[at-l] a perfect day for a hike

>Sunday was a perfect autumn day - cool but sunny. The gold
and russet of
>the leaves stood out sharply against the deep blue skies.
We got our usual
>late start, but managed to be on the trail by 10:30,
despite the parade of
>cars heading for the Shenandoahs to ooh and ah over the
leaves.  Once again
>we were exploring an area that we didn't know well - a
section of SNP known
>as the Hazel River country.  We thought we might have the
area to
>ourselves, but discovered that everyone who could walk
decided that Sunday
>was a good day to experience fall at its best.  They were
right.  We
>climbed steeply up from the highway on the Buck Ridge
Trail, then headed
>down Hazel Mountain to the White Rocks trail, detoured down
a steep rocky
>trail to see a couple of waterfalls and a small cave. (I
don't know if it
>was the cave on the map, since we didn't have time to
explore farther.)
>Then we climbed back up to the main trail and then down to
the Hazel River
>where we had lunch by the water.  A welcome respite for
sore toes.  The
>climb up the Hazel River Trail and the Hazel Mountain trail
wasn't too bad,
>though I got more than a little worried when I saw that  we
were headed
>southwest and I knew we were supposed to go northeast - we
were cutting the
>time close enough as it was, I really didn't want to have
to backtrack!
>Besides all the color from the leaves - reds and golds and
browns of all
>shades, there were still some late season flowers, and an
occasional pile
>of bear scat to make the climb interesting. So we climbed
all the way back
>up to the highway, then began the final 3 mile 2200'
descent as dusk was
>gathering.  I went as fast as the rocks would allow,
because even though we
>had flashlights, I really didn't want to be hiking on that
trail in the
>dark. When we were nearing the bottom, we ran into a group
of people who
>were heading 3 miles up the mountain, after 5:00, with no
water and no
>flashlights.  (I asked.)  After we went on, belated
intelligence reminded
>us that we should have turned them around and offered them
a ride up the
>mountain, but by then it was too late.  Unfortunately, we
treated them as
>we would expect to be treated - i.e. you're responsible for
the mess you
>got yourself into, it's up to you to either walk out, or
turn around and
>try to get a ride up the mountain.  It was a close call for
us - we reached
>the car at 5:20, and it was full dark by the time we
reached the Appetite
>Repair Shop in Sperryville at 5:45.  I was tired - 14 miles
and over 3000'
>up and about 4000' down took a lot out of me, and my toes,
but I was so
>happy.  We didn't see much wildlife, just some grouse,
juncos and
>squirrels, but then when you're rustling through fresh
fallen leaves, it's
>hard to be quiet.  We did see 8 backpackers and about 2
dozen dayhikers
>though.   It was a great day for a hike.
>Hope yours was as good.
>Ginny
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>


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