RAGGED OUT

The spectacular view lures over 100,000 hikers each year, especially during October and November to view the Fall foliage. During the summer wildflower season of June and July the trail is covered with Trillium, Rosy Azalea, Hydrangea and the legendary blossoms of the Mountain Laurel.

“The Mountain Laurel is not only beautiful when viewed in mass,” says Marion Lobstein, author of Finding Wildflowers in the Washington-Baltimore Area, “but the intricacy of the blossom is spectacular when viewed up close. It’s absolutely something everyone should see!”

Unlike some of the other wildflowers that bloom in the valley and along the trail, the Mountain Laurel grows near the top. The hike along the Ridge Trail to the summit returning via the fire road and Weakly Hollow trail is just over seven miles.

Prior to 1997, access to the trail was free to the most popular day hike within several hundred miles of D.C., but with cars parked everywhere the National Park Service instituted a fee ($5/single or $10/one-car family) with restricted parking rules.

Hikers are advised to wear appropriate footwear, carry food and water and also the risk to those suffering from high blood pressure. The Ridge Trail to the summit is not just a walk in the woods. Inexperienced hikers should consider an alternate, but less scenic route. For those unfamiliar with day-hiking, see HIKING BASICS below.

Besides a familiarity with the basics, a hiker also needs to be prepared for a change in the weather. “One hot spring day last May, my girlfriend Tracy Tuttle and I decided to hike the Old Rag loop trail," says Tom McGowen of Annandale, Va. We had a nice hike up the mountain and enjoyed a picnic on top while admiring the view. However, as we ate, a large storm cloud formed off to our west. I kept my eye on the storm as it moved closer, but we finished lunch and moved off the summit before the storm arrived.” McGown recalls how quickly things changed on their descent. “It rained hard enough that the trail turned into an ankle deep stream and we got soaked.”

Hikers along Old Rag are likely to see wild turkeys, deer, snakes, salamanders, and the occasional BLACK BEAR. If fortunate (yes fortunate) enough to see a black bear, don't panic. Dean Ahearn, an experienced Park hiker with a longtime interest in bears whose article about coexisting with them appears on the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club's Web site (www.patc.net) urges that “if you see a bear, stand your ground but keep your distance, giving the animal all the room it needs.”

The Ridge Trail begins with a long series of switchbacks deep within the forest. At just over a mile you pass some very large flat stones off the trail to the right. These massive rocks make an excellent spot to take a break and enjoy the solitude of the woods. Here, you'll also catch your first glimpses of the magnificent Mountain Laurel. Rounding the next switchback, the trail becomes embraced by row upon row of the flowers before the forest gives way to hemlock and brush and then barren rock. Old Rag derives its name from the rock covered raggedy appearance of the summit. To stay on the trail, follow the blue blazes painted on the rock.

Another quarter-of-a-mile will bring you to the first, of what seems to be endless, feats of scrambling. “I remember hiking this as a small child and being amazed at the sizes of the boulders and the crevasses in the rocks,” says Karen Carra, of Takoma Park, MD. “I took my husband on the hike when we were first married and he thought that I had been exaggerating about the sizes of the rocks and that my memories were based upon a childhood perception. But as we cleared the brush and began scrambling, I realized that my memories were no exaggerations. My husband had to eat his words and couldn’t believe a small child could have climbed over the boulders we were now barely bellying up over.”

The first challenge encountered is one of many rock squeezes. "I overheard one hiker call this upcoming squeeze space ‘Crisco Alley’ as we patiently waited for a long line of people in front of us to suck in their bellies and walk through the rock walls sideways", says PATC member, Norma Gonzolez of Reston, Virginia. After clearing the passage, you will be treated to fantastic views of the farm country to the Southeast before facing a more intimidating challenge.

Carefully climb down into a narrow passage that is known as a "Lava Dike" (there are eroded holes in the walls that act as footholds). Follow the dike toward a rock with an arrow pointing to what appears to be a sheer drop and turn left. You'll then continue down through another patch of rocks along the side of the mountain before ascending again.

