Daleville to Pearisburg

[10-K]

I'm going to be hiking this section (SOBO) in a few weeks and from looking at the maps this stretch of trail looks a bit tougher than the trail between Damascus and Pearisburg.

Also, the guidebooks don't seem to indicate even a mom-and-pop type store anywhere in this 90 mile section which is kind of a drag.

Overall, looks like a 90 mile slog without much to break it up.

Is this an accurate assessment or am I missing something?

[max patch]

The only places I stopped at during my thru on this section were in Catawba. The best meal on the trail is at the Homeplace Restaurant - hope you are lucky enough to be there Thursday thru Sunday - and there is (was?) a small country store in town.

[Cookerhiker]

Hopefully you'll hear from Hikerhead and some other locals but I think that's right - there are no resupply options other than the Huffman House B&B (http://www.thehuffmanhousebandb.com/) on Rt. 42. But they'll only accept maildrops if you stay with them and they ain't cheap.

As to difficulty, I've hiked the Craig Creek Valley-to-Pearisburg (http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=92490)stretch recently and while it features some 1,500' or so ascents to ridges, many of the ridgewalks are easy and you can make good time. I found the hardest part of this stretch was south of Wind Rock before Bailey Gap shelter because of a 3 mile-long rockfield that, IMHO, rivals anything in PA.

[Hikerhead]

Southbound ? Yeah, after the nice conveneince store just up the road at rt 624 before Dragons Tooth, there's nothing for 84 some miles before Pearisburg. But the miles will come easy with long ridge walks and valley crossings. Some good climbs but they're nicely switch backed. 15 mile days should be easy for just about anyone. Oh, turn RIGHT at 624 the store is about 1/4 mile away at the intersection with 311. They have hotdogs and a good snack selection. Starting off with 6 days of food should get you to the end.

[shoe]

what's the current water situation in that area?

[jaywalke]

Beautiful section: Hay Rock, Tinker Cliffs, McAfee's Knob, Dragon's Tooth, Audie Murphy Memorial, Rice Fields.

Of course you know it's going to be hot and dry. The springs on the ridgetops started drying up in June this year. Count on the major creeks (Wilson, Sinking, Stony), the last two of which you'll cross near roads, but don't bet entirely on shelter springs. The Sarver Hollow spring is reliable, but it is a ways off the trail. Ratc.org has good shelter info on the area. Any springs that they say are iffy are likely dry already.

The driest section will be the last day: Peter's Mountain. From Pine Swamp shelter south until you come back down off the ridge and are headed into Pearisburg, I wouldn't count on water.

I'll be out with the Konnarock crew tomorrow, working near Pine Swamp, so if any hikers come through I'll try to get some fresher info.

Edited: And my profile picture is Sinking Creek Valley. Beautiful place.

[Cookerhiker]

Beautiful section: ........Edited: And my profile picture is Sinking Creek Valley. Beautiful place.

I agree completely. I hiked that area in early April '05 and was blessed with perfect weather. The ascents up the ridges were rewarding with views, in part because the trees weren't leafed out yet but there were also rocky outcroppings. The valley crossings through fields between ridges were cool. And then there's the Keffer Oak.

[jaywalke]

Well, we were working on a relocation, so I didn't see any hikers. It *(&%$ poured on us, though, and it's doing it again right now, so the water situation will be better for 48 hours at least.

The Konnarock crew leader almost stepped on a timber rattler. Scared them both.