I arrive a little late to publish this (and for a little late, I want to say too late … specifically for 2 weeks after starting my walk), but I am excited to announce that I will be doing the passage of the Pacific Crest Trail to the south in 2025, starting on 3/3/25! This has been my dream for many years, since I caught the hiking insect at the postgraduate school, specifically in McAfee Knob, Dragon’s Toth and Tinker Cliffs. After many years of finding excuses to not assume the way, I finally decided that it was now or never. This decision was easier for my wonderful family, friends and co -workers, who could not have supported me anymore.
To prepare for the gigantic task of walking 2,650 miles from Canada to Mexico, I assumed a local challenge known as Shen 500. This implies walking all the official paths in the Shenondoah National Park in Virginia, as well as paths in some adjacent areas (for example, the area of management of wildlife Rapidan). As the name implies, there are approximately 500 miles of unique paths that one must walk through the challenge, all of which are detailed in the official spreadsheet available on the Facebook page of «Shenondoah National Park Hasters». The Shen 500 challenge was initiated in 2014 by the long distance hiker Laoree Bliss, and since then more than 100 people (and at least 3 dogs) have completed the challenge (as of May 2025).
I was already well familiar with the Shen 500, after having completed it once before on April 11, 2023 (my 30th birthday!). The trails vary greatly in landscapes and difficulties, from the old and famous rag loop, to the heinely steep leader’s leader (seriously, who designed this path? Approximately 101 miles of the Sender of the Apalaches also cross the park and the Sithinkline Drive The trails required for Shen 500 descend from the ridges to the foothills, making them much more.
I discovered that each and every one of the paths of the challenge have something unique to offer, be it a beautiful landscape, stories of inhabitants from before the establishment of the park, the record of the distant geological past or the personal discovery. I am deeply grateful for the Shenondoah National Park, my home (not so far) out of home, and I appreciate the times I have passed there and the memories made with their loved ones.
I started my second Shen 500 in April 2023 and I finished it on 05/17/25, only a few weeks before starting the path. I have included some statistics below that describe my trip:
- The days elapsed since map #1 completion: 767
- Cumulative miles up in SNP from map #1 Completion: 817.6 Mi.
- Cumulative feet of ascent walking in SNP from map #1 completion: 157,000 ‘
- Number of days walking in SNP from map #1 completion: 76 days
- Favorite day on the path: Bear Church Rock & Stauunton River Lollipop Hike, 11/25/23, 15.4 Mi., +/- 3200 ‘
- Minimum favorite day on the path: Doyles River & Browns Gap RD, 07/24/24, 5.5 miles, +/- 1100 ′
- Highest temperature observed on a walk: 84 degrees F, Whiteoak Canyon, 10/8/24
- Lower observed temperature on a walk: 14 degrees F, leading crest, 12/22/24
- The highest mileage for one day: Mount Marshall area, 11/29/24, 27.1 Mi., +/- 5000 ′
- Highest lifting gain for one day: area between Sams Ridge, Buck Hollow and AT, 12/7/24, 24 mi, +/- 5800 ‘
- Favorite Path: Brown Mountain
- Less favorite path: Stull Run
- The hardest path: the main crest
- Easier path: stull run
- Favorite District: Southern
- Minimum Favorite District: Northern
- Number of black bears sightings: 0 (where were they?)
- Bobcat sightings number: 0, although I saw one in the AT during map 1
- Number of coyotes sightings: 0
- Number of deer sightings: ∞
- The best food after the walk (already prior to the trip): Spelunker is in front royal … seriously, check this place
I have also included some of my favorite photos of my second round around the park:
Going out to the PCT, I am full of gratitude for the opportunity to pursue this lifelong dream of mine. I am very grateful for the people who have made this trip possible, and I intend to embrace every day on the way with open arms.
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