44 - APPALACHIAN TRAIL - VIRGINIA - Sección 43 - De ruta VA 600 - Elk Garden a Mt. Rogers y ruta VA-603 - Fox Creek
Trail photos
Author
Trail stats
- Distance
- 17.68 mi
- Elevation gain
- 2,959 ft
- Technical difficulty
- Difficult
- Elevation loss
- 3,894 ft
- Max elevation
- 5,417 ft
- TrailRank
-
92
5
- Min elevation
- 3,294 ft
- Trail type
- One Way
- Time
- 8 hours 56 minutes
- Coordinates
- 2652
- Uploaded
- March 3, 2017
- Recorded
- March 2017
near Big Hill, Virginia (United States)
Viewed 2136 times, downloaded 21 times
Trail photos
Itinerary description
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Stage 44
⇐ Link to the previous stage: 43 - APPALACHIAN TRAIL - VIRGINIA - Section 45.1 and 44 - Route VA 728 - Creek Junction, to Buzzard Rock, and VA 600 - Elk Garden
⇒ Link to the next stage: 45 - APPALACHIAN TRAIL - VIRGINIA - Section 42 and 41.2 - From VA-603 - Fox Creek, to VA-670 - Teas Rd - S. Fork of Holston River
Tour of the Appalachian Trail ( Appalachian Trail ), passing through the state of Virginia (United States), from south to north, in the Southwest Virginia sector, from route VA 600 - Elk Garden, to Route VA-603 - Fox Creek.
The stage corresponds to the complete section 43, according to the official stage distribution of the Appalachian Trail, as it passes through the state of Virginia, and runs through beautiful natural spaces :: Lewis Fork Wilderness, Mt. Rogers, Wilburn Ridge, Grayson Highlands State Park, Little Wilson Creek Wilderness, Stone Mountain, Pine Mountain, ... largely comprised in the protected area of the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area and always inside the George Washington Jefferson National Forest.
This section of the trail, considered by many hikers as one of the most beautiful sections of the Appalachian Trail, is located between the 3,500 and 5,500 feet, and it is especially interesting to travel it during the spring, when the small forests of rhododendrons that accompany The course of the trail is in full bloom, and the good temperature also allows you to enjoy the beautiful meadows that abound in these peaks, where numerous ponies graze, accustomed to the trekkers pass, and approach without fear of receiving his caresses and the occasional carrot.
On this occasion, the programming of our stages, through the Appalachian Trail, has required taking advantage of the winter months to conclude the southernmost sections, with milder weather and better temperature, in order to dedicate the summer season to the last stages in the state of Maine, where it is only possible to walk between mid-June and the end of September.
However, although we did not find snow at this stage, it was very cold throughout the day, with a thermal sensation of several degrees below zero, due to the strong wind that blew mercilessly, and without the possibility of finding sheltered areas, due to the typology of the land and vegetation of these summits.
Started the march with the first lights of the day, we headed up the Balsam Mountain, on a very gentle climb that leads to the Deep Gap, a small hill located about three kilometers from the beginning.
The spaces destined for prairie, and the scarcity of trees of this high zone, allow to enjoy beautiful panoramic views, of 360º, being seen long distance, the silhouettes of many other summits of the region.
The earth is frozen and creaks at every step, producing a pleasant and characteristic sound that helps keep pace with the march, and in many areas there is ice, formed in the rain ponds fallen the day before.
The trail continues its gradual ascent, surrounding Mt. Rogers in the south, and entering a more wooded area, where conifers, especially fir trees, predominate, although there is also a very high mortality of some tree species, due to a plague of insects, as also happens in the surroundings of the Clingmans Dome (Great Smoky Mountains National Park), and in the area of Roan Highlands.
In the grasslands we see the first groups of ponies.
The Appalachian Trail does not pass directly over the top of Mt. Rogers (5,729 feet), the highest point in Virginia, but it can be accessed through a side path of about 800 meters, indicated with blue markers, which starts at Short distance from the Thomas Knob Shelter.
At the rear of this refuge, there is a set of rocks that, as a viewpoint, allow you to contemplate a beautiful panoramic view that reaches even some of the highest mountains in North Carolina and Tennessee. Around the shelter, there are also groups of ponies, familiar with the human presence, and sometimes they go out to meet the walkers who walk these peaks.
This is the itinerary that follows the route, seen in three dimensions .
IBP Index: 96 HKG
Total distance: 28.56 Km
Desn. Cumulative climb: 674.78 m
Desn. cumulative descent: 963.63 m
Maximum height: 1633.66 m
Minimum height: 1018.09 m
Total time: 8:56:25 h
Time in movement: 7:52:26 h
Stopped time: 1:03:59 h
Average total speed: 3.19 Km / h
Average speed in movement: 3.63 Km / h
IBP index. IBP index is an automatic valuation system that scores the difficulty of a route traveled
⇐ Link to the previous stage: 43 - APPALACHIAN TRAIL - VIRGINIA - Section 45.1 and 44 - Route VA 728 - Creek Junction, to Buzzard Rock, and VA 600 - Elk Garden
⇒ Link to the next stage: 45 - APPALACHIAN TRAIL - VIRGINIA - Section 42 and 41.2 - From VA-603 - Fox Creek, to VA-670 - Teas Rd - S. Fork of Holston River
Tour of the Appalachian Trail ( Appalachian Trail ), passing through the state of Virginia (United States), from south to north, in the Southwest Virginia sector, from route VA 600 - Elk Garden, to Route VA-603 - Fox Creek.
