Capital Hiking Club

Our first-time trip to the Muddy Creek section of the Mason-Dixon Trail on October 3rd was a big success, as it appeared that the day’s 33 participants all enjoyed our special outing.

Our first stop was the farmers’ market in Delta, PA, where we were warmly greeted by the local farmers (most likely Mennonite, not Amish). We had plenty of time to browse through their wares of fresh flowers (picture 1), home-baked cookies and pies, handmade pretzels and potato chips, barbecued chicken and ribs, lots of fresh produce, and other sundry homemade goods. The farmers were very friendly and asked us many questions, including about our group, where we were from, what it was like where we lived, when would be a good time to visit, who could show them around, etc. In particular, one farmer who put his age at 60, but didn’t look over 40 (must be the clean living), was anxious to see Washington, DC. For him, our journey of 120 miles seemed akin to a trip half-way around the world. Almost everyone bought various goodies and the bus's luggage compartment was loaded with overflowing pots of flowers.

After a short drive to Cold Cabin Park on the shore of the Susquehanna River, we had our lunch before setting out for the hike. Although the farmers’ market had been the morning’s attraction, everyone was looking forward to a good afternoon hike and the weather was perfect for it. This was an out-and-back hike, so hikers were able to continue as far out on the hike as they desired (time permitting) before returning to the bus. For most of the hikers, that turnaround became the rocky gorge area which the Muddy Creek passes through, causing the normally 20-foot wide creek to become a raging white-water torrent (picture 2), while a few hikers made it to the end of the long hike turnaround (picture 3). But, before they reached that turn, Mother Nature had a few surprises in store.

The first surprise was a novelty to most of the hikers, but not to one pair of hikers. Portions of the trail were covered in Paw Paw fruits. While these fruits gave off a very ripe smell and squished underfoot, two hikers knew that they make great pies. So they gathered up about 15 pounds of the fruit. They had never seen this fruit in such abundance.

The second surprise was a pair of turtles in the middle of the trail, making more turtles (picture 4). That, of course, led to a discussion of the old joke: How do turtles do it? Very slowly!

A third surprise was some of the fresh mushrooms along the trial, including one very large mushroom which seemed to be almost glowing (picture 5).

(Special note to Ingrid – stop reading now!) The biggest surprise of the day was a snake in the most unlikely of places (pictures 6 & 7). It's hard to say which was more enjoyable -- watching the snake, or seeing the expressions on hikers’ faces as they rounded the corner and realized what everyone had stopped to see.

Although an old adage suggests that there is a fine line between bravery and foolishness, we will nonetheless maintain that it was 21 brave hikers who got on the bus on Saturday morning and headed out to the mountains in the face of a dire weather forecast. With such small numbers, the bus loaded quickly, and with no Centreville stop, the group was on the trail by 10:00 a.m.

If nothing else, all were agreed that the brisk temperature (about 60F) was ideal for the steady, and sometimes steep, climb up Overall Run. The good news/bad news for this part of the hike was that the crossings of Overall Run were dry, but then, so were the falls, the tallest in the Park at 93 feet (at least when there's water in them). We were surprised at how many other groups of hikers we encountered; didn't these fools listen to the weatherman?

It never did actually rain on that stretch of the hike, and thereby perhaps disproved another saying: 'If it waddles like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it's probably a duck.' As we climbed up towards the fog-bound ridge crest, the moisture that had condensed on the trees leaves got blown off by the wind, onto us. It looked like rain, it felt like rain, but it wasn't rain. Still, we got dampened, and the lunch break was brief, it being necessary to keep moving to stay warm. (Something we've doubtless all heard before, but apparently worth repeating: no matter what the time of year, ALWAYS carry some extra layers of clothing and basic raingear, and avoid cotton. A $1 poncho can be, if not literally a lifesaver, something that makes life a lot less unpleasant.)

