Shenandoah Hiking

SUN July 25

Drove back up to the Park today to hike a couple of more mountains, proper hikes, first you go UP and then you finish by going DOWN.

I started the late morning by hiking up to Stony Man Mountain summit an easy hike with just a moderate gain in elevation and I was able to maintain my normal hiking pace while enjoying the scenery and sounds. After coming back to the car I drove to another area and ate my lunch before starting up the trail to Hawksbill Mountain, the highest peak in the park. This trail was a lot steeper than I thought it was going to be and it really took it out of me and somewhere along I stressed my right knee because it hurt like the dickens on the downhill return, doesn’t hurt on trail.

The trails I have been on here and in North Carolina are a lot different from the trails I hiked in California and Arizona. These trails have all been part of the Appalachian Trail and the AT is maintained by the Appalachian Trail Conservancy which keeps the trails in excellent shape and that flows over to the other trails. There is also a difference in trees and soil conditions. There is denser tree-cover here with leafy trees and more rain/moisture while in the west there are more open trails, fewer trees and when there are trees mostly evergreen providing less shade and the west is a lot dryer. The trails here as I said are well maintained by a non-governmental Conservancy and the trail-soil has a good mixture of gravel in it to maintain the trail. Trails in the west tend to be very dusty after the spring rains have stopped. Also since the trails I have been on are so well maintained I don’t have to spend as much time looking at where I going to step and can enjoy my surroundings. Oh yes and they makr trails with color blazes, white if for the Appalachian Trail and blue is for a local trail.

And since I find myself mostly hiking along that makes it different, not better or worse, just different. Alone it gives me time to hear the sounds of the wind in the trees or the water in the creek, very relaxing.

Its hay cutting time in this area of the Shenandoah Valley and you can see and hear the tractors and scythes at work and in the morning smell the scent of new-mown hay.