I spent 10 days in the Galapagos exploring the San Cristobal, Isabela, Santa Cruze, and Santa Fe islands in the air, on land, and sea (kind of like a Marine).  Each island had an individual personality that left lots to explore and discover each time we moved to a new location.  This was definitely one of my favorite vacations of all time.  I would go back in a heart beat!

This trail (which gets its name from a giant rock formation that sits at the top of Cove mountain) really has it all, challenging terrain, scenic views, it is well maintained, and it is pretty easy to get to from I-95. I hiked this trail after a snow that blew through over night and it left the trails slick and icy.  There were a few groups out hiking the same day I went, several turned around because the trails on the shadowy side of the hills were covered with ice.

This trail is not for the faint-hearted. With 1,500 feet of elevation gain over 5.25 miles this trail takes some sweat to complete. But, by the time you haul your ass up the huge rock outcrop on top of Cove Mt you’ll see it’s well worth it. Making it to the top of the Dragon’s tooth is a bit of a scramble, so be careful and take it slow.

Keep in mind that unless you are comfortable hauling you 4-legged companion up and down sheer rock faces, this trail is not dog friendly. On the way to the summit there were 3 or 4 faces I had to help Chaco scramble up, and on at least one face I had to throw her over my shoulder and carry her.

Getting there:

From I-495 take I-66 west to exit 1A.  Take I-81 south for about 159 miles to exit 141 and hang a right on Va-419, Electric Rd.   Turn right onto Va-311.  Follow 311 north for about 9.6 miles.  Look for the Dragon’s Tooth sign on the left side of the road where you can park in the gravel lot.

Trail data:

The Dragon’s Tooth trail is really well marked and easy to follow.

0.0 From the parking area, look for the large trail head kiosk with a map of the Dragon’s Tooth trail route. Follow the blue-blazed trail.

0.25 Intersect with the yellow-blazed Boy Scout trail.  Continue along the blue-blazed Dragons Tooth trail for another 1.4 miles crossing a small creek about 7-8 times until you cross the white-blazed Appalachian Trail (AT).

1.65 Turn right onto the AT heading south toward Cove Mountain and the Dragon’s Tooth monolith.  Take the AT for about .7 miles over really steep, rocky terrain.  At times you will scramble up sheer rock faces and some stints of via ferrata.

2.35 The path levels out near the top of Cove Mountain.

2.65 Reach the base of the Dragon’s tooth.  If you walk around to the right side of the monolith you can find a wide crack suitable to scramble up to the tip of the boulder.  Its pretty easy, but the top is narrow and windy… be extremely careful.  Once you are finished at the top, retrace your foot steps down the steep side of Cove Mountain to the intersection of the AT and the blue-blazed Dragon’s Tooth Spur Trail.

3.65 Reach the intersection of the blue-blazed Dragon’s Tooth Spur Trail, bear right to continue on along the white-blazed AT.

4.7 Reach the yellow blazed Boy Scout connector trail and take a left.  Follow the trail back to the Dragon’s Tooth Trail.

5.0 arrive at the Dragon’s Tooth Trail and take a right.

5.25 return to the parking area.

196.5 miles blogged to date.

And, as we start a new year (totally meant to get this post out last month), I think its time for me to set some new goals. I have 3 fitness goals for this year. First, is to break the 500 mile mark on the miles blogged, so that’s a goal of about 308 miles for this year. Second, is to start running races. Third, I want to get back into mountain biking.

I know… ambitious. But I think I can get there with a little planning. I want to do more trail running to train for races. I’m thinking about trying to run a couple of 5Ks and maybe a 10K this year. We will see. But in training for these races, I’ll have to go on some longer runs and trail running seems like just the ticket.

Also, in this new year, I want to do more cross-training. For me, mountain biking sounds like a great way to get that done. I’ve got the ole’ Cannondale at the bike shop getting a tune up as we speak. Riding the bike will open up new trail opportunities and bigger miles getting me closer to the 300 mile goal (I hope).

Any way, here’s to an exciting new year with many adventures ahead. I’ve just got to keep on trucking this year and I think these goals will knock themselves out.

Cheers!

We had a great short hike, about 2.6 miles in all. All and all a cool outing.