Those who chose to do just the short hike, getting on the bus at Hogback Overlook, got no wetter. But seven brave (?) people decided to continue on the long hike, which was changed from five miles along the AT to the Sugarloaf loop, so the bus could remain where it was and the long hikers never be too far away from it. Hiking through the dense woods of the Sugarloaf Trail in the swirling mist was otherworldly, making the added moist miles worthwhile, as did the barely visible sight of ghostly deer, bounding like spectres through the murk. By the time the group regained the AT and headed over the Hogback summit to the bus, the promised rain had arrived, in a manner not to be confused with dripping leaves. There was no lingering at the summit for the (nonexistant) view.

The relative lack of lingering on this hike meant that the bus was headed back to DC by 2:30, and we were back at 16th & I by 5:00 p.m., soggy but satisfied.
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Last Saturday, eleven short hikers and twenty-four long hikers trekked to Buzzard Rock by climbing to the ridge of Massanutten Mountain in the George Washington National Forest. The long hikers had views of the snaking Shenandoah River below during their ascent, then hiked down to the Little Crease Trail Shelter, then finally up for one last ascent to the mountain ridge. Short hikers made a 2-1/2 mile ascent directly to the ridge, and met up with the long hikers there. Both groups hiked on to the 2/3 point of the hike for a table-top rock lunch stop where some chose the shade and others chose to bask in the sun, enjoying their well-earned lunches while overlooking the expansive valley views. The final three miles down to the awaiting bus featured razor-thin trails along the ridge and views of Fort Valley far below.

At least two hikers completed the entire 14-mile hike to the north end of Assateague Island. Others took a more leisurely pace to enjoy the views, collect and examine shells, and observe marine life. A school of dolphins was spotted by two hikers. Though the beach was a bit windy, all agreed the day's weather could not have been more perfect.

There was some disappointment expressed initially over not seeing any of the famed wild ponies, but fortunately all were rewarded as the bus passed three ponies, munching grasses right next to the roadside, at the beginning of the journey home. Snowy egrets were also spotted in the marsh areas.

After brisk beer sales and a spirited bus-side happy hour, a tired, sunburned, but happy group returned to DC.

York County Heritage Trail/Farmers Market -- Saturday, August 29

Friday's forecasts threatened rain and thunderstorms, thanks to a weather system coming in from the West and a hurricane at sea, but they did not deter CHC hikers, who almost filled the bus. Saturday we faced nothing worse than hot muggy air, brightened finally by afternoon sunshine.

The historic Central Market in downtown York, PA lived up to expectations (and/or memories): a surprising variety of high quality fruits, vegetables, pastries, deli foods, organic specialties, kitchen utensils, and more. An arts festival on the street outside, complete with live music, was an unexpected bonus.

The trail itself, following an old railroad bed complete with steel rails and signals, offered similar variety: rolling hills, woods, pasture, farmland, streams, country houses, villages, a tunnel--even a trail-side snack bar where some hikers stopped for ice cream.

We did take time to smell the roses, but the clock ticked on, and we arrived back in DC later than scheduled. At the end of the day, numerous expressions of approval indicated general satisfaction among the returning hikers.

It was a warm day for last Saturday's hike of Jeremy's Run, but our 37 hikers were lucky to be hiking in mostly shady areas near a cool, babbling stream. Club regulars noted it had been some time since the Club last hiked in this area. The 14 (yes, 14!) crossings of Jeremy's Run were not a problem due to the low water levels (photo 1), though some of the mossier rocks did provide tricky footing. Fortunately, on a summer's day, no-one minded if their feet got a little wet.

A particulary beautiful lunch spot (photo 2) was enjoyed by many of the hikers. Bear scat was found along the trail, and many types of wild mushrooms and other fungi were also observed.

The long hikers completed their hike in record time and relaxed near the Mathews Arm campground (photo 3). When the bus arrived to pick them up, a spirited discussion ensued regarding the optimal location for the hike after-party. Following a short drive to the Range View Overlook, which provided a somewhat less buggy and far better view than the campground area, all hikers thoroughly enjoyed their post-hike refreshments (photo 4).

A small black bear was spotted near Skyline Drive during the drive out of the Park, the perfect ending to any hike in Shenandoah!

