Saint Marys River - July 9, 2011

We have become accustomed to the large crowds that gather whenever Iva Gillet leads a hike, and this hike was no exception. Iva's magnetic aura attracted 26 takers this time around by the time we all gathered at the trailhead along the George Washington National Forest boundary. After another hot, stifling week in Central Virginia, the possibility of splashing around in a cool mountain stream proved to be an attraction too hard to pass up for many.

The weather on this day proved to be an improvement over what we experienced during the week, and unexpected cloudiness combined with the natural air flows of cooler air spilling down the canyon from higher elevations resulted in pleasantly cool breezes as we hiked the gradual climb along the Saint Marys River. Following the heavy rains earlier in the week we were relieved to find that the river was not running high due to rain runoff. We crossed back and forth across the stream numerous times as the sometimes rough trail lead us toward our first stop.

The first pool we found was stunning in its crystalline clarity and inviting turquoise depth. The conditions were simply spectacular and too good for our swimmers to pass up. Jackie Willson and Marian Styles were soon found in the pool, to be followed by Dan Funkhouser, Debra Fisher and Ken Moss, among others. After a refreshing pause, we hit the trail again and headed toward our final destination.

After only a short distance we came to the falls along the Saint Marys River and settled in for more swimming and a leisurely lunch. The challenge of a cliff dive into the deep pool at the foot of the falls brought out the daring in Iva, Rob Umbereer and Norman Beilt. John Shannon and Meg Challand were among the expanded list of swimmers at this location. Among those who didn't want to completely immerse themselves, several enjoyed taking off their boots and dangling their feet in the cool water. Bill Holman took in much of the scene while perched on a rock high above the river.

Following the extended stay at the falls we packed up and headed down the trail toward the cars. Afterwards most participants made a beeline for the Stuarts Draft Dairy Queen, which we overwhelmed for a short time as twenty-some people lined up for frozen delights to end a wonderful day. Other participants on this day included: Jolie Huddman, Lindsay Brown, Pete & Bev Fine, Don Davis, Alex Popkin, Rita Keifer, Helen Reutlinger, Steven Cohen, Charlotte Balkenbush, Lyn Swinford, Eve Stahl, Chiora Waters, and Katherine Hamilton.