mount rogers, va - november 2003

“the dates are set for me. i can't be flexible on these days this year. 14-16 of november. suggestions and ideas of camps and routes? i'll post something about route and such on the trip page in the coming days.”

“woohoo, looking forward to this trip already...wonder if that short cut is still there ;)”

“I wonder if that cute blonde will be at the shelter again.”

“I live in Damascus, 20 miles from Mt. Rogers. I can help you out shuttling(free) or whatever. Hell I may join ya.”

“come join us lone wolf44. if shuttles are needed, i'll be sure to keep you in mind.”

“uhh, I want to go on this one...”

“The weather just HAS to be better than last year. Plus, I'm determined to find Ewker's short cut.”

“Put me down as a maybe! Would be great to meet some of the southern mid-Atlantic crowd...”

“Hey Buddha - yeah, she'd be 19 this year. ;o)

Baume - how the same original route plan as last year? We changed the route a bit because of the weather and I didn't see a dang thing so it would be like a new route anyway.”

“fine by me. that makes it much easier.”

“the weather was awesome, last year.

i may go and lurk, again.”

“That area has been my favorite place to hike so far. I'll be hiking there again over labor day with my kids.”

“it will be nice to almost see you again radagast.”

“I missed radagast at Mt Rogers but met him on the Fl trip.

pennsy, it will be good to see you again”

“that is far into the future and a lot can happen twixt now and then, right now....the desire is there for a do-over to Mt. Rogers and to sleep in the woods and walk in the woods with you folkses agin, maybe i could sneak in for a night raid!!”

“Put me and the boss down for a definate maybe. I still owe you a beer baume.”

“baume....

if i can keep from busting myself up again this year, i'll be there.... look forward to seeing you all again....”

“curahee, i'm always ready for a beer.

gonzo, if you make it to the roaring plains again in october, i'll probably see you there too.”

“Add me as a maybe. Hiked it a coupla Decembers ago through rain, sleet and fog. Looked like there were some awesome views, but I didn't see any, and the only wild pony I saw was an a$$ in the mist. Definitely wanna try it again.”

“The only wild pony I saw was an a$$ in the shelter. Oh wait, that was Buddha Bear. moohaahaa!

I think I owe Baume a beer as well, for giving me a ride back to my truck last year.”

“hot damn. everyone that comes should carry one beer for me and present it to me at camp the first night. sounds like a great tradition in the making.”

“it isn't what we ended up doing though. we can start with something like this as a plan and go with the flow as needed like last year. needless to say, there are enough options so we shouldn't need to cover any of the same trailif we didn't want to.


friday:

park in the lot where the AT crosses sr 603 (right near the fox creek horse camp). sr 603 is a paved road. hike south on the AT to old orchard shelter (1.7 miles). make camp. there is plenty of tent sites. open field and wooded. spring for water. late arrivals can make the easy uphill hike to the shelter in the dark or camp near the trail head (there are plenty of campsite at/near the fox creek horse camp) and hike up to the shelter area in the morning. early arrivals can explore the many other trails near the shelter (old orchard trail, old orchard spur trail, lewis fork trail). the old orchard shelter is on the edge of the lewis fork wilderness area.

saturday:

many options available. i plan on taking the AT south to the rhododendron gap area (about 10 miles). this will take you by the scales, down into grayson highlands state park, and up by (or over if you wish) wilburn ridge and the fat mans squeeze. many expansive views from the balds and rock cliffs of wilburn ridge, pine mountain and walking across the highlands. other options of less miles would be 1) to take the AT south to the pine mountain trail, then the pine mountain trail to the rhododendron gap area. this would be about 4 miles total and allow for you to explore the rocks and cliffs wilburn ridge by taking the wilburn ridge trail or make a 2.5 mile round trip to virginia's high point atop mount rogers, without your pack. 2)combine the old orchard, lewis fork and cliffside trails in any combination to get between 3-5 miles to the rhododendron gap area and take some day hikes from there.

sunday:

i plan on continueing south on the AT to the mount rogers trail, taking the mount rogers trail down to the fairwood valley trail, then taking the fair wood valley trail to the AT across the road from the cars. this will be 8-9 miles and will include a side trip to the top of mount rogers. those wishing for lower miles can take a route not covered the day before (lewis fork trail, pine mountain trail, cliffside trail, AT) to loop back to the vehicles without having to backtrack over any trail already covered. these routes could range from 5-7 miles.

anyone coming in on saturday that would like to get to the high country quickly could park at the massie gap parking area in grayson highlands state park and hike 3+- miles to the rhododendron gap area, this will take you up over the balds and rocks of the wilburn ridge area to meet up with the group on saturday night. there is a small fee to park at the trail head in the state park ($2?).”

“A pony laughed at me for hiking this during the first week of March once; I may have to try this again.”

“We hiked this exact route in June. We caught a shuttle with MRO because there was a serious problem with a car theft ring operating in the area. Apparently that parking lot where the AT crosses 603 was repeatedly targeted. You may want to check on that and be sure it's no longer a problem before parking there.”

“if there is still a problem, or folks don't want to risk it or anything like that, we could park in the grayson highlands state park at massie gap and hike up and stay at the wise shelter the first night. this would still allow the loop up to rhododendrun gap using the AT. i'll park where we did last year without worry. if they want my truck, they can have it.”

“by the way, thanks for the heads up skullcap.”

“Are shuttles being set up Friday sometime by the early arrivals?”

“either place you park allows for loop hike with out needing shuttles. either will also allow that we hike to the high country and stay in the rhododendrun gap area.”

“DAMNIT, I'm Going this year!!

(I hope)”

“you missed a good one last yr. This one will be better”

“because I'm going?”

“no currahee.
because I am.”

“I think you mean "because I yam"...

I might be there too.”

“Damn, and for a second I thought I was cool.”

“:-)

:-)”

“yam, are you riding up with me and dude (if he goes, bailed out last yr...lol)”

“dude's in prison again?

;)”

“Roomin with Ben Dover, I heard.”

“ouch

btw even though I signed up if the weather looks anything like last years I'm going to bail - that was as close to hypothermia as I ever want to get”

“I almost got hypothermia there this June. That is one coooold place.”

“yes. i will prolly try to ride w/ you guys--if i'm invited!”

“wonder if fairweatherbear will show this yr ;)”

“I dunno, it looks like rain!”

“BB, if it looks like rain he won't show

Yam, you are invited to ride with me and walkindude.”

“Hey Ewk - Yam is taking the scenic route. She's gonna swing by Pa and pick me up. Then we're gonna go search for your secret shortcut.

I also wonder if the folks from www.fairweatherhikers.com will show up this year.”

“i did get a tad chilly after the rain stopped didn't it?”

“I'm keeping my fingers crossed for freezing rain, and that blonde girl's older sister.”

“Your always welcome to catch a ride with us. We'd be hurt if you DIDN'T want to ride with us.

I got this trip down on the Calendar at work so unless I'm dead or dieing (or in prison), I'm GOING!!”

“walkin'dude, if ya snore, you can join me and the boys in the rafters!”

“hey wait a Buddha Bear minute - I thought the plan was the Wise shelter - it only has one level what are you going to do hang a hammock from the rafters?”