Last night was wild. The 40-mph wind howled all night, the rain beat heavily on the roof of the shelter, and the coyotes yipped like crazy from all sides of the shelter, adding to the cacophony. At least a tree didn't fall on top of us. GG slept like the dead and heard none of it. I was not as fortunate.
We pack up, steeling ourselves for the hike in this torrent. The rain is still coming down in sheets, and we are both so thankful for the nice dry shelter, but we need to meet Cole by 2:30 pm at Elk Garden. At least we will be warm and dry tonight!
The first mile is deliciously flat, and the trees give us some protection from the wind and rain, which has stopped for a moment. Very shortly the trail starts to angle upward toward Whitetop. The slope is manageable, but the wind is in our faces as we gain ascend. The trees keep decreasing in height as we increase in elevation, and soon the only protection from the elements are the twisted and stooped buckthorns.
For just a moment before we completely leave the trees for Buzzard Rock, the rain abates and becomes mist again. We shelter from the wind behind some big rocks and grab a quick snack and laugh at our situation. This isn't the first time we encountered crazy weather on Whitetop. In 2020, when we hiked into Damascus from Mount Rogers, we camped on the northeast side of Whitetop. The view from the hill in front of the parking area that night was absolutely breathtaking. A storm rolled in that night. The next morning, we left our camp set up while we hiked to Mount Rogers, also in the rain, but had to abort the hike because the temps dropped suddenly to 24F and the winds barreled in from the north, and the rain turned to snow and sleet. We returned to our camp to find inches of ice pellets and snow covering our gear. We were freezing by the time we packed our camp and literally ran southward down the mountain seeking shelter. By the time we reached Buzzard Rocks, the weather miraculously cleared, and the sun came out and we actually enjoyed some great views!
We are in good spirits as we continue up Whitetop, even though the rain resumes and stings our faces as we hike. We can't see a thing, since the fog is so thick the visibility is zero. We can see about 50 feet in front of us. Thank goodness we had amazing views (albeit briefly) the last time we hiked this area.
The heavy rain starts again as we cross the forest road to Whitetop, and we once again enter cover of trees. The trail is moss covered and years of hikers walking over the same path has eroded the dirt off the rocks underneath, making for tricky footing. The runoff from the heavy rain takes the path of least resistance, which is the trail. Slippery, moss-covered rocks and ankle-deep water running down the trail slows our pace. I am so thankful for my neoprene socks, which don't keep my feet from getting wet, but are wonderful at conserving my heat and keeping my feet nice and warm.
Even in the pouring rain and high winds, I love hiking through these woods. We walk under shelter of thick pine and spruce trees moss and twisted rhododendron are . The smell is divine as ever.
At 2:05 pm, one hour after leaving Whitetop, we near VA 600, and a few minutes later we are loading our things in the back of Coles car. He arrived 30 minutes early, so we won't have to wait in the rain! What a sweetie. I was fully prepared to set up my tarp to protect us while we waited for him, even carrying it on the top of my pack. He says he has to keep us alive so we can pay him, ha-ha. I give him a generous tip, because he really saved our bacon today! He drives us back to his house, where I pick up my truck.
30 minutes later we arrive at Grayson Highlands Store, and check in, where Paula (the owner) shows us to our room above the store. We start laundry and take showers, exploding our packs all over the spacious room so our wet stuff can dry out. We have to leave a path open so we can walk to the bathroom without tripping!
We go downstairs and order from the grill and I enjoy the most delicious cheeseburger and fries of my life. We retire back to our room, where GG has the bed, and I have a roll-away between the dresser and the closet. I check the weather and as expected, the temps on Mount Rogers are diving to -20F windchill with sustained winds of 40mph and gusts of 65mph. We are so thankful for the roof over our heads and the amazing food!
Today's Stats: 8.6 miles, 2500 feet gain
Trail Stats: 495 Miles, 117K elevation gain
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