Sunday October 14, 2012 Fun with Michigan campers afer sunset

Sunday October 14, 2012

Wonderful day a good sunset and a wonderful evening discussion at Old Rag Shelter with backpackers visiting from Michigan.  

 

The trees are ablaze with color.

As is often the  case Old Rag has some very nice sunsets.   Click on a picture to enlarge.

Veterans Day Weekend 2011

VETERANS' DAY  WEEKEND 2011

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THANKS TO THE VETS AND SERVICE MEMBERS EVERYWHERE!

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ORMS'S END OF SEASON WEEKEND

Check out other ORMS related blogs for information about last weekend's ORMS end-of-year training exercise:  It was an awesome season and an awesome end-of-year weekend.   During its end-of-year weekend, ORMS practiced rappeling, ascending, and using a high line.   All these activities are excellent ways to build high angle skills while having some backcountry fun.    When the  needs arise, these skills and practiced teamwork will and have allowed ORMS to safely and rapidly  deliver Old Rag injured hikers and climbers to front country medical care.

The Official ORMS BLOG:

http://oldragmountainsteward.blogspot.com/

Silver Spring Wanderer's BLOG

http://silverspringwanderer.blogspot.com/

Horizontal Tread's BLOG

http://horizontaltread.blogspot.com/

 

 

Not much color left on the mountain but on the drive out some of the trees still exploded with color!

With 50 plus cars in the overflow lot Saturday proved to be another day with hundreds on the mountain.

* EARTH ROTATES....  LIGHT CHANGES.  *
* CREATION AND  NATURE ENDURE.  *
* MAN'S STORY CONTINUES. *

If we could tie ourselves together............I could become something I’m not

Penguin Prison

PICTURE TIME!

PACK IT UP HEAD FOR RUDY'S

ONE FOR THE ROAD

ONE FOR THE ROAD

Teton Gravity Research 2011

http://live.tetongravity.com/_One-For-The-Road-Trailer/video/1602239/75233.html

"Now I don't pretend to know all the answers .......but I think there's something to be said for that."

 UNTIL WE SPEND TIME AGAIN...  HAPPY TRAILS TO ALL!

A Sunday Walk In The Woods

Sunday, October 30, 2011

A Late Day Walk In The Woods

ORMS was on duty at the Old Rag Contact Station between 7AM and 2PM.    After our duty time was over I took a personal (non-ORMS) hike up to what we call PO(Post Office) Junction because it is near the site of the former Old Rag Post Office.    I would not normally find myself walking up the Weakley Fire Road at this time of day  but it was stunning with the sun light shining through the trees with half their leaves off.

More Text Later Pictures For Now

There was still some very bright Fall colors to be enjoyed.

With a lot of leaves off the trees the views of the 4th Class Slabs on Old Rags western facing flanks were quite easy to see and the snow is a useful indicator of non-vertical rock.

Above the steel vehicle bridge the fire road still had snow cover.

I found the snow shadow caused by the roof of the Old Rag Interpretive Sign interesting.

FIRST SNOW

FIRST SNOW

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2011

This  Fall's first snow came with the added advantage that there was still lots of leaf color that could be highlighted against the white.

Note:  If you double click on pictures you will get higher resolution.   For even higher resolution click "Show Original" and then maximize the zoom.

The fire road leading up to the Old Rag upper lot.

The path through the snowy woods.

The Ridge Trail/Rock Scramble looked very menacing/dangerous.   I chose to turn around at the first false summit myself on this day.

On the way down the skies turned blue.

The setting sun was awesome as it highlighted the snow and brightly colored leaves.

Sunday & Monday October 9&10, 2011 Fall Colors Have Arrived

Sunday and Monday October 9 and 10, 2011

FALL COLORS HAVE ARRIVED!

Folks on good weather Fall weekend days remember to bring a lot of patience, extra money for the parking fee at private parking lot you will need to use if the SNP's free lot is full, and an expectation to have to wait in lines at choke points in the rock  scramble.

With good weather and the fall colors Old Rag becomes popular and crowded at times.    Double click then click on the picture to get to its highest resolution and you will be able to make out hikers on the first false summit.

On Sunday I positioned myself at R40 which I sometimes call the Leap of  Faith and for around two hours there was literally an unending stream of hikers.

Photostich does some strange things at times.  In this next picture Photostitch added an extra false summit to the Ridge Trail.   Some of my readers  may have vivid memories of hiking over this extra feature!  LOL

An Old Rag Sunset.

There was almost a full moon over the weekend and because it was still waxing it was coming up a few hours earlier than sunset so it was already high in the sky as soon as it was dark.

Just a quick video of the sunset.   The summit is a couple of hours from the Old Rag parking lot please make sure you have good light sources (preferably hands free headlamps) if you are going to be hiking in the dark.   Expect that if it is misty, foggy, raining, or snowing that your light is barely going to be effective at showing you the ground.    About this time of year Copperheads and Timber Rattlesnakes start heading for their hibernaculums but they may still be out and you would not want to accidentally step on one in the dark.    Night time temperatures can drop 20 to 30 degrees so come prepared for wide variations in air temperature.

WEATHER ARTIC BLAST

WEATHER HEADS UP

AND

OLD RAG SAFETY VIDEO
AND
FALL COLORS REPORT

UNLIKELY BUT MAY FLURRY SATURDAY NIGHT!

Hey folks it is always good to check the weather for SNP above 2,000 if planning on hiking Old Rag.    Below is the link for the SNP page with this information.

http://www.srh.noaa.gov/data/LWX/RECLWX

You can always find the link by going to the SNP website and followng the link to Plan Your Visit then follow the link Things To Know Before You Come then follow the link for Weather than click on the link for Park Weather Forecast, above 2000 ft (NOAA)

LOTS OF GOOD INFORMATION ON SNP WEBSITE FOR OLD RAG VISITORS TO KNOW ABOUT.

 LIKE THIS GREAT OLD RAG SAFETY VIDEO:

http://www.nps.gov/shen/planyourvisit/old_rag.htm

SNP'S FALL COLORS REPORT
PAGE USUALLY UPDATED WEEKLY:

http://www.nps.gov/shen/planyourvisit/fall-color.htm

SNP's Fall Folliage Report via Phone
540-999-3500 option 6? (options change sometimes)

THE VIRIGINIA DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY'S
FALL COLOR PAGE:


http://www.dof.virginia.gov/fall/index.htm




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