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View Full Version : Mt. Rogers VA - Need Trail Advice



Stoker53
01-31-2006, 08:58
Myself and 3 other guys have been making a week's winter backpacking trip since the early 80's. We want to go to Mt.Rogers the 2nd week of Feb but have a problem. One of the guys has a bad hip. Years of running on pavement has taken it's toll. Looks like hip surgery is in his future. He can walk but humping a hvy winter pack for hours is not possible. He says he can do a mile or 2 w/no problem.

What we want to do is hike in a short didstance and base camp. Then do daily day hikes. Day hikes are not a problem for my friend. I am not familiar with the Mt. Rogers area so I'm looking for some help from you folks.

Any suggestions would be most appreciated.

Lone Wolf
01-31-2006, 09:05
Go to Grayson Highlands State Park which borders the Mt. Rogers Nat. Rec. Area, and park at Massey Gap. Hike a few miles into Wise Shelter and use it as a base camp. If you come thru Damascus stop at MRO and get the Trails Illustrated map for Mount Rogers. It shows all the trails in the area in great detail.

Stoker53
01-31-2006, 09:15
Thanks LW. Is a permit required for the shelter?

Lone Wolf
01-31-2006, 09:16
Nope. No permit required.

Almost There
01-31-2006, 09:41
If the guy has a bad hip wouldn't he be better parking at the the other end heading north to Mt. Rogers, should be an easier climb than all of the rock scrambles heading SOBO. If I had a bad hip I don't know how easy all that up and down over rocks would go. If I remember correctly there is a parking area just south of Mt. Rogers, don't know what the roads name is but it wouldn't be a bad climb heading up to Mt. Rogers, and having done the section in November I know there aren't really any rough areas of the trail headed that way, you just go uphill, but you basically do from either direction. I agree with LW that if your in pretty healthy shape Massey Gap would be the way to go, but just thinking about your buddy's hip.

MOWGLI
01-31-2006, 09:45
Almost There, they are apparently planning to drive up into the mountains to the State Park and day hike from a base camp. That'll be easier than the option that you suggest. They want to minimize climbing for their friend.

Lone Wolf
01-31-2006, 09:48
Massey Gap is the best option.

jlb2012
01-31-2006, 12:16
If the road into Scales is passable and you have a vehicle / skills to handle it driving into Scales gives you good possibilities for basecamping including basecamping at Scales itself or going a couple miles up the Crest Trail and camping near the spring where Lewis Fork trail comes in or heading over to Wise Shelter or ...

If you want to camp at Wise you can come in on the Wilson Creek trail from the camping area in the SP - if the road is open you could park in the overflow parking area for the campground - otherwise park at BP lot / Massey Gap and road walk down to Wilson Creek Tr. - this approach is less climbing than any other to get to Wise (IMO). BTW if it was me I would camp over the line in the FS lands near Wise - some nice campsites including good hammock sites just across the bridge.

Pennsylvania Rose
01-31-2006, 12:51
Go to Grayson Highlands State Park which borders the Mt. Rogers Nat. Rec. Area, and park at Massey Gap. Hike a few miles into Wise Shelter and use it as a base camp. If you come thru Damascus stop at MRO and get the Trails Illustrated map for Mount Rogers. It shows all the trails in the area in great detail.

Camped and dayhiked w/my kids last October in Grayson Highlands/Mt. Rogers. One day we walked out to Mt. Rogers from Massey Gap and back. The teenagers made it with energy to spare, but the 3yr old gave up the rock hopping after about 2 miles. After carrying him up and down those knobs I was done for!!! New boots didn't help, either. But, while sitting at Thomas Knob Shelter, my son (who never discusses his thoughts) said, "I'm thru-hiking the AT when I graduate from high school." A proud moment. My daughter took some beautiful photos that she's entering in an art contest. That area is one of my favorite - I go every two years or so.

Should have stopped by to see you, LW, but we were in a hurry to get home.

Stoker53
01-31-2006, 13:43
Thanks to all for responding. I now have several good options which I can research. Hope this is not our last winter trip together but eventually all good things must end.

Some of the happiest days of my life has been spent on the trail with these guys and I'm saddened by the thought that the end MAY be in sight.

Almost There
01-31-2006, 16:26
Mowgli, my bad, but he did say he wanted to go to Mt. Rogers and was just suggesting the best way to get there for someone hurting. If Mt. Rogers isn't a necessity then there are alot of places they can go. Why not park near Old Orchard shelter set up a base camp there, it's a little under two miles of easy trail from the parking lot, and you have a nice short hike up pine mountain to the bald up there the next day if you want. It all depends on how important Mt. Rogers is. Either way Stoker have a great hike!

Stoker53
02-17-2006, 18:56
Well we just got back. Took Lone Wolf's suggestion and used Wise shelter as a base camp. Craig's hip held up fine and would have been able to do more day hikes if we had not gotten 20+ inches of snow from early Sat AM to Mon AM. It snowed for over 48 hrs non-stop.

As it was we were able to make a day hike to Scales then up the Crest trail for a few miles and another day hike from Wise taking the AT south to Roddie Gap. Clear cold cloudless skies afforded magnificient views.

We did have some excitement though........spent the night with a SOBO thru hiker ( Southpaw from SC ) on Sat night. He says he is the last SOBO having left Maine in mid July. He left the shelter Sun, around noon , in a blizzard headed for Thomas Knob Shelter. He never made it . He couldn't find the shelter. Dark and blowing snow made it hard to see the blazes. He spent the night on the lee side of a rock in a MSR hubba fly/ground cloth combo. Temps down where we were ( Wise shelter ) reached the single digits and the wind was SCREAMING. No telling how cold it was up where he spent the night.

To make matters worse his water bag leaked inside his down bag and soaked it. SP spent a sleepless night somewhere in the vacinity of Thomas Knob shelter and somehow made it back to Wise shelter Mon mid day covered in ice with fingers on both hands frostbitten.

Craig, luckely was there, since the other 3 of us were out day hiking. He got SouthPaw into dry clothes and put him into a dry sleeping bag and started pouring hot liquids into him. Mid afternoon the sun came out and we dried out his gear as best we could.

SP spent the night with us Mon night and Tue AM rangers showed up on 4 wheelers and took him out. His family and another SOBO were concerned, since he was overdue to Damascus, and alerted the local emergency personel. SP was going to meet up with the other SOBO in Damascus and was 5 days late getting there.

Long story short.....SouthPaw is OK. His frost bite was more painful than serious and he plans on resuming his thru in a day or two. When he reaches Sringer he will take a break then return to Massey Gap and hike into Damascus in time for Trail Days.

We stopped in Damascas Thurs and ran into him outside the Mt. Rogers Outfitters and his spirits were good. His Mom had forgiven him for making her worry so much.:bse

This was my first trip to Mt Rogers and it will not be my last. One of the most cosmic places I have been.