if they were a mom and a yearling or two adults.  We looked at them, they looked at us, then they quickly decided to leave the area.  I didn’t have time to free myself from my trekking poles and iPod cord to get a photo, but it was still a great treat to see the bears. Backpacking seems to involve an inordinate number of straps and buckles.  Sometimes, it makes me feel like a horse pulling a cart.

After camp was set up, Christine spent some time relaxing on the rocks in Jeremy's Run. Below: Adam collects water in a collapsible bucket to use for cooking later; Crocs and Socks - they might not be high fashion, but they're functional; Playing Monopoly at camp.

After the cut-off trail met the Knob Mountain Trail, the tough climbing was over for the day.  I listened to my iPod a bit more, but eventually put it away in favor of listening to the birds and the breeze in the trees.  We took a snack break on the top of Knob Mountain.  There weren’t any views at the summit – just shade and a ton of poison ivy.  It felt really good to throw the pack off for a while and have a good stretch.  I could really feel the heavier pack weight bruising my hip bones.

The walk from the summit to Jeremy’s Run was all downhill.  The woods along the trail are pretty and occasionally open to views of the valley below.  You also get nice views of Neighbor Mountain, which lies parallel to Knob Mountain.  Another slightly longer loop hike option approaches Jeremy’s Run from Neighbor Mountain.

The downhill walk lasted a little over 3 miles.  We soon arrived at the stream, where the Knob Mountain Trail converges with both the Neighbor Mountain and Jeremy’s Run Trails.  We crossed the stream a couple times and decided it was high time to find a campsite.  We were both completely knackered after walking about 7 miles with our packs.  I honestly don’t know how thru-hikers cover 20-30 miles a day with even heavier packs.  I’m convinced I wouldn’t last a week!

We found a beautiful place for camp under the shade of pines and hardwoods.  It was clearly a place others have camped before.  Stones were arranged like seats in a semi-circle in one of the clearings.  It was also about 30 yards from a gorgeous spot along Jeremy’s Run – so we had great access to water.

We designated separate sleeping and kitchen areas right away.  Adam pitched the tent while I fixed lunch.  I made Buffalo Chicken Wraps – which were delicious (View Recipe)! We found a place for our bear hang and dug a couple catholes for future use.  With camp all set up, we settled into our tent for a nap.

Post-nap, we collected water for cooking in our collapsible bucket.   On our water run, we also took some time to stretch out and lounge on one of enormous boulders in the middle of the stream.  The sky above was so blue and it was very soothing to watch the trees swaying above in the breeze. I actually tried out my Crocs again, and found them more comfortable, albeit considerably dorkier, with socks.  I may keep them as my camp shoes after all.

We filtered water for our dessert and boiled water for our entree. Below: We had Pad Thai for dinner; Dark Chocolate Cheesecake for dessert.

Around 5:30, we started getting things together for dinner.  Because this trip was rather impromptu, we brought pre-packaged dehydrated meals instead of taking the time to make homemade food.  But it was still delicious.  The Backpacker’s Pantry Pad Thai was filling and tasty.  It had a yummy, spicy peanut sauce with noodles and vegetables.  For dessert, we ended up having Dark Chocolate Cheesecake (instead of Tiramisu, as originally planned).  It was really tasty, too!  I was stuffed from dinner, so we decided to take a short walk down to a deep pool I had seen along the trail a way back.  We sat on a rock and just enjoyed the quiet of the evening.

It got dark quickly down in the hollow, so we retired to our tent a little before nine.  I listened to a book on my iPod and Adam read.  I started to doze off well before 10:00.  All through the night, I could hear a couple barred owls hooting, over and over and over again.  Pretty soon, a whippoorwill joined in and sang through almost the entire night.  I haven’t heard a whippoorwill since I was a child, so it delighted me to hear the song in the night again.  I slept pretty soundly, until the roar of a train whistle woke me up around 2:00 in the morning.  I could hear the wheels on the track so clearly; it seemed like the train was rolling through camp.  I guess some distant sounds really carry on the quiet night air.  When I awoke, I found I was drenched with sweat in my sleeping bag.  It was in the mid-50’s outside, so the down bag was a bit too warm.  However, if I slept outside my bag, I got cold quickly.  I want to get a blanket and sheet for my sleeping pad to make summer camping more comfortable.  Despite being hot or cold, I eventually fell back to sleep and stayed so until 6:30 a.m.

