Thursday, March 14, 2019

AT- Grayson Highlands to VA 670


Day One: 3.0                                                 Outcasts Total Miles: 2388.6
US 58 to spring
Day Two: 11.0
Spring to Damascus 2.0

Connector trail 0.5
Massie Gap to Old Orchard shelter 8.5
Day Three: 8.0
Old Orchard shelter to Dicky Gap trailhead
Day Four: 8.2
Dicky Gap trailhead to VA 670
Total Miles: 30.2

This hike we used Sundog Outfitters for our shuttle service.

We had our shuttle drop us off at US 58 to make up for our early departure from last hike to avoid the storms. We hiked to a spring just before the downhill into town and made camp for the night. The next morning we hiked to Sundog Outfitters and had them shuttle us to drop off the car at VA 670 and then take us back to Grayson Highlands and drop us off.

With the weather a 100% better than last hike, there were more people out and we enjoyed the views as we hiked across the top of the mountains and balds to the Scales. We got to see the wild ponies again and then headed down to the Old Orchard shelter for the night. When we got there we saw eleven hammocks swinging in the trees. A group of college students from Missouri were doing an overnight backpack. We got to visit a little bit before we set up our camp down the hill from them. The Old Orchard shelter is a log shelter with no chinking so you might want to think about that if you are planning on staying in the shelter.

Day Three:
We got up a little later today as we didn't have as far to go. The students had gotten up at 6am and headed out. It was another beautiful day for hiking. We stopped at the Hurricane Mt. shelter for lunch, but did not climb up to the actual shelter. We set up camp at the unmarked Dickey Gap trail for the night. Troy and I headed back to the last spring to get water instead of taking the trail down to the river which was rather steep. Of course the next day we found that just up the trail was another spring which would have been a lot closer.

Day Four:
We got off for a good start today. The weather got warmer and we had to go to shorts, but no complaints there. More hikers today as well. We got to see the Comer Creek Falls and got to see a couple of deer today. Our plans were to stay at the Trimpi shelter tonight, but we got word of storms coming in so we hiked on the the car. This is the first hike a quite a while that nothing came down from the clouds on us so we were quite excited.

Pictures:

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