Appalachian Trail Project in VA – Grayson Highlands Backpack
– 4-1-14 – Deep Gap to Virginia Creeper Trail @ Luther Hassinger Memorial
Bridge – 11 Miles
I woke up as a happy hiker this morning after a good night’s
sleep and a plan to lighten my load thanks to my good friend Mike. Took a few minutes to enjoy the sunrise from
my tent door, breathing in deeply and thanking God for the ability and
opportunity to make this journey. I left
ahead of Mike to get in my extra mileage.
From our campsite near Deep Gap the trail trended downward
for two miles toward Elk Garden, crossing a bald summit that probably has nice
green views in the summer. My eyes were
on the line of rainfall on the distant mountains.
Elk Garden is a gap between Whitetop Mountain and Mount
Rogers, the two tallest peaks in Virginia, and VA 600 cuts through the
gap. At the parking area there is a
convenient trailhead for summiting Mount Rogers going trail north or hiking up
Whitetop Mountain and Buzzard Rock going trail south. Bonus points for the privy and trash
cans! I took a break to unload my trash,
eat breakfast (Clif Bar) and prepare for climbing Whitetop.
The steady climb was not as bad as I had anticipated. At over 5,000 feet I noticed the character
change to Hobbit-esque Frasier fir and spruce forest. Many small streams flowed across the
trail. A misty rain began to fall but
only lasted a short time. The AT doesn’t
go across the summit of Whitetop, but at the Trail’s highest point I saw a side
trail to the right that appeared to continue up. Didn’t see this on any maps or notes, but I
feel sure it leads to the summit radio tower.
The burliest tree I've ever seen
Closeup of a burl
Fungi on a tree, an indication of internal disease
Crossing Whitetop Mountain Road (USFS 89), the views opened
up once again. There are campsites that looked very
uninviting to me, too exposed right by the road, and I would not
choose to camp there alone. There is a
spring, however, that is convenient to top off your water supply as you march
on to a more conducive campsite or the next shelter 6 miles away. On this section of the AT, from Elk Garden to
the town of Damascus, there are numerous options for overnights, including
crossing roads and hitching rides into town, etc.
Less than a mile from the road crossing is the highlight of
this section: Buzzard Rock, a grand
feature worthy of a dayhike all on its own.
(If you are Googling, be sure you find the one associated with Whitetop
Mountain, VA and not the one near Front Royal, VA). This is an impressive rock outcropping at
5,080 feet.
A careful scramble to the
top is rewarded with an inspiring 360-degree view, including this one southwest across
multiple ridges in North Carolina and Tennessee.
From Buzzard Rock the trail steadily switchbacked downhill
to Beech Mountain Road (VA 601) where I parked my car eons ago on a snowy
Sunday morning. Here I unloaded my
backpack of everything except the essentials for the last 4 miles, rain jacket,
water, camera. I took my time, ate a
snack, thought through what I needed and what I could leave behind. Mike’s plan was to hike to this point and then
drive my car to meet me at my ending at the Luther Hassinger Memorial Bridge.
The remaining miles were a lighthearted blur, no weight, skipping
through the trees, clear skies, one puzzling curve about nine-tenths of the way
around a small pond. Stopped to say
hello to Lost Mountain Shelter, the first shelter south of Thomas Knob and a
comfortable-looking home away from home.
In what seemed the blink of an eye I was walking onto the Virginia
Creeper Trail at the Luther Hassinger Memorial Bridge. Cyclists were streaming by in both directions
and I had to choose my moment to get onto the bridge. Two women stopped to chat (no, I’m not a
thru-hiker, just a weekend warrior) and take my photo. The trip that started in lots of cold weather
layers ended in shorts and a tee shirt.
Mike was waiting as I knew he would be. We retrieved his vehicle and stopped for a
bite to eat at the Log House in Volney, the only customers for the buffet on a
Tuesday afternoon. Then we went our
separate ways home.
Mike’s help to me on this trip was both typical and
extraordinary. He has many years of
experience in the outdoors and there are few places I can name that he has not
explored, from Crowders Mountain just 20 miles from Charlotte to Nepal,
India. Among many skills, he’s taught me
the concept of hiking at a personal sustainable pace, no matter what everyone
else is doing, and the pleasure of walking alone and then sharing camp at the
end of the day. Some of us have hiking goals and lists, but for Mike it's not as important what trail you're on as long as you're out there somewhere. Nature changes every day. I will
follow his example and pay it forward for another traveler soon.
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