MST: NC 16 to Stone Mountain State Park
I haven't been on trail in a while, in fact it was my extended trip just prior to Thanksgiving. As we approached Christmas there was just a lot going on and I didn't really have the time or desire to add anything else into the mix. When I left off on the last trip I made an intentional decision to leave off at a major road crossing. This in part was due to the fact that the Parkway would likely close down. I wanted to make sure I could easily get to where I needed regardless of the conditions. The weather outlook was cold with some snow and wind, a pattern that seems to have set in for just a little while here. I was planning a three day trip but miscalculated and ended up with a two day trip instead. Word for the wise, when you are calculating mileage, it's always good to double check the guide book not go off of your memory.
 |
| Doughton Park |
Day 20 January 15
Miles: 14.9
Weather: Some patches of snow, sleet falling in the early afternoon, clearing late.
This segment started with a lot of driving for a shuttle. We did a pretty good job at getting out of the house early, never an easy task with three kids. The plan was to drop a car at the backpacking lot in Stone Mountain State Park. I would then get dropped off at NC 16 to start hiking. The day I can just drive to the start of my hike and tell my car to drive to where I wish to be picked up all by itself will be pretty nice. Anyway, I have a great family willing to endure hours of car rides for shuttles. I made it up to the trailhead and started hiking around 11:30. Although later than I had hoped, it's cold and the best way to stay warm is to walk. Not soon after starting I came to an overlook with a great view of clouds and a sign telling me I had 859.6 miles to Jockey's Ridge. I stopped here to adjust my layers, I'll be honest and say I was distracted by all the happenings in the world before leaving and didn't pay as much attention to the weather as I should. Realizing there was going to be more precipitation than I was originally thinking I grabbed extra layers and gear the night before. I should have just trusted the system I had, as ultimately that's what worked best.
One of the last minute items I added were my boots! I haven't used boots backpacking in years, the ones I have aren't new but I also only wear them when really necessary doing work outdoors. I figured for just a weekend the possible pain or blisters would be a small consequence compared to having dry and warm feet. Immediately, as I moved through snow I was happy to have them and about 2 miles later I was cursing them. My legs and my feet hurt the rest of the day, although I escaped with no blisters. Even with the later start I surprised myself making it over to NC 18 by Laurel Springs prior to sunset.
Day 21 January 16
Miles: 22.2
Weather: Cold! Partly cloudy, winds gusting in the 30's, snow flurries in the afternoon
I slept pretty well last night and never woke up cold. I saw at one point that fog had rolled in but that was soon blown away as the wind grew overnight. For the first time on this trail I actually took time to make a hot breakfast. I was packed up and on the trail just after 7am. The day was mostly filled with trail but there was some road walking early leaving the Laurel Springs area. Once again it was cold but with movement I was just fine. The biggest change in weather for today was the wind. I expected gusts up to 40 mph and it did not disappoint. There were some great views along this segment, especially as the trail entered the Doughton Park area of the Blue Ridge Parkway. I was surprised to see several groups of trail runners out in the Park. I took full advantage of some southerly facing slopes as the sun was shining down for some morning breaks. By afternoon the sun disappeared behind the clouds for longer intervals and the wind made stopping more difficult. Any other time of the year, at least a non-pandemic year, and Bluffs Coffee shop along the parkway would be open. That certainly would have been a nice treat, we'll have to come up to camp in the spring or summer.
 |
| Brinegar Cabin |
As you leave Doughton Park you pass by the Brinegar Cabin. It's pretty amazing to see a structure like this and imagine living there full time. Many of us would romanticize that now but it surely was a hard life. However hard it may have been, it was their home. I was sad to read on the information sign that although given a lifetime waiver to remain in the house by the State of NC when they acquired the land for the Blue Ridge Parkway, Mrs. Brinegar eventually moved in with a daughter because it became too noisy. I certainly enjoyed the quiet around the cabin today as there were no cars (closed parkway) and no people on this far side of the park today.
Not far after the Brinegar Cabin was a final overlook before heading down to Stone Mountain State Park. This point marked the end of Segment 5 of the MST, and also the end of the Mountains section. Segment 6 starts with a 2,300' descent. My feet were still hurting from the boots but I was happy to have dry and warm feet. It was around 1pm when I made it to this point and the campsite I was planning to stay in was not far down trail. This made my decision pretty easy, keep walking. Being so cold and windy if I set up camp I would essentially get in my sleeping bag and lay there for 18 hours. The alternative was 2 hours of downhill and an hour and a half drive to my own bed.
Total weekend miles: 37.1
Total miles of MST completed: 353.3
 |
| Stone Mountain |
Comments
Post a Comment