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View Full Version : Section hiking from Rockfish Gap South



Marketman
09-23-2004, 18:30
Any info on the section from Rockfish Gap to Pearisburg... I have 13 to 14 days....Looks to be rather isolated with few town opps... Is this correct? How long and how tough is the hiking....Any recommendations on resupply and mail drops...

Thanks

Marketman

Me to Va
Since '93

Kerosene
09-23-2004, 19:44
Marketman:

I did Rockfish Gap (actually Loft Mtn. CG 26 miles north) to Buena Vista, and then Buena Vista to Catawba, in two section hikes in October of 2002 and 2003, both southbound. I suggest resupplying in Buena Vista or maybe Glasgow, It's A Wonderful Life Campground (Jennings Creek), and Daleville. I don't have any other suggestions before Pearisburg.

Click here (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=2957) for an on-line version of my trip report from Buena Vista to Catawba. I can e-mail you a Word version of my trip report from Rockfish Gap to Buena Vista if you're interested.

It took me about 11 hiking days to walk from Rockfish Gap itself to Catawba. I found the hiking to be quite a bit easier than the Mid-Atlantic AT that I was used to, primarily because the trail bed was smoother and softer, although there are some pretty good elevation changes. Unless you're young and already in backpacking shape, covering the additional 80 miles to Pearisburg in 3 days is going to be a stretch. To cover the 224 miles in 2 weeks you will have to average 16 miles per day, every day, without any breaks. Doable with a light load and enough daylight, but on the aggressive side. Think about arranging for a bail-out point 50 miles or so before P-burg so you don't always feel pressured to get there on schedule.

Marketman
09-25-2004, 05:41
Kerosene,

Thanks for the details on your hike... I just may bail sooner than Pearisburg...So are you a section hiker as well? I've been chipping away at it for 11 years... My problem is the farther south I get the harder it is to get to the trail...I'm lucky now since some friends have just moved to NC and can do shuttles for me...
Other questions about this section? Water situation, conditions of shelters, any phones/stores handy to the trail in this section...?

Thanks
Marketman

Kerosene
09-25-2004, 07:20
Marketman:

I started my "chipping away" in 1973. I did quite a few sections from Maryland into Vermont through the 70's, did most of Shenendoah in '86, but got distracted by moving to Michigan, starting up my career, getting my MBA, buying a house and having child. I got the bug again in 2000 and have averaged about 100 miles a year since then. It's difficult for me to get over to Maine from Michigan (14 hours by car, versus only 11 to Springer). I'm shooting to summit Katahdin on my last section in 2013.

Starting from Rockfish Gap, it's an easy, slightly downhill 5-mile walk to the Paul C. Wolfe Memorial Shelter (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=486) where you might consider staying for the night. It's a nice shelter with ample water from the stream out front. Staying here the first night gives you a full day to get to the Maupin Field Shelter (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=487) 15-16 miles away over Humpback Rocks. Hopefully you'll get a nice day for this pretty section. The water at Maupin comes from a piped spring and can be variable from what I've heard.

If you want a short day, then it's only 6.2 miles to Harpers Creek Shelter (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=488), located next to a lovely stream under tall trees. A lot of folks love the blue-blaze Mau-Har Trail (http://gorp.away.com/gorp/resource/us_national_forest/va/hik_ge10.htm) that features a 40-foot waterfall and runs for 2.8 miles between the Maupin and Harpers Creek shelters. You can continue down to the Tye River for 4 miles to camp next to the river and road crossings. It appears that the general store/post office in Tyro is no longer open. See Baltimore Jack's re-supply advice (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/articlesresupply.php#damascus) posting.

From the Tye River it's 5 miles and 3,000 vertical up umpteen switchbacks to the summit of The Priest. Make sure you take in the overlook of Pinnacle Ridge and Three Ridges, just to the right through the trees once you reach the top. The Priest Shelter (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=537) is just a little further on, where the AT cuts right the blue-blaze to the shelter goes left. The spring here was slow, but it was also the worst drought in Virginia in 70 years. I suggest you keep going and stay for the night at the Seeley-Woodworth Shelter (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=538) 7 miles further on. Alternatively, you could walk the 2 miles down a rutted, loose gravel fire road to Montebello and the Dutch Haus B&B, although the climb back up is reputed to be a real killer.

It's 14 miles from the S-W Shelter to US-60 and Buena Vista (I don't recall any easily accessible springs through this pretty section), which is 9 miles west up and then down into the valley with numerous services. You could re-supply here if you can hitch a ride. Alternatively, it's an easy 2-mile walk down to the nice Brown Mountain Creek Shelter (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=2773) which has ample water. The walk along the creek to the Lynchburg Reservoir is very easy and pretty. By now you should have your trail legs, so I'd consider pushing past Punchbowl Shelter (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=2774) and hiking the ridge all the way to Johns Hollow Shelter (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=2775), for an 18-mile day. The Punchbowl Shelter is of National Geographic fame, but I thought the the Johns Hollow Shelter was in a nicer spot. It's only 2 more easy miles down to the road, but I hear that it can be tough to get a hitch to Glasgow (6 miles to the right).

