The first Chapter hike of the year was the result of changed circumstances. Weather forecasts all pointed to a large snowstorm rolling into the area on Sunday, so a group of PATC hikers seeking to complete the AT through Virginia changed their plans from a 3 day event near Blacksburg to only Saturday. The hike changed from an AT hike to a Shenandoah Bushwhack hike.
The group followed a route hiked by the Charlottesville Chapter five years earlier: Link. This hike requires sharp eyes to find an old side road off of the AT near the Saddleback Mountain Trail - on the southern end of the SNP Central District. Hikers agreed that, although many of them had hiked past the intersection multiple times without ever seeing anything, if they were looking for the old road it was pretty obvious to the eye.
The group descended in the old roadbed to the former route of the Spottswood Trail, now US 33, supersceded around 1933. My theory is that cars had become more powerful by that year, and the sharp switchbacks of the previous route was no longer viable for this road over the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Although sometimes overgrown - particulary difficult where there were stands of Greenbriar vines - the road in general remains in great shape nearly 90 miles after seeing its last car. The group hiked east on the old Spottswood alignment, heading towards but not reaching the old Big Bend Fire Road. They stopped to look for foundations of an old school that once was sited just off of the road. While the group located some old house foundations - marked by overgrown Boxwoods, it did not likely reach the schoolhouse location.
The hike back was via the old Spottswood alignment and an open cut for a gas line and power lines. This section had been recently cut - likely by a utility company.
The group was an all-PATC member hike, which included Charlottesville Chapter regulars Karen and John Ballen, Nancy Handley, Jocelyn Prostko, Sharon Celsor-Hughes, and hike leader Jeff Monroe. From the Southern Shenandoah Valley Chapter were hikers Jim Fye, Pam Heinrich, Michael Seth, and Jean Stephens.
Michael Seth had attended the same hike five years ago, but specifically requested this hike, to refresh his memory.
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| Descending via old road bed that connects the Spottswood Trail and the AT. |
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| Standing on the old foundation. |
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| Lunch. |
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| Climbing back to the Spotswood Trail after lunch. |
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| Our group of bushwhackers |
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