View Full Version : Columbus Day weekend 2009 in central VA?
Rain Man
09-04-2009, 11:06
I am planning an Appalachian Trail section hike for the long Columbus Day weekend with a past thru-hiker. If interested in joining us, feel free to contact me. These plans are tentative. Because of all the road crossings, anyone could join (or leave) for part of the hike only, if they wanted or needed.
55 miles on the AT in central VA, from Roanoke to Glasgow, in three and a half days.
10/8 Thursday evening, leave Nashville and drive over to Roanoke/Troutville, VA
10/9 Friday, hike 17 miles from Hwy 11 to Bobblets Gap Shelter
10/10 Sat, hike 13 miles to Bryant Ridge Shelter
10/11 Sun, hike 17 miles to Marble Springs campsite
10/12 Mon (Columbus Day), hike 8 miles to the James River and drive back to Nashville, TN
I figure that it would be easier for someone to get off work Friday than Tuesday.
We would cross the Blue Ridge Parkway 12 times and go near at least one town during the hike, if someone needed to bail out (or wanted to join us late). I don't see any killer climbs on the profile map. I will arrange a shuttle with some local person, hopefully to shuttle our vehicle rather than us (unless we have two vehicles and do our own shuttling).
This is considered a STRENUOUS hike, though with proper conditioning, an old fat guy (me!) can do it.
Questions? Suggestions? If anyone familiar with the area has any hints or comments, I'd be very happy to hear them.
Rain Man
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FishBone
09-04-2009, 11:44
Hi Rain Man -
thanks for posting the trip!
put me down as a "possible"; I need to check to see if the dates are still free.
sounds like a good hike but I will be in St Louis that weekend
Rain Man
09-04-2009, 18:50
put me down as a "possible"; I need to check to see if the dates are still free.
Okay, just keep me posted.
Rain Man
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Rain Man
09-05-2009, 11:01
I need to check to see if the dates are still free.
I heard that your wife and my wife were talking last evening about whether your "dates are still free." LOL
Good news is, it sounds like she's going to let you go?! :)
Rain Man
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FishBone
09-07-2009, 08:20
Yeah, my people were talking to your people.+;)
the dates are good; so I'm a GO!
I can take the day off, if we want to leave early in the day on Thursday, which I would prefer. getting to sleep after midnight and hiking 17 miles the next day would be a grind; do-able, but not preferred.
keep me posted.
Rain Man
09-07-2009, 14:09
I can take the day off, if we want to leave early in the day on Thursday, which I would prefer. getting to sleep after midnight and hiking 17 miles the next day would be a grind; do-able, but not preferred.
I agree. I just assume other folks might be able to take a Friday off, but harder to take off a Thursday and a Friday before a holiday Monday. We'll just have to see. I'd be happy with leaving around lunch time on Thursday, yes. As I think I said, I'm flexible, so thanks for speaking up. We'll see what others have to say.
I've started conditioning hikes at Radnor. Want to tag along some time?
Rain Man
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FishBone
09-08-2009, 06:52
I agree. I just assume other folks might be able to take a Friday off, but harder to take off a Thursday and a Friday before a holiday Monday. We'll just have to see. I'd be happy with leaving around lunch time on Thursday, yes. As I think I said, I'm flexible, so thanks for speaking up. We'll see what others have to say.
I've started conditioning hikes at Radnor. Want to tag along some time?
Rain Man
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Sounds good on the hikes at Radnor. Warner on the weekends work for me, too. Let's keep in touch.
Rain Man
09-30-2009, 09:28
I'm just bumping this thread up, as we are getting closer to the time of this hike.
So far, there are three of us signed up for this hike. Anyone else interested? Because we're crossing the Blue Ridge Parkway so often, it'd be fairly easy to join us for the weekend if you can't get off work during the week.
On another note, anyone have any info/hints on shelter/trail/water/pest conditions? If so, thanks in advance.
Rain Man
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tight-wad
09-30-2009, 21:58
Got room for one more? I need to check with the family first, but I would definitely like to join you and fishbone.
Rain Man
10-01-2009, 10:27
Got room for one more? I need to check with the family first, but I would definitely like to join you and fishbone.
We just might, depending on which vehicle we take and whether another hiker who has asked us to shuttle them still needs the shuttle.
So far, we have three definites for this hike. You'd be the fourth and that's a good number.
Would you drive yourself or drive up to Nashville on Wednesday or early Thursday morning, or have you given that any thought yet? I haven't set a definite ETD yet, but it's probably going to be around lunch time so we get over to Roanoke area at a decent hour.
Rain Man
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tight-wad
10-01-2009, 19:57
I'll be coming from Bham, so I was thinking, meet you in/near Roanoke Thurs night. Will you be staying in a hotel Thurs night, or camping near the trail head?
Rain Man
10-01-2009, 22:47
I'll be coming from Bham, so I was thinking, meet you in/near Roanoke Thurs night. Will you be staying in a hotel Thurs night, or camping near the trail head?
I just spoke with the local outfitters there, today. Got some recommendations on motels. I'll let you know which one as soon as I can. If there are 4 of us, perhaps we can share two rooms?
Rain Man
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Rain Man
10-08-2009, 07:24
Well, we are hitting the road in a few minutes, will "see" you online at the keyboard next week, with photos!
Rain Man
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Rain Man
10-18-2009, 09:36
Well, we are hitting the road in a few minutes, will "see" you online at the keyboard next week, with photos!
Photo album - 100 photos of our hike. (http://backpackers.meetup.com/166/calendar/11289157/)
Well, I promised photos, but am too lazy to post them multiple places. You can view them at the Nashville Backpackers Meetup Group link above. And the captions tell much of the tale.
Enjoy! We had a fantastic hike and Tight-wad should be giving speeches and demonstrations on his DIY hang system!!! You can tell he's an engineer and master DIYer.
Rain Man
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If a picture is worth a thousand words then you've written an extensive report. Glad you had a good time and thanks for sharing.
Rain Man
10-19-2009, 10:18
If a picture is worth a thousand words then you've written an extensive report. Glad you had a good time and thanks for sharing.
Thanks, Knotty. We did have a good time! I hung two of the three nights. Once in the loft of the Bryant Ridge Shelter and once at Marble Spring campsite. Tight-wad hung every night. Here's a photo of him with his amazing and completely DIY hang system, at Bryant Ridge Shelter in VA.
Rain Man
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HappyCamper
10-19-2009, 11:14
Looked like a great hike. Thanks for pictures, Rain Man!
J_Squared
10-27-2009, 12:20
Thanks for the pictures. I'm going to be hiking SOBO from Apple Orchard to US11 over two nights staying in the Cornelius creek and Boblett's gap shelters. I'm hiking with some folks from my Central Virginia Backpackers meetup group later in November. Looks like plenty of hanging opportunities for both locations in your pictures. I knew Bryant's Ridge was nice but haven't seen it. Unfortunately I'm only going to be able to enjoy it long enough for some lunch.
Rain Man
10-28-2009, 12:08
... staying in the Cornelius creek and Boblett's gap shelters. ... Looks like plenty of hanging opportunities for both locations in your pictures....
As I recall, Cornelius Creek Shelter did have plenty of hang options. Bobblet's Gap Shelter did not, but depending on how picky you are, of course. Have a great hike!
As you descend Floyd Mtn/Bryant Ridge, just remember ... I had to climb that thing! LOL
Rain Man
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