The trail continues to the right and through a tunnel. Follow the blue blazes to the right and then left to another "Lava Dike." Ascend the dike under a boulder that gives the passage the appearance of a guillotine. At just under 2.0 miles you'll marvel at a bus-sized boulder suspended as if by magic about five feet off the ground. This cantilevered behemoth is a great photo opportunity for those wishing to pretend that he or she is Atlas.

For shorter persons, the next squeeze is quite a challenge since one must surmount a nearly five foot high ledge. For those with climbing experience, you can chimney up the walls of the narrow corridor. For others, a boost from a fellow hiker may be required. Upon exiting the squeeze, there's a short rest from scrambling as the trailheads back into a wooded area. But as you clear the trees, you will be lulled by a series of false summits while continuing to rock scramble and climb over giant boulders.

Finally after hiking about three miles and gaining 2300 feet in altitude, the 3291-foot summit is yours. Standing atop the granite you have a panoramic view of Skyline Drive and the farm country of Western Virginia.

The granite that forms the top of Old Rag comes from magma that forms a base of the continental crust in Virginia. Its exposure, giving the mountain the raggedy appearance, is due to millions of years of erosion. The granite is laced with blue quartz that includes trace amounts of titanium giving the granite a bright, highly reflective hue. The cream-colored shapes and patterns in the rock come from feldspars that formed with the granite when the magma cooled.

One could easily spend all day relaxing on the rocks and basking in the glorious views. But though camping is permitted on Old Rag, unfortunately it is not allowed at above 2800 feet, and there are still over five miles to finish the circuit. Finding the trail again requires a bit of hunting about for the blue blazes on the rocks near the summit. Once found, the blazes lead down through the boulders to the Saddle Trail. Here, you'll find the densest concentration of the Mountain Laurels.

The Mountain Laurel (KALMIA latifoila L.) is named after a Finnish botanist Peter Kalm who was the first to study the genus. These white flowers with pink dots are unique in their construction. Shaped like a ballerina’s skirt, the blossom has stamens that are bent back and pop forward when visited by a pollinator. With the 10 stamens and the shape of the blossom, the flower has the appearance of a delicate parasol.

Returning to the hike, the Saddle Trail continues into the woods via a stone staircase and a series of switchbacks until reaching the Bird's Nest Shelter No.1. This shelter is for use only during the day and is of little functionality during the hike. Follow the blazes to the right at the fork in the trail and back into the deep forest. At four-and-a-quarter miles, you'll come to another day-use shelter, the Old Rag shelter. This hut makes another nice rest stop and is often surrounded by various wild flowers including the Trillium. At the next junction point, turn right onto the Old Rag fire road and then right again onto Weakly Hollow Road.

Many hikers consider this long flat hike back to the trailhead to be rather boring. But as you look through the trees to the right you'll catch glimpses and open views of Old Rag in all its glory. With the late day sun striking on the rocky summit, the façade sometimes glows in orange. Along the Weakely Hollow Road you'll pass trail markers for other trails (such as the Robertson Man and Corbon Hollow Trail) as well as designated campsites for Shenandoah National Park.

As you walk, you’ll pass small blue flowers that carpet the undergrowth that are frequently referred to as Seas of Bluets. Yellow Pimpernels, Golden Alexanders and other blossoms can also be found along the trail. Over 160 wildflowers, trees and shrubs are in bloom in June and July on the Shenandoah National Park.

The Shenandoah National Park (SNP) was authorized by Congress in 1926 and dedicated in 1935. To create the park, nearly 80,000 acres of land had to be acquired. This resulted in the purchasing of great tracts from various landowners and their subsequent relocation. Many of the foundations of the original town of Old Rag can be found in the woods adjacent the Weakley Hollow Trail. For those who want to embark on a less traveled hike and pursue the history of the mountain, check out “The 18 Cabins of Old Rag—A Field Guide for Bushwhackers”, by Leonard F. Wheat, which is available at the PATC Headquarters in Vienna, VA. PATC was also instrumental in promoting the establishment of SNP and built many of the trails within the park— current members work year round to maintain and improve them.

