Old Rag Mountain Hikes/Patrols by RSL

Monday, May 25, 2009

Sunday, May 25, 2009 Memorial Day Weekend

Sunday, May 25, 2009 Memorial Day Weekend

Partial Clouds followed by rain followed by evening mist.

On the way to the trail head a neignborhood garden. The crowds were not too bad probably because of the weather.

Looking up the Rock Scramble from first false summit. A few sprinkles had just begun. North and east you could see heavy rain and south and west was clear. The rain finally engulfed the mountain though. It was warm enough that the rain was pleasant. Soaked kit and cloths added to the workout.

Double click on this picture and see if you can see the two hikers. One sitting and one standing. Hint it is way up by what is called the Chute.

In the early evening a Raven enjoys the view and sings a raucous ballad from atop Skyland Wall. Ravens entertained me with amazing displays of aerial prowess among towering cliffs while I was hiking high in the Tetons. Since then I have felt a deep connection with them. They are one of the most intelligent birds and have been known to enlist other species to hunt for them by vocalizing over the predators prey and then sharing in the meal after the predator has killed it. Sometimes their behavoir telegraphs the presence of hiking parties on the Ridge Trail. They engage in play both in the air and on the ground and they have been observed both playing catch me if you can with ground dwellers and sliding down steep snow slopes just for the fun of it. Sir Raven who is featured in an earlier blog flew within several feet of my head on numerous times when I was taking those pictures. Most amazingly while flying into a head-wind he flew at less than a walking pace past me at eye level and only four feet away. He then enagaged in a little bit of a game of peek-a-boo try-and-get-my-picture as he continued to tease me by landing just behind a big boulder between the two of us but flying behind the next boulder just before I could snap a picture. He finally allowed his picture to taken proud as can be which is why a called him Sir Raven.

The Mountain Laurel just showing the first signs of blooming in the switchbacks. The Trillium field has passed until next year although there were a few late bloomers.

On the summit and Saddle Trail the Pinxters still perfumed the air but they will soon be gone until next year. The good news is that as the Pinxters fade the Mountain Laurel will bloom.

Looking back at the summit in the early evening after the rain.

Monday, May 18, 2009

Sun 5/17/09 Pinxters, Bears, and Chicken-Of-The-Woods

SUNDAY, MAY 17, 2009

Andy, Drew, Jake and myself patroled on Sunday. The numerous backcountry camping groups were being washed out into the parking lot by the evening's rain. Between the evening downpours and forecasts for more rain during the day the mountain was fairly empty on Sunday.

Patrol duties involved mostly anwering questions and picking up a little liter. There were no fire problems. medical incidents, or park violations. We set a line in the squeeze portion of the rock scramble in anticipation of alleviating future backups on upcoming croweded days.

Chad had patrolled solo on Saturday and was kept busy with dehydrated and seperated hikers.

The classic morning muster; equipment check, agenda planning and NPS morning meeting.

The friendly and knowledgable fee station staff, Mike and Diane.

A prolific profusion of Pinxters perfumed the woods. No Mountain Laurel blossoms yet.

A few more Lady Slippers spotted.

A newly built section of trail is pictured below. Three cheers for the maintainers.

There is an intricate web of relationships between SNP employees and various volunteer groups and or individual volunteers that keep the trails maintained. A large amount of the work is done under the direction of organizations like PATC who have been trained by NPS to take on the primary responsibility for maintaining certain trials. The PATC Blue and White crew discussed in an earlier blog is a great example of this. Some of the work is done by NPS seasonal employees who do these tasks during the summer. Some of the work is done by regular full time NPS employees.

It is my understanding that work pictured was planned, managed, and done by NPS Central District staff whose efforts were bolstered with the help of 6 PATC volunteers.

VOLUNTEERS ALWAYS WELCOME

If you or an organization you belong to want to help build stuff while enjoying the out of doors check with the Park Service for opportunities to volunteer. If you are interested specifically in SNP Central District this blog has links at the top right part portion of this page as well as sprinkled through the text that are good places to find out more about volunteer opportunities.

Three Cheers to all those concientious hikers who not only practice Leave No Trace but also pitch in by picking up a little bit of litter that was not theirs during their visits.

Considering all the trafffic Old Rag has been relatively clean of litter so far this spring. Knock on wood.

