What a day! It isn’t often that we get to enjoy temperatures
in the 50’s in January, but 18 sun-and-mountain loving individuals assembled to
enjoy just that. While the Blue Ridge Parkway was closed, Waynesboro Asst.
Commonwealth’s attorney David Ledbetter had provided recon for the hike leader to
furnish an alternative launch point on the Parkway providing us the chance to
stick with the spirit of the scheduled hike.
The group meeting at AHS included some special faces: Jeff Monroe and
Gracie, and Rich Bard hiking with us for the first time in ages, and likely
mainly for the beer at the end; David Dalloy, the first time with our group; Pat Skelly,
here from Georgia on his long weekend celebration hike; and Mary Craig,
returning to hiking as a New Year’s resolution. Our veteran hikers included: Ken
Moss, upon his return from a business trip in Africa; John Shannon, pack loaded
waiting for the call for trail maintenance; Marian Styles, joining the hike
after the weather had cancelled her trip to Kentucky; Briana Taylor, cheerfully
looking for a winter hike; CJ Woodburn, who forgot her coat, but was able to
sweet talk Dan Ralston into loaning one of his collection for a few hours; Dave
Borszich, also looking forward to post hike brews; and Karen Ramsey, who was
willing to hike even without knowing where we were headed! 
We caravanned to the top of Afton Mountain where Barbara
Martin, Pam Farrell, and Jill Patterson joined David Ledbetter to lead us to
the new starting point which was on the Blue Ridge parkway about a mile from
the visitor’s center. We hiked the Parkway to the trail head in the Humpback
Rocks parking lot. While there was a little snow on the Parkway, we hiked as a
wide spread out group, enjoying the bright blue sky on our flat path. Our loop
followed the Old Howardsville Turnpike for a short while before we headed north
on the AT.
There was no ice on the trail; it was either snowy or muddy, but the
traction was quite good. Our lunch spot was the Glass Hollow Overlook, which we
all trapsed past, with the hike leader distracted by good conversation. David
Ledbetter again saved the day by being the only one who had seen the obscured
overlook sign, and he led us back to spur trail which allowed us to pick up
another ½ mile of hiking on the way to our sunny lunch spot. 
The view was stunning as we looked down in Glass Hollow and toward Charlottesville and all sites to the east. We enjoyed our lunches, chatted on the warm rocky outcropping, and indulged in brownies which would help us continue our journey. Dan led us on the Albright Trail as we looped up Dobie Mountain in search of the downed plane remains. While Jeff Monroe has seen the remnants without snow on it, it was Dave Borszich who spied it this time, after everyone else had walked past the spot. I was certainly grateful for my observant David hikers! While some climbed the hill to inspect the remains of the 1963 wreckage, others stayed on the trail preparing for our return along the snowy trail. The ascent up Dobie Mountain was the only real climb for the day, and it was lovely with a few inches of snow which provided excellent footing. We were able to keep sight on the awesome Humpback Rocks during several parts of the day as it towered above us.
After returning to the
Humpback Rocks parking lot, we retraced our route along the Parkway back to the
cars. As it was now early afternoon, there were others walking the Parkway too.
Our 6+ mile route was perfect for this winter day and we returned to the cars
in enough time to allow those who were inclined to have a brew and bite at Blue
Mountain brewery. The place was packed in the nice weather, with bus loads of
college students. Being the rugged hikers we are, we sat at the picnic tables
in the sun, wearing our warm jackets. Certainly not a typical option in
January, we all made the most of the extraordinary weather and sitting outside
looking at our beloved mountains.