191.3 miles blogged to date.

Along the way, we took in some amazing late winter scenery.  Naked forests dotted with the occasional pine made for beautiful panoramas.

The Devil’s Staircase hike takes hikers to the edge of the Shenandoah Park in a deep valley.  There are great opportunities for scenic views and the vertical gain is a great workout.

Trail Data:

Getting there: From I-495, take I-66 W for about 51 miles.  Take exit 13 toward Virginia 79/VA-55/Linden/Front Royal and take an immediate right onto VA 55 W.  Follow VA 55 W for about 5.2 miles.  Take a left onto Virginia 79/VA-55/Linden/Front Royal and in .2 miles take aother left onto Skyline Drive.  Follow Skyline Drive for about 17.5 miles, the trailhead is on the left (near 38.767944,-78.233533 according to google maps).

The Hike:  From the parking area at Gravel Springs Gap,  follow the yellow blazed fire-road. The white blazed Appalachian Trail will follow the fire-road on the right for the first 200 yards. The fire-road will begin to descend more steeply before making a  turn to the right at the first intersection.

Hang a left following the yellow-blazed horse trail towards Big Devils Stairs (the fire road will now become blue blazed as it heads towards Gravel Springs Shelter). Follow the yellow-blazed horse trail for about a tenth of a mile to the next intersection. Turn left

remaining on the yellow blazed trail (again the blue blazed trail to the right goes to the shelter). In 200 yards the yellow-blazed trail arrives at the intersection of the yellow blazed Bluff Trail.

Turn left on the yellow-blazed Bluff trail towards Big Devils Stairs, it heads north around the mountain for 1.4 miles to the intersection of the blue blazed Big Devils Stairs trail.

Turn right downhill on the blue blazed Big Devils Stairs Trail initially passing through an area of Mountain Laurel.  The trail will then make several switchbacks in the next 0.4 miles to the first small overlook. Steeply descend rock steps and reach the first of the two main overlooks of the gorge and valley.

Continue down the trail for another 120 yards to the second overlook.  The second overlook is the turn around point. From here the trail continues down to the stream and park boundary. There is no public access from the lower section of the trail.

188.7 miles blogged to date.

I hit the road late Friday evening heading west into the early winter darkness. Rolling out I-66 past Warrenton, Strasberg, and into Wild and Wonderful West Virginia to pick up the track that would lead me on a 19.5 mile hike to Big Schloss, (or the Rock House as some of the locals referred to it) a stony bald mountain top in the Lee Ranger District. As I pulled into the trail head parking area, I decided to camp for the night and begin my walk early in the morning.

Saturday morning, I woke up as the sun was peeking over the mountains surrounding the valley I had camped in.  I got to work cooking breakfast and packing up camp for the day’s journey, hitting the trail for what would end up being a 13 mile day.  I hefted my pack which weighed far too much, maybe the pint of 15 year old scotch was an unnecessary luxury… I figure its a good painkiller though.

Hitting the trail, I followed a stream for the first couple of miles crossing back and forth hopping from treacherously slippery rock to rock.  Then the trail ascended the first of several hills along the way.  Near the top of the first hill I bumped into a couple of gentlemen hunting bears (a surprisingly high-tech affair with GPS dog trackers and sensors that alert the hunter to when the dog team has treed a bear, wild stuff).  From that encounter it was another 9 miles to the target of my hike, Big Schloss.

The view toward Half Moon Mountain

Along the way to the Big Schloss Cut Off Trail, I bumped into a second group of bear hunters, had lunch and checked out a scenic view.  The high ridge line, occasionally referred to as The Devil’s Backbone,  along the way provides many opportunities to stop and study the surrounding landscape, which is beautiful.

Arriving at the Big Schloss Cut Off Trail, I dropped my pack and hiked the mile and a half to the rocky mountain top.  And it was beautiful, well worth the hike.  The 360 degree view afforded by the Rock House is spectacular, especially as grey storm clouds wafted through the sky allowing streams of sunlight to pour on the valley below.  Having thoroughly explored Big Schloss, it was off to find the evening’s camp site.

