Day 47-A Day of Climbing to the Highest Mtn in Virginia (almost)

May 4-12.3 miles-Iron Mtn Shelter to Thomas Knob Shelter-AT Mile 499.0

I got about a 30 minute head start on Sure Foot this morning (and yet, we finished together...hmmm). We had a shorter day mileage wise, but a more difficult day elevation wise. We were climbing most of the day, and it was pretty rocky. 

The first long climb was up to Buzzard Rock. On the way, I went through a cow pasture. 

Through the stile. 

The mountain in the distance is White Top (I think). 

Gnarly trees in the pasture. 

At one point, I stepped where I thought is was solid. It was not. Had to scrape the cow shit off my shoe in the grass. Delightful. 

The climb up to Buzzard Rock started just after the pasture. 

Yeah, you can’t hardly see the trail, but it is going up through the trees. 

Almost there 

Looking back down. 

The rock they call Buzzard. 

Flat Will, and a white blaze. 

LB with a view to White Top Mtn. 

The trail did not go on up to White Top, but stayed lower, and went back into the trees. 

Going down. I don’t know what the sticks are on the side of the trail. We’ve seen them on many balds. 

I crossed the road up to White Top, went a little bit further, then decided to stop for lunch. It was 11:45. I figured if I stopped then, Sure Foot would catch up to me in time for lunch. That’s exactly what happened. At noon, he came along the trail. 

The next climb we had to do was up Mt. Rogers, and to the shelter. Last night we had thought we would do the spur trail to the summit. After all, Mt. Rogers is the highest point in Virginia. Well, after climbing all day amongst lots and lots of rocks, we decided it wasn’t that important. 

We finally arrived at the shelter at 4:10. Yeah, it wasn’t that late, but we were beat. Plus, there are ponies here. We haven’t seen them yet, but their hoof prints and poop are everywhere. We had to go beyond the shelter to find tent sites, but that’s okay because there are 6 people at the shelter. They are all people we haven’t seen before. Five of them just got back on trail in Damascus, and the other guy is going South. Haven’t camped with this many people since Georgia!

It’s supposed to rain tonight and tomorrow, but currently I have a view from my tent. 






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