The hike and tubing trip to Harpers Ferry, WV, wasn't quite a sell-out, but not for want of trying. It seems that the hike leader awoke Saturday morning and realized he had booked 49 people for the trip, even though our bus only has 47 seats. Fortunately, 2 people called to cancel before the 8:00 a.m. departure, but unfortunately 3 other people with reservations failed to show up. So, the trip only had 44 people on it, despite the fact that there were several people on a wait list who would have liked to attend.

Of the 44 attendees, 35 enjoyed an afternoon of tubing down the Potomac River while 9 people opted to do their own thing: exploring Harpers Ferry or hiking either to Maryland Heights or along the C&O Canal Towpath. The river tubing was over some of the best rapids ever, and the Potomac's water was almost bathtub-warm in spots. The only hiccups of the day were when BTI Whitewater showed up at Lock 34 at the scheduled time of 2:00 p.m. with 39 tubes, but only 31 life vests (uh... personal floatation devices), and when one tuber 's money, driver's license and credit card apparently floated away, neatly wrapped in a plastic baggie.

CHC’s hike of the Passamaquoddy Trail and Nicholson Hollow had 34 long hikers and 0 short hikers. It’s pretty unusual that we had no short hikers and, truth be told, that only happened after a little arm-twisting, as one of the Club’s regular long-hikers had planned to do the short hike because of a recent (non-hiking) toe injury. But he toughed out the long hike, so everyone (picture 1) got to enjoy the scenic vistas (picture 2) which were only on the long-hike portion of the hike.

We had a lunch stop in the middle of the Hughes River (picture 3), which was about 100 feet short of our original planned lunch stop at Corbin Cabin. While everyone enjoyed the coolness provided by the extra shade along the river, reports by other hikers of a rattlesnake near the cabin was the real reason for the change in our al fresco dining location.

After lunch, we made our way down the picturesque Nicholson Hollow Trail to the probably not-so-well-kept secret swimming hole in the Hughes River. About a dozen swimmers made use of the powerful falls to get a neck and back massage (picture 4), while the majority of hikers limited the cool waters to nothing higher than their ankles (picture 5).

There were 37 hikers out for CHC's hike over Stony Man and down White Oak Canyon. The 21 long hikers enjoyed the extra distance on the Appalachian Trail at the beginning of the hike, while the short hikers enjoyed a much more leisurely pace, with long breaks to gaze at the scenery from the summit of Stony Man as well as from the patio at Skyland. The highlight of the hike was, of course, the swimming hole at the base of White Oak Canyon's 68-foot waterfall. Although the water seemed a bit brisker than usual because of the unseasonably cool July weather, there were still plenty of hikers (of all age groups) who enjoyed a swim in Shenandoah National Park's best swimming hole. For those who didn't swim, a brief, but strong rain downpour just as they neared the end of the hike guaranteed that almost everyone ended the hike a bit wetter than they began. But, in July, could it really be any better?

CHC’s hike of the Conestoga Trail in Pennsylvania’s Amish country was exactly as promised, with equal parts beauty and challenge. There were 38 hikers who came out for the day’s adventure, with 25 of the hikers opting for the long hike, despite the hike leader’s predictions of “pain and suffering,” which of course was said only kiddingly (or so they thought).

The segment of the hike along Kelly’s Run (picture 1 below) held the first surprise of the day, as there was a rock cairn “garden” in the middle of the run at the 3rd stream crossing (picture 2). The cairns were everywhere – in the stream, on logs, against rock walls, etc. There must have been 20 – 30 cairns in total. They seemed magical.

After a lunch stop at Pinnacle Overlook (picture 3), the hikers continued along the Susquehanna bluff's ascents and descents, often climbing over rock outcroppings (picture 4), before finally reaching Wind Cave (picture 5), which offered a cool respite for the hikers as they neared the end of the trail. A few hikers had opted out earlier and used the railroad that runs along the river to reach the hike’s terminus, but most hikers completed the long hike, though several of them wished they had listened to the hike leader’s prediction! Not everyone thought it was the toughest hike in this area, but many agreed that it should be rated in the top five. All agreed that it was a beautiful hike and everyone enjoyed the day’s adventure.

