View Full Version : Mileage (VA, SNP) Brown's Gap to Loft Mountain Campground
trippclark
10-22-2008, 17:41
I am just curious if anyone is aware of a re-route or correction to the mileage in this section. Last Monday I ended up a section hike with this section of trail which all of my resources have listed as 4.3 miles. However we set off from Brown's Gap at 10:30 and arrived at Loft Mntn Campground amphitheater at 11:40. I know that my hiking pace is usually 25 - 30 minutes per mile with a pack, so I find it hard to believe that this section is really any more than 2.5 miles. That is a pretty big discrepancy. Anyone know of a re-route or a correction to the published distance of 4.3 miles?
Cookerhiker
10-22-2008, 18:45
I think you're correct. I noticed the 4.3 mile published distance you referred to in the 2008 Companion and the last Data Book that I have. But eyeballing the latest map I have (printed in 2001) shows a shorter distance from Brown Gap to the amphitheatre - I would estimate about 3 miles. Perhaps the 4.3 mile span really is for another Loft Mountain point such as the camp store. The Trail approaches the campground area first near the amphitheatre and winds around the campsites before reaching the store.
I don't know who the 2009 Companion field editor for SNP is but I'll send a PM to Sly who's the overall managing editor.
Alligator
10-22-2008, 20:49
The trail around the campground is sort of U-shaped . I think it might even be a mile or a little more? The amphitheatre is somewhere near the "top" of the horseshoe from what I remember. If the amphitheatre is closer to one side of the U, then perhaps that's the point your sources used and you may have exited the trail on the other.
per PATC guide book for Shen its 3.0 miles from Brown's Gap to the 0.3 blue blaze to the amphitheater - if you walk all the way around the campground to the last side trail that leads to the camp store its 4.3 miles - from the camp store its 0.1 - 0.2 to the amphitheater
as I recall its pretty flat hiking in that area so I could easily see that 3.3 to the amphitheater could feel like 2.5
trippclark
10-23-2008, 12:29
per PATC guide book for Shen its 3.0 miles from Brown's Gap to the 0.3 blue blaze to the amphitheater - if you walk all the way around the campground to the last side trail that leads to the camp store its 4.3 miles - from the camp store its 0.1 - 0.2 to the amphitheater
as I recall its pretty flat hiking in that area so I could easily see that 3.3 to the amphitheater could feel like 2.5
That is probably it. It is certainly more believable at 3.3 than 4.3.