Dates ........ Easter Sunday April 23, 2000
Miles ........ 13.1 miles
From ........ VA- Blackrock Hut SNP
To ............. Pinefield Hut SNP
Weather ... Cool (mid 30's), cloudy, breezy, somewhat clearing in the afternoon.
A Whippoorwill's shrill singing at 5 A.M was our wake up call. Their song is shrill, beautiful - and loud when they are close. It was another cool, cloudy morning. We climbed Blackrock Mtn. (3092'), a rock top mountain that, on a clear day, would provide outstanding views.
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| "Firefly" starts his descent from Blackrock Mountain |
Then we hiked out to Loft Mtn. Wayside for a treat - Hot dogs, BBQ pork sandwiches and French fries and chocolate haystacks (chocolate and toasted coconut.). We called home and sent some postcards out. Then we passed Loft Mtn (3320') and an unnamed summit (3080'), then begin descending - the trail at times crossing and very close to SD - down to Pinefield Hut.
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| Pinefield Hut (shelter) |
I saw five pileated woodpeckers. It is unusual to get close to these huge birds, but evidently the dead trees attract huge numbers of them so they can be seen from time to time. The air is also filled with the song of all kinds of birds. Wildflowers are not as abundant here as in the previous (George Washington Forest) sections.
At first we were alone, did trail laundry and cooked supper. Then Barry Stevens a section hiker just starting out, joined us. Previous hut occupants had left behind three new, clean pair of underwear and some nice aluminum tent stakes in a bid to lighten their pack. You never know what you will find abandoned in a shelter (hut).
Sound asleep at 10:30 P.M I was awakened by the sound of footsteps in the gravel, and then I saw a hiker and his dog checking out the hut. Evidently, they set up behind the hut, unknown to the other hut occupants. Later (just after I fell asleep again), Barry went outside to relieve himself and came running back in, being chased by a big barking dog. That scared the hell out of all of us. In SNP, dogs are allowed only if they are leashed at all times. A rule always ignored in the backwoods areas. Another vote against bringing Fido on the trail. AT Shelters are built for hikers, not dogs.
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| 4/19/00 | 4/21/00 | 4/22/00 | ||||
| 4/30/00 | 5/01/00 | 5/02/00 | 5/03/00 | 5/04/00 | 5/05/00 |