It was a beautiful day and the CHC bus was nearly full with 45 hikers. Our hike up the Mt. Marshall Trail into Shenandoah National Park was challenging, and though no stream crossings had been promised, there were a few overflows from recent rains onto the Bluff Trail. On the trail to the viewpoint over Big Devils Stairs we were rewarded by multiple sightings of almost-blooming mountain laurel. One hiker commented that it was the prettiest lunch spot we had visited in some time.

There was a bit of excitement at the end of the hike as while refreshments were being enjoyed, it was noted that several hikers were not present, and the sweeps had already returned. Fortunately, most of the missing hikers realized they had overshot the ending of the long hike, and had turned back just prior to being contacted by the hike leaders via cell phone.

While we apologize for the inconvenience of a late return to DC, we hope all hikers will be comforted by the fact that we will exert the same care in searching for you, should you ever go astray on a CHC hike (and it has happened, even to our more experienced hikers!).

This is a good time to remind all hikers to be vigilant in checking for ticks (several hikers found them on Saturday), and to refer to the map when in doubt and at trail junctions. And please do not be afraid to ask the hike leaders any questions you have about the hike before exiting the bus.

If Shenandoah National Park were an amusement park, Little Devils Stairs would be the log ride. Everyone gets wet! Thirty-six hikers came out for our hike up the famous rock-walled gorge known as the stairs on Saturday, May 16. Short hikers enjoyed a walk down the Keyser Fire Road while long hikers looped on a series of trails for more mileage and stream crossings. After lunch at the cemetery at Hull School Trail, both hikes climbed Little Devils Stairs while the water flowed. Most hikers made it back to the bus before the light rain started, but for those of us still on the trail, it felt good after the hard climb.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. In that case, below are four-thousand-words worth of pictures of last Saturday's hike of Old Rag in Shenandoah National Park. But first, just a quick mention that Henry, who became ill on the bus while it was enroute back to DC, was treated and released the same day from the hospital in Warrenton. Henry was suffering from the heat. That's a good reminder for everyone that alternating between water and a sports drinks, like Gatorade, is preferable to only drinking water. It is also important to hydrate properly before the hike.

The below outstanding photos are courtesy of Claudia Seelig. The last one is a fantastic picture of Henry, who besides being an all-around great guy, is also a Vietnam veteran.

Friday evening, CHC had its second moonlight hike of 2009. Approximately 35 people came out for the hike. Although the sky was mostly clouded over, there was still sufficient light along the C&O Canal Towpath to facilitate walking without the aid of a flashlight. One of the highlights of the evening happened every time the moon did shine through a gap in the clouds, as the sudden increase in moonlight was quite startling. After the hike, about half of the hikers headed over to Old Anglers Inn for post-hike refreshments.

Saturday's annual hike to Rose River Falls, Dark Hollow Falls and Lewis Falls was perfectly timed, as the recent rains insured spectacular cascades. In fact, the lunch stop near one particularly large Dark Hollow Falls cascade, when combined with the brisk breeze, resulted in a Niagara Falls-like spray misting the hikers. And when the hikers reached some of the viewpoints, such as at Fishers Gap, the recent rains and brisk breeze offered an additional benefit, in that the air was clearer than usual, resulting in great views. Maybe that is why there was only a single empty seat on the bus -- the 46 hikers who showed up just knew that they were in for a great day of hiking. One final bonus was getting to see an extraordinary number of deer along Skyline Drive.

While we were expecting a full bus based on the 46 reservations, there were 2 people who opted to cancel their reservations when they found out about the bus delay. But that worked out very well for 2 other hikers who were able to get walk-on bus seats. Interestingly, the 46 hikers were exactly split between men and women.

