Day 1 of a NOBO LASH (NOrthBOund Long A$$ Section Hike) of the Appalachian Trail began at 7:43 AM, on a trail section that spans between Snickers Gap, VA and the Blackburn Trail Center in Round Hill, VA. Blackburn is owned and managed by the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club (PATC).
The temps started in the upper 30’s, with clear skies, and a light breeze. For this 7.4 mile stretch of trail, the views are pretty much limited to Raven Rocks, which is a very popular destination for many who are hiking the 2.6 miles up from Snickers Gap. There were many people at Raven Rocks today, the majority of which were dressed in St. Patrick’s Day attire. Seems they wanted to celebrate a day early (quite a few nip bottles were being tipped)!
Four miles of this section of trail is part of the north end of what is called the “Roller Coaster”. The total length of the “Roller Coaster” is 14 miles, which was designed and built by Chris Brunton (aka, TrailBoss) and his crew of volunteers. Given the number of ascents and descents in such a short stretch, this portion of trail is aptly named! As such, the level of difficulty of this hike would be considered as moderate.
The hike ended with temps in the 60’s, clear skies, and a light breeze. This was a perfect day for a hike in mid-March!
Be sure to visit the West Virginia Gallery!