Trip Report: Massanutten PC small group

Massanutten PC small group

13 members

+ Whiskey Fairy/Evan adding you all to the group.

Disappearing trip report message time set to never.

Team- establishing a principals hikers group for coordination of trip report memories and feats. I was deputized by U-Turn/Michael to pull together a statement of backpacking conclusions.

13 backpackers set out on Thursday, March 27 to hike the 71 odd miles of the northern loop of the Massanutten Mountain Trail by Sunday, March 30. This trip has become a DC UL tradition nicknamed the Death March and done annually since 2010. The ridge miles are dry, rocky, and rarely flat for more than a few steps. When hiked in late March, one contends with cold AND heat and lack of spring green but gains few bugs, leaf-free views, and avoids the oppressive high temps of mid-Atlantic summer. This year, like most years, another DC UL crew of backpackers join late on Friday, March 28 for the second half of the hike and a party-like night at Little Fort Campground on Saturday, March 29, in which surprise guest stars show up with food and libations. Some finish, some don’t. Extra cars around make bailing more doable than more remote trips. Everyone at some point hates this trail and wonders why they do it. Then they get excited about doing it again – especially if they didn’t finish this year.

On to the Signal Knob chat, because that’s the parking lot where it all begins.

On Thursday, various groups drove in and parked at Signal Knob Parking Lot, starting around 2:00 p.m. and going into the evening. Everyone gathered at Little Crease Shelter at Veach Gap, a nine-mile hike in. Those who did so in daylight got great views of the narrow Shenandoah Valley toward Shenandoah National Park. Hikers were self-supported; some took advantage of the first night to lug in beer. One of the things that defines this particular trip is its looser structure to allow flexibility and self-determination for when to get up and go, where to stop, and when you want to finish each day. Campsites, however, were set in stone because on the Massanutten they are few and far between.

We had a small fire in the shelter firepit, though the wood supply was a little iffy. The temperature was the coldest of the weekend, with the night dipping into the 40s. Several of us were startled awake by a helicopter passing by low overhead with a searchlight. I hope they weren’t searching for my log.

On Friday morning, I darted out early and gave a holler as I hit the trail at 0600. Others broke camp over the next hour or so. Folks dispersed on the trail, bunched up, and chatted randomly as the day went on. Brian M and I went up Kennedy Peak as two of the first backpackers and then ended up behind most people who strolled by the spur trail (Maddie also went up after us). The ridge was beautiful but also tough in its pointless up-and-down way. Most folks caught up again by water in Duncan Hollow and then finished the final miles more or less together.

Usually, the worst of the final stretch on Friday is a strenuous vertical ascent of Waterfall Mountain right before camp (and after filling up many liters of water to make it through until halfway through the following day), but even before this challenge, everyone got slowed by significant blowdowns of trees on the descent toward the Massanutten Connector Trail to 211. I’ve never seen any section of this trail in as bad shape on any of my trips over the years. Kudos to Emily for taking the lead as tree climber.

Once at the campsite at the top of Waterfall Mountain (my GPS tracked 25 miles for the day), we set up for the night and enjoyed each other’s company – and a makeshift bushcraft shelter. As is a norm for this trip, sadly, four of the original 13 hikers would call it quits after this first day. We went to bed as the temps began to rise overnight, and the second group arrived late to set up across the street on Crisman Hollow Rd.

TEAM UPDATE / SATURDAY:

TIME FOR WAKEUP (0530et): Weather is FAVORABLE – warm but overcast and not too humid, nor rainy at all. CONFIRMED with CAMEL/Andrew that the second group is a GO for their hike launch – and the folks bailing would car shuttle all the just-arrived cars back to Signal Knob Parking.

0900et: Unreliable stream LAUNCH (1^st rehydration option) a success. Water was flowing. The first group of backpackers caught up with each other after the completion of one multi-mile ridge before going on to the next.

1147et: Shane’s TRAIL MAGIC at Edinburgh Gap was AMAZING. Everyone was surprised and uplifted by a spread of fruit, snacks, beer, Gatorade, and other fancy drinks and food. Michael was with him to cheer us on and help account for everyone.

But not everyone, strangely enough, shares the generosity of Shane’s caring and thoughtful support. Some just hate bailing out backpackers who don’t bring their own food and water again. The Baconator once fully shared this loathing of hiker freeloading: “It’s PATHETIC.”

1230et: Somewhat reliable pipe spring LAUNCH (2^nd rehydration and refill option). This would be it for water the rest of the day as the temps kept rising and the humidity proved stuffy when the trail slipped onto the side of the six-mile ridge that was protected from the valley breeze. This long slog with few views and monotonous terrain usually provides the toughest mental moments of the trip.

1537et: Kyle shows up on target by the hang glider launch clearing. (THIS IS WHEN THE FIRST BEERS WILL DEFINITELY DROP).

Even though there was another mile to go to Little Fort Campground, the day was effectively a success and the fun set to begin. My GPS tracked 24 miles for the day. We had a killer night of bratwursts (brought by Jen, cooked by Tarzan/Claudio), beer, everything else, and surprise guest stars like our beloved Karan and Kylie.

Everyone, eventually, made it to camp as the evening went on, though again, several would choose to call the trip short and not make the final morning miles the next day. One of the highlights of the evening was Beth pulling out the DC UL card game she made for us. Jen made sure we had a proper flag to fly in a campground full of them.

The next morning, some started early again, around 0600. Aneesh and I waited for others who had made plans to join us at the top of Woodstock Tower for sunrise to no-show. Other hikers didn’t even attempt to catch a view of dawn with all the clouds low on the horizon, and a few enjoyed a camp breakfast courtesy of Tarzan and a later start.

The Sunday 15 miles are some of the easiest of the trip until a final climb of Signal Knob and a beautiful but rocky descent. Unlike in years past, most folks chose not to wait for others at the top of Signal Knob, which made sense as the heat was rising fast, and a few bugs were out and annoying.

We all ended with a final Signal Knob parking chat at the end, where Shane was back to honor us with a photoshoot and refreshments.

Kudos to all – most particularly full trip finishers Whiskey Fairy/Evan, Joe, Brian M, Adrian, Logan, Medevac/Aneesh, Veronica, and Maddie. Really great. God bless Shane for trail magic. Great work and effects.