Appalachian Trail Adventures Part IV

The trip to Rocky Run shelter was uneventful. Uneventful that is if you don’t count making sure I didn’t step in any of the puddles left on the trail. Most of the time I was able to navigate my way via the rocks jutting out of the trail. Stepping on the knife edge of the rocks sure is tough on your insteps. Seeing how I didn’t leave the Garvey shelter until 2pm, I assumed that I could make it to the Rocky Run shelter before sundown, even though the wet trail had me hiking slower than normal.

All seemed well and I wanted to make sure I didn’t miss the turnoff for the shelter. I referred to my map often as I got closer. If I missed the turnoff for the shelter I would be dark before I ran into the next one. Night hiking isn’t the best idea, as hiking in daylight poses enough challenges. As I near the turnoff for the shelter I see the sign and I see a note left by the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club.

My heart sank as I read the note that the shelter was under renovations, but perked up when I saw a hand-written note that said the shelter was 90% complete and livable. Here’s a picture of the shelter and you be the judge.

A fellow hiker staying at the shelter came out the approach trail to greet me and reassure me that the shelter was Ok to stay at. There were already 3 other people there for the night when I got there and I’m sure they weren’t thrilled to see me. They had most of their gear spread out all over the shelter drying. So after some maneuvering I had a spot to put my sleeping bag in the middle of the shelter. Some of the boards were quite saggy and wouldn’t support my weight. Don’t ask me how I know this.

By the time I cooked my dinner of Lipton’s cheddar broccoli rice, it was getting dark. The 2 college aged thru hikers went to bed around 7:30. We chatted before they turned in while I was cooking. They said that there were 2 dozen thru hikers ahead of them on the trail according to the thru hikers sign in register at the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC).

The other hiker, the one who came out to meet me, was Jim from Baltimore. Jim is 60 years old and a retired Marine. For the last 7 years has been spending around 8 months on the trail. So basically you can say that Jim ‘lives’ on the trail. Jim figures that he’s racked up around 5,000 miles of hiking the trail, but I think that number would be conservative. 1 other thing I noticed about Jim is that for a slim person he sure seems to eat a lot. Jim spent 2 nights at the shelter waiting out the rain and having some of his things dry.

After cleaning up my dinner mess, it was time to turn in for the night. It was predicted to be somewhat cold at night. Jim has some sort of weather gadget that he can tune into weather reports while on the trail. I slept well for the most part. Someone kept getting up at night. I counted at least 5 different times that someone got up. I slept with foam ear plugs to drown out any snoring and other noises, but people use lights when they get up in the dark.

A tight squeeze
Creek

Appalachian Trail assorted pictures

Back of Garvey shelter with ladder to 2nd story
Cliffs view
Looking south
Virginia hills
Rock outcrop on trail
2nd floor viewed from 1st

Garvey shelter
Potomac river
Don't wake him up

Appalachian Trail Adventures Part II

After coming off of the C & O tow path, I headed up into the woods. My destination was the Ed Garvey shelter. It had rained fairly heavy the night before so most of the vegetation had some moisture on them. The path to go up to Weverton cliffs is a series of 16 switchbacks. A switchback is a part of the trail that turn 180 degrees. It send you the opposite way you just came. This is done since it is easier to walk up the side of a mountain gradually. A switchback looks like a sideways laying 'W'. I think the purpose of a switchback is to remind you of how out of shape you are. I was huffing and puffing making my way up to Weverton cliffs and had to stop several times to catch my breath.

Once I arrived at the junction of the AT and the blue blaze trail that leads to the lookout at Weverton cliffs, I met a fellow hiker taking a breather. It was Bob, a 70 year old, who recently lost his wife. I found out that he lives close to where I live. Bob attempted a thru hike that spring, but found out he wasn't physically up to the challenge and had some gear issues that prevented him from being successful. Now Bob does day trips on the AT, leaving his car then hiking in so far, then turning around and retracing his steps back to his vehicle. I invited Bob to go to the cliffs, but he declined. Too bad for him since the view of the cliffs was worth the hike down. Even with the cloudy conditions I could see back past Harpers Ferry and all along the river and surrounding mountains. The trail to the cliffs had the most rocks I had encountered so far. It was more rocks than dirt on the train. The rocks jutted out of the ground like the scales on an alligator's tail.

After coming back from the cliffs I met a bunch of day hikers that seemed to be in quite a hurry to get to the cliffs. The cliffs is a nice place for day hikers since they can park at the base of the trail and just walk up the steep part. That would save them from having to walk the 2 1/2 miles of the tow path to get to the cliffs.

I finally reached my destination, the Ed Garvey shelter. The shelter is quite a structure. The shelter was built in 2001 by the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club. The shelter was built in Bowie, Md and airlifted by helicopter to it's present location. It is a 2 story layout, with the upper level accessible by climbing the back stairs. It has plexiglass windows that let you look out over the forest. The site also contains a privy and spring for drinking water. The shelter contains a register that people who visit can write comments for the shelter and trail maintainers. The biggest complaint was the distance and layout of the trail to get water.

Weverton Cliffs

Ed Garvey shelter
This little guy spent the night in the shelter's first floor. Good thing I slept upstairs!

A view of a switchback

Weverton Cliffs, viewed from below. It's the dark patch of rocks.
Looking back towards Harpers Ferry
A few of the rocks along the trail
The trail down to Weverton Cliffs

Appalachian Trail Adventures Part I

I spent a few day hiking on the Appalachian Trail. I started in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. I started a day later than what I wanted to due to rain.
I met a lot of interesting people on the trail. Some of their stories you can't make up. I think the trail characters add to the charm and allure of the AT in general.
The trail has shelters spaced out about a days hike apart. They are 3 sided structures usually with a picnic table, fire ring, water source and a privy. Accomodations are spartan to say the least. But after all nobody expects 4 star accomodations in the woods.
After leaving Harpers Ferry I walked along the Potomac river on the old C & O canal towpath. The path runs 185 miles from Georgetown, DC to Cumberland, MD. The towpath is where mules use to pull barges up and down the river in days before the railroad. A lot of joggers and bikers use the path to exercise. It is a pretty walk along the river, but a little boring. I was glad to finish this portion of the trail and get into the 'woods'. The rest of the journey will follow in additional entries.

Unusual building style in Harpers Ferry
Hillside

A view of the Potomac river thru the trees.

View down river
Jefferson rock