I was elated to see my first two bears of 2009. They appeared to be siblings spending their first spring on their own. I only got a picture of one of them as it was fleeing deeper into the woods.

Weather shaped Pine on summit.

Looking down on Graves Mountain Resort area.

Hikers on false summit.

Chicken Of The Woods

Monday, May 11, 2009

SNP Wildflower Weekend and Sir Raven

Sunday, May 10, 2009 Mothers' Day and SNP Wildflower Weekend

Spectacular weather, not very crowded. We dispensed some advice, picked up some liter, had no major medical needs. Old Rag and her guests were treating each other gently on this wonderful Sunday.

For ORMS members the following link goes to part one of a five part video covering one individuals well thought out mid-sized first aid kit. It starts with about two minutes of a collage of music and photos of the authors outdoor experiences before getting into the actual tutorial. If you are going to only watch one part skip to Part 2. Between the five parts the tutorial takes over two and a half hours but there is a lot of good info in it.

http://uk.truveo.com/Pt-1-Level-2-First-Aid-Kit-Review-by-Nutnfancy/id/3029467201

Azelas and bluets were out. Trillium was out but may be waning. One of my favorites the Mt Laurel is still to come.

OLD RAG MOUNTAIN STEWARDS ORMS getting ready during our morning meeting before the days patrol.

BLUETS lined the trails.

At the top of the Ridge Trail switchbacks lots of Triliums.

Delicate Azaleas

Wild Germanium

All of the following shots are of the same Old Rag Raven who decided to show off and play in the wind around the summit rocks and my head for about fifteen minutes. He was quite a character.

Corvus Corax Principalis Northern or Common Raven

http://www.nps.gov/brca/naturescience/raven.htm

Take a bow Sir Raven many thanks for celebrating the days perfect flying weather with me.

Exit stage left.

A couple of hikers traversing the top of Skyline Wall.

Spectacular weather

Summit panaroma stitched together from several shots

Sunday, May 3, 2009

First ORMS 2009 Weekend Mushroom Weather

Sunday May 3, 2009 A very rainy, misty, weekend. On my way home the mist looked like grey white smoke. There were fewer hikers on the mountain this Sunday then were on the mountain on a rainy weekend in February. Probably less than 50 people hiked Old Rag today.

The lack of hikers gave us time to:

* Get a lot of botany lessons in.

* Learn more about the past history of the park.

* Visit some of the favorite backcountry camping spots.

* Pick up lots of litter.

* Work on the ongoing development of the Old Rag Mountain Steward(ORMS) program.

During the next couple of weeks the Lady Slippers will be blooming, the morels will have most likely passed and the Mountain Laurel buds will be preparing to blossom.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cypripedium_acaule

NPS WILDFLOWER WEEKEND

http://www.nps.gov/shen/planyourvisit/wildflower-weekend.htm

In many parts of the country Lady Slippers are either at risk, endangered or extinct. Old Rag is blessed with quite a few Lady Slippers and they should be blooming in the next couple of weeks.

Enjoy them in place.

DO NOT PICK, DO NOT DISTURB THE SOIL AROUND THEM AND ABSOLUTELY DO NOT TRY TO TRANSPLANT THEM BECAUSE YOU WILL ONLY KILL THEM.

There has been some evidence to indicate that each orchid is dependent not only on a fungus but on both the specific species of fungus and the specific strain of that species that exist in the soil where it grows. The slightest amount of change in soil chemistry can cause the fungus that the Lady Slipper is dependent on to die. Also Lady Slipper roots spread laterally and are extremely long and extremely brittle, and if any of the roots are broken in the process, the plant dies. It is virtually impossible to move the plant without breaking the roots. Hence successful transplanting is almost impossible. If by some miracle you can transplant the plant without breaking a root then it is almost a certainty that the fungus the plant is dependent on will die followed by the death of the plant.

Morels.

Many mushrooms including false morels are toxic. Even though morels are fairly easy to identify make sure you know what you are doing. If you use a mesh bag (like an old onion bag) than any spores released during your search will be distributed around in the woods.

THE SNP NPS WEB PAGE ON MUSHROOMS

http://www.nps.gov/shen/naturescience/mushrooms.htm

THE GREAT MOREL WEB SITE

http://thegreatmorel.com/index.shtml

ORMS MEMBERS ON PATROL IN THE RAIN.

