Brown Mountain-Rockytop Loop Hike
Shenandoah National Park, VA
April 11-13, 2003
Done! The world looks brighter and I feel lighter than air. The thesis is really done and I can get on with my life! To celebrate the fact, Amy and I took off on Friday afternoon and headed for Shenandoah National Park for an "easy" 22 mile loop hike. Arriving late, we parked at Pinefield Gap and hiked the 1/4 mile to the hut for a pleasent, windy night.
The lovely Pinefield Hut (from my 2000 hike).
Saturday: The clouds and rain of the night before had been replaced with sun and winds. The time was late and we got a rather tardy start. Still, with only 11 miles to go today, I was not concerned. After a mile on the AT headed south, we bushwacked over to Skyline Drive and walked along it to the Brown Mountain Overlook and the start of the trail of the same name. 
Before we got to the rather minor Brown Mountain, we crossed the rocky ridge of Rocky Mountain. Lunch was had atop a quartzite outcropping which provided the first of numerous spectacular views. The Big Run watershed, all of it wilderness area, could be seen below us brown and leaf-less. Vultures circled in the void.
We pressed on descending gradually through the piney dryness of Brown Mountain. The day grew hotter. Eventually, we descended steeply into the Big Run Portal where all the water from the watershed rushes through a narrow gap between Brown Mountain and Rockytop. A substantial bridge crossed the raging torrent and we paused for water and more lunch. Above, cliffs could be seen on all sides. The time was late, so we pressed on.
After half a mile of forest road walking, we took a left and started the steady climb up Rockytop. A forest fire a year ago devestated the western slopes of this mountain and for several miles we traipsed through blackened territory with dead trees and mysteriously clean, white rocks. Still, there were pockets which had escaped the fire and, even in the burned areas, clumps of grass and tiny mountain laurels were making a come-back. The fossilized tracks and burrows of cambrian skolitos worms were very apparent in the sandstone underfoot unaffected by the fire. Chunks of the same rock turned and rolled under our feet making the going slow, painful and treacherous. The time grew late and we were getting completely wiped out.
Finally, we rounded the summit of Rockytop (aptly named, by the way) and left the burned area behind us. Another mile of hiking brought us to the intersection of the Rockytop and Lewis Mountain Trails. Looking at maps, I determined that this was the most likely spot for camping for several miles and we quickly found a nice level area more or less free from brush. A brief rest in the tent improved our spirits and dinner was a very welcome experience. The sun set, the temperatures dropped and we retired for the night under a waxing gibbous moon.
Topo of our route. Places we camped are marked with red dots. The dark line is Skyline Drive through the Park. The Appalachian Trail more or less follows the road. Map courtesey of Topozone.com
Sunday looked like a repeat of Saturday weather-wise. The wind had dropped during the night and a pair of deer browsed unperturbed through our camp as we packed up. The first 3 miles of the day were spent hiking along very nice ridgeline. The trail was generally much better than the latter part of yesterday and we made good time.
By the time we made the Appalachian Trail, it was nearly lunch time so we stopped for a quick first-lunch. I was now in known territory having come this way twice before. The first time, there was a foot of snow on the ground and I was profoundly unhappy about it. The second time was a bit better but still quite cold. Cold was certainly not a problem this time! We headed north on the level and well-packed AT toward Loft Mountain five miles distant passing occasional day-hikers. Substantial quantities of bear scat indicated that we weren't the only primary carnivores in the area.
The climb up Loft Mountain itself left us tired and sore. My knee was beginning to bother me quite a bit and it was becoming apparent that we should have brought sun screen. Indeed, Amy was becoming quite pink and my forearms and neck were beginning to get that prickly, roasted feeling. Still, not a cloud in the sky. The view from Loft Mountain, however, was entirely worth it. We could see our entire path circumnavigating the Big Run watershed. We had a second lunch and descended tiredly into the Ivy Creek valley anxious to replenish our water supply.
The descent to Ivy Creek was long and the ascent back out was equally painful. The creek itself was lovely and babbling and provided a few liters of much-needed water. By the time we had climbed out, my knee was throbbing and the sunburns were really starting to hurt. I limped along for a few miles with Amy setting a solid pace. The last two miles were spent walking alongside the road on the idea that it would be easier going than the trail. I don't know if this was true or not, but the early-season black flies combined with earlier maladies made this stretch less than scintillating. Finally, we rounded the bend and found Rufus as we'd left him.
Arguably, the best part of any backpacking trip is the pig-out which follows it. We were ravenous and not too picky. To our lasting surprise and amazement, we discovered Mama Mia's in the small town of Shenandoah, VA. It was slightly more upscale than our stinking, sweaty bodies warranted, but we were greated and served with no complaints. This place was GREAT! Amy had a wonderful pizza and I had an amazing serving of chicken alfredo with garlic bread. Hunger sauce makes everything taste better, but it was easy to tell that this fare would have satisfied even in more normal circumstances. Mama Mia's gets a big thumbs up in my book and, judging by the number of cars in the parking lot, many of the locals books as well. The evening was topped off with an ample Black Raspberry custard cone at Packs custard in New Market followed by three hours of contented, contemplative driving back to Base Camp.
A good trip though I am more tired than is warranted by the relatively low milage that we did. Much of my equipment has been lacking attention lately and I need to spend a while fixing and tending before I head out again. Stay tuned...
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