By the time I made it back to the Big Schloss Cut-off Trail it was about an hour and a half until sun down, so I turned up the pace to get a few more miles under my belt before darkness fell. Most of the evening’s hike was down hill, so gravity was doing most of the work, but I booked it several miles to an established campground on the back side of my 20 mile loop trail.

After I set up the shelter, I struck a fire, and cooked my freeze-dried meal on the stove.  As I waited for my lentils and whatever to rehydrate, I kicked around camp dragging fallen wood back to the fire-pit to stoke the evening’s fire while I enjoyed a little whiskey.  After dinner, I headed down to the stream to replenish my water.  Then it was off to sleep.

The next morning I woke up to the unmistakeable sound of raindrops smacking into my rain fly.

I let out a groan.

Then got into gear and started preparing for a wet hike out.  I made breakfast under the shelter, struck my soggy camp and bailed out for home.

All of the trails turned into drainage ditches as the rain kept falling.  40 degree wind whipped across the ridge-line as I hiked back toward the parking area.  Hiking fast was my best defense against getting chilled to the bone, and every break I took to check my map was a cold lesson in suffering.  Luckily I had pushed through more than half of the distance of the hike on Saturday leaving only about 6 miles to cover in the down-pour.

At the end of the day, I got to enjoy the last warm day in December.  Good enough for me.

Victory shot as I arrived back at the trail head.

 183 miles blogged to date!

Trail Data:

If You don’t want to commit to a two-day trip, check out Hikingupward.com.  They outline a 4.1 mile there-and-back hike to Big Schloss.

There is also a 13 mile day-hike option if you park near the junction of FR-92 and Little Stony Creek Trail.  That is actually a great option for those looking to see a broader swath of the Lee Ranger District in one Day.

The trip notes below are from The Falcon Guide: Hiking Virginia, Second ED. pg 150 – 152.

Getting there:  From I-495, take I-66 West to Strasburg, then follow the signs to I81 South.  Take Exit 296 and turn right Turn right onto US-48 W/VA-55 W/John Marshall Hwy, follow VA-55 W for about 20 miles crossing into West Virginia. In Wardensville, bear left at the Virginia Route 55/Virginia Route 259 junction.  In a half a mileturn left onto Carpenters Avenue at the 7-Eleven store.  In 0.8 of a mile, turn right onto Waites Run Road (WV 5/WV 1).  Pass a community park on the left.  Enter George Washington National Park in 1.3 miles (there isn’t really a sign for it, but you’re there).  In 5.3 miles, reach a concrete bridge spanning Waites Run, there is a sign indicating that you are in the Wilson Cove Wildlife Management Area.  There are pull-offs on both sides of the road and several camp sites for late arrivals.

The Hike:

0.0 Start from a signboard for Pond Run Trail (a.k.a. the Tuscarora Trail) about 15 yards up the road from the concrete bridge spanning Waites Run.  Follow the blue blazed foot path.

0.5 Make the first of eight stream crossings. (note: Green blazes mark the boundary of the WMA, not the trail).

1.4 After crossing Pond Run once again, the trailpasses a thick trunked hemlock and climbs a rocky path up the hillside.

2.2 Enter a stand of ferns in the saddle between Mill Mountain and Half Moon Mountain.

2.4 Reach a grassy junction.  Turn left and immediately pass a camp site with fire pit on the right.  (Note: About a tenth of a mile past the campsite, you’ll find a spring, the last reliable water source for about 3 miles.)  From the camp site, there is a short side path marked by white “i” shaped blazes that will take you to an amazing overlook.

2.7 Bear left onto a narrow, rocky, blue-blazed footpath.  Avoid the old road that ascends to the right.

3.9 The Tuscarora Trail empties into a clearing.  Head straight through the clearing and onto the Mill Mountain trail, a dirt road overgrown with grasses.

4.3 Find a trail to a now destroyed air beacon.  The trail to the beacon is overgrown with huckleberries which bloom in June.

5.4 After a steep, rocky decline, reach a sandstone spring shaded by hemlocks.  This is a great water source and camping area.

6.0 A wooden sign points to an unmarked trail to a great overlook west to Long Mountain.  You can see the spine of the Great North Mountain.

6.7 Reach the Big Schloss Cut-off Trail.  From here, the Big Schloss outcrop is about 1.2 miles away.  You can drop your pack here carrying only lunch, water, and a camera for a more enjoyable detour.

