Date: 2017-06-18
From: Unnamed Campsite at Mile 876.9

To: Pinefield Hut Tent site area
Miles today: 18.9
Weather: light rain

6/18Unnamed Campsite at Mile 876.9 to Pinefield Hut Tent site area18.9 milesTotal miles:  895.8I woke up this morning at 5:45 feeling rested.  I laid in bed until 6:00 and then got up and started to get ready.  Rain was forecast for the day, and we wanted to get as far as we could before having to deal with that.  Mike was already getting ready.  He told me he had slept well after he got everything squared away.  Sleeping under a tarp isn't for everyone, but it is a viable option.  With the advent of very light tents, tarping has lost a lot of popularity. In fact, Mike has the only tarp I have seen on the trail.  We left early, knowing we had almost six miles to travel before our next water source.  Mike and I each had a liter, while Gravity had a bit more than that. The hike to the foot of Blackrock Mountain went well, and we passed a few views on the way.  While the ascent up the mountain was steep, the trail remained good.  We reached Blackrock Hut in good shape, loaded up with water, and then completed the hike up Blackrock Mountain. One of the greatest things about the AT is that there are so many surprises along the way. Yesterday, the top of one mountain was covered with communication towers and tractor seats.  On another mountain, Mike added a small stone to a chest-high pile of rocks to add a half inch of elevation to its summit.  The top of Blackrock Mountain, on the other hand, consists of millions of huge loose boulders jumbled high above the trail. I left my pack and poles by the trail and scrambled up to the summit.  I'm guessing these massive boulders were deposited by a glacier eons ago.  Climbing to the top involved mapping out a path among the jumble of boulders, being careful not to slip into any number of deep crevices between them.  I paused at what I think was the summit to admire the view before beginning the scramble back down to the trail.  I've learned that coming down a rock and boulder field is always a trickier proposition than going up.  I purposely took a alternate route down just to mix things up a bit.  Back on the trail, it became obvious that the jumble of boulders continued far down the mountain as well.  It is an amazing sight and is a popular destination. Of course, people with cars can park a short distance from the summit and don't need to climb the entire mountain to encounter its summit.  The original plan for the day had been to stop at the Loft Mountain Campground, but our extended day yesterday put us near there too early in the day to stop. Besides, rain is forecast for tomorrow, so we wanted to get further today.  Thunderstorms were threatening today as well, but had dissipated by the time we approached the campground.  We passed by the campground but could not resist the call of the Loft Mountain Wayside Restaurant.  The trail to the restaurant is a few miles further north than the trail to the campground and also requires a very steep and rocky 0.3 mile side trail to reach it.  This provided no deterrence,  and the three of us worked our way down the Frazier Discovery Trail to the Wayside.  I enjoyed a caloric fix of a cheeseburger and fries washed down with a lemonade and a Gatorade, and topped off with a blackberry milk shake.  I saw  Brooke there, and we discussed trail diet and rattlesnake sightings.  He saw another one and shared the video. There was a squall of rain while we were there, but it didn't last long.  Then, there was nothing else but to struggle back up the side trail to the AT.  There were still nearly five miles to the Pinefield Hut (what are usually called shelters on the AT are called huts in the Shenandoahs), so we decided to try to find a stealth campsite like we had yesterday.  No such places presented themselves, so we arrived at the Pinefield Hut close to 8:30, after a long 18.9 mile day (which, of course, does not include the side trail mileage).  The tent area is located high above the shelter and it was already pretty much filled.  Splat and Dory were there, and it was great to see them again. Gravity found a tent spot there, but Mike and I opted to camp behind the shelter on a piece of mostly flat ground.  I've slept on far more slopey places. It is not designated for camping but there are no signs prohibiting it either. We set up camp by the light of our headlamps, hung our slightly lighter food bags on the bear pole, and went to bed. It was an eventful and challenging day.  I am finding myself feeling more worn out during the day, which I am attributing to the heat.  There is a 90 percent chance of rain tomorrow, so it looks like we will be hiking in liquid sunshine again.  At least that will help keep the temperature down.