On Top of the World

Sub-freezing temps and wind didn't keep us from persevering to the mountain top with a DC gov group for this spectacular sunset. Good times.


Off the beaten trail there is much to see. Here's a section of the seldem seen Greasy Falls in the north district.

Frosty Mtn Air

These days the air seems as clear as the mornings are cool. With the leaves recently vacating the high peaks new views appear on the trail like frosty footprints. The Indian summer has ended and we at SMG are loving the crispness of the fall.


Passed this talus slope still covered in frost at around 10:30am on the 23rd.




Long evening shadows on Old Rag after a rainy Mt. Steward training day.

Fall Findings

There's a lot of falling water like this in SNP and these spots are only getting nicer as the leaves get brighter.



Watched this five foot black snake down climb the slippery river rock without the advantage of sticky rubber shoes, or feet, but he was really good at smearing (climbing technique)!



Had a great night out just off the AT in Md complete with late nite games around the table.

Famous Days

What a great long hike with some famous folks from the Netherlands (sorry I can't put their names online). We all very much enjoyed the motivated hike over Old Rag, up the fire road, and down Corbin run. Unfortunately all our searching for bear was to no avail, but the gaggle of turkey was very cool to see. The friendship and foliage weren't to shabby either.

Come get it

Fall fireworks are here, come check them out.



These Jenkins hollow ruins are worth checking out as well.

News from the Bear Loop

Noticed four separate bear on the Oct 2 bear loop hike! With so many bear in a small area it's no surprise to see this warning sign. But if you look close at the sign what may surprise you, are the two camo stick bugs.(click on the pic to blow it up)



Our fourth bear of the day, and unlike the first three this one (the biggest) was not afraid. We slowly walked the trail, snapping pictures and passing while the bear rooted around and wrestled a log for the grubs it hid underneath.



We must have mossied a little to slow because just after this picture the bear stomped his paw at us in agitation. Trying not to look directly into his eyes (a sign of aggression) we moved on down the trail. He stomped both front paws a second time and we were glad to be out of there and to notify others on the trail along the way.

Outdoor art

Here's some pieces I liked from the Hikers Art Show held in Shenandoah this week. Too cool to leave behind, I picked up my copies with a point and shoot. There's much more to see, if you can make it out to the show!

Six Bear, Day Two

Wow! Two days in a row we have tied my personal best. Six bear sightings in one day! We may have even seen the same mother with two cubs that was caught on film Monday. The family was again up a tree, and we again saw three others. We may have to rename the eight mile loop "the bear loop" (formerly known as "Jeremy's really cool loop, where you see lots of really cool stuff").
I was unable to get any good shots of the bear, so instead here's a picture of Dolly. Dolly is a Skyland local who I saw on the way in. Dolly is also a diva that loves to have her picture taken, but how could you not when you look that good?

Six Bear, One Day

Some guys have all the luck! Today three Danish fellows got the full value Shenandoah experience. The weather was perfect, the views were incredible and we enjoyed FOUR separate bear sightings. The most crazy was the one were we stopped mid-step due to the noise above our heads. Looking straight up, we were alarmed to see three faces peering straight back. Simultaneously we back stepped and grabbed at cameras. The bear family scampered down mom first, with heads peeking from the trunk sides all the while.

Walking back from the lake yesterday with my father and brother I found three four-leaf clovers in the field. I guess some guys have all the luck.

Reasonable

This evening (9- 14 -08) the sunset over Old Rag mountain gave me one more stunning reason to show the place I'm from, to the people I meet.

The hard way down

Ink Blot

I don't like spiders either, but how cool is this guy?

Wild,Wild Life

Mountain Steward Weekend Aug 30 - 31 08



Two 'Astyanax' Red-spotted Purple butterflies on the summit of Old Rag, and I think they are in love.



These two poor ladies were offered shelter from the shower under this summit area boulder, little did they know what wild creatures lay in wait.



And here's why we don't carelessly leave our food on the summit. This food-attracted bear likes the hiker scraps, but may soon become dangerous and need to be relocated or worse. He needs to change his wicked ways ... or we do.