It's less than 3 miles to the Matts Creek Shelter (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=149) once you cross the James River Foot Bridge, and then a strenuous 12 miles more up and out of the valley to the Thunder Hill Shelter (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=2776). Marble Spring (unmaintained) is about 300 feet to the right of the Trail and down the hill about 6 miles from Matts Creek. There was a shelter here before the area was designated as Wilderness, and there are several spots you could pitch a tent.

You continue through The Guillotine and over Apple Orchard Mountain for another 5 miles until you reach Cornelius Creek Shelter (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=2777) (ample water), but I would push on for another 5 miles to the lovely Bryant Ridge Shelter (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=1562) to spend the night (creek right out front).

I mailed a food cache to the "It's A Wonderful Life Campground", where I had planned to stay for the night in a cabin but ended up just cleaning up and pushing on another 3.5 miles to Cove Mountain Shelter (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?p=60238#post60238) (no water source). It's another 5 miles to Bobbletts Gap Shelter (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=2778) and then an easy walk to Wilson Creek Shelter (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=2779) (I'd stay here, although it's a long way down to the creek). Fullhardt Knob Shelter (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=2780) is 6 miles farther on, but there are numerous services available in Daleville, only another 5 miles south.

Staying in Daleville sets you up for a nice 17 mile day on the ridgline about the beautiful Carvins Cove Reservoir. You'll pass a nice campground next to a creek just before the old Lamberts Meadow Shelter (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=159) with its resident rat about 9.5 miles in, and then cross Tinkers Rocks and McAfee Knob (passing the Campbell Shelter (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=2781), where I couldn't find water but I'm pretty sure it's there, just before climbing to the Knob) to stay at the nice Catawba Mountain Shelter (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=2782). I would seriously consider a short day to Lamberts Meadow if it looks like the weather will be better the following day. Alternatively, stay the night at the Campbell Shelter and summit before dawn.

From Catawba Mountain Shelter its a quick mile down to the brand new Boy Scout Shelter (now named Johns Spring Shelter?). Get your water from the nice enclosed spring just south of Catawba Mountain Shelter.

There's a great AYCE to the right once you reach the road (The Homestead?) and it's supposed to be an easy hitch. From the road you head over the PUDS of Sawtooth Ridge, then down through several pastures (watch out for cowpies!). The Four Pines Hostel is 0.3 miles to the left at the road crossing just before the climb up to Dragon's Tooth, where you could at least get water to last you until Pickle Creek Shelter. The climb is pretty impressive, with hundreds of stone steps going straight up. This is a tough climb in bad weather from what I've been told. There's no water along this ridge until you drop down to the Pickle Branch Shelter (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=2783), 14 miles south of Catawba Mountain Shelter. This is a nice location, but it is half a mile from the AT.

The SOBO Trail descends into a valley before a tough early morning 1,500-foot climb of Brush Mountain, but from there it's a nice stroll to Craig Creek Valley where I stopped. Niday Shelter is only a few miles further south. Make sure you stop by the Audie Murphy Monument, just to the right in a little clearing about a mile or two after you've started walking on a wide woods road along the ridge.

This section was one of the prettiest I've been on, and I had the good fortune to get great Fall weather for the 12 hiking days I used over two years. Enjoy! I plan to continue south from Craig Creek Valley either in May of next year or October of 2006. Let me know if you want to hook up for a section. I've had the pleasure of hooking up with several other WhiteBlaze members (WalkerAT99, Hikerhead and Raven) over three different hikes.

orangebug
09-25-2004, 11:03
I think the AT has by-passed the Humpback Rocks, back in 1999, if I remember right. It happened a week before I did that section. I highly recommend the old AT blue-blaze to Humpback as well as the Mau-Har Trail, although if the weather is clear, the Mau-Har bypasses some really great views.

bobgessner57
09-25-2004, 23:32
Kerosene, that description makes me want to up and go now. Planning part of that section between Christmas and New Years.

Water isn't a problem in the section between Seely Woodworth Shelter and Rt. 60. There are several creeks along the way and an excellent spring at Hog Camp Gap. Good camping in the open area at the gap or on the east side down towards the spring. Easy walk to the spring, when I was there last December the water was boiling up out of the culvert pipe that serves as a box. The book says that spring is not always reliable but it sure was bold at that time.

Water and shelter down off the AT at Cow Camp gap, too. The virgin oak forest around the shelter is impressive. Multiple water sources by the shelter. The .6 mile downhill to the shelter is worth it for the pocket of old growth. Frodo hangs out there.