South River Falls rainsite hike - April 22, 2017

submitted by Iva Gillet 

     While the planned hike was a bushwhack from Hightop Mtn to the Vining Tract, the rainy forecast postponed that hike for a week. Instead 10 hearty hikers traveled to the nearby South River Falls to get in some exercise before the forecasted 3 days of rain.  Hike leaders Mark Walkup and Bill Holman herded Brian Muszynski, Dave Borszich, Patrick Cory, Pete Fink and Iva Gillet (with Remy) to the trailhead. We were joined by others we hadn’t seen in a while: Leon Gorman, Bill Westen, and Grace Ni, great to have them join us, even without ideal weather.  

     The descent through the lush forest let us glimpse early wildflowers and much garlic mustard. The falls were flowing nicely, and we had a quick lunch at the base, while Remy chased sticks thrown into the water and we took photos. Brian heeded John Shannon’s concerns and pulled garlic mustard as he could, dropping them on the road to prevent spreading. When we returned from the falls, we met up with some other hikers who were concerned that the garlic mustard droppings were ominous cult markings. Once we showed them Brian, they understood the issue.   

     As we began the ascent, the rain began, though not heavily. We completed our circuit by 1:30 and several of us headed to the Piedmont Environmental Council’s Heritage Event near Stanardsville which provides an opportunity for descendants of families who were living on the land inside the Shenandoah National Park to share their photos, stories, and maps.  We met some wonderful local folks who helped us further understand the people who lived near the Vining tract, Hightop Mountain, and Lydia. We all shared an appreciation of the land, while acknowledging that many local families were not treated fairly. There is so much to learn from these wonderful local residents, and we look forward to their event again next year.