backpacking « Astrogirl

SW Virginia Hike, Part II

28-April-2009
Hurricane Mtn Shelter to Lost Mtn Shelter
28.2 AT Miles
20.1 Miles Hiked on the AT and on blue blazed shortcuts

Even with the shortcuts, this was a lot of miles. I did have a terrific day with blue skies and a nice breeze. High UV was the only real problem. The very high elevations [...]

SW Virginia Hiking Trip

25-April-2009
Atkins, VA to Chatfield Shetlter
4.5 miles

Tino flew me to Mountain Empire Airport (very friendly place!) since it’s almost on the AT. He took me down to the trail in a borrowed car with “official business” plates, and it immediately started pouring down rain. Since I needed some lip stuff anyway, I went into the Exxon [...]

The Silence

Last week, I went to the southwestern corner? end? of Virginia and re-hiked some of the Appalachian Trail down there. I did it “officially” five years ago, but it’s one of the loveliest places in Virginia, and the repeat performance allowed me to take other, non-AT trails. The weather was unbelievable, if a [...]

9/18/2008 Bennington, VT

The day dawned bright and beautiful, and since I’d stayed up late enjoying all that hiker companionship, I got started quite late. I slept well, but I had a lazy morning.

In this short 4.3 miles I was really grateful for my map. There were many junctions with woods roads and trails and the [...]

9/17/2008 Congdon Shelter, VT

The walk out of Williamstown was long and long. It really wasn’t longer than the previous day, but since none of it counts and it’s first thing in the morning, it *seems* longer. The trail north was actually straight up someone’s driveway. They had blazes *on* their driveway. I’ve never seen [...]

9/16/2008 Williamstown, MA

I hiked from Mark Noepel up and over Greylock and down into Williamstown. The distance to the road was 9.6 miles and I think I walked about 2 miles into town and then out again in the morning. I walked in to town as far as the Howard Johnson’s. There was a [...]

9/15/2008 Mark Noepel Shelter via Cheshire, MA

I walked 13.7 miles, not counting the shelter/water trails, which where probably .3.

Breakfast (Duff & Dell’s) the next day was very good, so the whole laundry experience seemed a little easier. Laundry was a one mile walk each way to and from the hotel, but it was all flat, and the weather was nice, [...]

9/14/2008 Dalton, MA

I hiked 20.6 miles to get here, not counting the .5 mile out of Upper Goose Pond Cabin (thought it was pouring down rain. I’d actually rather walk in rain than camp in it anyway). It’s not that I resent that .5 mile or anything, but I also had to walk another .5 [...]

9/13/2008 Upper Goose Pond Cabin

I hiked from Mt. Wilcox South to UGPC, 14.8 miles. I hiked another .75 miles or so on the approach trails for Mt. Wilcox and UGPC, but I did make pretty good time. There was a lovely pond between the two Wilcox shelters. Benedict Pond was much bigger and more dramatic, but [...]

9/12/2008 Mt. Wilcox South Shelter

I hiked from US 7 (Sheffield, MA) to Mt. Wilcox South, 12.7 miles

The hike starts out next to the Housatonic and uses some local roads before climbing.

This shelter is actually two shelters, one old and one new. It was pouring down rain when I arrived there, and no one could find the water source [...]

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