Reported by Pete FinkOn a sunny morning with a nip of fall in the air eight of us; Liz, Rita, Leon & Bailey, Marian, Neil, Debra, Bev and I left AHS and headed up to Browns gap where we would meet Connie and Briana for the hike to Lewis Peak. Almost immediately after beginning the northward climb on the AT we encountered the first two of several downed trees and good sized branches across our route. Not having any tools with us, they yielded to brute strength.
We proceeded along Rockytop Trail. Just before the Austin Mountain Trail Bailey made it known she was tired so she, Leon and Connie turned back. The rest of us continued on the undulating trail passing a couple of scree fields and catching a few glimpses of the views to the west through the trees when our progress was blocked by a downed tree. Too big to move, each of us picked our own route through or around it.
Reaching the Lewis Peak Trail Debra went out ahead as we began the descent (which would turn out to be a rather tough ascent on the way back) prior to the final assault on the summit. Although earlier in the week Bev and I had seen bear scat on the trail, Debra was the only one to see the bear today when it crossed the trail in front of her!
Arriving at the summit for lunch, we soaked up sunshine, took in the views of the valley and Rockytop and then turned around and headed back to the cars and on to Waynesboro for ice cream.
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