[at-l] pittsburgh 600pm 03/24/02

[hike-usa@pocketmail.com (hike-usa@pocketmail.com)]

pittsburgh 600pm 03/24/02

gary and i slacked today from powell gap to ivy creek overlook.  skyline hiked opposite us from ivy creek, and turned around when we met up.  took a  long break at pinefield hut.  all of the shelters (huts) in the shenandoah national park are very similar - same size, same bunk arrangement, same style fire pit, all have privies and tent sites...

my life of leisure is ending tonight.  tommorrow we put on the packs.  gary will be with me for two more days - one night - then i am again hiking alone.  my time in the shenandoahs will be coming to an end soon also.  i cannot complain at all about the park, except that i'll be happy to have less rules.  thay make it very difficult to tent legally.  apparently, though, the restrictions used to be more severe.  the rules for tenting, as printed on the back of the backcountry permit, are:

10 yards from streams and other water sources...
20 yards from trails and fire roads...
50 yards from building ruins, other campers, or "no camping" posts...
100 yards from huts, day shelters, or cabins...
1/4 mile from park boundary, paved roads, or developed areas...

on top of that, realize that there is little level land in the park, and most of the park is littered with rocks.  so, for all practical purposes, there is little backcountry tenting available, except at the designated hut tent sites...

pittsburgh

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