7.9 Reach Big Schloss.  Poke around. Head back toward your pack.

9.1 Back at the junction of the Mill Mountain Trail and the Big Schloss Cut-off Trail, descend the East slope of Mill Mountain along steep switch-backs and stands of Mountain Laurel.

10.8 Pass a sign board inviting hikers to join the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club (PATC), a trail maintenance group.  At the bottom of the slope take a left onto the gravel road, FR 92.

11.7 Reach Little Stony Creek Trail ascending to the left off of FR 92.  Its a yellow-blazed trail that follows the creek.  There are 2 campsites along the creek at around the 12 or 13 mile marks.

15.2 Reach Sugar Knob Cabin, a PATC-sponsored Shelter.  You can rent the cabin for a weekend, otherwise it is locked.

15.3 Turn left onto the Tuscarora/Big Blue Trail, a wide Road overgrown with grasses.

15.9 Turn right onto Pond Run Trail and head down hill along the trail.

19.5 Hike ends at Waites Run Road.  Head back to your the car, open the cooler in the trunk, enjoy cold beer.

My hiking companion

Howdy wilderness fans!  You may have guessed this, I am a dog person… dyed in the wool, through and through.  It wasn’t always that way, I never had pets growing up, but I met my first dog, Chaco, when I was 27.  We had a bit of a bumpy start, adjusting to a new way of life and all, but over the course of the first year Chaco became a true friend.

You’ve all seen Chaco on the trail with me, and its been great having a four legged friend to take along on adventures.  Taking a dog on the trail does take some special considerations though, here are a few of the things I have learned hiking with Chaco.

Planning to hit the trail

Check that your intended route is  suitable for dogs. Surprisingly, dogs are not allowed on every back-county trail.  Dogs are barred from trails for several reasons.  When I was hiking in Florida, I found that there were many trails off limits to pets because of the presence of predators, for example alligators.  Here in Virginia, the Old Rag trail in the Shenandoah is off limits because of the rock scrambles.

Ease your dog into hiking.  That morning or afternoon walk may not be sufficient to condition your critter to a longer hike.  Ensure your companion has some practice on medium-length hikes before taking on long day-hikes or backpacking trips.  Conditioning trips also offer an opportunity to introduce your dog to a backpack, boots, and other gear that takes some time getting used to.

Incremental approach to carrying a load.  I’ve found that Chaco loves her backpack, I think she likes having a job on a hike.  She never carries much, on a day trip she carries her water, food, bowls, and a Frisbee.  On longer trips she carries the same stuff, but more food.  Most of the guidance I have seen and been given by my vet indicates that a healthy dog can work up to carry about one-third of his or her weight.

Be prepared for an emergency.  Dogs, like people, sometimes need medical assistance on the trail, so get schooled in pet first-aid.  Sites such as peteducation.com have good information about dogs, including articles about first aid. The Red Cross offers first-aid classes.  You can also find books such as The Field Guide To Dog First Aid by Randy Acker, DVM.

Getting Out

Packing for your dog.  I’ve talked about what I carry when I hit the trail.  I always keep a headlamp, first aid kit, emergency shelter, map/compass, ect in my bag.  I try to go through a routine with Chaco’s pack to make sure she has everything she needs. I usually keep the following in Chaco’s pack :

• 2 x 1 liter Platypus  water bottles
• bags for poo
• 2 x collapsible bowls
• a clip on safety-light in case it gets dark
• Frisbee
• Food

On longer outings with Chaco, long day-hikes of 9 miles + or overnighters, I pack about 2 times as much food as she normally eats.  This isn’t all kibble, I include snacks and treats that have a little more fat to keep her energy up.

Sleeping arrangements. Chaco definitely sleeps in the tent on overnight trips, she often gets a little spooked by nocturnal critters and I like keeping her inside on her camping bed.  Chaco loves her inflatable camping bed.  It has soft fleece on top, and a durable nylon sleeve to keep her claws from puncturing the open foam insulation layer, REI sells them for about $50 if I remember correctly.  If temperatures dip below 55 degrees, Chaco needs more than her bed.  I’ve rigged a section of inexpensive, synthetic-fill blanket to cover her on colder nights.