Although the initial ascent of Cedar Run was as challenging as promised, nobody opted to end their hike at the super-short hike distance of 3 miles. Part of everyone's decision to keep hiking may have been influenced by the wonderful views along Cedar Run, as there were numerous waterfalls visible that are often obscured during other times of the year. About a dozen hikers stopped at the end of the 6.7 mile short hike, while the majority of hikers finished after the 9.5 mile medium hike. Fifteen hikers completed the grueling long hike, with the 4900 feet of total ascent being the workout that had been promised. And while the hike had four different planned distance options, there were 6 hikers who had to create their own, opting to add an additional mile onto the medium hike by extending their hike to the originally planned destination of Black Rock.

On the return trip, a few people sitting in the front of a bus got a special treat, as they spotted a bobcat crossing Skyline Drive. As the return time was a bit later than usual due to the bus delay at the start of the day, there were also plenty of opportunities for everyone to see deer along Skyline Drive.

Twenty-nine people came out by bus and another hiker met us at the trailhead for our Saturday, March 14th, hike at Catoctin. Dana Olson, the hike's leader, did a great job with leading her very first hike, although it did take her a few attempts to draw a flour arrow on the ground. But by lunchtime, she was a pro, with a perfect white-flour 'L U N C H' spelled out on the trail near the Thurmont Overlook.

After the hike, about twenty of the hikers plus a few non-hikers met up at Mia's in Bethesda for the post-hike pizza party.

Cunningham Falls

Saturday, March 7 -- Whiteoak Canyon

What is 3 inches deep, covers hundreds of square miles, and can disappear overnight? Snow. Before departing for the Saturday, March 7th, hike of Whiteoak Canyon, the hike leader warned all of the hikers on the bus about the 3 inches of snow he had experienced during his scouting trip just the previous day. Fortunately, nobody heeded the warning, as otherwise some hikers might have missed out on a great 'feels like spring' hike.

47 hikers were signed up for the trip, which is capacity for our 47-seat bus. While 2 hikers did not show up, 2 other hikers did and were able to get seats on the bus as walk-ons.

Upon reaching the end of the short hike at Skyline Drive, about half of the hikers continued on to the Miller's Head vista, although a few hikers who decided to skip the out-and-back trek to Miller's Head found a rather unique spot to wait for the hike leader (see picture 4 below). And while 15 of the hikers did the long hike as planned, 8 other long-hikers opted instead to head up for a second scenic vista at Stony Man.

As far as the snow was concerned, there was enough in the vicinity of the bus for what may be an end-of-the-season snow ball fight, which pitted the long hikers against the hike leader. And that just seemed like a good way to end a beautiful day.

Twenty-nine hikers came out for our hike of the Tuscorara Trail in the Capon Springs area. Before starting the hike, everyone gathered in a circle near the Rt. 55 trailhead for introductions, stating name and current place of residence. Imagine our surprise to discover that one hiker came all the way from Portugal!

While this section of the Tuscorara Trail is a relatively easy hike, several stream crossings and subsequent steep ascents out of the stream valleys still qualified this as a 'Mark Tune' hike for Club regulars. But nobody had more difficulty with the first stream crossing than Mark, who became hung-up on a branch while trying to shimmy over the stream using a fallen tree. While the pictures below don't show that particularly cherishable moment, we're certain that a picture or two will be passed around the bus at some future date. And while that moment was memorable, it was the frozen waterfall at the third stream crossing of the day that was the hike's highlight.

Twenty-four hikers continued with the extra three miles of the long hike, which included the easiest stream crossing of the day.

There were twenty-three hikers out for our hike last Saturday of Little Stony Creek and Halfmoon Lookout. While the hikers were almost split evenly between women and men, there was a lopsided number of short hikers, as only a half-dozen hikers decided to complete the extra distance of the out-and-back to Halfmoon Lookout.

A special thanks to both hike leaders: John Weckel's task of leading the hike involved the extra work of punching footsteps through a thin layer of ice which covered about an inch of snow. His efforts made the trek much easier on the rest of the pack. And Anne Taylor came out to help with the bus routing and to put down arrows for the short hikers, despite a case of laryngitis.

