“Being soaked alone is cold. Being soaked with your best friend is an adventure.“
~Emily Wing Smith
Hike from Whiskey Hollow Shelter to Bears Den Hostel
AT miles: 18.2 miles
Ascent: 4501’
Descent: 4487’
Weather: very warm and muggy with a deluge in the afternoon
Sightings: 2 large black snakes, lots of toads, and 1 box turtle
High points: arriving at a wonderful hostel after a LONG day of hiking
During the morning we hiked through Sky Meadows State Park, a lovely pastoral park full of meadows and easy hiking.
We saw a cute box turtle eating a cicada and some super-artistic mushrooms.
The trail then descended to some very wet terrain. We were thankful for the boardwalks because otherwise we would have been tramping through mud.
Then we entered the Rollercoaster, so-called because the trail goes up and down a LOT without ever really climbing a mountain. This part of the AT is used by a lot of hikers in Virginia for fitness training because of the serious ascents and descents.
The weather kept on getting hotter and muggier, and we were getting seriously heat-beat when suddenly the skies let loose and we were in a deluge. At one point it even started to hail!
The good thing about all of the rain is that we cooled off nicely. The bad result of all that rain is that the trail became a river and all the water crossings became much scarier— we started just wading through and only using the rocky stepping stones when the water was uncomfortably deep.
We were TIRED when we finally arrived at Bears Den Hostel. Between the heat, the rain, the numerous water crossings, and the up-and-down of the trail, it was a long day!
I have never eaten a whole container of Haagen-Daas by myself before, but there is a first time for everything!
Today is a great day for a long walk in the woods!
After 18.2 miles on the trail you are entitled to at least one container of Haagen Daas, mebbe two!
Gwen,
Your postings are getting better and better — love the photos and
your sense of humor, even after a long trek! Glad you have a hiking
buddy too. Makes it so much more fun to share a sunset or snake sighting
with as you make your way along the AT. The hostel looked quite nice in
the photo. And now you’ve been initiated into the solemn “fraternity” of
people consuming entire pints (or quarts!) of ice cream in one sitting!!!
Margie