Chester Gap to Sky Meadows

[dperry]

Last section for the wife and myself this year (and maybe for next year, too, depending on our success in creating new Perrys) is Chester Gap to Sky Meadows, VA, this coming weekend. Will be stopping at Denton Shelter the first night and near Dick's Dome the second. Any information anyone could provide would be greatly appreciated, particularly about:

1.) How's the water doing in that area?
2.) I note that much of the trail passes through state hunting lands. A quick check of the state hunting website seems to indicate that none of the major seasons will have started yet, but just want to confirm that.
3.) The reviews of Dick's Dome on here seem mixed at best. Anyone have any good alternative places to camp near there? Easy access to water would obviously be a plus.

Thanks in advance to everyone!

[mikec]

This won't help you now but I just got word that PATC will be replacing Dicks Dome. Probably next year. As far as water goes, it is usually pretty good in that area. Be sure to treat the water at Dicks Dome. There is a general store a mile or so west of the AT at Linden if you need water of short term supplies. I live about 50 miles from the VA 55 crossing.

[FlyPaper]

David Perry
79.1 down, 2,101.9 to go.

This is based on the 2011 distance. For 2012, it is 2184.2.

See: http://www.atdist.com/atdist?k1=AA&k...69dd&year=2012

You may be able to take credit for slightly more than 79.1, depending on whether there were reroutes in the sections you already walked.

You can track your progress in a permanent cookie at http://www.atdist.com

[joshuasdad]

I did this section last September. Dick's Dome shelter was full. There were some camping areas nearby, though not completely flat. Plenty of water in stream. Consider ending at Ashby Gap (Rt. 50), as you would need to hike down to road from Sky Meadows. Parking available at AT lot and a commuter lot at Route 50.

[dperry]

Hi, Flypaper,

I haven't had a chance to update the mileage in a while. We're over 100 miles by now anyway.

Also, I want to keep track of the actual mileage we walk, so I don't go back and adjust for reroutes for parts we've already done.

[dperry]

I did this section last September. Dick's Dome shelter was full. There were some camping areas nearby, though not completely flat. Plenty of water in stream. Consider ending at Ashby Gap (Rt. 50), as you would need to hike down to road from Sky Meadows. Parking available at AT lot and a commuter lot at Route 50.

Hi, Joshuasdad,

Not quite sure what you mean by hiking down to the road. We'll be parking at the visitor's center of the state park, which isn't much further than Ashby Gap. The main point is to go down the Ambassador Whitehouse trail and check out the great view, not to mention the car will be a bit safer in the park. Thanks for the advice, though.

[scree]

Hi, Joshuasdad,

Not quite sure what you mean by hiking down to the road. We'll be parking at the visitor's center of the state park, which isn't much further than Ashby Gap. The main point is to go down the Ambassador Whitehouse trail and check out the great view, not to mention the car will be a bit safer in the park. Thanks for the advice, though.

You'll need a permit for the car, and will need to explain how long you plan to park there. They charge by the day. The way you're going, you won't quite get to Ashby Gap. If you were to continue straight instead of turning right on to the Ambassador Whitehouse trail you'd soon find yourself back in the woods and heading downhill to route 50 in fairly short order. There are a few places to park around the route 50 crossing. I live near Sky Meadows and do a loop run up South Ridge -> North Ridge -> AT - Whitehouse -> South Ridge a few times a month. Might bump into you there though it's unlikely the timing will hit.

Don't expect to see anyone at the hunting grounds other than perhaps some hikers. It's rare to see hunters around the trail and as you've said, it's not in season. There's a campground a ways uphill from Dicks Dome near a spring, the campground actually being on top of the ridge and cut into a thicket. If I weren't hammocking I'd stay there over Dicks, which is kind of a dump.

[dperry]

Well, the wife came down with a bug a couple of weeks ago, so we have rescheduled for this weekend. Any information anyone could provide on the questions in the original post, particularly on water conditions, would be greatly appreciated.