I got up before Adam and got the bear bag down, so I could start breakfast.  We ended up leaving the bacon home because we didn’t want to carry a pan.  Instead we had oatmeal, boxes of apple juice and hot chocolate.  It was a satisfying breakfast on the cool morning.

We saw three bears, including one on the Appalachian Trail. Below: Another scenic pool on Jeremy's Run; We encountered this loose dog on the trail (one of many). He apparently lives on the border of the park and runs the trail often.; Rocks in the stream bed were covered with moss.

We broke camp down quickly and were back on the trail around 8:00.  The second day of hiking was substantially shorter and easier than the first day.  With about 5.5 miles to cover, we knew we’d be back at the car by mid-morning.

The trail climbs ever so gradually along Jeremy’s Run.  We passed lots of fantastic campsites along the stream.  It’s no wonder this area is so popular with backpackers!  We crossed the stream 14 times over the course of the morning. Because of all the dry weather we’ve had lately, none of the crossings were challenging at all.  Most of them were bone dry, and the ones with water were still easily rock-hopped.

We took a snack break where the Jeremy’s Run trail crosses the Knob Mountain Cut-Off.  From this point, the trail follows the same route as we’d used hiking out the day before.  The grade becomes steeper for the last mile and eventually meets back up with the Appalachian Trail.  For this section, I put my iPod back on again to help endure the uphill.  “Rump Shaker” came up in the shuffle again, and after the first few moments, I spotted another bear.  There must be something about that song that conjures bears!  I did manage to get a few distant photos of this bear before he disappeared deeper into the woods.

About ten minutes later, we were back at our car and on our way.  We stopped by the Elkwallow wayside, where I rinsed my face and used  a flushing toilet!  Plumbing is so exciting after being without it.  On our way home, we stopped at McDonald’s for lunch.  Coke and salty French fries taste absolutely amazing after a long hike.  As luck would have it, their credit card machine was broken and they gave us our lunch for free!  It was a fitting bonus for a perfect trip.

Trail Notes

• Distance – 12.4 miles
• Elevation Change – 2600 ft
• Difficulty – 3. If you were going to do this in one day without stopping, I would up the difficulty slightly due to the length.
• Trail Conditions – 3.5. The trail was very well-maintained.  We saw evidence that the Knob Mountain trail had been cut back, but I can imagine in late spring, much of the trail could have some overgrown areas.  The ground was well-traveled and there were only a few rocky spots around the streams.
• Views – 1.5. The best chance of views are on the descent from the Knob Mountain summit down to Jeremy’s Run.  After leaves fall, this may be slightly better.
• Waterfalls/streams – 3.5. You do get lots of chances to cross Jeremy’s Run.  There was only a small fall near the base.  If you want to photograph streams, you should have plenty of opportunities.  You’ll also have a reliable water source.
• Wildlife – 4. We saw black bears, a turkey, and scarlet tanagers; we heard whippoorwills and barred owls at night.
• Ease to Navigate – 4. The trails are well-marked and just stick to the signs on the cement posts.
• Solitude –3. This is a popular spot for backpacking and trail running.  However, we felt that we were able to find our own peace in the woods.  We also came across a dog that belongs to a nearby family that evidently roams the trails frequently, so we had a companion during part of the hike up from Jeremy’s Run.

Directions to trailhead:

Located in the northern section of Shenandoah National Park.  Park at the Elkwallow Gap picnic grounds around mile 24.3 of Skyline Drive.  The Jeremy’s Run trail begins next to the pit toilet at the parking lot.

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Adam Explores Spy Rock.