Before reaching the end of the hike, you'll travel on several wooden and metal bridges, which cross the Brokenback Run. These bridges, deep in the canopy of the trees, with the bubbling creek make an ideal romantic setting. “In February,” says Heather Schultz, of Arlington, VA, “my boyfriend Tim and I were hiking along the fire road as it leads to the bridges spanning this web of mountain streams. On the third footbridge, Tim asked me to stop and said that he had a little Valentine's Day gift that he wanted to give to me. I peeked into the bag and saw a Timex box As I opened the box with cold-numbed fingers, and pulled out the plastic display gadget that the watch was fastened to, I thought, ‘this is a great watch, it's sparkly!’ The next second, I gasped as the realization hit that it wasn't a diamond -encrusted watch, but an incredibly beautiful diamond ring threaded onto the band of a sport watch. I stared at him in disbelief as he dropped to one knee in the cold, wet snow and asked me to marry him. I remember saying ‘yes’ very definitively - I had no question or doubt that this is what I wanted.”

Crossing the last of these bridges, you'll finally return to the beginning of the trail - an easy nine-mile walk back to the parking lot, usually spent on talking about the adventures of the hike.

DIRECTIONS:

For the less physically abled, a shorter trip to the summit goes via the Berry Hollow Fire Road. From Sperryville (see below), take Rt. 231 South 11 miles and turn right onto Rt. 643. Go 15 1/2 miles and turn right onto Rt. 600. Go about 20 miles until the pavement turns to a gravel road and park at the end of the road. SNP also collects a fee for use of this trail.

To get to the parking lot for the Ridge Trail, take Exit 43A from Interstate 66 in Virginia. Go South on Route 29 towards Warrenton and bear right onto Rt. 29/211 West and follow the signs until it becomes just 211 West. Go approximately 27 miles to Sperryville and then turn left onto Route 522 South. Make another left at the stop sign and after a half a mile, turn right onto Rt. 231. Follow 231 for about 8 miles and turn right onto Rt. 601—there’s a sign for Old Rag. Go across a bridge and follow the signs to stay on Rt. 601. The parking lot is on the left 3 miles after you turn onto 601.

Remember, the parking lot only holds 200 cars, so when it's full, no one may enter the park until someone else leaves. It is therefore recommended that you visit Old Rag on weekdays to avoid the crowds. The entrance fee is paid at the kiosk in the lot.

HIKING BASICS

Total hiking time for Old Rag ranges from five to eight hours so you need a good pair of hiking boots - lightweight hikers ($40) or waterproof boots ($80.) Hiking socks are shock absorbers but buy those that wick the perspiration away from your feet, such as Thorlos ($8-12/pr)

For day hiking, a canteen or several water bottles on a belt will suffice, but a hydration pack, such as a Camelback, makes it much easier to re-hydrate. If you don't own a hydration pack, a simple backpack will do. Camera vests are also great because you can store all of your gear in the multitude of pockets. Hip-packs with water bottle holders also work nicely.

Insect repellent keeps away nature's smaller creatures and also protects against ticks carrying Lyme disease. The best protection is clothing. A pair of breathable micro-fiber pants made of Supplex are cool and avoids direct contact with poison ivy and other nasty weeds.

Another defense against Lyme disease is the vaccine Lymerix. But the FDA only recommends this for persons spending a great deal of time outdoors in tick-infested areas. There are also creams that guard against poison ivy. But with the sunscreen and insect repellent, adding another chemical to your skin doesn't seem like a good idea. There are some lotions that combine sunscreen and poison ivy repellent, as well as sunscreen and insect repellent.

If you think that you've come into contact with poison ivy, it's best just to wash with a product called Tecnu soap. Treatment with Tecnu is effective up to eight hours after suspected contact with poison ivy, poison oak, etc. After hiking, check for ticks. NIH studies say it takes 36 to 48 hours after attachment for a tick to begin transmitting the bacterium that causes Lyme disease. Carefully remove the tick with a pair of tweezers, ensuring that you’ve pulled out the head, and then disinfect the bite area