Blackrock Hut to Pinefield Hut

Blackrock Hut to Pinefield Hut
Day 11 - Thursday, April 9, 2015
13.2 miles

Again, it has been cloudy and very foggy all day, blocking our view of the valleys below us.  But it was easy walking today, so that made it very nice. 

We were at Pinefield Hut by 4:30.  There we met Hard Rock, who was hiking from Damascus to Massachusetts to visit family, Cole or Loch-Ness, who was hiking south and trying to finish his thru-hike by August.  Later that night a night hiker came in. He was from Chicago. 

The mice in the shelter played with my sleeping mat bag all night and the next morning I found a nut in my boot. 
 

Jarmin Gap to Blackrock Hut

Jarmin Gap to Blackrock Hut
Day 10 - Wednesday, April 8, 2015
12 miles

Took a zero day yesterday in Waynesboro at Comfort Inn.  This morning refreshed and ready to go again. 

This morning, we drove the car to Swiftrun Gap where Kathy picked us up and drove us to Jarman Gap.  This time we headed north at 9:20 a.m.

It was cloudy and rainy so, therefore, we had very few views from the mountaintops.  Unfortunately it was this way for most of Shenandoah National Park.  We missed seeing the beauty around  us as we traveled through the park.  The trail ran through the forest adjacent to the  Blue Ridge Parkway most of the day .  It was easy ups and downs, with the hardest part of the day being at the end going up from Blackrock Gap to Blackrock Hut.   We were there by 4:00.

When we arrived at the shelter there was a single man there along with a father-daughter team.  Later in the evening a family of 5 came in, making the shelter pretty crowded.  Fortunately, the everyone was pretty quiet through the night.  We slept in the loft area and were up at 7 the next morning.