Oh, how hard it is to be off the trail for such a long time! This hike was a long time coming. We first attempted this stretch on December 30th, 2016. Unfortunately, a trace of early morning snow was enough to completely ice over VA-43, making the drive to our destination impossible. So close and yet so far! The hike would have to wait.
On February 11, 2017 Birch and I were shuttled from VA-43 to Sunset Field by Mr. Homer Witcher, an inspiring guy who thru hiked the AT with his family in 2002. Mr. Witcher is a model example of what makes the AT so special. He maintains large portions of the trail, is an expert privy builder, and is kind enough to shuttle folks to trailheads. He gives tons of his time to the AT. (Thank you!)
The hike from Sunset Field to Bryant Ridge Shelter was fairly easy. The bare trees gave us opportunities to view the mountains. After reaching Floyd mountain the next three miles were steep and downhill. My legs were killing me!
We stayed the night at Bryant Ridge, an amazing shelter. It has three stories, with a very large, covered area to just hang out. Water is plentiful. The only downside is that we didn’t find any great spots to set up our tent. I guess with a large shelter, most wouldn’t use a tent anyway.
Lucky for us, we were not alone. Two guys, “Roub” and “Crackin” soon came into camp. Both are expert AT hikers. Roub completed a thru hike and Crackin thru hiked Virginia. We learned a lot of great tips from them. As important, they were just great company.
The next day Birch and I went about 7 miles to Cove Mountain Shelter. Roub and Crackin advised us against carrying water up Fork Mountain, and we were so glad that we took their advice. We loaded up with water at Jenny Creek, four miles into the hike, then went up, up, up until we reached the shelter. We were excited to read the trail log and see a note from our new trail friends. The trail magic was a special treat!
Sunday evening, we decided to skip the tent and stay in the shelter. Luckily, we were well prepared. We brought winter jackets, sleeping bag liners, and other cold weather gear. The temps went from the 70’s to 30 degrees by morning time. Boy, the wind howled and roared! 
The hike out was beautiful, despite the cold temps. The ridge is lined with pretty green moss, making us ALMOST forget that it was still winter.
(Follow Roub’s adventures at: trailjournals.com/Roubaix)
Weekend Jots on Weekend Jaunts 