Dog clothing.  No, I’m not talking about sweaters and funny hats.  If you are venturing out in cold or wet weather, or if you are traveling over rough terrain, you need to think about your Dog’s comfort.  On longer trips, in spring, fall, or winter I like to have a warming layer and a water-proofing layer for Chaco.  This is makes lounging around the camp or slow hikes more comfortable for her.  On rock outcrops, boulder scrambles, and along roads, I keep a pair of dog-booties handy to protect Chaco’s pads from damage.  Tearing a pad can really turn a hike in to a drudge for a dog.

On a side note, we need to have a heart to heart with the weather channel or NOAA or whoever names these storms.  “Sandy”… really?  We couldn’t come up with a scarier name for a devastating hurricane that swallowed the whole East Coast than SANDY?  We couldn’t name it Jason or Dracula or something? Effing lame man.

I may need a new prescription for my glasses.  Because when I initially looked at this sign (see right) I totally thought it said “fun starts here!”

Any way, A buddy and I strolled from the parking area at River Bend Park down to the Potomac.  Needless to say, it was a little high.  Here’s what we saw along the way.

This section of the GeorGeorge Washington National Forrest is home to stands of new- and old-growth forest making views of the fall colors especially spectacular.  Young maples and oaks burst with bright golds and deep reds while the pines add a smattering of een to the mix.  Autumn really is my favorite time to get out and hike!

The Laurel Run – Stack Rock trail is a nice little hike, easily accomplished in an afternoon.  Its a short 6.9 miles with about 1600 feet of vertical gain over the course of the hike.  The trail also boasts some spectacular views as you follow a ridge-line connecting the Stack Rock and Laurel Run trails.  Another interesting thing about this trail is a series of wildlife clearings and ponds great for birding and wildlife watching.

There are good spots for camping along the Laurel Run – Stack Rock loop if you were thinking about using this as a bearing off point for a multi-day trip.  There are also several water sources.  The moving water would be good to boil, but you had better bring a filter for the pond water… its a little scummy.

Getting there:

From I-495, take I66 West.  Take I-66 W to I-81 South.  Take I-81 S for 17 miles to Exit 283, VA 42.  Take a right onto SR 675.  Go ahead for 3.1 miles, careful to take a left after the one lane bridge.Bear left onto SR 717; in 2.4 miles, turn right onto SR 691 at Liberty Furnace.  In 0.4 miles, cross the one-lane bridge and turn left onto FDR 25 (Laurel Run Road).  Follow Laurel Run Road for about 1.5 miles, find the parking area where the blazes along FDR 252 changes from yellow to blue.  (there is a gate along FDR 252, if it is closed… park and hike along FDR 252 to the trail head, about a mile)

Trail Data:

0.0 Leave FDR 25 following the yellow-blazed trail passing a locked gate and 2 small streams.

0.2 Begin ascent.

0.5 There is a wildlife clearing on the right with 2 ponds on the upper end of the clearing.

1.0 There is a second wildlife clearing on the left.  Continue your ascent.

1.9 Large flat rocks block the trail to vehicles from above.

2.0 Paths left are alternate routs to the pond ahead.

2.2 Hang a left on the orange blazed North Mountain Trail.  Begin another ascent along the ridge (this ridge is the state line between Virginia and West Virginia).

3.0 Amazing view on the left! Continue to follow the ridge.

4.4 Come to the intersection with the Stack Rock Trail, blazed purple.  At this point, you can continue along the North Mountain Trail to the intersection with the Falls Ridge Trail, a great lunch spot (Otherwise take a left on the Stack Rock Trail).

4.6 Having returned along the North Mountain Trail, take a right on the purple blazed and descend along the switch backs.

5.0 Blazed trail to the left leads to an off-trail view.

5.1 Where the trail turns left sharply, scramble off to the right to a rocky overlook.

6.1 Intersection with FDR 252/Blue Blazed Laurel Run Spur Trail.  Go north on FDR 252, following blue blazes, passing wildlife clearings on the right.