Christine Says…

Adam and I had a great hike up to Spy Rock.  The route is kind of uneventful for the first mile, as it follows a steep, rocky forest road.  Hikers gain about 1000 feet in elevation over this mile, so it’s pretty tough climbing.  There wasn’t much scenery worth mentioning along this stretch, but there was one interesting tree (pictured below) that you can’t miss!  I thought it looked like a gnarled Ent.  We saw a few Appalachian Trail hikers descending the road.  They were probably on their way to the Montebello Post Office or the Dutch Haus. (this bed and breakfast is well-known for providing free lunch to thru-hikers)

This tree looks like an Ent. Below: The parking for the Spy Rock hike is well marked; Adam makes his way up the forest road; atop Spy Rock you get a great view of "The Religious Range" (the Priest, the Friar and the Cardinal)

The trail had lots of wildflowers and berries along the way. Below: We also saw lots of butterflies

Spy Rock is a bit of a challenge to climb.  The trail leading to it abruptly ends at the base of the giant boulder.  There is no clear path up the rock,  rather you pick and choose your own route based on what you think you can cling to or balance upon.  I definitely got a bit of vertigo climbing up, so I focused on taking some deep breaths and looking at the rock immediately beneath me.  Once I cleared the edge of the boulder, the head-spins I felt were made immediately worthwhile.  What a spectacular view!  The top of Spy Rock is enormous and flat – pitted with small pools of water.  There are mountain views in every direction.

We shared the rock with a couple more thru-hikers.  (there are still quite a few in Virginia – although I think the bulk of the pack is north of here, headed into Pennsylvania and beyond).  This pair didn’t seem to be having the best day on the trail, so we left them to their conversation.  We enjoyed the view for a short while and then hiked back – thankfully, all downhill.

Adam Says…

Spy Rock really provides some of the most amazing views in Virginia.  There are so many hikes in this area (like The Priest, Cole Mountain, and Mount Pleasant) that I think get missed by a lot of people, but I would definitely recommend taking a few days to visit this area of Virginia.  Traveling along the curvy roads to get to this hike defines to me what Virginia is all about – rolling hills, farmland, and mountains.

The trail starts off near the Montebello State Fish Hatchery.  You start the trail across from the parking lot.  You go around the road gate and up the gravel fire road.  The road is flanked by wildflowers and blackberries along each side and provides a steady uphill climb.   You will see blue blazes sporadically placed on trees or telephone poles up the side of the road.  You stay on this road for one mile (you will see lots of side roads to residential cabins, but stay on the main blue-blazed road/trail).  At this point, you will reach a junction with the Appalachian Trail.  Take a left to head north on the AT for another .5 miles.  You will then reach several well-established campsites and a sign pointing to Spy Rock.  You will need to scramble up the rock, so you may want to leave your trekking poles/hiking sticks at the bottom.  The scramble up the rock leads to amazing 360-degree views all around you.  Return the way you came.  For a longer option, The Priest is about four miles from Spy Rock, which would make for an 11 mile trip to two great views.

Thru Hikers on Spy Rock. Below: a marker at the trail junction; a nice camp site near Spy Rock; The view is beautiful in every direction

If you have a compass with you and a map, this is a great spot to test out your ability to follow the map and name the peaks around you.  Among others, you should have good views of Maintop Mountain, The Priest, The Cardinal, The Friar, and Painter Mountain.

For any geocachers out there, there is one geocache, Spy Rock Geocache, that is easily accessible from the summit.

I could have spent a long time up there staring into the distance and enjoying the scenery.  I can only imagine how gorgeous this must look in the fall with the leaves changing color.  I highly recommend this hike to everyone!

Trail Notes

• Distance – 3.1 miles, out-and-back
• Elevation Change – 1260 feet
• Difficulty – 3
  
• Trail Conditions –4.  The forest road leading up the mountainside is rocky, but still east to walk on.  The half mile section of the Appalachian Trail is well-graded.  Spy Rock itself might be slight challenge to climb for some.
• Views – 5.  Amazing, breathtaking and expansive.
• Waterfalls/streams – 0. None.
  
