I left work early Friday and headed over to Front Royal,VA before making my way down to Waynesboro, VA via I-81 to check in at the hotel. I have become accustomed to a good night’s sleep in a hotel before hitting the trail the next morning. I tried to grab a bite to eat near the hotel but COVID made that difficult. Thankfully the hotel had a convienence center with cold beer and microwavable dinners. Cold beer and shrimp scampi it is! 🙂 After dinner I stepped outside to vape and left my vape sitting on the bench outside. I didn’t realize it for a several minutes then panicked and ran outside to find it sitting where I left it. Thought to myself I need to give vaping up soon, grabbed it and went back inside. To bed early and up early.

Saturday morning was cool and dark as I pulled out of the hotel parking lot and began making my way up the mountain. The sun was just rising as I pulled into Reids Gap. Surprisingly the parking area was nearly full but I was able to grab one of the last two spots. I chatted with a fellow hiker parked next to me while I was getting ready to hike. The AT is up hill from Reids gap heading south but not too bad. There are several tent sites in this area and I passed a lot of occupied ones. Summits are easy, the way back down is the hard bit. The 3.2 miles down to Harpers Creek Shelter destroyed my knees but thankfully I always hike with trekking poles so some damage was mitigated. Once I made it to Harpers Creek I popped some vitamin I and ate lunch. Spoke with a few more hikers in the area and a couple fellows from Richmond that suggested there was a nice area along the creek on Mau-Har that would be a good place to camp. It was too early to stop hiking so I took their advice to continue to that site as I was heading that way anyways. It was tough to get around there but I made it. Those fellows had just gotten their tents up when I arrived. There’s a nice fire pit and places to sit, great place to spend the evening.

In the morning we all had our morning rituals we tended to then we parted ways with them leaving ahead of myself. The hike out was straight up hill. It followed the creek for a while. I fell off trail at one point and had to do some boulder scrambling to find it again. The mountains ate one of my boot soles as well. I was so happy when I saw Maupin Field shelter in the distance. Spoke to a seasoned hiker there until I started getting cold and made my way back down the AT to Reids Gap.

I got myself situated the best I could and headed straight to Blue Mountain Brewing in Afton, VA. for a pulled pork sandwich and a cold glass of Kolsch. I picked up a 12-pk. to take home and did just that. The drive back through central VA. was much more scenic than I-81 on the way in from the north. I’m glad I decided to take some different roads home. All in all Three Ridges Loop with Mau-Har is a solid hike I would rate as difficult. It can be done in a day hike but for me I like it as an overnight while traversing the loop clockwise.

I left work Friday around noon and beat feet to Front Royal, VA and checked into the hotel. I had a brisket sandwich and cold beer from PaveMint Smokin’ Taphouse for dinner and retired back to the hotel for the evening after a safety meeting.

Saturday morning I arose, had breakfast, and was soon making my way up the mountain towards Shenandoah National Park. After displaying my pass I pulled off to fill out a backcountry permit at the kiosk. I proceeded to Jenkins Gap and parked the car. A family of day hikers showed up as I was preparing to get on trail. They jumped right on the AT at Jenkins Gap whereas I had a short road walk to Marshall Mountain Trail. The day was beautiful and warmed up quickly as I peeled off my jacket and checked my safety supplies at the trailhead. I broke out my poles and I was off. I encountered a few day hikers in the first 8 mile stretch. Around noon I arrived at my planned camping spot. I set up camp and had lunch. I then decided it was too early and too nice out to stop hiking. In less than 10 minutes camp was broke down and I was back on trail. Hiking for a few more miles I found Gravel Springs Hut with a Park Ranger hanging out in front of the shelter. He was a friendly fellow and we talked for awhile. I asked about sites in the direction I was going but ultimately decided the shelter had everything I might need for the evening and I was fine stopping there for the evening. Gravel Springs shelter has a shelter, picnic table, firepit, bear pole, bear box, privy, spring, and tent sites. A few hikers and a dog showed up that night and we had a good time.

The next morning I was up early as I had froze all night in inadequate gear. I got up and moving to warm myself up. I had breakfast and aimed to get on trail early. As I climbed up and away from Gravel Springs shelter towards the AT enveloped in a cool fog I turned to see my new albeit temporary friends one last time in the distance and nod. It was cold, windy, and wet on top of Marshall Mountain. The forest had such an eerie, spooky feeling that I enjoyed quite a bit honestly. There are so many different ways to experience the AT outside of spring’s ‘green tunnel’. Upon returning to car I had a awkward moment when some rando drives up on me while I’m trying to change in the back of the car. I’m like this great. No one around, its foggy, my pants are half off, and what’s this wanker want stopping right behind my car? Thankfully, after seemingly forever, they back up, turn around, and leave. Great! I say to myself. Finish taking care of my business and crack a cold victory beer. One victory beer never hurts a hiker at the end of a hike. It was an eventful ride home. Google routed me through downtown DC for some reason. Gee thanks Google!