Hike Schedule
| hike_schedule_feb-march_2020_.pdf |
February-March 2020
Please call or email a few days ahead of a hike to let us know you are coming and to find out about any changes in hike location. Bring lunch, water and sturdy shoes. No dogs please.
Mid-Week Hikes
2nd Wednesday each month; short, 3-4 miles max. Usually have lunch afterwards.
Leader: Theresia Barger (540) 337-1567.
●February 12: Meet at Swift Run Gap, 9:00. Saddleback Mountain Loop .
●March 11: Meet at Rockfish Gap, 9:00. AT from McCormick Gap to Beagle Gap and return
Hikes and Worktrips
Saturday, February 1: Pocosin/South River. Join me for a hike of 10 mile, moderate. Plan on
leaving from South River Picnic Area going north on AT to Pocosin Cabin; downhill on Pocosin Fire
Road to Pocosin Mission Ruins; after checking out ruins head south on Pocosin Trail to South River
Falls-visit to Meadows Cemetery on way; check out falls if conditions allow; climb back to start on
either South River Falls Trail or South River Fire Road. If anyone wanted to set up a shuttle for a
shorter hike and take a vehicle to Pocosin Cabin parking, we will make plans for that. If Skyline
Drive is closed but trails are passable, hike will change to Swift Run Gap to South River on the AT
with return on Drive. Total wash out, we will make up the hike on March 1. Remember, there are no
bad trail days only bad clothing choices and be warm. Bring your Yaktrax. Plan to meet at Verona
Park and Ride at 8:00; Massanutten Presbyterian Church at 8:30; Swift Run Entrance Station at 9.
Possible stop at Cave Hill Farm Brewery after. This hike is #19 in PATC Circuit Hikes for
Shenandoah National Park book (2013 edition/reprinted 2015). Hike Leader: Jim Fye,
jfye40@icloud.com, 540-830-2023.
Saturday, February 8: Sunset Field to Petites Gap on the A.T. 8 miles moderately strenuous.
This is a shuttle hike. Starting at Sunset Field (MP 78.4 on the Blue Ridge Parkway), we will take a
path to the A.T. and then hike north on the A.T. over the 4,000-foot Apple Orchard Mountain.
Features of the hike include seeing an old radar station, walking under the Guillotine and the great
views from Thunder Ridge overlook. The hike ends at Petites Gap (MP 71). Meet at Verona Park
and Ride at 7:30 or Riverheads High School at 8:00. Hike leaders: Jean Stephens:
jtstephens12@yahoo.com, 443-986-5649, Pam Heinrich: pamheinrich13@gmail.com,
540-290-5595, David Bennick: dbennick@verizon.net or 540-337-5330.
Saturday, February 15: White Rock Gap Trail, 5 miles round trip, easy to moderate. Hike
from the upper reservoir at Sherando Lake towards the parkway and return. Meet at the Food
Lion in Stuarts Draft at 9:00 a.m. Hike leaders: Karen and Mike Waterman,
karenswaterman@gmail.com or (540) 337-1273
Sunday, February 23: Corbin Cabin - Nicholson Hollow Loop from Pinnacles Picnic Area:
This is a circuit hike, 6.3 miles moderate. We will hike on the AT from Pinnacles Picnic Area in
Shenandoah National Park to the Corbin Cabin Cutoff Trail. We will descend to see the
remains of one of the Thornton family cabins and the PATC-restored Corbin Cabin. We will
then ascend on Nicholson Hollow Trail to the AT and return back to Pinnacles Picnic Area.
There are three stream crossings on this hike and the return to the AT is fairly steep.
Elevation change 1,585'. Hike leader: Jean Stephens: jtstephens12@yahoo.com,
(443-986-5649).
Saturday, February 29: Leap Day Hike This will be a shuttle hike. Start time: 9:30 AM meet
at Humpback Rock Picnic area (near Greenstone Overlook; just North of MP 9 on PKWY).
We will hike on the AT to Three Ridges Overlook (just South of MP 13 on PKWY). Distance:
~ 5 miles. Elevation gain: ~ 750 ft. Trail character: Some rocky (potentially stumbly) sections;
hiking poles are a good idea. Bring water and lunch. Hike leaders are Betsy Solomon
(kj4rmm@gmail.com--540-836-0584) and Tom Berkeley ( tomberkeley@gmail.com--
434-610-1033)
Sunday, March 1: Jim Fye will use this as a backup date for Pocosin/South River hike. If that
hike occurs on February 1, Jim will plan another hike.
Monday, March 2: Worktrip AT: Pinefield Gap to Ivy Creek Overlook. Join us to work on
our chapter’s section of the AT ready. Currently, our section is looking good with only minor
damage from recent winds. Bring gloves and snippers. Meet at Ivy Creek Overlook Parking
area at 1:00 p.m. Worktrip leader: Jeff Bolander, jblndr@hotmail.com, 540 421-9275.
