There are some people who delicately peel off adhesive first-aid bandages to minimize pain; some who gingerly wade into the ocean to get used to the temperature before swimming; some who sip and savor Scotch.
Then there are DCUL backpackers. We rip off Band-Aids, even from sensitive areas; we jump into the icy ocean without hesitation; and we shoot whisky. Of course, we do all these things in a single weekend—while going lighter, earlier, and farther. We go low—Low, Low, Low.
Sure, we are known for our epic Herculean adventures. We have knowingly backpacked into a hurricane. We have hiked 50 miles in a single day crossing the borders of 4 states. We have crossed deserts. We go whale watching in the Blue Ridge Mountains. We are tough!
However, not every DCUL trip need be a test of physical prowess. Some trips are “low mileage”—intended to help bring new adventurers into DCUL and to give veteran DCULers a relaxed trip to mix things up. Nonetheless, our low mileage trips do not skimp on high adventure.
Rip Off that Band-Aid!
This is why 10 DCULers, including 3 first-timers, found ourselves trudging halfway up a 1,300-foot climb on Cellar Mountain, in the humid night, by headlamp, at 10:30 p.m., to an unimproved campsite, after having driven 3 hours through a drenching storm. Had David U (“Baseball”) been on this trip and written this trip report, he would have likened it to a horror movie. As participating DCULer, Abhi (“All Electric”), groaned as he swabbed away the sweat stinging his eyes while Ashley (“Rise and Shine”) tried vainly to see through hopelessly fogged glasses, “there has to be a better way!” There wasn’t. There was only up. We were Band-Aid rippers. Rather than gently easing into the backwoods, we let it rip!
All Electric would later claim that this night hike was one of the highlights of the trip.
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My plan was to circumnavigate St. Mary’s Wilderness in central Virginia between Staunton and Waynesboro—not far from the Shenandoah National Park, but in the George Washington National Forest. The Wilderness is best known for its falls—a popular swimming hole for locals and visitors. It sits in a deep valley created by the St. Mary’s River, a cool, crystal-clear stream running fast over smooth, blond rocks. Originally, I intended to hike the loop counterclockwise. My goal was for us to spend the afternoon at the falls after a morning hike to it. Summertime backpacking trips in Virginia are tough. It can get hot and humid! So, an extended water feature seemed like a good highlight for a low mileage trip.
However, the week before the trip I happened to be near St. Mary’s and did a reconnoissance. My initial plan involved too much backtracking. So, I changed things up. I planned a clockwise loop, increased the mileage slightly, and added a 1.5-mile late-night hike. This change clearly was not for everyone. While 10 people came on the trip—the most permitted by Wilderness regulations—24 people who secured a spot on this popular trip for themselves dropped out. I was left with either the hard core or the hopelessly inattentive.
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Jump Into the Icy Ocean!
We arrived at the intended campsite atop Cellar Mountain around 11:00 p.m. and quickly made camp. While flat, it was completely unimproved and uncleared. So, we set our tents where we could around the underbrush. I rarely see tents erected and hikers prone with their lights out so quickly.
We slept late—with the wake-up call at 7:00 a.m. For the first time we could all see each other. The previous late night climb felt like a foggy dream—did it really happen? After re-introductions we continued our climb up Cellar Mountain. This part of the trail was hopelessly overgrown. We had to push our way through the bushes to propel forward. Dmitri (“Bike Santa”) loves bushwhacking, so he had plenty of bushes to wack. The rest of us just pushed forward stoically. After a time, we broke through to a poorly maintained fire road. Our route swapped the challenge of fighting the overgrown bushes with the different challenge of passing road-width-wide muddy puddles—some up to waist deep, which Shane (“Dad Joke”) and Jonathan (“Shenanigans”) discovered the hard way. Being out of the bushes and forest also meant no protection from the hot sun amplified by the humid air. Some took out TRDDs (umbrellas) for shade. Henry (“GQ”) ripped off his shirt and let down his shoulder length blond hair to catch a breeze. Someone immediately offered him the trail name, “GQ,” to fit his male-model persona.
Walking through the puddles was uninviting—they were milk-chocolate colored, and one could not see how deep they were. We certainly did not know what was in them. Crocodiles? Most of us tried to pass them by clinging to the tree branches along the side to sidestep around them. We all got wet feet despite our best efforts. All Electric accidentally stepped on a beehive and started shouting in pain as he plunged into the same murky puddle he had worked so hard to avoid. The stings created large rashes on his legs.
