Shenandoah Whirlwind – The Walk

Comrades Noro

It was foggy and cold the day I entered the south end of Shenandoah. On the first climb, I ran into Van Gogh, an Australian hiker I’d done a jump with in the past. I stopped dead and warned him that I had just taken noro. “Me too,” he replied. We began walking together slowly, both still feeling a little wobbly. Van Gogh didn’t vomit, just the other end. I jokingly called him a “Noro tourist,” as I had not experienced the full range of symptoms. He assured me that he had experienced enough to get the Noro stamp on his AT passport.

trail music
We met a trail angel in a parking lot. We politely declined his offer of trail magic because neither of us felt like eating and we didn’t want to risk infecting him. He said his trail name was Johnny Shofar. When I asked him if “shofar” referred to the horn, he immediately pulled out a horn from an African kudu and played it for us. You never know what you’ll find along the way!

Cold and wet

The next day turned out to be the most challenging yet. The morning began with fog and intermittent drizzle. At mid-morning it started to rain heavily. At first it was fun because the landscape looks very different this way. However, temperatures were around 50 degrees and as the day progressed, I started to feel cold and couldn’t shake it. I’ve been the old lady with the huge cardigan since I was 22, thanks to Raynaud’s syndrome. I got to the Loft Mountain camp store around 2:30 and remembered they had laundry facilities. The camp store couldn’t open that day because the rain and fog had cut their netting, but they were able to give me change for the dryer. I spent the next 45 minutes drying various items of clothing and pressing myself against the dryer door to warm up. Another hiker showed up and he had cell service. The forecast had changed and more rain was now expected over the next four or five hours. That was it for me. I shuddered: the thought of spending another hour or two in the cold rain after drying some things sounded horrible. I got a campsite at the campground and ate a package of tuna and quinoa in the vestibule of my tent as the rain continued to fall. Stopping early was the right decision. The sound of rain on your tent when you are dry inside is sublime. The next morning was extremely cold, but not rainy, thank goodness!

Shenandoah Whirlwind

Because the Appalachian Trail hugs Skyline Drive in Shenandoah for 101 miles, the landscape is fairly static. There are many short ups and downs. From time to time you will enjoy a spectacular view of the Blue Ridge Mountains and distant farmlands. Spring had already arrived in Shenandoah and the wildflowers were beautiful: fleabane, rhododendron, soapberry, spiderweed, and lady’s violets made a striking appearance alongside my beloved trilliums. On a short stretch of the trail I noticed the variety of trees: chestnuts, red maples, elk, oaks, sassafras, etc. I was in the park for 7 days but it was over in an instant.

Rhododendron

Roadside? You mean Yayside!

One of the biggest highlights for hikers in Shenandoah is the proximity of the trails. The trailsides have restrooms, hiking supplies, backpacking food, and the option of a hot meal. Because these exist right next to the trail, hikers can arrive at Shenandoah with only a two-day supply of food and replenish it as they cross various trails. The bathrooms alone are a delight. When you wash your hands at a temperature of 38° before putting in a contact lens, you really appreciate the wonder of hot tap water! Big Meadows Wayside was my favorite. I arrived there the same day my noro appetite returned and I was hungry. I devoured a fluffy grilled cheese, a root beer, and an ice cream cone. Then I bought a bunch of snacks I hadn’t eaten since high school. The visitor center next to the road is worth a visit! It features an excellent exhibit on the history of Shenandoah National Park: why and how it was built and what happened to the families who were displaced by it. (It also has WiFi!)

They are cabins, not shelters

In Shenandoah, shelters are called shacks. I tented in one and stayed in another during my stay in the park. (The rest of the nights I spread out camping). One night I set up a tent at the Rock Springs cabin. When I arrived, there was a young hiker working on his 5,000 calories at the picnic table. Someone was already lying inside the shelter at 6 p.m. He was a section hiker, but he didn’t seem willing to chat. The tent sites were built on the west-facing side of the mountain and I pitched my tent halfway up the slope. I slept soundly that night, then woke up to a furious, frigid wind whipping across the hillside. It was so cold that my movements were sloppy and I was making a mess. On two trips, I moved all my gear to an area behind the shelter, away from the wind, where I could think and pack neatly. Two women my age (hooray!) were making breakfast at the picnic table. They were on a weekend hike and informed me that the hiker from the previous night’s section had announced that the hike was not for him and that he was going off trail.

Mary’s Rock

Mice to meet you

The next night I decided to stay at the Pass Mountain shelter. I normally avoid shelters, but it was so cold that I decided it would be easier to not have to pack a tent in the morning. The big drawback of shelters are mice. They tend to live their best lives in shelters. I arrived at the shelter and there was no one else. I made dinner, put my bar bag in the bear box, and got ready for bed. Ten minutes after turning off the flashlight, I heard my foot frantically scratching my head. I turned on my headlamp and a mouse levitated 3 inches off the platform, landed on its back, and scurried away. I think he was interested in my empty fanny pack. I put my fanny pack and electronics bag in my backpack, which was hanging on a nail, and then went back to sleep. I could hear a mouse (mice?) working in a corner of the shelter during the night. Normally, if you are walking in the bubble, there will be at least one guy in the shelter who snores and this helps drown out the sound of the mice. I know, pick your poison.

Shenandoah Cabin

An oasis in the distance

When I finished Shenandoah, it had been two weeks since I did laundry and seven days since I showered. I booked a bunk at Mountain Home B&B, right next to the trail, and it was a pleasure to recharge and rest in such a beautiful house.

Forward through the fog!

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