Saturday, March 7: Hawksbill Loop, 4.3 miles moderate. We will begin by hiking up the
Upper Hawksbill Trail, enjoy exploring the summit, and make our way down using the
Salamander Trail to the AT. We will hike on the AT to Hawksbill Gap and complete our loop
using the Skyland Horse Trail. Meet at the Verona Park and Ride at 8:30 or Massanutten
Presbyterian Church at 9:00. Hike leaders are Sharon Carderelli:
justonethingps274@gmail.com, 540-810-9648 and Pam Heinrich: pamheinrich13@gmail.com,
540-290-5595.
Sunday, March 8th: Lost Cliffs, 3-4 miles out/back easy. This hike follows Dry Run Falls Fire
Road from Skyline Drive (mile marker 62.5). A not-too-difficult, 75-yard uphill scramble is
necessary to reach the cliff tops and views. Beyond the cliffs, this hike leads down to Dry Run
with small trailside cascades. We can wander a bit to look at the falls. Meet at the Food Lion
in Elkton at 9:30. Hike leader: Michael Seth, sethmj@jmu.edu, 540-746-0605
Saturday, March 14. Upper Ramseys Draft Hike/Worktrip. 8 miles. 1900 feet el. gain. This is
mostly a hike, but we cut back vegetation on the .8 mile section of Ramseys Draft Trail from
Shenandoah Mountain Trail to Hiner Spring. This is midway. We will begin at the SMT trailhead
on FR 95, hike south to Ramseys Draft Trail, work on Ramseys Draft Trail, then hike out via
Hiner Spring Trail and Springhouse Ridge Trail. Optional side trip to Hardscrabble Knob (with
remains of a Fire Tower). Some of the notable attractions in this remote area include: huge old
growth trees, scenic views, Hiner Spring, historic fire tower. Leaders: Lynn and Malcolm
Cameron, slynncameron@gmail.com, (540)234-6273. Meet at Churchville Tasteefreez at 8:30.
Bring a tool (loppers, hand clippers, Corona saw, or shears) if you have one.
Sunday, March 15th: U.S. Marine T-28 Airplane Crash Site - 6.5 miles, easy to moderate.
Meet at Humpback Rocks Parking at 9:00. We'll carpool and head for Humpback Picnic Area to
begin the hike. The crash site requires an 800 foot bushwhack away from the AT which is the
moderate part of this hike. Then back to the AT, hike north to Humpback Rocks Parking and
retrieve the cars. Leader is David Bennick, dbennick@verizon.net or 540-337-5330.
Saturday/Sunday March 21st-22nd: Pam Heinrich is tentatively planning an overnight trip to
hike two sections of the AT in Maryland. Current plan: we will leave Verona early on March 21
and travel to Maryland (approximately 2 hour drive). We will hike 8.5 miles from Wolfsville Road
to U.S. 40. We will spend the night at Hampton Inn in Hagerstown, Maryland. On day two, we
will hike 9.8 miles from Pen Mar Park to Wolfsville Road. These will be shuttle hikes. Look at
PATC Maps 5 & 6 for more information. Hikers will be responsible for securing their reservations
at the hotel. If interested, contact Pam Heinrich: pamheinrich13@gmail.com, 540-290-5595.
Sunday March 22: Flat Run Trail to Todd Lake in Shenandoah Mountain area. 5 miles. Easy.
Around 300 ft. elevation change. This will be the first time we have hiked the newly cleared Flat
Run Trail in many years. We will begin at the Flat Run trailhead and hike 2.3 miles on an easy
trail through the forest to Leading Ridge Rd. (a seasonal FS Rd) and then walk 2.7 mi. on
Leading Ridge Rd. to Todd Lake. This will require a short shuttle. Meet at Churchville
TasteeFreez behind the bank at 9:00 a.m. or at Wild Oak Parking on FR 95 just west of
Stokesville at 9:30 a.m.. Hike leader: Jean Fraser, jeancfraser2@yahoo.com or (540)
490-0195.
Saturday March 28: Spaghetti Hike. Hike will be 4-5 miles on the Madison Run Fire Road. Meet
at Grottoes Food Lion on Route 340 at 10:00 a.m.. Contact hike leader Ron Radloff at
radloff.ronald@gmail.com or (540) 269-8131 to let him know if you are coming for the hike
and/or to Ron and Ann’s house for lunch/dinner afterwards and to ask what you can bring to
accompany the spaghetti: either salad, bread, dessert, hors d’oeuvres or drinks.
Saturday April 4: AT from Punchbowl Overlook to U.S. 60. 10.9 miles moderate. This is a
shuttle hike. We will hike from Punchbowl Overlook (mile marker 51.7 on the Blue Ridge
Parkway) to U.S. 60. We will descend from the overlook, cross the suspension bridge over
Pedlar River, and hike above the east bank of the Lynchburg Reservoir. We will finish the hike
by ascend back to U.S. 60. Look at PATC Map 13 for more information. Meet at Verona Park
and Ride at 7:30 or Riverheads High School at 8:00. Hike leaders: Jean Stephens:
jtstephens12@yahoo.com, 443-986-5649, Pam Heinrich: pamheinrich13@gmail.com,
540-290-5595, David Bennick: dbennick@verizon.net or 540-337-5330.
