Despite a week of snow on the ground in DC, not a lot had
accumulated and I guessed that six inches or so might be blanketing the nearest
clines of the Blue Ridge. A short hike with 1,100 feet of gain had caught my
eye weeks ago, so off I went to give it a try on January 26th. The
main roads were generally dry, but the last couple of miles into the George
Washington National Forest were packed snow, with enough in the center to make
me worry about dragging bottom in Kris’s car. I parked about ¾ mile below the
trailhead and walked the rest.
57. Little Schloss: A single line of day-old boot tracks led
up the snowy trail, with dog tracks crisscrossing excitedly every 50 yards or
so. The tracks only went upward, so I wondered if this hiker might have done
the longer loop option that I was not planning to do. Afterall, I was in
peak-bagging mode at this point and didn’t need no more stinkin’ miles than
necessary. Actually, it was a lovely hike and I was at the ridge in no time,
looking up at the steep scramble to the summit. The snow-covered talus was no
problem at all and I quickly ascended it for a splendiferous view above. The
descent was uneventful and I was back home in plenty of time for a jumbalaya
dinner party with Kris’s boss and their extended family of friends.
Miles (RT): 4.0
miles; elevation gain: 1,200 feetCumulative mileage and gain: 272.2 miles / 67,950 feet
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| Descending. |
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