• Wildlife –3. We saw a couple deer and lots of butterflies.
• Ease to Navigate –4. Just follow the forest road up the mountain and turn left on the Appalachian Trail. Unless you follow one of the drives off the forest road or miss the Spy Rock spur, there’s no way to get lost.
• Solitude – 2. We saw a few groups of thru-hikers and a group of dayhikers.
  

Directions to trailhead:
From I-81, take exit 205 towards Steeles Tavern.  Take a left on to Rte. 11 and then a quick right on to VA-56 heading east.  Follow the road, passing under the Blue Ridge Parkway.  In Montebello, follow signs to the Fish Hatchery (Fish Hatchery Ln.)  Pass the signs for the hatchery’s nature trail and proceed until you see the signs for Spy Rock/Appalachian Trail parking.  There is a large parking area at the trailhead.

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This backpacking trip was the first time we field tested our new gear, and (thankfully) most of it worked out really nicely!

Backpacks:

Adam – I’m a big fan of the Gregory Z65.  My back tends to give me a lot of problems due to my long torso.  I feel that the Z65 gives me good back support with the extra padding.  My back also tends to be the part that sweats the most, so I like the air flow that is created between the pack and my back.  It definitely holds a good amount of gear that could last for a weeklong trip.  Even though we will not be doing a lot of long backpacking trips, this pack has a lot of ability to tighten around the gear you have, making it versatile for smaller trips.  The only two cons I would have is that it doesn’t have a pocket to slide some easily accessible stash in the front and the pockets for water bottles are a little hard to reach personally.  It does have a sleeve for a hydration bladder.    For daytrips, I use the Gregory Z30.  It has all the benefits listed above for the Z65, but of course doesn’t hold as much.  It holds enough that you could possibly use it for an overnight trip also.

Christine – I chose the Gregory Z55.  I liked the air flow channel between my back and the pack.  It kept me nice and cool, despite the hot weather.  I was easily able to fit 28 pounds of gear inside the bag, with lots of room to spare.  I wish the pack had water bottle holsters built in, but it does have a sleeve for a hydration bladder.  Gregory makes a women’s model (the Jade 50/60) that is similar to the Z55.  I ended up going with the men’s model pack because I have wider shoulders than the average woman.  The men’s shoulder straps just seemed to fit me better. I’m not sure the frame is exactly the perfect size for me, but it’s close.  I fall sort of between a small and medium in Gregory’s sizing.

Tent:

Adam – We chose the Mountain Hardware Drifter 3 tent.  We decided to go with a three-person tent to give us a little extra room.  We had more than enough room in our tent for our bags, with plenty of space on either side and the foot and head for essential gear storage.  The tent is easy to set up and is about a typical weight of 6 lbs.  I carried the tent, fly, and footprint and had Christine carry the stakes to split up the weight a little.

Christine – I love the design of the Mountain Hardware Drifter 3.  It felt a bit bigger than a queen size bed inside.  It was easy to pitch and the mesh allowed plenty of air circulation.  What I didn’t like was that the rainfly seemed to have few seams that were not sealed well.  When we had a thunderstorm roll through in the late afternoon, the tent dripped slowly at several places where hooks attach the fly to the tent frame.

Sleeping Bags:

Adam – I can sleep fairly easily.  I went with a Sierra Design Tomichi 35 degree sleeping bag.  Being down-filled, it is extremely light and is quite warm.  The mummy-style bag does work for me.  I found a great price on it at Sierra Trading Post.   During the summer, it is too hot to sleep in but does provide good padding underneath you.  It also has straps that you can fit your sleeping pad underneath to keep your bag from sliding around on top.

