3 Waterfalls
Posted on 04/11/2015 in misc
60 and sunny in Shenandoah National Park? I'm there. Given all the recent rain I figured today would be a good day to visit waterfalls. I was correct. This was the trail I did.
I was on the trail by 9 AM. It was a little chilly at first, but as I got down into the hollow and out of the wind the fleece went into the backpack, not to seen again today. A generally uneventful day, pretty weather, pretty scenery, and a date with pretty woman tonight. I'd call that a pretty good day!
One thing though - people hiking totally unprepared for the elements. As I came back up Lewis Falls trail, a 1.2 mile slog up the mountain, about 1/2 of it steep, rocky, and muddy, I passed a bunch a people heading down the waterfall. Almost all were totally unprepared for the difficulty of the hike. One woman had a freaking poodle in a baby carrier, and she was wearing open toe sandals. Several families with small kids that are going to be in a bad mood when they have to carry those kids back up the mountain. Most without backpacks, so I know they didn't have a first aid kit for when their kid tripped over his sandals and went splat on a rock. That BTW is a best case scenario. This is a trail where you can trip and go bye bye hundreds of feet down the side of the mountain. I always carry a first aid kit, and I've needed it several times, to help strangers. Not today though.
Wildlife was in hiding today. I saw one grouse (I think) cross the road in front of my car. On the trail, I didn't see anything more exciting than a squirrel.
I wasn't kidding about it being a pretty day.