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| Ponies at Greyson Highlands- image found at: http://hikers99.homestead.com/files/SGM-ponies.jpg |
I remember Julie once describing that area to me but NOW I KNOW first hand how amazing this place it truly is. The area surrounding Mt. Rogers and Iron Mountain is a vast valley of undulating grasslands, & rocky terrain. Now and then you drop down into a forest of green rhododendron where little streams and pools of water course through. There are tiny feral ponies running about or grazing or (in the rain) sheltering themselves under (leafless in the fall) trees. The ponies are brown with golden manes, black and white, dark brown with black manes or red with red manes. I found a trip bird there in the grassland among the ponies: VESPER SPARROW! I also ran into Lucky, Charm, Picker and Grinner. Grinner's family lives in Damascus and they were being slackpacked by her mom. When we came to the ponies Charm went over to one that was resting on the ground. He sat down in the grass, right next to it and wrapped his arms around its neck in a big hug. love Charm. Lucky took a photo! I hiked for a time with the gang. They went on with their slackpacking.
I found the view, as I climbed Mt. Rogers, amazing. There is a blue blaze to the actual summit but because of weather I chose not to take it. I would like to return and climb to the summit to look at the famous plant and animal communities. There was a fog rolling in so I decided there probably wasn't that much to see. The endangered Weller's Salamander lives in the mountain habitat. The fog grew into a cloudy, misty vapour that wrapped the blue ridge. The distant mountains were gorgeous, fall cloaked [ebony, charturse, gold, reds, ochre] mountains. There were climbs over, through and around rocky areas that were planted with rhododendron. After Mt. Rogers the area opened onto Elk Garden. It was a stunning golden grassland that stretched between Mt. Rogers and Whitetop.
I climbed the fence that keeps the grazing ponies inside and crossed Va. 601 where I was given a weather report by two truck drivers who were taking a break. They let me know that bad weather was on its way. I hiked to the next shelter (a 23 mile day)....Lost Mt. Shelter, where there were already 3 hikers setting in for the night. Although the evening sky was clear and star filled the predicted storm arrived in the night and continued into the morning. On the upside, the pounding rain on the tin shelter roof muffled the loud snoring coming from the hiker sleeping to my left. I was so very grateful to have shelter from the pelting rain.
The next morning the trail was covered with tree debris. I climbed over and around huge oaks, and white pines. I found a clean bandana on the trail. In a few more miles I met the owner who was backtracking north to claim it. I've lost at least 5 bandananas on my hike and twice, they've been returned. Once by Charm and the other time by Grinner. I made my way down the mountians and across beautiful Laurel Creek. There is a recreation area with many trails and picnic spots. The trail winds around and out onto the Creeper Trail that passes through Damascus. I was in Damascus, a hiker friendly town. I stopped at a coffee store, directly off the trail for a delicous late before finding the hiker hostel.
I am going to sign off in order to get to the PO before it closes. You see I have this awesome mom who mailed me a package of supplies. Thank YOU!!!! Also, my new boots should be there. And I am going to try to find a computer to type up the article, so expect to see that in the near future!
Julie and Karl---I think I am 2 weeks away from Hot Springs. I am going to call you and leave a message as soon as I charge the phone.
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