Christine – I tend to be an active sleeper.  I roll around a lot and don’t like to have my feet bound together, so I wanted to avoid a narrow mummy-style bag.  I also preferred the lighter weight and compressibility of a down bag.  It was really hard to find a bag that met both of these specifications, but I came across a nice semi-rectangular bag at L.L. Bean.  Most of the night, I slept on top my bag because it was so hot and humid.  I crawled inside for a little while, in the hour right before dawn.  I found the bag to be soft and just spacious enough to not make me feel claustrophobic.  The zipper ran very smoothly and didn’t catch at all.  It packs down nicely in a stuff sack and weighs in at just over two pounds.  Not bad!

Sleeping Pads:

Adam – Christine coaxed me to get the Big Agnes Insulated Air Core pad.  It does give you a good amount of padding between the ground and your body.  I never once felt like I felt anything sticking into me.  Inflating and deflating the pad was easy and it compacts down to a very small size.  I have heard these aren’t the best in cold weather, since the amount of air in this pad can get cold, but I think this is great for three-season camping.

Christine – I thought the Big Agnes pad was very comfortable.  I could roll from my back to my stomach to my side without feeling even the slightest hint of hard ground under me.  The pad does require you inflate it manually, but this really wasn’t a big deal.   It took less than five minutes of puffing to fill the pad completely.

Water Purification:

Adam – We decided to get the Katadyn Hiker Pro pump filter.  It does have a good filter system and packs down fairly well.  You can clean out the filter and it includes an adapter so you can pump directly into a Nalgene bottle.

Christine – Personally, I’m still undecided on the Katadyn Hiker Pro pump filter.  I don’t think there’s anything wrong with it per say… I’m just still not completely reconciled to the idea of drinking stream water.  I’m sure I’ll get over it in time, but I still feel the urge to treat my water with multiple methods of purification – boiling, SteriPen, Micropur tablets and then filtering.

Hydration:

Adam – Right now, I’m just using water bottles, but I plan on picking up a CamelBak or Platypus reservoir soon.

Christine – A few days before our trip, I picked up a CamelBak 3 Liter reservoir.  I give this item two big thumbs up!  Instead of hassling with water bottles, I could sip water as I walked.  I stayed hydrated much more easily than usual on this hike.  The full reservoir added about seven pounds to my pack weight, but it was well worth it.  The water stayed surprisingly cold all day long, too.

Trekking Poles:

Adam - I use the Trail Ergo Cork trekking poles from Black Diamond.  The cork grip keeps your hands dry and from slipping and the locking mechanism keeps the poles from moving.  I can’t believe that I hiked without them before.

Christine – I got a pair of Komperdell Mountain Explorer poles about a year ago, and they’ve become indispensable.  I used to think hikers with trekking poles were just gadget-hounds who bought into a bunch of hype.  But now that I’ve used them, I can say with certainty that they conserve energy and take a lot of strain off the knees.  I hike farther and faster when I use poles.

Shoes/Boots:

Adam – For backpacking trips, I will definitely bring along my Oboz Sawtooth boots.  Comfort on the bottom of my foot is key since I suffer from plantar fasciitis, but these didn’t make my feet hurt at all.  They are waterproof, provide great ankle support,  and also felt quite light compared to leather boot options.

Christine – When we started the Backpacking 101, a couple of the instructors swore up and down that everyone needed tall, leather boots with a steel shank and Vibram sole.  I took their advice, and chose a pair of Garmont Sitka boots.  They’re comfortable, but they are also hot, heavy and make my ankles feel stiff and immobile.   Since the class ended, I’ve been paying attention to the footwear used by other backpackers and thru-hikers.  I noticed that most of them use trail runners and hiking shoes over traditional boots.  This is the footwear I have always hiked in, so I decided to go back to it for our backpacking trip.  I went with a pair of Columbias on this most recent trip, but also have shoes by Merrell and Vasque. They worked out great!  My feet stayed cool, light and comfortable the whole trip.

Other Bits & Pieces

Adam –

• For hiking, navigating, and geocaching, I use the Garmin eTrex Venture hand-held GPS.  It does have some limits, but is a good basic GPS to find your way.
• A big hit at camp were the REI mugs we brought.  They are clear and insulated and have measuring amounts on the size, which make it great for scooping.
• For good dental hygiene on the trail, pick up some mini Colgate Wisps.  These are easy to pack, provide a tooth pick, and are easier to carry than the standard toothbrush/toothpaste.