High Water

8 - 28 - 08
Don't think we saw anyone else brave enough (or dumb enough) out hiking all day. The waterfalls sure are spectacular when its been raining for two days.

Downstream ...

... awaits
Watersnakes
Put fear of free-



falls behind
tennis shoe wake.
Five new canyoneers,
hooked on a line.
At least ... three made it back this time.
Just joshing,
all loved the day through.
Question is,



how would you do?

Trails

8/18 - 8/20, 08

Here's the GWU Trails guides cooking up some good grub next to another SNP swimming hole. Each year we spend a few great days camping, training getting to know these trail guides. It's always a great trip but this year will be hard to top. With sightings of bears and snakes, the swimming, and the lost person training evolution this year was one for the books.

This week in review

Looking back on another spectacular Shenandoah week. There was lots of climbing and rappelling with the sheriff's camp as well as on the high cliffs of SNP, hiking, water slides. We topped it off with a great evening to full moon hike in the big meadow. Looking forward to this week, hope you are too.

Good Fun

Old Rag Training?

At 3,291 feet Old Rag mountain is a long hard hike. Although I have hiked it all my life this spring and summer I have had the pleasure of an inordinate amount of time back and forth across the top. The payoff for the strenuous hike is always huge. This year I have enjoyed the bonus write-off of many of these Old Rag summits as training. Training for what the Seattleites refer to as "the mountain". Last week the training paid off and our party of six attained the summit of 14,411 foot Mt. Rainier (without supplemental oxygen! ... which nobody uses). As seen in the pictures the weather was ideal, the conditions and company were incredible. It was a smooth enjoyable ascent and on returning I've begun to wonder one thing. Which mountain was training for which?

LSM

Wanna go rappelling?

Birds of Prey

Cruise up to the Hawksbill Mt. summit at around 10:30 am and not only will you be standing on top of Shenandoah, but you are likely to see one of these guys! The fledgling falcons have been reintroduced to the Hawksbill summit and the NPS serves them breakfast around 10:30. Feel free to ask the friendly, knoledgeable, park ranger questions as they observe and record info on the birds. Take a deep breath, a 360 degree look around, and enjoy the show!

Dirty Jobs

June 7-8, 2008

After two days to and fro, over and around Old Rag Mountain with the steward program, there are a couple things one has in common with this dung beetle. The beetle pictured above was found on the fire road cleaning up after some horses. Mountain stewards have also been found cleaning up after others, in fact they can even be seen picking up a little toilet paper (however unlike the beetle, stewards wear gloves, and do not walk backwards on their heads during the process). In near 100 degree temps hauling large amounts of water, first aid kits, and rescue gear can make a steward feel a bit like the beetle too; it feels like pushing a bunch of ... stuff. But when the sweaty weekend's all said and done the biggest similarity between the two creatures might be the smell!

Life is Good

Caught up with this relaxed reptile on the mountain the other day. The three legged amputee-tail skink sat soaking up some rays while we got a good look at him. Maybe he was so mellow because of the awe-inspiring views, or perhaps after a near death brush with the talons of a raven he learned to sit back and truly enjoy life. Then again, he was probably just slow.

Life in the mountains is good. You know it's the good life when the strong wind hits your back and you begin to lower off a hundred foot cliff. It makes you feel alive, and then you know you're alive. The wind changes directions, hitting you square in the face. You begin to hear the thunder across the valley. The electric sky has become nearly black. You're running, and you can see, hear, smell, and feel the tornado-spawning storm. You round the final, still dry corner of the trail. The ride pulls up, doors and sky open simultaneously, but before the drenching begins you're in.

Baby Steps

5 - 22 - 08

As with most hikes its not the grand vistas or tumbling waters that prove the most memorable, but rather the unexpected along the way.

After we watched the momma Doe lick this newborn clean we think it may have gotten a little confused. Not sure exactly where in the world it belonged the fawn wobble stepped towards our attentive eyes. Maybe realizing the mistake it hesitated nearly close enough for us to reach out and touch. Stumbling sideways and turning around the little guy realized momma was waiting in the other direction and the opening performance continued its unbalanced show on elsewhere in the woods.