ANECDOTAL EVIDENCE WOULD SEEM TO INDICATE THAT THE NUMBER OF RAIN DROPS AND THE NUMBER OF HIKERS ARE INVERSELY RELATED

WITH ALL THE RECENT RAIN THIS MOSS GLOWED WITH VIBRANT HEALTH.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moss

Sunday, April 26, 2009

Sat. April 25, 2009 Summer In April

A SUMMER LIKE HOT WEEKEND

Leigh and Lorita on duty at Old Rag Fee Station. Double click on this picture and notice the temperature in the shade on the fee station thermometer.

They are examples of the terrific National Park Service staff I have had the pleasure to know and work with. I look forward to touching bases with them at the start of my patrols. They provide me with valuable insights about recent events on Old Rag. An Old Rag morning report so to speak.

It is fun and fascinating to watch and listen to the various park rangers doing their job. Each brings a different personality and background to the job. Dealing with park visitors is as much an art as it is a science and every time I watch and listen to a National Park Service employee helping visitors I learn something new.

Yellow Swallowtail on a Lilac Bush along the road between the lower and upper lots. I used to think of this stretch of walking as an obstacle to be endured on the way to my hike but with time I have learned that it offers charms of its own.

View of Old Rag Summit from first Old Rag False Summit

Saturday, April 25, 2009 Summer in April

The temperatures reached into the 90's. I had given blood early in the morning and between that and the hot temperatures I had to stay in super extreme low gear during this circuit.

The parking lot filled for the second Saturday in a row.

Many hikers were dealing with the discomfort of the heat but I did not witness any severe problems. Most groups were not carrying enough water given that temperatures on Old Rag were in the low 90's.

ADVICE WATER

During hot humid months each hiker should plan on needing to carry two to four quarts of water on an Old Rag day hike. Watch your "ins and outs". Drink enough so that urine frequency, clarity, and volume are normal. You are not drinking enough water if your urine is dark, small in quantity, or non-existent in the course of a day's hiking. In addition, eating adequate amounts of food will help you replace the electrolytes (salts) that you are sweating.

During the summer months, your fluid/electrolyte loss can exceed two quarts per hour if you hike uphill in direct sunlight during the hottest part of the day. Do not wait until you start feeling thirsty to start replacing lost fluid. By the time you are thirsty, you are already dehydrated! Your body can absorb only about one quart of fluid per hour. Drink one-half to one full quart of water or sports drink each and every hour you are hiking in the heat. Carry your water where it is easy to get to and drink small amounts often.

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Any open water in the park should be filtered or sterilized.

Starting next week I will be patrolling with the Old Rag Mountain Stewards (ORMS). It will be lots of fun to be working with all my ORMS buddies again. That said, I cherish my times spent as a PATC(Potomac Appalachian Trail Club) Trail Patroller on Old Rag. Passing through this time boundary between when I am on the mountain as a PATC Trail Patrol member and when I am on the mountain as a member of ORMS has caused me to reflect on that change. As a PATC Trail Patroller I answer only to myself and set my own agenda while with ORMS I adopt the agenda of the team. With PATC I experience all the joys and downsides of being a solitary patroller while with ORMS I experience all the joys and downsides of being on a great team. Like chocolate ice cream and hot chocolate both are terrific just very different.

Reflecting about all of the different weekend circuits I am conscious of the fact that each and every one was unique and special in its own way. The commonalities of the repeated circuits offer a backdrop aganist which the uniqueness of the mountain's constant changes are highlighted.

Sunday, April 19, 2009

Sat 4/18/09 BigCrowdRockFest

SATURDAY APRIL 18, 2009 First Overflowing Lower Lot of 2009
Note1: Most pictures show higher resolution if clicked on and or zoomed.
Note2: Much earlier posts have advice for campers and climbers.

An overflowing lot means backups at the crux.

Looking up rock scramble Sat 4/18/2009

2009 SHENANDOAH ROCKFEST see second half of the post.

2009 SHENANDOAH ROCKFEST

2009 SHENANDOAH ROCKFEST
http://www.dcmetroclimbing.com/

Saturday, April 18, 2009

First completely full lower parking lot of 2009 season. I heard that earlier in the day there had been a back up near the squeeze AKA crux.

