Date: 2009-05-08
From: White top Mtn Road USFS 89

To: Top of Hurricane Mountain 
Miles today: 22.7

What a bizarre day. I woke up and packed in a foggy damp funk. The wind was still blowing and it was cloudy as I headed up into the Grayson Highlands. I crossed areas that are similiar to balds but with small trees and brush versus the total grasslands of the balds. No sooner did I get to the top of the trail on Mt Rogers (Virginias highest peak) did the deluge and wind begin again. I was close to a shelter and made my way to join 6 Naval Academy students and one graduate who had spent the night there. They were taking a break from class and hiking the area. They asked me if I had seen the ponies and I had to say no since all I had seen so far was fog and wind and rain. Yesterday I had met Kea, a New Zealander hiking alone, and he showed up at the shelter a few minutes after me. He didn't stay long but just opened up his large black umbrella and trotted off into the rain. I explained to the military students that he was a KIWI and a hardcore hiker as he walked away under full protection from his umbrella. He is the only one I have seen on the trail who carries an umbrella but it works for him. He doesn't use poles though and for my money 2 poles would be more beneficial than the umbrella. The rain subsided and I moved on and alas, right there on the trail, a wild pony. The Highlands is home for a large herd of wild ponies and they are used to humans so they let you walk right by them. I saw a total of 11 ponies and 1 foal close up that afternoon. The Highlands is also just that a beautiful area with fields and unobstructed views on the top of Virginia. A must see day hike for those who have the opportunity. The trail was rocky and some good climbs up and over the outcroppings along with the mud made for rough footing; I am seriosly thinking of switching back to boots. the trail runners are great if I could run on the trail but for walking on rocks the bottoms don't protect the bottoms of my feet enough. The skys cleared up and at the next shelter I spread out all my wet stuff and let them dry as I had an early supper. The Naval Academy guys came into camp and comandeered the shelter for the night. All mys tuff thrown on the ground and hung in trees looked like a hikers flea market.I moved on and continued my quest to reach my car by Sunday afternoon.As I left the shelter and crossed the river some of the Naval Academy guys were in the river bathing and sreaming about the cold. They mentioned having friends join them that evening. I thinkmaybe it was women friends they were talking about. I made it up to the very top of Hurricane mountain when I heard thunder again. This time I wasted no time to set up my tent and I was cozy inside when the rains came. This time there wasn't much rain but I did learn why they call this HURRICANE MOUNTAIN. The winds where the most violent I have seen on the trip so far and the next day I saw at least 20 trees of various sizes from old dead trees to young green leafed out trees that all had been knocked over by the storm and now blocked the trail. I think the worries about bears are overblown while having a tree fall on you in a windstorm is a threat not thought about.Spent the night to the music of the wind ...NATURE GOT TO LOVE IT.O.M. River