Itinerary
Mount Rogers, Virginia
Hike and Campout
24 - 26 October, 1997

Description

Two routes will be used. The first will be ten miles of the Appalachian Trail, south from the Fox Creek trail head on Virginia Secondary Road (SR) 603 to Elk Garden Gap on Virginia SR 600 including the old AT segment now known as Scales Trail. This route passes the Old Orchard shelter, Pine Mountain, Rhododendron Gap, Mount Rogers, Brier Ridge, and Deep Gap. The second route takes the last four miles first route back from Elk Garden Gap, north through Deep Gap, down the south spur of Mount Rogers to Brier Ridge and back. Scouts may elect to take the first route with Scoutmasterís approval. The second route is recommended for first year Scouts.
Friday and Saturday nights will be spent off trail in a Hawthorne grove on Brier Ridge. Day hikes will include Mount Rogers and portions of the crest between Mount Rogers and Pine Mountain. Return to Chapel Hill will be Sunday afternoon.
As a reference point, Mount Rogers is ten to fifteen miles north-east of the Tennessee - Virginia - North Carolina corner. The nearest town showing on Virginia maps is Troutdale.
The climbs are significant. For route one, the climb is close to two thousand feet with the bulk of the climb in the first three miles, making this roughly the equivalent of a fourteen mile level hike. For route two, the climb is over a thousand feet at a moderately even slope overall, making this the equivalent of a six mile level hike

Schedule

 
Friday: 6:00 a.m. Depart, Chapel of the Cross
  10:30 a.m., est.  On-Trail at Fox Creek and Elk Garden trail heads 
Friday:   night Hawthorne grove on Brier Ridge 
Saturday:   night Hawthorne grove on Brier Ridge 
Sunday: 10:00 a.m.  Hike out 
  12:30 p.m.  Arrive at Elk Garden Gap; depart for home 
  5:00 p.m., est. Arrive, Chapel of the Cross 

Messages and Trip Status

Telephone messages for pickup after the hike and before the troop starts home may be left by calling 933-1969.
A status message including the times that the troop starts for home and expects to arrive may be heard by calling 933-1969.

Personal Equipment

See the troop equipment list for details. Sneakers with boots as backup are recommended as foot gear. Pack for a three day trip. Assume extremes of weather; i.e., pack clothes for 25OF to 85OF. Send some combination of sunscreen, hats and light-weight, long-sleeved shirts: sun protection will be an issue. Bring a compass and light day pack.

Food and Group Equipment

Food (except Friday lunch) and group equipment will be coordinated at the troop meetings. Bring a bag lunch for Friday.

Water

Assume that no local water will be available on the trail except at the camp site and Deep Gap. Start full. The water at the camp site and Deep Gap is potable; be prepared to purify it before using.

Driving Route

Estimated travel time is four and a half hours.
 
I40  81 mi.  West to Winston-Salem
US 421  31 mi.  West to I77
I77  9 mi.  North to US 21
US 21  33 mi.  North to US 221 at Twin Oaks
US 221  <1 mi.  South to NC 93
NC 93  13 mi.  North to US 58 at the New River
US 58  4 mi.  South to VA 16 at Volney
VA 16  10 mi.  North to SR 603 at Troutdale
SR 603  5 mi.  West to Trailhead for drop-off
SR 603  5 mi.  West to SR 600
SR 600  7 mi.  South to Elk Garden Gap, take-out point

Maps

The following maps were used in the preparation of this material and are relevant to the trip but are not required.