Our hike last Saturday of Knob Mountain was a substitution for the original planned hike of Jeremy's Run, in order to avoid the more-rushing-water-than-hoped-for fourteen stream crossings of Jeremy's Run (picture 1 below). While the PATC map shows two stream crossings to reach the southern terminus of the Knob Mountain trail, a short uphill bushwack (picture 2 below) allowed all hikers to avoid both of these crossings. The Knob Mountain hike turned out to be a perfect alternative, as the extra workout provided by its additional 700 feet of ascent were perfect for the weather that day. In fact, despite temperatures in the 20's, many hikers were down to their short sleeves when the sun broke through for almost an hour during the morning's Knob Mountain ascent.

Half of the day's twenty hikers opted for the short hike, ending at Elkwallow Wayside, while the remaining hikers added to their ascent total for the day by pushing on for the final three miles of the long hike. During their long-hike, they enjoyed watching snow flakes, not so much falling from the skies, but rather magically materializing out of the air. All of the long hikers were glad to see the bus waiting for them at Hogback Overlook.

One person we were especially happy to see on the hike was Nick Raymond, who has returned after a final tour of duty through Afghanistan and Africa. Nick may have needed a self-described 'geezer pass' to allow him to serve on that final tour of duty, but his self-appointed service at the short-hike/long-hike cutoff on this particular hike was invaluable. We all owe Nick a special thanks.

Although the temperature gauge was reading a very brisk 5 degrees (F) at the start of the hike, the 14 hikers who came out for the January 17th hike of the Seneca Creek Greenway Trail all had dispositions that matched the morning's sunny skies. Starting from the trail's terminus at the Potomac River, the hikers followed the trail upstream. While most of the creek crossings had nicely constructed bridges to facilitate the crossings, there was one crossing that required a choice between log versus rocks. Most hikers opted for crossing the creek via the log, with some walking and others shimmying across it. The choice for the lunch stop was a particularly sunny spot on the banks of the creek.

After eight mostly flat miles, the short hike ended at the remains of Black Rock Mill. As the eight long hikers continued on the trail past the mill, they encountered much more rolling terrain. The extra exertion offered by the terrain was a benefit, as despite a warming in the temperature to the low 20's, it actually felt cooler due to an increase in the cloud cover. The long hike, in particular, offered some of the day's highlights, including numerous deer sightings and encountering beaver-chewed trees. All hikers were done by 3:30, which resulted in an early return to DC.

One question that was never answered that day, however, was why were there only 4 men on the hike as opposed to the 10 women who came out for it...?

Our hike in Harpers Ferry coincided with the celebration of Yuletide 1864. While hiking in Harpers Ferry is often akin to taking a step back in time, the numerous costumed re-enactors made last Saturday's hike particularly memorable, including 'Civil War' Santa.

The morning chill quickly dissipated as the thirty-seven hikers made their way up Maryland Heights. Layers of clothing came off during the ascents, just to be put back on during any flat or downhill stretches. The view from the Heights of Harpers Ferry across the Potomac River was particularly breathtaking, as it always is.

Rather than eating their prepared sack lunches, many of the hikers opted to enjoy a hot meal back in Harpers Ferry. While about 15 people did proceed with the afternoon hike over Loudoun Heights, most people opted to take advantage of the unique Harpers Ferry stores to do some Christmas shopping or hung around to watch the Yuletide 1864 events. Another favorite afternoon activity was visiting the Appalachian Trail Conservancy Visitor Center, which was celebrating its annual open house with hot drinks, homemade cookies, exhibits, a raffle, and merchandise discounts for those who joined (as several hikers did).

As we boarded the bus to leave, snow flakes had started filling the air, which wasn't surprising, as it was just that kind of magical day.

