HIGHTOP MOUNTAIN

AT Day 055: Thursday June 1,  2023

Mile 882.5 + 24.5 miles /39.4 km

Total Distance Hiked: 907 miles/1459 km

Camp – Blackrock Gap/Skyline Drive – Skyline Drive – Blackrock Hut – Blackrock Mountain – Skyline Drive – Browns Gap/Skyline Drive – Skyline Drive – Loft Mountain Campground –  Pinefield Gap /Skyline Drive – Weaver Mountain  – Simmons Gap/Skyline Drive – Powell Gap/Skyline Drive – Smith Roach Gap/Skyline Drive – Hightop Road  – Hightop Hut – Hightop Mountain

A: 5810 ft /1772 m  D:4885 ft /1489 m

We had the most beautiful peaceful nights  sleep, even though we were camped not far from Skyline Drive.   Not a breath of wind and it was a lovely to wake up this morning to silence in the pre-dawn, just the sound of the early birds beginning their morning communications .  Hammer had been up through the night and he reckons he even saw the moon.  Now that’s something we haven’t seen for a while. Or the stars for that matter. We have  either been camped in the woods with no view of the sky or else it’s been overcast or raining. We are so looking forward to many more nice clear nights ahead,  certainly through Shenandoah NP.  

We crossed Skyline Drive three times in the first hour from camp on our approach to the summit of Blackrock Mountain. We will go on to cross it nine times though the day.  Blackrock Mountain is toped by a pile of boulders that continue down the mountain as a huge tallus field.This morning we had pretty nice views from the top.  Gentle rolling hills  below the mountain and a valley off in the distance. A layer of haze clung low on the horizon making it hard to see too far in the distance.  

Coming off Blackrock Mountain we had a section of the smoothest well maintained trail we’ve hiked on so far.   I’d swear the hiker that’s  purported to be hiking with a leaf blower might have been through just a little bit ahead of us.  It was perfect and just as we were getting comfortable, it was over and we were back to rocky rubble. I stubbed my toe on a rock so hard,  I saw stars. I think I might have broken a toe. It’s purple and throbbing in pain. 

My pain was somewhat diminished by seeing some more Pink Lady slipper orchids. They came to my rescue one more time. They looked so beautiful in the morning sunshine. It made me feel so much better  Such a bonus to still see them since I thought their flowering season was over. 

Mid-morning we passed the Loft Mountain Campground. It had a store which was open and  fully stocked with any food a hiker could need. I got coffee and a muffin and Hammer had a Pepsi and a Snickers bar. We sat at a picnic table in the sun enjoying this unexpected treat.  

From the campground the trail got a little bit steeper ascending and descending.  It was getting close to mid-day,  it was very warm and humid.   But at the ridgetops there was always a lovely cool breeze, just enough to refresh. We saw only one other hiker today. He stopped for a chat while we were having lunch on ledge with a view. His trail name was ‘Firewalker’ and he was on his second AT through hike. He started on March 4th and was a bit surprised to learn that we started more then a month after him.

The hiking in the afternoon was even more challenging. The trail was even steeper then what we had earlier, the forest was a little bit more damaged and degraded and so more open to the sunshine. It was probably the warmest today we’ve had on trail so far.  We climbed an unnamed mountain around Mile 902, which Hammer had some interesting names for. It was a beast in the heat of the afternoon sun. But then the  descent was really, really nice with smooth trail underfoot,  tall healthy  trees with a full canopy providing shade and a nice breeze. It was beautiful.  So there you go, swings and roundabouts. 

Late afternoon it was beginning to feel a little bit cooler. We crossed Skyway Drive at Powells Gap.  The road was busy with lots of traffic noise. From here  we had a wickedly steep climb only to wind around the mountain and then drop down to the Drive at  Smith Roach Gap on the other side. 

A tough climb to Hightop Mountain where we camped for the day was made somewhat easier by a cool breeze that sprung up late in the day.  It was really quite lovely finishing the days hike through a lush green forest with a healthy under story.