Christine –

• I *hated* my Crocs.  Apparently, a lot of people think they make great camp shows.  I thought they were uncomfortable and allowed the mosquitoes to feast on my toes (and they’re ugly!).  I’ll try them one more time, but with socks. I’ll be the biggest dork in the forest, but I suppose it’s worth a try.
• Using a stuff sack as a pillow didn’t really work out for me.  The slippery fabric allowed my head to slide all over the place.  I tried wrapping the sack in my hiking pants, but that wasn’t much better.  One person in our party had two nice camp pillows – one by Slumberjack and one by Thermarest.  I’ll definitely be adding a pillow to my gear before I head out again.
• In the warm summer months, I decided that I don’t necessarily want to carry a sleeping bag.  I’m going to ask my mom to sew a sheet for my Big Agnes pad and carry a lightweight blanket.  I think that will be a lot more comfortable in the heat.
• I decided that I don’t really like and probably don’t need sock liners.  I hiked one day with them and one day without them, and I found I definitely prefer the soft, looped pile inside my merino wool socks to the slick, silky material of the liners.
• Next time, I’ll bring a spare bandanna.  It looked silly on me, but it did a great job keeping the sweat from dripping into my eyes.

Walking the Hazel Mountain Trail was peaceful and green.

Adam Says…

This was our first overnight backpacking trip together and served as our graduation trip from the Backpacking 101 course we took through PATC.  We were unable to go on our previously-scheduled trip due to Christine’s sprained ankle she suffered on our Buzzard Rock hike. We were thrilled that our instructors gave us the opportunity for a make-up trip.  You can read our other sections of the review of this class in Part One, Part Two, and Part Three.

The outing leaders, John and Jeanne, chose the Hazel Mountain – Catlett Mountain loop for the trip. The hike winds around the mountains and through pretty forest, but doesn’t lead to any summit views.  The trail starts off from the Meadow Spring  parking lot around mile 33.7 on Skyline Drive.  Like many trails in Shenandoah National Park, the Hazel Mountain trail descends from the road.  You will stay on this trail until you reach the Catlett Mountain Trail.  The Hazel Mountain Trail is also marked on maps as a horse trail, so you may encounter horses on many of the trails around this area.

Day One Hiking: Shortly after leaving the parking lot, you will see a junction with the Buck Hollow Trail (a tough loop hike).  At .3 miles, you reach a trail junction with the Buck Ridge Trail (that is the loop back from the Buck Hollow Trail).  At 1.6 miles, you come to the first junction with the White Rocks Trail (another loop trail).  At 2.2 miles, you will see a post marking the junction with the Catlett Spur Trail, marking where you will rejoin the trail after you complete the loop.  While you just descended about 1000 feet, the trail begins to ascend from this point, gaining about 400 feet over the next .6 miles.  Around 2.8 miles, you will see the other junction with the White Rocks Trail.  Around 3.1 miles, you will reach the top of the climb and take a right to continue on the Hazel Mountain trail.  At mile 3.7, you will take a right on to the Catlett Mountain Trail.  We picked a campsite near the top of this trail, as it does provide a close proximity below to a spur of Runyon Run, a reliable water source on the trail.

Day Two Hiking: Upon leaving camp, you descend down to the stream we used as the water source.  Once you rockhop across Runyon Run, the trail ascends fairly steeply up 300 feet.  At mile 4.7, you will take a right onto Catlett Spur Trail.  The trail descends crossing over Runyon Run in a few spots.  You will eventually pass an old stone perimeter wall, marking land that may have marked a boundary for a settler’s house or farm.  At mile 5.6, you will come back to the junction with the Hazel Mountain Trail.  Take a left on the trail and ascend for the final 2.2 miles back to the parking lot.