The stage corresponds to the complete section 43, according to the official stage distribution of the Appalachian Trail, as it passes through the state of Virginia, and runs through beautiful natural spaces :: Lewis Fork Wilderness, Mt. Rogers, Wilburn Ridge, Grayson Highlands State Park, Little Wilson Creek Wilderness, Stone Mountain, Pine Mountain, ... largely comprised in the protected area of the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area and always inside the George Washington Jefferson National Forest.
This section of the trail, considered by many hikers as one of the most beautiful sections of the Appalachian Trail, is located between the 3,500 and 5,500 feet, and it is especially interesting to travel it during the spring, when the small forests of rhododendrons that accompany The course of the trail is in full bloom, and the good temperature also allows you to enjoy the beautiful meadows that abound in these peaks, where numerous ponies graze, accustomed to the trekkers pass, and approach without fear of receiving his caresses and the occasional carrot.
On this occasion, the programming of our stages, through the Appalachian Trail, has required taking advantage of the winter months to conclude the southernmost sections, with milder weather and better temperature, in order to dedicate the summer season to the last stages in the state of Maine, where it is only possible to walk between mid-June and the end of September.
However, although we did not find snow at this stage, it was very cold throughout the day, with a thermal sensation of several degrees below zero, due to the strong wind that blew mercilessly, and without the possibility of finding sheltered areas, due to the typology of the land and vegetation of these summits.
Started the march with the first lights of the day, we headed up the Balsam Mountain, on a very gentle climb that leads to the Deep Gap, a small hill located about three kilometers from the beginning.
The spaces destined for prairie, and the scarcity of trees of this high zone, allow to enjoy beautiful panoramic views, of 360º, being seen long distance, the silhouettes of many other summits of the region.
The earth is frozen and creaks at every step, producing a pleasant and characteristic sound that helps keep pace with the march, and in many areas there is ice, formed in the rain ponds fallen the day before.
The trail continues its gradual ascent, surrounding Mt. Rogers in the south, and entering a more wooded area, where conifers, especially fir trees, predominate, although there is also a very high mortality of some tree species, due to a plague of insects, as also happens in the surroundings of the Clingmans Dome (Great Smoky Mountains National Park), and in the area of Roan Highlands.
In the grasslands we see the first groups of ponies.
The Appalachian Trail does not pass directly over the top of Mt. Rogers (5,729 feet), the highest point in Virginia, but it can be accessed through a side path of about 800 meters, indicated with blue markers, which starts at Short distance from the Thomas Knob Shelter.
At the rear of this refuge, there is a set of rocks that, as a viewpoint, allow you to contemplate a beautiful panoramic view that reaches even some of the highest mountains in North Carolina and Tennessee. Around the shelter, there are also groups of ponies, familiar with the human presence, and sometimes they go out to meet the walkers who walk these peaks.
This is the itinerary that follows the route, seen in three dimensions .
IBP Index: 96 HKG
Total distance: 28.56 Km
Desn. Cumulative climb: 674.78 m
Desn. cumulative descent: 963.63 m
Maximum height: 1633.66 m
Minimum height: 1018.09 m
Total time: 8:56:25 h
Time in movement: 7:52:26 h
Stopped time: 1:03:59 h
Average total speed: 3.19 Km / h
Average speed in movement: 3.63 Km / h
IBP index. IBP index is an automatic valuation system that scores the difficulty of a route traveled
Waypoints
Intersection
4,324 ft
Inicio de la etapa, de madrugada. Ruta VA 600 - Elk Garden
Inicio de la etapa, de madrugada. Ruta VA 600 - Elk Garden
Mountain pass
Wilderness hut
5,312 ft
Thomas Knob Shelter. Refugio, vistas y más ponis
Thomas Knob Shelter. Refugio, vistas y más ponis
Panorama
5,348 ft
Vista desde la cresta, hacia el Rhododendron Gap
Vista desde la cresta, hacia el Rhododendron Gap
Photo
5,318 ft
Rocas próximas al Fatman Squeeze. Pequeña gruta y rocas
Rocas próximas al Fatman Squeeze. Pequeña gruta y rocas
Intersection
4,902 ft
Límite entre el Grayson Highlands State Park y la Mount Rogers National Recreation Area
Límite entre el Grayson Highlands State Park y la Mount Rogers National Recreation Area
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River
Photo
4,518 ft
The Scales. Corral para ganado y caballos, situado entre Pine y Stone Mountains
The Scales. Corral for cattle and horses, located between Pine and Stone Mountains
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Intersection
4,849 ft
Intersección del AT con el Pine Mountain Trail
Intersección del AT con el Pine Mountain Trail
Car park
3,412 ft
Intersección del AT con la ruta VA-603 - Fox Creek
Intersección del AT con la ruta VA-603 - Fox Creek
Comments (3)
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Hola, Pablo:
Compruebo, con agrado, que sigues incansable en tu recorrido por el Appalachian Trail, sección a sección, dándonos a conocer este gran sendero, nada que ver, salvo excepciones, con lo que tenemos en Europa.
Sigue así.
Un abrazo.
Muchísimas gracias, Ignacio.
Ahí vamos, poco a poco, ya quedan pocas etapas.
Estoy terminando algunas etapas que había dejado sin recorrer por el sur, para poder aprovechar el invierno, ya que en Maine no se puede caminar hasta mediados de junio, poco más o menos.
Ya siento que la aventura está llegando a su fin.
Cuando acabe estas etapas de Virginia, ya sólo me faltará por recorrer las últimas de Maine. Espero terminar todo el sendero y llegar al monte Katahdin, hacia mediados de agosto. Hasta ahora he recorrido 2.900 km., de los 3.500 km. del Appalachian Trail.
Increíble!
Sabía que el sendero discurre desde el noreste, en Maine, hasta Georgia, pero las distancias no me las podía imaginar; aquí no tenemos referencias similares.
Enhorabuena!