We soon returned to the woods and began our long descent toward the falls. The woods were lush and dense with many stream crossings. This being a low mileage trip, though, we arrived at our campsite in time for a late lunch. Much more inviting than our initial campsite, this one could fit a small music festival and was next to the St. Mary’s “all you can drink” water. Most of us set up our tents before the optional hike up Bald Mountain. Six of us set out for the hike. The remainder could not resist a long siesta along the pristine stream deep in the relatively cool forest. Deep-forest streams are nature’s air-conditioners. It was delightful. However, those who took the 1,300 foot climb up to Bald Mountain enjoyed a stunning view of the mountains with a rapidly strengthening breeze. At first, the breeze was refreshing as it cooled and dried our sweaty shirts. But then the clouds darkened. We decided to descend in the dry weather while we could do so.
Back at camp, we all gathered around a campfire pit and ate dinner. The rain held back. We did not bother with a fire—it was too hot and the wood surrounding us was very wet.
We had a very fun group. The theme of the trip was “Low, Low, Low,” and I posted the trip with the challenge to see who could come with the lowest base pack weight. We are, after all DCUL—“D.C. Ultralight.” Few really tried for the prize, though.
GQ technically had the lightest pack. However, just as Tom Sawyer persuaded his friend, Ben Rogers, to help him paint his fence, GQ persuaded his friend, Russell, to carry much of the gear they shared. Russell carried the tent, the stove, the blanket, and the heavier pack to hold all that stuff. GQ only needed to carry his clothes, food, and water in a daypack. I “DQed” GQ.
Sharlene, in a moment of poor judgment, disclosed that she embraced the ultralight theme of the trip by leaving at home her eyelash curler. Really. This both did little to help her win the ultralight challenge and forever earned her the trail name, “Maybelline.”
One hiker who clearly misread the trail description brought an electric air compressor to inflate his air mattress. (I can hear the groan of our founder, Evan (“Whisky Fairy”) all the way from Canada)! Embarrassingly, the fan in his compressor had a tenancy to start in his pack and random times when it accidentally triggered while he was hiking.
For the record, I won the competition with a 10.5-pound base-weight. I rewarded myself with cupcakes that I brought for dessert.
Shoot Whiskey!
We had a good long time to eat dinner and enjoy the fellowship, but a sudden rain chased us back to our tents. We all expected the typical summer-time storms—heavy rain that would pass quickly. So, one hiker did not bother brushing his teeth. Another did not relieve himself for the evening. Both assumed they could do so after the rain passed. It never did. The rain kept up a steady pace all night—at least during the times it woke me up. Dyneema is a great ultralight fabric, but it pitches very taught and reverberates like a drum when rain falls on it.
The next morning, at the wake-up call time of 7:00 a.m., the rain continued. All Electric nervously approached my tent to ask for the “plan” considering the heavy precipitation. His tone did not sound enthusiastic when he internalized that we’d get wet. Happily, he did not have to do so. As we broke camp the rain stopped, and the day became picture-perfect. The trail, alongside the whitewater stream with multiple cascades was beautiful—one of the most picturesque in Virginia.
We continued hiking down the mountain towards the falls, crossing 8 creeks along the way. With no chance to keep dry feet, we reveled in the freedom of just wading through them. The clear water was cool on the feet and, after embracing the soaking, it was fun. Shenanigans marched through them like a conquering warrior; Fan tried desperately to rock hop despite the impossible conditions; Dad Joke waded deliberately through them in his long rain kilt like Moses crossing the Sea of Reeds; and All Electric went from taking tentative, concerned steps to storming through them with a huge smile on his face.
We arrived at the falls and enjoyed them all to ourselves. These falls are immensely popular, so this was a treat. Russell and GQ have been to the falls innumerable times and showed us how they could jump off high cliffs into the pool at the base of the falls. It was impressive, but no one followed their demonstration. Shenanigans, Rise and Shine, and I jumped into the bubbling whirlpool for some swimming, embracing the icy shock. Bike Santa climbed through the falls and explored a nearby cave. Dad Joke shot some photos. All Electric sat on a ledge facing the falls and meditated with his legs crossed and hands resting on his knees as the waterfall spray misted him. He looked very happy. Maybelline sat smiling in the sun. Others waded in the cold water and just watched the impressive rain swollen falls. Shenanigans, who often hikes a single day with more miles and with considerably more elevation gain than that on this entire trip, reported how much he enjoyed the novelty of hiking slower and lingering at camp and the falls.
Starting to get hungry, we decided to complete the hike and grab lunch at Shenandoah Pizza in Staunton.
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By design, the mileage of this trip was low, but the adventure was high. This is DCUL! We did a late-night mountain climb, fought bushes, survived the sun, navigated water crossings, and (most of us) stayed fully dry in an all-night rainfall. We ripped off our Band-Aids, jumped into the ocean, and shot whisky like the amazing DCULers we are.
Congratulations to Rise and Shine! Having recently completed a thru-hike of the PCT, from Mexico to Canada, she clearly earned her Member status on our trip. Congratulations to new Members, Fan, Russell, and GQ! I look forward to ripping, jumping, and shooting with you on the trails in the future.
David O (“Spider-Man”)
DC UL Backpacking 