Our tent set-up at camp. Below: The backpacking group at the beginning of the trip; We took our packs off and enjoyed lunch at a boulder jumble near a stream; There were many different kinds of tents at camp... one of the group used a hammock.

Christine and I had a great time on the trip.  We met up with our group at 9:30AM, reintroduced ourselves to each other, and got our packs ready for the trail.  We divided up some group gear that we needed to share for the trip and weighed our packs for curiosity.  I ended up with a little over 34 pounds in my pack and Christine had about 28 pounds.  I would say that our average for the group was a little under 30 pounds, so it was manageable for an overnight trip.  We hiked fairly fast, but we did take a few breaks to get a breather and eat some lunch.  We hiked onto the Catlett Mountain trail and found our campsite around 12:30.  We set up our tents and our kitchen area.  We put up a tarp and brought all of our dishes, utensils and food to the kitchen site.  Most of the group then decided to go down to Runyon Run, to load up some collapsible buckets for water for camp.  This was a chance for us to try out our new Katadyn Hiker Pro water filter to refill some water bottles.  When we hiked back up to the campsite, we happened to see an adult bear running from the direction of our campsite.  Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately?), we never saw him again.

Shortly after getting back to camp, we experienced a scary moment.  We thought two people had stayed back at camp when we went on the water run, but came back to see only John.  We started to hear shouts from the woods, but we couldn’t distinguish if the voice was shouting “Help” or “Hello”.  Our instructor grabbed his first aid kit and we continued to call back to the person.  We shouted “Are you hurt?” and “What’s your name?”, but we couldn’t distinguish the response.  We kept calling out and eventually we saw one of our group members emerge from the dense underbrush.  He had spotted a timber rattler that rose up against him.  He ran out of the way, but in his haste to get away from the snake, he got turned around and lost.  He had lost his whistle along the way, so he resorted to shouting to try and find his way back to the group.  It really shows that you can quickly get turned around and lost without your bearing in the woods.

We then learned how to hang a bear bag, tying a rock to a roop and throwing it over a branch (after dinner we substituted the rock with the actual bags to hang and tied the other end of the rope to a tree).  Since we had some time to kill in camp, Christine and I decided to take a quick siesta in our tent before dinner.  A storm quickly rolled in with loud thunder, high winds, and heavy rain.  It rained for close to an hour.  After it slowed to a light sprinkle, we made it back to the kitchen site, to find the rest of our group huddled under the tarp. Later, we ate an amazing dinner (which Christine will talk about) and cleaned up. After watching a nice sunset through the trees and hanging out with the group, Christine and I retired for the night.

This friendly buck visited our camp all weekend. Every time we were in our kitchen area, he came over to hang out. Below: Night falls at camp (notice all the rain on the tent!)

The next morning we got up early and worked on packing our gear.  We ate a wonderful breakfast and then broke  camp around 8:45AM.  We finished our hike, arriving back at our cars shortly after noon.  I think everyone was planning a victory meal after the trip, so we made a trip to the Golden Arches in Luray.

We really enjoyed our first backpacking trip.  It was great to have this experience with the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club.  Our instructors were absolutely wonderful and really shared a lot of their experience with us.  It was also great to meet a lot of nice people through the Backpacking 101 class that share a common interest and experience level.  This trip really affirmed to us that we could handle doing an overnight backpacking trip and we are excited to try it again sometime in the very near future.

Christine Says…

On the eve of our backpacking trip, I was feeling exceedingly fretful.  I wondered if I’d be able to bear the heat/humidity without passing out. I worried that I’d be such a sluggish hiker that I’d slow the whole group down. I had concerns about the storms forecast for the day.  At one point when we were loading our backpacks. I looked and Adam and said “I don’t know if I’m cut out for this.”

But, wow… it turns out that I LOVE backpacking.  It was simultaneously fun, challenging and relaxing.   I was amazed at how comfortable my pack was – the 28 pounds felt balanced and easy on my back.  I may have sweated like crazy in the heat, but I managed to stay hydrated and felt really strong the entire hike.  I had such a sense of tranquility falling asleep in our tent after dinner, listening to the sounds of evening birds and the wind rustling in the trees.

