Shenandoah Day 4

 Friends don’t use friends as bear bait! 

May 7, 2021
Hike from to High top shelter to Bearfence Shelter
AT miles: 12.4 miles
Ascent: 2337’
Descent: 2428’
Weather: Gray, drizzly, and cool
Sightings: a brave rabbit and a box turtle
High point: not getting soaked!

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Bears are frequently seen in SNP. To avoid associating food with people, backpackers are supposed to bearproof food and smellies such as trash and toothpaste.

Bear-proofing involves keeping food in a bear canister or hanging it from a tall branch at night. Shelters in Shenandoah national Park have bear poles and bear boxes for campers to store food in overnight. This is the bear pole at my shelter last night, with lots of food bags hanging from it.

Today was the day of the trillium. They were everywhere, providing a beautiful border along the trail.

Mostly the Trilliums were white and pink.

But there were a few burgundy-colored ones as well.

I got into some interesting conversations with other hikers along the trail. Some folks are through hikers who have been on the trail since Georgia. Some folks are just starting their through hike — they are doing a flip-flop starting in Harpers Ferry or rockfish gap. Some folks are section hikers just doing Shenandoah national park, and some folks are out for two or three days just to get outside and enjoy the beautiful spring weather. I have bumped into fairly few day hikers.

I saw a box turtle on the trail. I’m always happy to see a box turtle, but I didn’t bother to take a picture of it.

Then a very brave rabbit hopped across the trail about 3 feet in front of me. He stopped about ten feet away from me and modeled. Surprised, I decided to try to take a picture. The problem is that taking a picture involves putting down both of my poles, and then getting out my camera, which I carry in a Velcro-tabbed pocket. The rabbit didn’t jump away when I dropped my poles with a clatter. Amazingly, the rabbit didn’t even hop away when I undid the loud Velcro!  The rabbit is in the picture, but he has great camouflage so you may need to work to actually see him.

I stopped at the Lewis Mountain Campground to fill up some water and then I walked to Bearfence Shelter, about a mile away. I arrived at the shelter around 1:00 p.m., which is ridiculously early to stop hiking, but it’s a gray day and since it is supposed to rain all night I really do want to stay in shelter and not in my tent. So I’m just going to hang out here and maybe take a nap. As you can see, it is a lovely shelter!

A bit later a lovely couple in their 20’s showed up. They have worked in wilderness therapy for troubled teens and young adults, which sounds fascinating. And then a young woman from Wisconsin who works in IT showed up, and finally another young woman, an electrical engineer from Colorado, appeared. Though she is a very experienced hiker, this was her first night on the AT. I was the only person over 30 in the shelter! Great conversation, and I wish all four of them the best as they head to Katahdin!

You never know who will show up at a shelter!

Today is a great day for a long walk in the woods!