*The James River Face Wilderness

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <script type="text/javascript"> //OwnerIQ var __oiq_pct = 50; if( __oiq_pct>=100 || Math.floor(Math.random()*100/(100-__oiq_pct)) > 0 ) { var _oiqq = _oiqq || []; _oiqq.push(['oiq_addPageBrand','Lycos']); _oiqq.push(['oiq_addPageCat','Internet > Websites']); _oiqq.push(['oiq_addPageLifecycle','Intend']); _oiqq.push(['oiq_doTag']); (function() { var oiq = document.createElement('script'); oiq.type = 'text/javascript'; oiq.async = true; oiq.src = document.location.protocol + '//px.owneriq.net/stas/s/lycosn.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(oiq, s); })(); } //Google Analytics var _gaq = _gaq || []; _gaq.push(['_setAccount','UA-21402695-19']); _gaq.push(['_setDomainName','tripod.com']); _gaq.push(['_setCustomVar',1,'member_name','angkistrodon',3]); _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']); (function() { var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true; ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s); })(); //Lycos Init function getReferrer() { var all= this.document.cookie; if (all== '') return false; var cookie_name = 'REFERRER='; var start = all.lastIndexOf(cookie_name); if (start == -1) return false; start += cookie_name.length; var end = all.indexOf(';', start); if (end == -1) end = all.length; return all.substring(start, end); } function getQuery() { var rfr = getReferrer(); if (rfr == '') return false; var q = extractQuery(rfr, 'yahoo.com', 'p='); if (q) return q; q = extractQuery(rfr, '', 'q='); return q ? q : ""; } function extractQuery(full, site, q_param) { var start = full.lastIndexOf(site); if (start == -1) return false; start = full.lastIndexOf(q_param); if (start == -1) return false; start += q_param.length; var end = full.indexOf('&', start); if (end == -1) end = full.length; return unescape(full.substring(start, end)).split(" ").join("+"); } function generateHref(atag, template){ atag.href=template.replace('_MYURL_', window.location.href.replace('http://', '')).replace('_MYTITLE_','Check%20out%20this%20Tripod%20Member%20site!'); } var lycos_ad = Array(); var lycos_onload_timer; var cm_role = "live"; var cm_host = "tripod.lycos.com"; var cm_taxid = "/memberembedded"; var tripod_member_name = "angkistrodon"; var tripod_member_page = "angkistrodon/id4.htm"; var tripod_ratings_hash = "1752653422:1505f21286df750ed366e34633b31d36"; var lycos_ad_category = {"find_what":"snow"}; var lycos_ad_remote_addr = "209.202.244.9"; var lycos_ad_www_server = "www.tripod.lycos.com"; var lycos_ad_track_small = ""; var lycos_ad_track_served = ""; var lycos_search_query = getQuery(); </script> <script type="text/javascript" src="https://scripts.lycos.com/catman/init.js"></script> <script type='text/javascript'> var googletag = googletag || {}; googletag.cmd = googletag.cmd || []; (function() { var gads = document.createElement('script'); gads.async = true; gads.type = 'text/javascript'; var useSSL = 'https:' == document.location.protocol; gads.src = (useSSL ? 'https:' : 'http:') + '//www.googletagservices.com/tag/js/gpt.js'; var node = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; node.parentNode.insertBefore(gads, node); })(); </script> <script type='text/javascript'> googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.defineSlot('/95963596/TRI_300X250_dfp', [300, 250], 'div-gpt-ad-1450204159126-0').addService(googletag.pubads()); googletag.defineSlot('/95963596/TRI_above_728x90_dfp', [728, 90], 'div-gpt-ad-1450204159126-1').addService(googletag.pubads()); googletag.defineSlot('/95963596/TRI_below_728x90_dfp', [728, 90], 'div-gpt-ad-1450204159126-2').addService(googletag.pubads()); googletag.pubads().enableSingleRequest(); googletag.enableServices(); }); </script> <script type="text/javascript"> (function(isV) { if( !isV ) { return; } var adMgr = new AdManager(); var lycos_prod_set = adMgr.chooseProductSet(); var