Date: 2005-03-05
From: Wapiti Shelter

To: Doc's Knob Shelter
Miles today: 7.8
Weather: snow

Some of the thoughts running through my brain on this hike thus far:1. I like hiking in the winter and I like the snow. I like hiking in the snowy woods because I like being in the snowy woods. The simple beauty, the tranquility, the transformation of barren ground into a white quilt, the way snow brings out the beauty and uniqueness of the deciduous trees, and of course the contrast of the evergreens with the whiteness. Every day, on this hike, I¢ve thanked God for keeping me safe and for His creation, that is, all of His creation: the snow, the mountains, the sun, the different weather patterns, everything. I like being the first to break trail in virgin snow although I feel guilty in despoiling the smooth unblemished surface. But someone has to do it.2. And along those lines, I hope any thruhikers or other hikers following my footsteps (very visible) appreciate that someone has broken ground for them. The deeper the drifts, the less difference one ground-breaker makes but everything helps. What do they think when they see my footprints? Wow, there¢s someone else out here (as it turned out, I¢d find out the answer to this later today)? In these conditions, I haven¢t met any other hearty souls. Yesterday the only human contact I experienced was a few vehicles from Rts 608 and 606.3. I¢ve decided that we need a ¢snow distance¢ factor similar to the ¢wind chill factor.¢ If the latter tells us that 20 degree temperatures with X level gusts of wind translated into 0 degrees, why can¢t the scientific nerds develop something that for example says that hiking 12 miles with average depth of 8 inches and 1/4 mile of drifts averaging 2 feet translates into hiking 16 miles? Of course, you also consider snow density (wet & heavy vs. dry powder) and perhaps the size of the person (contrast 6'4" Northern Harrier with 5' Swiss Miss) since snow depth is absolute not relative. I think I¢ll advertise this on Trail Forums and White Blaze and see what response I get.All right, back to the hike. I awoke to drizzle this morning. Looks like freezing rain but it¢s light and nowhere near as cold as the previous morning although such dampness is not exactly comfortable. Today I plan to cover 16 miles to Pearisburg and I expect the toughest part right out of the gate where I¢m facing a 1,300 foot elevation gain up Sugar Run. The rest of the day should be ridge walking. Most of the initial ascent was easy because of shallow or non-existent snow. The freezing drizzle was dissipating but then turned to snow about half-way up. Still, I¢m making good time on this steady ascent so I can count on that warm bed at the Rendezvous Motel tonight.Ah what am I failing to consider here? That atop Sugar Run, I¢ll find myself at a higher elevation than Walker or Gullion my first day, the slack pack day. I¢m at the highest point on this hike. What does this mean? More base-level snow! Drifts!Actually drifts themselves weren¢t that bad because the ridge was wider or more protected from the winds but the base level of snow was 8-10 inches and sometimes more. Furthermore, the stretch following the descent to Sugar Run Gap was rock-and-boulder strewn making for slow going. Again, where do I place the poles and my feet? Don¢t get me wrong, I¢m appreciating the aesthetics but this is tiring. Meanwhile, the weather is producing everything possible in March sleet changing to snow and back again, fog, winds, and a few brief periods of bright sunshine.The snow depth made the hike up Pearis Mountain more difficult. What¢s the snow factor?! I¢m schlepping through nearly a foot now and when I consult the guidebook after reaching the sign for a viewpoint, I see that I¢m only halfway to Pearisburg by noon. Not keen on embarking on the long steep descent into Pearisburg in late afternoon after a day¢s fatigue in my system and having time in my schedule, I decided to check in at Doc¢s Knob Shelter reaching it by 12:30.The shelter is set high off the ground with individual rock steps - very muddy. Couldn¢t find the spring so I manufactured water from the snow again. After 10 minutes of intense sunshine, equally-intense dark clouds move in ushering in an hour of steady snowfall. Looks like a cold night coming. With my early arrival and a plentiful supply of meals due to planning a 6-day hike, I cooked a hot meal for lunch (whole wheat pasta and my homemade peanut sauce) and began to settle sitting upright in my sleeping bag with my stuff scattered all over the shelter. Then, surprise, surprise - a human voice. 2 other hikers were out in this lovely atmosphere. Wooly Bear and the Professor. Both were college professors at Radford University. Wooly Bear was the more avid hiker. He¢s an AT 2,000 miler, completing the Trail in sections and is also considering a thru-hike. The Professor hikes with him but also enjoys cycling which I do also so we talked some about converted rails-to-trails bike paths. Wooly Bear had been not just following but studying my footprints. He couldn¢t discern where I had fallen but noticing that my strides were becoming shorter, he surmised that I was walking more carefully after having fallen. ¢No, I was just getting tired.¢Having 3 warm bodies helps because this shelter is insulated from the wind but also the sun (which appeared again briefly) as it¢s sited in a rhododendron thicket. And would you believe we were joined by another shelter mate? Stavros (real name, not Trail name) is a Richmond native college student attending William & Mary. He hopes to thruhike in 2006. So here¢s my 5th night camping on the AT in SW Virginia this winter (I¢m including my Feb.1-3 hike) and for the first time, I have company. After cooking my second dinner, I loaned the Professor my stove since he and Wooly Bear had cut it a bit close on their fuel for supply (they share one stove) and the Professor¢s stew required long simmering. The rest of us are in bed when his stew is finally ready. Yes, it¢s a cold night but we¢ll survive.