View Full Version : Water availability from Damascus to Pearisburg
Bird Dawg
09-25-2016, 22:44
Will begin my second section hike on the AT on Sunday, 10/1. Leaving Damascus and heading northbound for two weeks - hopefully ending in Pearisburg. The weather forecast looks very good at this point - unlike the miserable conditions of last year's hiked....right into the teeth of Hurricane Juaquin for a week. Any information on the water situation for this stretch of trail?
hikernutcasey
09-26-2016, 16:11
Check for some recent threads on this area as I know there have been some (Straight Forward forum I think). For what it's worth the mountains of NC and SW Virginia are getting showers and storms today so hopefully that helps a little.
bigcranky
09-26-2016, 16:50
We were in the High Country over the weekend. It's been dry. The usual places that have water in dry times did have water, but they were running very slowly or not at all. Creeks down in the lower elevations were running but low. Many of the springs had small pools of water.
Looks like they might get a little rain this week, but not much.
The weather forecast does look awfully nice for hiking. :)
I did Damascus to Pearisburg at the end of July. After Grayson, it was little dry. I found myself cameling up as much as possible and often filling three liters when I could -- I usually like to fill only 1 liter. There is a spring at the north (I think) end of the pond just south of Chestnut Ridge. That was good water even though some passed it by. I filled and drank at Dismal Falls too. Here's my trail report, for what's it worth. I'd be happy to answer any other specific questions about that stretch as it is pretty fresh in my mind. http://hikingbob.blogspot.com/2016/07/damascus-to-woods-hole.html
Bird Dawg
09-27-2016, 00:44
Thanks, everyone!
I was just on the AT, Hampton to Damascus. There was one seep (!) short of Vandeventer LT and I got water there then camped about 0.1 farther on.
From Wataga Lake and up the ridge before stopping I met something like a dozen hikers (lost count after 9) south bound. Nobody was desperate for water but all were talking about the lack. Everyone I talked to had the same message - no water between Vandeventer and Damascus! The springs were all dry.
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Oh and Watauga Lake/Resviour was down at least 4 feet. The swimming area at Shook Branch was dry.
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