old rag mountain

They say you haven't lived here unless you've hiked Old Rag Mountain, sometimes described as one of the best hikes in Virginia. Although Old Rag is in Shenandoah National Park, it's not directly off of Skyline Drive. Refer to the Road and Trail Map (in pdf) for directions.

I finally hiked Old Rag this past weekend with Helen and Luan (who I haven't seen in years) and it was great -- other than the fact I wasn't too prepared for the weather. A little over halfway into the hike up, we noticed that it was snowing. Yeah, snowing... in April. Luckily for us, the flaky weather kept the crowds away and the trail remained fairly sparse most of the way up and back. As a result, I was more focused on keeping warm in my short-sleeved shirt and windbreaker than composing a good picture at the top of the mountain. Despite the cold and clouds, I did try to snap some shots at the top though.


Although the rock scramble near the top was pretty straightforward, it once again reminded me how much arm strength can help in these outdoor activities, and how much I need to keep working on my arms :)