Water from Damascus north

[Mrs Baggins]

How's the water situation from Damascus north to, say, Pearisburg? A few of us are going to start in Damascus Aug 1st and would like a heads up on any water problems.

[Lone Wolf]

right now water is low. by aug. 1st it could be real low/non-existent or flush.

[hnryclay]

It has done nothing but rain for the last week in Giles, Bland , and Wythe counties. We were in a flash flood warning here Sunday and Monday.

[Blissful]

Lots of rain here near Swift Run Gap area, SNP. Five days worth.

[Tennessee Viking]

Deep Gap at Mt Rogers was flowing ok a couple weeks ago.

Most of the rain that TN/VA/NC have been getting lately are short, strong bursts. Not a whole lot of sustained rain, which we really need.

Stay in contact with LoneWolf and other Damascusians for updates.

[steve43]

just finished that section on tuesday and had no real trouble with water. the only spring i recall being weak was i think at jenny's knob shelter (the second one north of bland).

fifo

[rpenczek]

My trip is as follows:

Hurricane Camp to Old Orchard Shelter (Sunday)
Old Orchard Shelter to Wise Shelter (Monday)
Wise Shelter to Elk Garden (Tuesday)
Elk Garden to Lost Mtn Shelter (Wednesday)
Lost Mt Shelter to Beartree Gap Trail (Thrusday)

Will there be water at or near my campsites, or should I adjusted my plan? Any help is much appreciated.

Thanks

[Lone Wolf]

My trip is as follows:

Hurricane Camp to Old Orchard Shelter (Sunday)
Old Orchard Shelter to Wise Shelter (Monday)
Wise Shelter to Elk Garden (Tuesday)
Elk Garden to Lost Mtn Shelter (Wednesday)
Lost Mt Shelter to Beartree Gap Trail (Thrusday)

Will there be water at or near my campsites, or should I adjusted my plan? Any help is much appreciated.

Thanks

yes, all these areas have water. at elk garden you'll have to go a few hundred yards up the trail to get water

[Mrs Baggins]

yes, all these areas have water. at elk garden you'll have to go a few hundred yards up the trail to get water

Hey Lone Wolf, when I'm in Damascus I'd be pleased and privileged to meet you and buy you the beverage of your choice. I hear you can usually be found at Dot's in the afternoons. Don't know exactly when it'll be (sometime between July 31 and Aug 15) but I'll be sure to look you up! :D

[SawnieRobertson]

I agree with LW about the water being low. After reading your question, I did some checking of nearby creeks. They are low, puddles with tiny streams running between them. We've been having lots of rains, but then we have a day or two without rain, and the water level sinks fast. It may be abundant or even too abundant by then, but it also may be a lot drier at that time, as LW said. I'd count on carrying an extra quart. You can always dump it. And, beginning at Dickey Gap, I leave jugs daily if the problem gets really bad, which it'd have to go a long way to do by then. I'd like to meet you , Mrs. Baggins, when you get on the north side of Grayson Highlands.--Kinnickinic

[Lone Wolf]

And, beginning at Dickey Gap, I leave jugs daily if the problem gets really bad, which it'd have to go a long way to do by then. I'd like to meet you , Mrs. Baggins, when you get on the north side of Grayson Highlands.--Kinnickinic

thank god for trail angels :)

[Mrs Baggins]

Thanks everyone, for the advice. Looks like me and my hiking partners don't want to run the risk of low or no water. One person suffered pretty bad dehydration once last year and doesn't ever want to face that again. So hubby and I decided to do the comfy thing and stay at one of the B&Bs in town July 31 - Aug 3 and do day hikes on the AT and Virginia Creeper for a few days. Better than no hiking at all.

Is the Damascus website very much out of date??? I don't see any mention of the legendary "Dot's" unless it's known by some other name. :confused:

[Lone Wolf]

Thanks everyone, for the advice. Looks like me and my hiking partners don't want to run the risk of low or no water. One person suffered pretty bad dehydration once last year and doesn't ever want to face that again. So hubby and I decided to do the comfy thing and stay at one of the B&Bs in town July 31 - Aug 3 and do day hikes on the AT and Virginia Creeper for a few days. Better than no hiking at all.

Is the Damascus website very much out of date??? I don't see any mention of the legendary "Dot's" unless it's known by some other name. :confused:

what B&B? i highly recommend The Lazy Fox followed by Augusta's

there's some great hiking on the Iron Mtn. trail too

Dot's is alive and well. has been for 21 years. closed mondays. open tues.-sunday noonish til ?

[Mrs Baggins]

what B&B? i highly recommend The Lazy Fox followed by Augusta's

there's some great hiking on the Iron Mtn. trail too

Dot's is alive and well. has been for 21 years. closed mondays. open tues.-sunday noonish til ?

Yup, got our reservations at Lazy Fox. Comes highly recommended by a lot of people.

[Rain Man]

Is the Damascus website very much out of date??? I don't see any mention of the legendary "Dot's" unless it's known by some other name. :confused:

I went to Dots a couple of weekends ago, meeting a fellow section hiker and hoping to see Lone Wolf in his hang-out. Alas, no luck on the LW meet! Though I met him at Trail Days in '05.

To get to Dots, on Highway 58 from I-81 go all the way through "downtown" Damascus (all of about 3 or 4 short blocks. At the end of that stretch, you'll have to navigate the construction barriers on the new bridge. A half block past that, Highway 58 makes a sharp right turn and immediately goes past "Cowboys" gas station and eatery on the right. About a block further, Hwy 58 makes a sharp left. Dots is in that curve on the left. Hope this is clearer than the mud puddles they are predicting for your water sources! LOL

Dots makes a fine home-made cheeseburger!

We had absolutely no water problems on our Kincora-to-Damascus section over the weekend of the 4th.

Rain:sunMan

.