On Top of Old Stonyman

To close out our holiday weekend, Mary and I decided to take a drive on Skyline Drive, choosing the little Stonyman trail for a season-ending adventure.  It was a very clear, if bracingly cold day, and with most of the Park's lodging and dining facilities closing, we figured we might come close to having the place to ourselves.

That's almost never the case at Shenandoah National Park, due to its proximity to DC, Baltimore, Richmond, and other east coast population centers.  But it does slow down and there are times when you'll find excellent surprises.

The temperature was hovering around 30 degrees once we were up at altitude - enough to freeze the little rivulets you often see on the back side of Stonyman.  Later on in the winter, these will be bonafide ice pillars, but for now they are just getting their tenuous start.

Here's a pair of views from the summit, one looking to the north and over Lake Arrowhead, and the other a westward view that includes much of the town of Luray. 

It's not something I do all that often, but while we were at Skyland, I put a quarter in the telescope machine there on the veranda and took a look at the town.  With the leaves down, you really can get a nice view from up there.  I imagine you'd have this all to yourself at times during the winter if you wanted to make a picnic on a warmer day.

There weren't any traces of the fall fires we had the previous week.  With black powder hunting season over, maybe there won't be anymore...just saying.

Another thing interesting about the view from up there on this day was the notable inversion layer to the west of Massanutten.  Traffic was crazy on I-81, we were told, and maybe that's what was causing that dirty haze over in that part of the Valley.  I thought it reminded me of Denver, or Los Angeles...

For a final shot of the day, here is a tech watch geek update.  I remembered to turn on my Pathfinder's altimeter function as we were coming back down from Stonyman summit.  When we got to the intersection sign with altitude, I checked my reading - it showed 1,060 meters, same as it did the last time I passed by the sign, last week!  That's 3,286 feet, so a typical adjustment had to be made with the reading...but I am surprised that I got the same altitude two times in a row.  Maybe I am onto something.

While the majority of Park facilities closed for the season this weekend, Skyline Drive remains open for the winter, except during inclement weather.  I'm looking forward to a few little excursions this season if I can get my little hiking group up for it.