.August 31, 2006
I headed south for the first time on this 2 week trek. Today was even foggier than yesterday.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ I saw a deer almost immediately making it 5 days in a row. About 20 minutes later I heard another one in the bushes. I turned to my left. I didn't see a deer, but something black moving in the bushes. Sure enough it was a bear maybe 20 feet away. I had no time to get my camera out. Then I heard something else move. Just slightly off the trail probably only 12 feet away was a cub. He was so cute so I decided to play with him. Just kidding. Did I have you going? I slowly backed up a couple steps. Momma Bear looked right at me but seemed satisfied that I was keeping my distant. Momma and junior then scattered off. Black bears are not aggressive unless you give them a reason to be.
I met Lynn for the first time today near Thornton Gap. I crossed Route 211, one of only 2 roads that cut through the Skyline Drive.
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After crossing the highway I came upon the Panorama. It is listed on the AT map as having a restaurant and gifts but looks to be permanently closed. At first I thought it might be closed for the season. But wait, wasn't this summer?
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ I looked back down toward the highway and headed up to Mary's Rock Mountain.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ The next few miles of trail were probably the rockiest section of the AT in the Shennies.
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This was my biggest climb of the day as I gained about 1200 feet over 2 miles. The AT doesn't go quite to the summit. It is only another tenth of a mile so I decided to do it. I knew I wouldn't get a view but I just can't go that close to the top of a mountain without bagging the summit. Sure enough it was fogged in but looked as if it would give a 360 degree view.
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I retraced my steps and continued on the AT. A couple miles later and I met Pat and Ann who are section hiking there way up to Duncannon. Here they are at Byrds Nest #3 Shelter. This was the only shelter I saw in the Shennies that was right on the AT.
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Next up I headed up to the Pinnacle. There is another spot in Pennsylvania called the Pinnacle. It was gorgeous. I bet this was gorgeous too, but no view today. I met Lynn at Jewell Hollow Overlook. Considering the bad weather, I did get a fairly good view into the valley.
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I continued on to the Pinnacles Picnic Area.
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~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ I came across another deer on the path, just a few feet away.
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After I snapped her picture she jumped into the woods where her friend was waiting for her.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Continuing through the picnic area.
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~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ On the sign above, I got a kick out of the word 'short'. I was doing a 200 mile section in less than 2 weeks. Was that short? Thru hikers must really get a laugh at this sign since they are going 2,175 miles.
Below, why can't I find places like this when it is actually raining?
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Lynn came in to hike with me near Stony Man Overlook.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ I headed off to Little Stony Man Mountain. You'll never guess, it was fogged in.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ The fog got so thick I almost missed this sign.
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From here was a blue blazed loop trail going up to the summit of Stony Man Mountain. The summit is not on the AT but it is 4011 feet. I can't come this close to bagging another 4,000 footer without doing it, so off I went. I realize Colorado has 14,000 footers, but I consider a 4,000 footer a pretty big mountain for the eastern U.S.
This section of the trail was smooth and not too steep. I think this is a common trail that people take from Skyland. Next I saw a horse 'parking lot'. Horses up here. Yep. They can't go on the AT but there is another trail that they can take.
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From here it was just another minute to the summit. This is the 2nd highest mountain in Shenandoah National Park. Fogged in again.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ I headed back to the AT and followed the smooth trail to the parking lot. Notice the double blaze. The white one for the AT and the blue one for the Stony Man Mountain loop.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Looking for some color on a dreary day.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ The Shennies are filled with ferns.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ I reached the parking lot near the north entrance of Skyland where I found the Stony Man Mountain trailhead.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ It was raining pretty good by now and I was starting to get a little down. Don't get me wrong I had a great day with lots of wildlife. Remember, I did see my first bear today, so today was great. But every mile I hike was a missed view. I had a few more miles in me, but just didn't want to miss anymore views. Lynn was somewhat surprised that I was stopping so soon.
Lynn took the photos below from the Skyline Drive.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ While I was hiking to the top of Mary's Rock Mountain, Lynn was driving through it.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Tropical Storm Ernesto will come through tomorrow so I will probably have another rainy day.
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