I can’t say enough great things about our PATC (Potomac Appalachian Trail Club) trip leaders – John and Jeanne.  Their expertise made me feel really safe and confident on my “maiden voyage” overnight in the woods.  Actually, I have nothing but great things to say about our entire backpacking group.  Our fellow adventurers, Anthony, Suzanne and Ed were all friendly and fun people.

Adam throws a rope over the fallen tree to create a bear hang. He used a rock to make the throw easier. Below: A lot of planning went into picking the right spot for the hang; three waterproof bags were hung. The bags contained anything with a scent.

Adam already did a thorough job describing the terrain and features along the route, so that leaves me to talk about FOOD (and maybe a few other things, too).  When I think of backpacking, I think of tuna pouches, power bars, beef jerky and freeze-dried, pre-packaged meals.  But, Jeanne is a true backcountry gourmand (she brought a lobster roll for her packed lunch!).   For dinner, we feasted on Chicken with Thai Peanut Sauce and Rice and Curried Couscous with Peas and Cashews.  We even had banana pudding, replete with fresh banana slices and Nilla Wafers for dessert.  Cleaning up was super-easy, since we did most of the cooking using Ziploc freezer bags.  You can pour boiling water right into the bags, and avoid dirtying a pot.  Individual utensils and bowls were cleaned by thorough eating (not a crumb left behind) and then sanitized with more boiling water.  People either drank the water or broadcast it into the woods – away from camp.  Either method is acceptable for Leave No Trace practices.  The main goal is not to send any food particles into the woods.

Breakfast the next morning exceeded all my expectations!  Of course… there was instant oatmeal and hot chocolate, but there was also real BACON and cheesy hashbrowns!  Jeanne brought Boar’s Head shelf-stable bacon, cheddar cheese, butter and dehydrated potatoes.  I decreed to Adam that we shall always have bacon when we go backpacking.  I’m totally spoiled for backcountry breakfast now!

How cool is this... nice, crispy bacon in the backcountry. Below: We also had cheesy hashbrowns for breakfast. Below: On the hike out we passed several sections of old, stone walls; The group post-hike... all a lot sweatier than when we started.

Over breakfast, Adam and I spent some time talking to our trip leader, John, about everything from gear to favorite backpacking spots.  He’s like a walking encyclopedia of backpacking expertise.

I have so many fantastic memories from our first real backpacking trip… the outgoing buck that hung out with us all weekend, Adam sitting straight up in his sleeping bag (twice) to accuse me of being a bear, the feeling of being away from complications and civilization, but most of all, making new friends who might become future outing companions.

It was a rewarding experience, and I can’t wait to get out there again!

Trail Notes

• Distance – 7.8 miles loop
• Elevation Change – About 1000 feet, but there are also some ups and downs of about 400 feet on the Catlett Mountain-Catlett Spur Trail loop.
• Difficulty – 3
  
• Trail Conditions –3.  The trail isn’t too rocky, but is overgrown, especially the Catlett Mountain-Catlett Spur Trails.
• Views – 0.  There were really no views of anything from this trail, since it is through a thick wooded area.
• Waterfalls/streams – 2. Good water sources, but nothing too scenic.
  
• Wildlife –4. With people in our group seeing deer, a bear, and a timber rattler, there should be a decent chance to see wildlife here. We also saw an American Redstart and a few red-spotted newts on the trail.
• Ease to Navigate –3. There are lots of spurs off of the trails, but everything loops back at some point.  Pay attention to the cement posts and you shouldn’t have any difficulty.
• Solitude – 2.5. The first section down to the White Rocks Trail seemed to include all the traffic that we saw.  This is popular with many day-trippers, since it is one of the first parking lots in the northern portion of the Central District of Shenandoah National Park.
  

Directions to trailhead:
On Skyline Drive, park at the Meadow Spring parking lot between mile markers 33 and 34.  The trail starts at the southern end of the parking lot.

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