TR: Gerhard Shelter (Great North Mountain)
Jan 30, 2015 8:43:39 GMT -5
Post by rpcv on Jan 30, 2015 8:43:39 GMT -5
Last Sunday, we hiked the Gerhard Shelter loop, which includes part of the Tuscarora Trail in the Great North Mountain area. The hike starts where the Tuscarora Trail crosses Waites Run Road south of Wardensville, WV. We followed the Tuscarora Trail north as it switchbacked up to the top of the ridge. At Gerhard Shelter, we took a break for lunch. It is a nice little shelter, but the nearest water source is over half a mile a way down a very steep trail. Then we hiked down the steep Gerhard Shelter Trail to a forest road, where we turned back south. At the end of the road, we picked up the Vance Cove Trail, which took us back to Waites Run Road and to the car.
It was a nice loop, although it has quite a bit of road walking. Up high, the trails were covered in about an inch of snow and ice. The trees were covered in ice as well, which made for some pretty pictures.
Mountain laurel leaves covered in ice. Ice made a lot of mountain laurel droop over the trail. Pushing through it sounded like we were pushing through beaded curtains.
The view east from the top of the ridge (on the Tuscarora Trail).
A cool fungus on a tree.
Raccoon tracks in the snow.
Waites Run near where we parked.
It was a nice loop, although it has quite a bit of road walking. Up high, the trails were covered in about an inch of snow and ice. The trees were covered in ice as well, which made for some pretty pictures.
Mountain laurel leaves covered in ice. Ice made a lot of mountain laurel droop over the trail. Pushing through it sounded like we were pushing through beaded curtains.
The view east from the top of the ridge (on the Tuscarora Trail).
A cool fungus on a tree.
Raccoon tracks in the snow.
Waites Run near where we parked.