Our hike on November 22nd could justifiably be called the Club’s “Whiskey Hike” on at least two counts. The route wound its way through the “Hazel Country” of Shenandoah National Park, an area which before the establishment of the Park in 1935 had a certain reputation for the lawlessness of its inhabitants. The making of moonshine appears to have been an important local industry. The Sams Ridge, Hazel River and White Rocks trails go past and through a number of isolated “hollers” that evidently were ideal locations for placing stills. Our 41 hikers got a definite appreciation for the inaccessibility of the area through the steepness of some sections of these trails. However, the stiff climbs also ensured that everyone could get thoroughly warmed-up on a day where the temperature scarcely exceeded freezing. Nonetheless, it was possible to linger a bit over lunch in a cozy, sunlit, wind-sheltered hollow alongside the Hazel River that felt like a long way from anywhere.

About one-third of the group made it to Skyline Drive before the cutoff time for continuing on the long hike. The final three miles involved yet another initial steep climb, but again it served to warm people up before attaining the exposed and windy snow-covered ridge crest. A few brave souls ventured up the spur trail to Mary’s Rock, but it wasn’t the kind of day for lingering to enjoy the view.

With everyone finally back aboard the bus, the next stop was the Copper Fox Distillery in Sperryville, where owner Rick Wasmund provided a tour. He took the group step-by-step through the process of producing Wasmund’s single malt whiskey, which differs from traditional Scotch by being flavored with applewood and cherrywood smoke instead of peat (of which not a lot is to be found in northern Virginia.) Rick is a natural entertainer, and he kept the group of tired and sweaty hikers quite engaged for an hour, at which point the group repaired to the bus and headed home. The return trip was however enlivened by a tasting of the distillery’s product en route. It was a mellow and contented group that arrived back in the DC metro area, with a general consensus that yes, we should do this again (hic!) next year.

Fresh off the bus for the beginning of the hike

Rick Wasmund entertains the hikers during the tour of the Copper Fox Distillery

On Saturday, the Capital Hiking Club lucked in to another gorgeous fall day for their hike to Robertson Mountain in SNP. A full bus resulted in three hikers opting to carpool to the hike's start in the Old Rag parking lot in Nethers, VA.

Hikers were given 'fair warning' about the climb up Robertson Mountain. One experienced hiker described it as the second-steepest climb in SNP. Still, a good number of hikers set off on the steep Robertson Mountain trail, while other hikers continued their ascent of the Weakley Hollow Fire Road. The long hikers were rewarded with great views of Old Rag Mountain and beautiful blue skies as they trudged up and up and up. The hard-earned summit provided even more expansive views as well as sightings of several large birds gliding gracefully on the air currents. Although the parking lot in Nethers was almost full, which probably meant that the nearby Old Rag trails were overcrowded with fall foliage seekers, we had the gorgeous views from the summit of Robertson Mountain all to ourselves.

After the hike, there was plenty of time for socializing, drinking beer, or relaxing -- or even all three! Our return to DC was just as planned, which is really how the whole day went.

Picture 1: Awaiting the start up the Robertson Mountain Trail

There was an overflow crowd of hikers on October 18. That wasn't surprising, as the weather was perfect for a autumn foliage hike. Since the bus couldn't acommodate more people than its 47 seats would hold, several people decided to carpool to the trailhead. Unfortunately, an overturned truck on I-66 necessitated a detour, causing one carload of hikers to lose their way to the trailhead. Having a reserved seat on the bus is definitely worthwhile, and this was one week where booking a few extra days in advance was necessary, as there were 47 reservations by the Wednesday preceeding the hike!

At its lower elevations, the trail to Signal Knob passed many blazing red-leafed trees. Watching an eagle was another highlight of the trip for many of the hikers.

Co-leader Ann Gordon, the sweep for the hike, was hoping to get a group photo back at the bus, but the bus was ready for immediate departure as soon as all had finished the hike. Instead, she passed along the following pictures, which were taken during the hike.

We left 16th and I St. right on time at 8:00 AM, but within a few blocks of our on-time departure, we noticed a great deal of smoke coming from the back of the bus. We made it to Rosslyn and checked on the bus -- it had a flat tire. Changing a tire on a bus isn''t easily done, so we called for a replacement bus. An hour and a half later, we departed Rosslyn. Thank goodness there is a Starbucks in the Key Bridge Marriott, so nobody seemed to mind the wait too much. All of the hikers who got on at DC and Rosslyn elected to stay with the bus and continue on to Big and Little Schloss.

