Week-Ender in Virginia

[bailyrosco]

I am hopefully not making a mistake. I want to take my wife out with me hiking. I want to take her to the AT in <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:State><st1:place>Virginia</st1:place></st1:State> (Luray area if possible). I hope someone out there can give me an idea of start and stop place that would allow us to go out Friday Morning and finish Sunday Afternoon. Here are a few questions I have. I hike fast normally and she has never hiked before but not in real bad shape (I might get in trouble for that) how many miles should I expect from her a day? Should we plan a round trip hike or one way? Any additional advice would be greatly appreciated. I want her to enjoy the hike and still be challenged but not scare her away from doing it again and again and again.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>

[bailyrosco]

I am hopefully not making a mistake. I want to take my wife out with me hiking. I want to take her to the AT in Virginia</ST1:pl(Luray area if possible). I hope someone out there can give me an idea of start and stop place that would allow us to go out Friday Morning and finish Sunday Afternoon. Here are a few questions I have. I hike fast normally and she has never hiked before but not in real bad shape (I might get in trouble for that) how many miles should I expect from her a day? Should we plan a round trip hike or one way? Any additional advice would be greatly appreciated. I want her to enjoy the hike and still be challenged but not scare her away from doing it again and again and again.

[BlackCloud]

Then do something that's relatively easy w/ lots of views. Shenandoah is definitely your place. If you've got 2 cars you can put together a linear trail that loses more elevation then it gains. Using the PATC mapset for the park is what you need; there are endless possibilities. Also - nothing more then 10 miles a day; make the 1st 8.

[Spirit Walker]

Don't expect more than 5 or 6 miles a day from her if she has never carried a pack before, even if you are carrying most of the weight, especially if she doesn't hike. For first time backpackers, unless they are in really good shape, even five miles is a hard hike.

There is a nice loop in the southern part of the Park - the Jones Run, Doyle River, AT loop. The short circuit is 6.6 and the long circuit is 8.4. You can extend it by just hiking on the AT. There are some pretty waterfalls and the elevation change isn't all that great - not like the Cedar Run/White Oak loop which is a good dayhike but can be pretty strenuous with a pack on (and you can't camp near the stream.)

There is another good overnight loop - longer - in the northern section along Jeremy's Run. I think that's about a 12 mile loop. It has a good climb, but should be doable if her pack is light. Forget Old Rag - that's hard enough as a dayhike (though lots of fun).

You might consider camping at a campground and doing dayhikes - that way she might learn to enjoy hiking first, then discover the joys of backpacking so she can go farther from the road. Or even stay at one of the lodges - they are fairly cheap. I would first concentrate on taking her places with fun hikes - waterfalls and views - and then teach her about backpacking.