AT - Dicky Gap to VA 625

Day One: 10 Miles
Dicky Gap to VA 601
Day Two: 10.9
VA 601 to Chatfield Shelter
Day Three: 11.4
Chatfield Shelter to Reed Creek
Day Four: 11.3
Reek Creek to Lick Creek
Day Five: 1.4
Lick Creek to VA 625
Total Miles: 45

When Lora got off work Friday we drove to Hungry Mother State Park so we would be able to start our backpack earlier on Saturday. This is a beautiful park in Marion, Virginia. Three different camping areas and a pretty lake. We had supper at the restaurant there, outside with a view of the lake. Good food. We joined the interpretive Ranger at the group campfire, she had marshmallows to roast and a story of how the park got it's name.

Saturday we drove the Back of the Dragon to meet our shuttle driver Bubba. We blew pass our unmarked VA 625 and had to turn around and drive back to find it. VA 625 is a long rough gravel road. Bubby was waiting for us at the trail head. We left our trusty Subaru and headed to Dickey Gap with Bubba. He had lot's of stories to tell. We spotted a groundhog and some deer on the drive.

We hiked to just before VA 601 and started to set up camp when a hiker came through. We asked how close the next road was. He pointed behind us and said "Right there" hmmmm. We picked up the packs and moved on past the road up on the ridge.

DAY TWO:

Sunday we saw lots of deer and chipmunks, and heard a bear crash thru the woods by the creek. We went up and over lots of ridges with only one view all day on Glade Mountain. Lots of South bounders, all of them telling us there was no water going North. It made us nervous about having water until we kept crossing water.  One guy finally told us, North of where our car was, water was scarce, about 15 to 19 miles between water sources.

The Partnership Shelter was impressive; Built with logs, and a SHOWER! That was a first for us. To bad it was too early to camp. We went into Mt Rogers Ranger Station/visitor Center and saw a huge stuffed Hellbender salamander. They had a live one too in an aquarium.

Chatfield Shelter was our camp spot for the night. We hung our hammocks and gathered wood, Two guys showed up and hung their hammocks on the other side of the shelter. We swapped blog addresses.

DAY THREE:

Monday we crossed lots of water. Saw deer, chipmunks, and two grouse startled us. We crossed train tracks, cow pastures, boardwalks, and I 81 where we stopped for chips and tea to go with our PB/J sandwiches. We ate lunch on the wooded hillside overlooking the ducks swimming in the creek.

We stopped at the Old Settlers Museum and looked at the school. Three apple trees in the back got our attention, Yumm!, and then Lora spotted the grape vine growing up the back of the school house and they were ripe. We traveled on munching apples and grapes. We passed through more farmland, and old apple orchards, and saw wild cherry trees. Found a crooked style, but no crooked man walking a crooked mile.

Got to Reed Creek in Crawfish Valley and found a sweet campsite. The water was in different pockets, we found one that had enough for taking a bath. While I was scooping water I saw a Hellbender salamander in the creek. I was so excited being the first one I have ever seen in the wild. Lora saw it's tail, but it hid under a big rock. We went back to the creek after dark and she saw its head but it was still too far under the rock. I told her to look around in the creek for more. She was real excited until a spider bigger than the salamander scared her out of the creek.

That night by the fire we had owls and coyotes talking to us for a long time, then one owl that came into camp way in the night to see who was hooting earlier.

DAY FOUR:

Tuesday we hiked in all sorts of ecosystems. Open fields, farmland, new forests, old forests, cedar forest, and lots of fences. We became experts at style climbing. Lora stepped in a cow patty after crossing VA 610, but got over it after the climb and view back at the valley.

We passed by the Historical Tilson Mill which ground wheat and corn in the 1860's for the residents in North Fork Holston River valley. Another good water source.

We then stopped at the Knot Maul Branch shelter for a break. It stunk of moth balls and does not have a reliable water source.

Lynn Camp mountain was a good climb for late in the afternoon. Lora saw a yellow jacket fly into a hole on the side of the trail. When she walked by about twelve flew out. I gave the command "RUN" and we took off up the mountain. Luckily not stings. On the way down the other side we had a massive tree across the trail that we had to climb through.

We continued on to Lick Creek where we spent our last night. Lots of owl talk again during the evening.

DAY FIVE:

We hiked the last mile to our car. We could hear the beagles from the bear hunters. Hunting season started two days ago. We found our car under a heavy dust from the road and leaves. On our way back to town, we picked up a backpacker. Took him to town and then dropped him off at Mt. Rogers headquarters.

The weather was great for our whole trip. We never used our tarps at all. A bright moon every night and lots of stars in the clear sky. Overall we saw right at one million chipmunks, lots of deer, grouse, ducks, squirrels, and the Hellbender. Our flowers were Gentain, Asters, Queen Anne Lace, Golden Rod, Thistle, Daisy, and lots of unnamed ones.

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