Well, there was a stream, and there were trout in it, but this was strictly a walk in the Park (Shenandoah). The daughter and I are planning to hike the Chinese Wall in the Bob Marshall next summer so I wanted her to get a bit of backpacking under her belt before we tackle that beast. Shenandoah NP isn’t the Rockies but it’s close and 21 miles in 2 days gave her an idea of what’s in store. I only had the cheapy P & S (after swimming with the Canon last week) so the pics don’t do the scenery justice.
Hop on the Appalachian Trail at the Brown’s Gap parking lot
after about .6 miles we bid a fond farewell to the AT and head into the backcountry:
Most of the time we were in trees (mid-November would be better for pics)
every once in a while we’d break into the open
Rocky Top Ridge, 1st day’s route
We’ll end up camping the night at the bottom of the valley, 7 miles and about 2000’ down
Burn area (1986, I think)
Big Run, at the bottom of the valley; supposed to be decent trout fishing for natives but water was in somewhat short supply
Home for the night; daughter gets the good air mattress.
Next day dawns a little brighter and after a hearty breakfast (oatmeal), it’s up and up and up to the top of Brown’s Mountain, where we quickly re-gain that 2000’ we gave up the evening before
High point of the trip, literally
SNP, all lit up in it’s fall colors
14 miles on Day 2, no blisters and a great time. I don’t think she’ll have any trouble next summer; Hell, I may let her be the Sherpa.
She’s a trooper; the thought of going 6 days without a shower doesn’t seem to phase her at all. Glad we didn’t have the boy along; he’d have headed for the first decent rock outcrop and we’d never have been able to get him down. I’m planning on taking him to Whiskey Gulch, outside Butte, next summer so he can get to do some serious bouldering.
I have a friend who is trying to complete the AT. I give him grief about never carrying a fishing rod, but he does carry a camera either to the best of my knowledge. Probably thinks it will add another 3 ozs.
That’s pretty country too bad the water was so low.
