Date: 2018-05-22
From: Black Rock Gap

To:  Stealth Site - Mile 901.8
Miles today: 18.8

With the wet tent all packed up by 6:30, we quietly slipped out of our shared tent site. Not wanting to disturb our still sleeping neighbor, we walked back up the fire road to Blackrock Gap, where we cooked our breakfast. From there it was a gentle climb to Blackrock Mountain. Midway through the ascent we passed the blue blaze trail leading to Blackrock Hut. In the SNP, shelters are referred to as huts. This was the first hut Which Way and I slept in when we were doing a training hike in 2015. It was a memorable hike. After a 13 mile day that included a climb up and over Tray Mountain and then a steep climb up to the A.T., Which Way was ready to set the tent up in the middle of the trail. She certainly has come a long way since then. The entire swath of trail we hiked this morning was familiar territory as it was part of several circuit hikes we did over the past few years. Plus, Blackrock Mtn. is a spot we have brought many visitors to experience because of its easy access and worthy views. There were no views this morning though, as the area was still socked in with cloud cover. The conditions seemed optimal for a bear sighting this morning. No such luck though. However, I was able to get a rabbit and a deer to strike a pose.By 11:00 we had reached the Loft Mountain Campground, which was in close proximity to the trail. We popped in the Camp Store which had everything we needed for resupply. From there we made our way to the Loft Mountain Wayside for lunch¢Pulled Pork Sandwiches, Chili Dogs, Fries and a double dip of Blackberry Ice Cream. BoBo, a hiker we met yesterday, joined us for lunch.  Shortly after getting back on the trail we crossed the swollen Ivy Creek, where we stopped to filter water. From there we climbed a little to a spot providing a view. We could see storm clouds brewing to our west. At the same time, low clouds were stacked up along the east slide of the ridge and wisps were carried from over the top in a down draft. Then we heard a rumble of thunder. A quick look at the radar confirmed that storms were headed our way. It was still 2.5 miles to the next shelter. We didn't make it on time. After racing over the top and down the other side a few hundred feet in elevation, the trail climbed back up and over another hill. This one was still scarred from a recent wildfire, leaving it somewhat exposed. The storm was almost on us now as the wind picked up and drops of rain were starting to fall. Just as we started down and hit the wood line the skies opened up. The hard cold rain soaked through our clothes in an instant. Meanwhile, the lightning and thunder drew closer. As we walked through a green tunnel of medium sized trees I told Which Way to get ready because the next lightning strike would be on top of us. Less than 30 seconds later, a bolt exploded on the trail less than a 100 yards in front of us. I was walking behind Which Way and she appeared to jump out of her shoes at the instantaneous flash-bang. Jumping jack flash! The storm was moving fast and the next lightning strike was to the east. However, it was still raining when we walked into Pinefield Hut. BoBo, a German thru hiker named Scavenger, and an overnight hiker were all in the shelter and were nice and dry when we arrived. It was close to 4:00 p.m. by now and they were staying put for the night. Which Way and I shortly ventured back out in search of the next hut located about 6.5 miles north. The rain stopped soon after we started our climb up Weaver Mountain. By the time we dropped down to Simmons Gap and crossed Skyline Drive the sun was peeking through the clouds and a nice breeze was blowing. We sat on a couple of rocks next to the road, took off our soaked shoes and socks, and let our feet dry as we ate dinner. Our feet were dry by the time we finished the deli sandwiches we picked up back at the camp store. We pulled on some dry socks, put on our damp shoes and continued toward the shelter. About a mile after we climbed out of Simmons Gap we hit the 900 mile mark¢almost to quadruple digits! There was nothing on the trail to mark the milestone and we didn¢t have time to make one. We were hoping to make it to Hightop Hut, but it wasn¢t meant to be. A quick look at the radar showed another batch of rain and storms closing in fast, so we found a stealth tenting location about 3 miles short of the shelter. By 8:00 p.m. we were laying in our tent. It was raining again before dark. Good move!Peace and Blessings - Next StepElevation Data:Ascent - 4,060Descent - 3,830Grade - 8.0Weather:Day - 76 / Sun & Storms Night - 63 / ShowersOver the Horizon: Harpers Ferry