A beautiful early fall day inspired 46 hikers to join the Neighbor Mountain hike on October 4. The Club’s Treasurer was particularly gratified to see an almost-full bus!

The beginnings of fall colors greeted us as we climbed the remote Neighbor Mtn. trail. An early stream crossing of Jeremy’s Run posed no problems for the intrepid CHC hikers. There were a number of fisherman near the crossing—hopefully we did not scare away too much of their catch.

As we climbed higher on the trail, a beautiful view of the Shenandoah Valley opened up along a relatively flat section of trail—perhaps the only such section! Both long and short hikers agreed the ever-ascending trail was a great workout.

Though most hikers noticed an unusually large and fresh “deposit” of bear scat on the trail, only 3 of the short hikers had the good fortune to see a black bear (yearling) scamper across Skyline Drive after descending from the Byrd’s Nest shelter.

Keith, our regular bus driver, spotted another black bear as we left Shenandoah during our descent on Route 211, so all hikers were able to see one bear.

The only low point to the day was running out of beer, for which the hike leader sincerely apologized. It seems she was not accustomed to having a full bus!

The September 27 hike near the Susquehanna River in Pennsylvania, was attended by 26 hikers who didn't let the rain keep them from exploring a very scenic section of the Mason-Dixon Trail. Although this hike was immediately across the river from the famous (or, for some, infamous) Conestoga Trail, this section of the Mason-Dixon Trail from Oakland Run past Peavine Island to Lock 15 was a relatively easy hike.

Yes, it rained. In fact, it rained buckets. Nearby Baltimore recorded over 3 inches of rain that day. The hikers opted skipping lunch at the planned stop of Holtwood Dam, as nobody wanted a soaking wet peanut butter sandwich. After the dam, a small contingent of hikers headed straight for the bus via a shorter road-walking route, while most hikers continued on the trail. It was a day that proved two things: yes, it is possible to hike with an umbrella, and once you are totally soaked, no amount of rain is going to bother you any further. Fortunately, the air temperature was perfect, so nobody got chilled from the excessive moisture.

After all hikers had a late lunch back on the bus at the end of the short hike, 15 hikers decided to leave the dry confines of the bus and continue for another 2 miles on the long hike. Their reward was an excursion across scenic Peavine Island along with a decrease in the deluge. Several hikers rated Peavine Island the best part of the hike.

After the hike, it was a short drive to Sunny Hill Farm. Mel and Jean Teal, proprietors, greeted us with the best sight of the day -- a dry greenhouse in which they had set up a cheese tasting, samples of apple pie, and hot apple cider. Purchases of fresh produce, baked goods, cheese, jams and other items followed -- in particular, you had to be quick to get your favorite type of pie. I know personally that the peach praline pie was one of the best peach pies I've ever had and that the white-yellow corn was delicious.

On Sunday, August 31, a full bus of 47 'hikers' headed out for Assateague Island. Although the reservation list was full several days in advance, 9 walk-ons were able to find seats on the bus. Amazingly, the 47 hikers were split almost exactly between CHC members and non-members.

The bus ride to Assateague Island couldn't have been better, as the potential backup at the Chesapeake Bay Bridge turned out to be non-existent. We arrived at the Assateague Island Visitor Center 1/2 hour earlier than anticipated.

While most 'hikers' did some walking on the beach, only 4 hikers made it all the way to the Ocean City Inlet, a round-trip distance of 14 miles. Pam, a new CHC member, topped everyone by doing not only the 14 mile beach hike but also adding an additional 1.5 miles of hiking by starting at the Visitor Center.

It truly was a perfect outing: no traffic, sunny skies, wild ponies including a foal less than 2 weeks old, and an uncrowded beach.

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Hike Recaps and Photos, 2008-09

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