Hightop Mountain

[jerseydave]

As JohnnyBGood said in this thread:
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=69463
yes the trails are holding snow. The hike I did today would have been dangerous without traction devices.

He actually came down Monday (2-14) to scout out a few trails so he, I , and Hobbs, could meet up todayand do a few trails in the park.

After he saw the ice, we decided to call off the hike today since both he and Hobbs would be driving a fair distance just to attempt icy conditions.

I got up this morning and just couldn't sit still. I'm leaving VA on Friday and just needed to get some SNP trail time in before I left.

The trails are icy. I did OK with Yaktrax, but it was a bit foolish for me to hike in those conditions alone. Careful out there.

Some pics of the day:
http://outdoors.webshots.com/album/579774237rrbpGN

Enjoy

PS: Thanks for the help JohnnyBGood..... much appreciated......I'll be back!

[Cookerhiker]

Looks good Dave and also looks familiar. Don't remember if I told you last weekend that I maintained that stretch for 5 years for the PATC. As such, I was up there all 4 seasons including a winter backpacking trip in 2006.

[Cookerhiker]

Oh BTW, did you set your GPS at the HighTop parking lot and if so, what was the elevation gain to the summit (where the rocky outcroping looks toward the West)?

[Hikerhead]

How'd you like those yak traks?

[jerseydave]

Looks good Dave and also looks familiar. Don't remember if I told you last weekend that I maintained that stretch for 5 years for the PATC. As such, I was up there all 4 seasons including a winter backpacking trip in 2006.

Yes I remembered. We actually spoke about that very journal entry.
It's a pretty trail especially with the snow cover. If I hadn't been alone I would have liked to have climbed around a bit on that first large rock pile on the right as you ascend.

I had lunch at the same overlook that Northern Harrier is pictured at on the top of page 2 of your journal.

Maybe one day we'll get to hike it together and you can point out all the things that I'm sure I walked right by without noticing today.

It was great meeting you on my VA vacation, truly enjoyed the experience.

Dave

[Blissful]

Yeah I tried to go up Old Rag last week. No way as I forgot my Yak Trax. Going to try again this Friday, but will bring the devices. But hopefully the warm weather tomorrow will help.

[jerseydave]

How'd you like those yak traks?

I was impressed. After a few minutes you forgot you were even wearing them and they turned an impossible climb into a doable day.

I grabbed the "pro" model off the web for less than $20 a few weeks ago in the anticipation of possibly needing them for M Knob. When they came I thought they looked a bit flimsy in constuction...... I thought the thinner rubber webs would be easy to break but so far so good.

[Cookerhiker]

...a few years ago on a January day (14 degrees at hike's start), I hiked a circuit up the White Oak Canyon and back down the Cedar Run Trail without yak-traks or crampons and had to be very careful. The ice formations in White Oak Canyon were beautiful but the footing was quite treacherous; I frequently hiked around the ice or got on all 4s to slide through.

[Cookerhiker]

Yes I remembered. We actually spoke about that very journal entry.
It's a pretty trail especially with the snow cover. If I hadn't been alone I would have liked to have climbed around a bit on that first large rock pile on the right as you ascend.

I had lunch at the same overlook that Northern Harrier is pictured at on the top of page 2 of your journal.

Maybe one day we'll get to hike it together and you can point out all the things that I'm sure I walked right by without noticing today.

It was great meeting you on my VA vacation, truly enjoyed the experience.

Dave

I've found that ascending from the north, the second rock pile/outcropping is more impressive and basically larger and easier to find a place to sit although the difference is less noticable in the winter. When I worked the section and met hikers going up, I always told them to walk 100 yards beyond the first viewpoint for the next one.

More HighTop winter views

[jerseydave]

Oh BTW, did you set your GPS at the HighTop parking lot and if so, what was the elevation gain to the summit (where the rocky outcroping looks toward the West)?

I just saw this post and yes I did, but have since erased it from gps memory.

I don't remember the exact number, but want to say it read 940 total el. gain. (but might be a bit off, working from memory)

Sound right?

[Cookerhiker]

I just saw this post and yes I did, but have since erased it from gps memory.

I don't remember the exact number, but want to say it read 940 total el. gain. (but might be a bit off, working from memory)

Sound right?

It sure is! I just checked the Companion:

Parking lot on Skyline Drive - 2,650'
Hightop Mountain - 3,587'

Everything's in sync.

[hobbs]

So have your read the manual hahaha

[jerseydave]

So have your read the manual hahaha

Only the parts I absolutely had to, and in my defense, my memory is so bad I can honestly say it didn't do any good anyway.....