Shenandoah Day 1

Our alarm went off at 3:30 this morning and we were on the road by 4:30 to drive down to Shenandoah.  Kati and I both had off due to unused snow days and we let G3 play hooky. It’s been a long school year and we didn’t get to go away for Spring Break so we wanted to make the most of our long Memorial Day Weekend. It was raining when we first headed out but by the time the sun rose the clouds had parted.

It was fortunate that Kati insisted on such an early departure. We arrived at Loft Mountain campground in the park around 10:30 and got one of the last available first-come-first-serve campsites. We wanted a walk to site because they are a bit less crowded and while we didn’t get the one we wanted, we did get one so we are happy. Having claimed the site, we settled in. G3 pitched his tent and Kati and I pitched ours.

We then drove north about an hour to the visitor center to get trail maps and advice on the best trails for short hikes. G3 didn’t want to hike and Kati’s knee is acting up again so anything long and/or strenuous would not be good. We opted for the three mile—out and back—hike to High Top Summit. It was a gradual incline all the way up to the viewpoint. Despite the pain in her knee,  Kati pushed through. Even though the campsites are full, the trail was relatively deserted. We saw a few people but not many. It was quiet and peaceful and very enjoyable. The view of the mountains from the top was also pretty, but it was extremely windy. While we hiked, G3 went for a two mile run and then sat in the car to wait for us.

Back at the campsite, we started a fire and made hot chocolate to warm up. While we sipped our drinks around the fire we cooked dinner. It is cold. It’s somewhere in the low 50s, but the wind chill makes it feel colder.