6.9 Return full circle to the Laurel Run Trail.

(163.5 Miles Blogged to Date)

On my most recent adventure, I had the opportunity to bag two of east Africa’s amazing peaks (leaving a couple for future expeditions) including Mt. Longonot and Mt. Kenya.  These two treks were definitely some of the best hiking I have done in a long time.  Below are recounts of both trips:

Hung Over on Longonot:

OK… so, hiking Mt. Longonot is is probably the worst hangover cure ever conceived of by man.  Especially when you are a flat-lander like me and you attempt to hike to the 9000 ft summit on your first week in country.

That said, this is probably on the list of my favorite hikes of all time.  Partially owing to the difficulty of the hike (I do love a challenge) and partially owing to the geography.  Wikipedia will tell you that Mount Longonot is a stratovolcano (what ever that is) located southeast of Lake Naivasha in the Great Rift Valley of Kenya. It is thought to have last erupted in the 1860s and up until the past 15 or 20 years, there were boiling mud pits and steamy geysers in the area.  Longonot’s name is derived from the Maasai (the population indigenous to the area) word oloonong’ot, meaning “mountains of many spurs” or “steep ridges”.  I totally can’t confirm any of that, but I’m gonna go with it since it makes me sound smart and I don’t feel like doing actual research.

The trail runs from the park entrance up to the crater rim, and continues in a loop encircling the crater. The entire hike is only about 9 km (5.6 mile) long but very (and I mean very) steep, so that the round trip of park gate – Longonot Peak – park gate took us around 5 hours of hiking. The gate sits at about 2,150 m (7,054 ft) and the peak at 2780 m (9,121 ft) but following the jagged rim involves more than the 630 m (2,067 ft) vertical difference.  The trail is poorly maintained and erosion is apparent making the trek difficult in many places.  Moreover, the trail is covered in pumice stone making the trail similar to hiking up a sandy dune (read painful slow hiking with tenuous footing).

That said, the views are amazing.  Longonot contains a large 8 x 12 km caldera formed by vast eruptions some 21,000 years ago. The current summit cone was developed within the earlier caldera. This cone itself is capped by an 1.8 km crater.   A forest of small trees covers the crater floor. The mountain is home to various species of wildlife, notably zebra and giraffe and buffaloes (droppings on the rim). Leopards have also been reported but are extremely difficult to spot (I sure didn’t see any).

There is a sign pointing to a trail that would lead down to the crater floor, however it was really steep and looked like one would need technical gear to get in and out safely.  That is definitely on the list for the next time.

5 Days on Mt. Kenya:

What can I say about Mt. Kenya?  W O W!  That’s what.  I’ve not done much high altitude hiking and Mt. Kenya was a great introduction. Mount Kenya is the highest mountain in Kenya and the second-highest on the African continent, after Kilimanjaro. The highest peaks of the mountain are Batian (5,199 metres (17,057 ft)), Nelion (5,188 metres (17,021 ft)) and Point Lenana (4,985 metres (16,355 ft)). Mount Kenya is located in central Kenya, just south of the equator, around 150 kilometres (93 mi) north-northeast of the capital Nairobi.

Old Moses, Day 1.

Sunset after a rainy day on the trail.

My Mt. Kenya expedition was a 5 day trip where we hiked up  the non-technical demi-summit Point Lenana, no small feat.  Our trek began with two days of hiking toward the base of Mt. Kenya.  Days one and two covered about 19 or 20 kilometers (about 11 miles and 1.1 vertical miles) to Shimptons Camp at 4200 meters (13779 ft).  Day three we had an acclimatization day where we hiked about half of the distance to Lenana, this was really critical to our morale and to our lungs.  Day four was our summit day…  We woke up at 3:00 am for a three hour trek to Point Lenana 16,335 ft.

On the Trail to Shimptons

Arriving at Shimptons… in the snow

The views from the top were AMAZING and our early start allowed us to watch the sun come up from the peak.  I was surprised to find out that my bite valve froze on my Osprey pack… I suppose I shouldn’t have been because we encountered snow and hail above 13,000 feet.

After we took in the view we embarked on a 27 kilometer (17 miles) hike from the summit to the base camp where we stayed the night before returning to Nairobi.  All in all, a pretty great trip!

Yeah… there are views

(Miles blogged to date: 156.6)