Riprap Hollow - December 16, 2014

Mark Perschel, Barbara Martin, and Scott Davis at the start

Horsehead and Trayfoot Mts.

Barbara Martin met Marit Anderson, Mark Perschel, and Scott Davis at Rockfish Gap and led us to the valley trailhead for the Riprap Hollow circuit hike.  It was an interesting approach to come up from near Crimora Lake off of Rt. 340, and it also added a few miles to the circuit making it an 11.3 mile hike.  Barbara (leader) had a nasty fall over the weekend, so she helped us start the trek and then turned back after the second stream crossing.  Marit took charge and continued with the intended route from the Riprap Trail, up to Chimney Rock, past Calvary Rocks, and in the Shenandoah National Park along the Skyline Drive where we had lunch on the Appalachian Trail.  Paine Run provided small falls, pools, and at least 4 stream crossings. Our highest point was at 2,997 ft. with views of Horsehead Mountain, Trayfoot Mountain, and the Shenandoah Valley.

Marit and Scott amongst the many rock formations

      The second half of the day we continued two miles south on the AT and then descended down Wildcat Ridge Trail with much evidence of the three fires of the 1990's.  There was an understory of mountain laurel, azalea, sassafras, and catawba rhododendron.  We need to go back in late May or early June to see these thickets in full bloom. Turkeybeard was another interesting plant we saw, a relative to the Western bear grass. A summer outing would also allow us to swim or wade in the many pools. Gotta go back!
    

Scott perched on Calvary Rocks

We finished by reuniting with the Riprap Trail and recrossing the streams of the Paine Run watershed on our way back to the cars. Six hours of hiking and we experienced rain, snow, ice, fog, and sunshine.  All in all, a fine day in the mountains.

 submitted by Marit Anderson