OLD RAG, 我回來啦！

OLD RAG, 我回來啦！

Old Rag mountain is one of the favorite hiking spot in Shenandoah National Park. It is famous for its rocky trail and breath-taking view once you get on its tops. In some of hiking website, the difficulty is maked as 4 and view as 6 for this mountain. It is about two hous drive from DC metro area.

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I have been hiking this mountain back to ten years ago several times in the Fall and Spring season and it never disappointed me. The trail is about 7.2 miles for a circuit loop. Because Fall is busy season I had to park in the overflow area with extra 1.8 miles distance to and from trailhead so overall the whole hiking is about 9 miles.

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Enter the park and trailhead begins here.

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With some water, snake and lunch in back-pack, I am on my way. The beginning of the trail is not so bad with lots of switchbacks.

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After about an hour non-stoping hiking, start to feel some rocks.

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One-line sky.

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More narrow passage with stairs.

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Rocky trail again.

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Had to be very careful to reach down between gaps. It is narrow about 5 feet deep.

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More rocks with narrow passage. The blue mark keeps hikers on trail.

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Fly-coming stone

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Rocks, rocks!

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Another fly-coming stone. I am almost there.


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Take a rest on rock

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After about strengous 2.5 hours hiking and climbing, I am on the second top of Old Rag.

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After another half hour exhausted hiking, I reached the summit.

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The view is breath-taking.

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The Shenandoah valley is beautiful with fall foliage color of yellow and red.

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After 25 minutes lunch break on summit. I am headed back downhill. It still has 4.5 mile to go.

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This is one of the day-use shelter on the way back.

After about total 5 hours hiking, I reached my car. I felt so tired and could not even stand up but it was the feeling that you dont usually get it in the daily busy life.

It was so enjoyable experience of conqurring and fighting with own human limit that it will remain in memory in the long time.