Big Run Loop - March 3, 2012

The weather forecast for Saturday had been foreboding for much of the week, and hike leader Ken Moss had some anxious moments in wondering what the weather would eventually bring, but by Friday afternoon it looked like any rain would be gone by our normal 9 AM assembly time. A crowd of eleven hikers showed up at the allotted time, though Marian Styles decided to stay back to search for a wayward John Shannon…a mystery followed with anxious anticipation by everyone throughout the day (he was later found to have participated in an all-day workshop, oblivious to the fact that he had raised such concerns!).

We packed the remaining ten people into two cars and proceeded to Doyles River Parking near the Big Run Overlook, from which our hike began with a descent into the Big Run Watershed, the largest in Shenandoah National Park. Because of heavy rain the previous night, there was some concern about an eventual crossing of Big Run itself, though this proved unfounded as the water level was quite reasonable.

A long slog uphill after the crossing brought us into bright sunshine and a trail junction for lunch, though most retreated from the wind along the ridgeline for a more sheltered location on the lee side of the mountain. A gentle hike back along the Appalachian Trail via Dundo Overlook, with clear views to the east, brought us finally back to our cars after less than 6 miles on the trail. The return trip found all but two hikers eager for a stop at Timberwood Grill on the way home, so those two were shuttled back to the high school while the rest of the group gathered for good food, beverages and lively conversation and one of our favorite watering holes following a good day on the trail.

Participating in the trip today were Dan Funkhouser, Steve Cohen, Bill Holman, Dan Ralston, John Brandt, Corina Gendron, Iva Gillet, and newcomers Paige Madison and Lu Jiang.