I wanted to attend a RockFest 2009 presentation up at Pinnacles Research Station so I greatly shortened my patrol. I slowly made my way up to the start of the Rock Scramble and hung out there for about an hour before making my way back down.

On my way out at around 17:30 I passed at least 5 groups just heading up the mountain 3 of which did not have lights. I provided them with all the appropriate warnings.

ADVICE PERTINENT TO BEHAVIOUR WITNESSED THIS WEEKEND

If you are starting after 14:00 take some type of emergency light.

Make sure you do a tick check when you get home.

If you are up on the mountain and dusk is approaching do not hesitate to ask another party for help. If you are well prepared and it is late in the afternoon it would be good to watch out for parties who may be at risk.

There are emergency phones at both the Old Rag Fee Station and the White Oak Fee Station.

These phones are patched directly to the SNP 24X7 emergency communications center.

If you get stuck in the dark or know you might get stuck in the dark DO NOT LEAVE THE TRAIL. If you leave the trail your chance of injuring yourself will be greater. If you are on or near the trail your chance of getting found by first light of dawn is close to 100% . If you are a long ways off the trail it is practically zero. From now until mid-Fall unplanned bivouacs will be unpleasant but most likely not lethal.

While on the Ridge Trail I notice lots of people trying "Alternate Routes" on the rocks. There is no rule against this but if you sustain a non-ambulatory injury in the middle of the rock scramble it is very likely that it will take around 15 hours before you are placed in the an ambulance.

Keep in mind the trail is situated such that anytime there are difficult moves the farthest you can fall is about 6-8 feet. If you are someplace with difficult moves with longer than 8 foot falls you are off the trail. If you are trying to stay on the trail backtrack and look for where you took a wrong turn.

On Saturday I witnessed at least three parties take alternate routes on the rock which had they lost their footing they would have fallen 20 to 60 feet. Based on the skill of their movements none of these inidviduals were experienced climbers who had a deep knowledge of their level of skill versus the difficulty of their situation.

If you know where the real trail goes and are purposely taking an alternate route be responsible about making sure that other parties who can see or hear you are not mistakenly following you thinking you are on the trail.

Please do not goad other members of your party into doing things that are dangerous.

2009 SHENANDOAH ROCKFEST

Instead of doing a complete circuit I cut my patrol short to go to a presentation up at Pinnacles Research Station concerning the SNP ROMP and Clean Climbing ethic. I was glad that I went because I learned some new facts and had others reinforced.

It was good to get a first hand experience of the wonderful community of mid-Atlantic climbers who had come together to spend a day collecting trash in what were often vertically challenging or rocky situations. Over one hundred climbers sacrificed a beautiful climbing day to pick up over a TON of trash and many bags of recyclables.

2009 SHENANDOAH ROCKFEST HELPED CARRY OUT INJURED HIKER

In addition to helping with the litter collection several members of the RockFest crew were able to help with a litter carry of a non-ambulatory injured hiker.

THREE CHEERS FOR THE MID ATLANTIC CLIMBERS

http://www.dcmetroclimbing.com/

Saw a small Bobcat on the stonewall along Skyline drive on way home.

http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/WILDLIFE/information/?s=050051

Saw my first Yellow Swallowtails of 2009.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_World_Swallowtail

Sunday, April 12, 2009

Saturday April 11, 2009 Easter With Relatives

THE SATURDAY BEFORE EASTER, APRIL 11, 2009
Easter is usually the first Sunday after the first full moon
(Paschal Moon or Ecclesiastical Full Moon) after the Spring(Vernal) Equinox
If theological history interests you look up Computus

IN THE LOT AT THE FEE STATION THE CLIMBING ADVENTURE BEGINS

Had a wonderful time with my sister Holly and two of her three kids my nephew Colin and niece Whitney. We left the parking lot around 2 in the afternoon. The top of Old Rag was still in the clouds but as we journeyed up the switchbacks the clouds lifted. The rain had limited the number of visitors but by the time we reached the first false summits the views were wonderful. It was their first time up Old Rag and so a very special circuit for me. Other than giving advice to a pair of backpackers, a pair of rockclimbers, a large backpacking group, and picking up a little bit of litter the patrol duties were light.

The Skunk Cabbage At Bartenders Spring Has Burst Out Of The Ground Since Last Weekend