JAMES RIVER

AT Day 049: Friday May 26,  2023

Mile 767.5 + 21.5 miles /34.5 km

Total Distance Hiked:789 miles/1269  km

Cornelius Creek Shelter – Black Rock Overlook – FS 812 – Apple Orchard Mountain – The Guillotine – Blue Ridge Parkway – Thunder Hill Shelter – Blue Ridge Parkway – Thunder Ridge Overlook – Petites Gap Road – James River Face Wilderness – Highcock Knob – Matts Creek Shelter – James River Footbridge – Virginia Byway 501 – Rocky Row Run – John Hollow Shelter

A: 4160 ft / 1269 m  D: 6190 ft /1888 m

The click of the waistbelt on the pack is like a starters whistle for another day on trail. We left the shelter at 6.30 just as a steady stream of hikers were heading to the privy. 

We ascended from the shelter through a rather dense grove of rhododendron, most past their peak.  A few plants were still holding full bunches of flowers,  but it won’t be long before they’re gone.  The morning was surprisingly cool, despite the clear blue sky and the sun already well above the horizon. 

The birds were singing, the sun was shining but all I could hear was my breathing and my thumping heart as we climbed towards yet another ridge to leave the camp. I love hiking in the early morning. The shafts of sunlight casting long beams through the forest canopy were illuminating the most wonderful textures of the ground cover. The ferns look so lush, green and almost translucent in the morning sunlight. 

Quite a pleasant morning hiking even though the wind was actually surprisingly cold. The highlight of the morning was hiking across Apple Orchard Hill with a very prominent radio tower but more interestingly completely different types of trees.  The trees just had the most beautiful shape there almost like a Japanese bonsai but very large.

We also crossed through a rocky feature called the Guillotine.  It’s a rock that looks like it’s fallen through a crevice and it’s been caught up above. The trail passes underneath. It looks like just a slight tremor would bring the rock crashing down.

We crossed the Blue Ridge Parkway twice without it offering any views. The best views we had this morning was from the Thunder Ridge Overlook with fabulous views of a huge flat valley to the northwest.  Morning miles always seem to go so quickly and effortlessly. Afternoons are another story, time seems to slow down. 

We stopped for lunch before James Road which comes off the Blue Ridge Parkway because it was our last water for quite a few miles.  It was an early lunch which means the afternoon could be super long especially as we have to traverse a 10-mile area that’s closed to camping due to aggressive bear behavior over the past couple of weeks.

The bear closure starts at Petites Gap Road and from here we had a mile long very steep climb up Hardcock Knob. I wonder what genius cane up with that name? Once we got to the top of the Knob the vegetation seemed to change to a more open forest with a few more conifers. It was really nice to be on a ridge with frequent distant views. The change in the landscape,  traversing the side of the  ridge, the warmth of the afternoon and  the coolness of the wind made for  quite pleasant hiking. This afternoon turned out to be so unexpected. 

We passed a big black snake right across the trail.   It had just eaten you could see the body was corrugated. A mile later Hammer spotted another. I must have disturbed it and it crossed the trail just in front of Hammer. 

The last four or so miles we were descending with great views of James River down below. We could see where we were heading, a long footbridge  across the river.  Hiking felt so much easier. Not just because we were descending for miles but also because had nice views.  Seeing an enormous river was really quite exciting just because it was so different to the green tunnel. 

We crossed the river and hiked a short way up to the John Hollow Shelter. We planned another short day tomorrow so we can get to Buena Vista for resupply,  early on Sunday morning.