slots = ["leaderboard", "leaderboard2", "toolbar_image", "toolbar_text", "smallbox", "top_promo", "footer2", "slider"]; var adCat = this.lycos_ad_category; adMgr.setForcedParam('page', (adCat && adCat.dmoz) ? adCat.dmoz : 'member'); if (this.lycos_search_query) { adMgr.setForcedParam("keyword", this.lycos_search_query); } else if(adCat && adCat.find_what) { adMgr.setForcedParam('keyword', adCat.find_what); } for (var s in slots) { var slot = slots[s]; if (adMgr.isSlotAvailable(slot)) { this.lycos_ad[slot] = adMgr.getSlot(slot); } } adMgr.renderHeader(); adMgr.renderFooter(); }((function() { var w = 0, h = 0, minimumThreshold = 300; if (top == self) { return true; } if (typeof(window.innerWidth) == 'number' ) { w = window.innerWidth; h = window.innerHeight; } else if (document.documentElement && (document.documentElement.clientWidth || document.documentElement.clientHeight)) { w = document.documentElement.clientWidth; h = document.documentElement.clientHeight; } else if (document.body && (document.body.clientWidth || document.body.clientHeight)) { w = document.body.clientWidth; h = document.body.clientHeight; } return ((w > minimumThreshold) && (h > minimumThreshold)); }()))); window.onload = function() { var f = document.getElementById("FooterAd"); var b = document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]; b.appendChild(f); f.style.display = "block"; document.getElementById('lycosFooterAdiFrame').src = '/adm/ad/footerAd.iframe.html'; // DOM Inj Ad (function(isTrellix) { var e = document.createElement('iframe'); e.style.border = '0'; e.style.margin = 0; e.style.display = 'block'; e.style.cssFloat = 'right'; e.style.height = '254px'; e.style.overflow = 'hidden'; e.style.padding = 0; e.style.width = '300px'; var isBlokedByDomain = function( href ) { var blockedDomains = [ "ananyaporn13000.tripod.com", "xxxpornxxx.tripod.com" ]; var flag = false; for( var i=0; i<blockedDomains.length; i++ ) { if( href.search( blockedDomains[ i ] ) >= 0 ) { flag = true; } } return flag; } var getMetaContent = function( metaName ) { var metas = document.getElementsByTagName('meta'); for (i=0; i<metas.length; i++) { if( metas[i].getAttribute("name") == metaName ) { return metas[i].getAttribute("content"); } } return false; } var getCommentNodes = function(regexPattern) { var nodes = {}; var nodesA = []; var preferredNodesList = ['a', 'c', 'b']; (function getNodesThatHaveComments(n, pattern) { if (n.hasChildNodes()) { if (n.tagName === 'IFRAME') { return false; } for (var i = 0; i < n.childNodes.length; i++) { if ((n.childNodes[i].nodeType === 8) && (pattern.test(n.childNodes[i].nodeValue))) { var areaName = pattern.exec(n.childNodes[i].nodeValue)[1]; nodes[areaName] = n; } else if (n.childNodes[i].nodeType === 1) { getNodesThatHaveComments(n.childNodes[i], pattern); } } } }(document.body, regexPattern)); for (var i in preferredNodesList) { if (nodes[preferredNodesList[i]]) { if( isTrellix && nodes[preferredNodesList[i]].parentNode.parentNode.parentNode.parentNode ) { nodesA.push(nodes[preferredNodesList[i]].parentNode.parentNode.parentNode.parentNode); } else { nodesA.push( nodes[preferredNodesList[i]] ); } } } return nodesA; } var properNode = null; var areaNodes = getCommentNodes( new RegExp( '^area Type="area_(\\w+)"' ) ); for (var i = 0; i < areaNodes.length; i++) { var a = parseInt(getComputedStyle(areaNodes[i]).width); if ((a >= 300) && (a <= 400)) { properNode = areaNodes[i]; break; } } var propertyName = getMetaContent("property") || false; if( isTrellix && (properNode) ) { e.src = '/adm/ad/injectAd.iframe.html'; properNode.insertBefore(e, properNode.firstChild); } else if( isTrellix && !( properNode ) ) // Slap the ad eventhought there is no alocated slot { e.src = '/adm/ad/injectAd.iframe.html'; e.style.cssFloat = 'none'; var cdiv = document.createElement('div'); cdiv.style = "width:300px;margin:10px auto;"; cdiv.appendChild( e ); b.insertBefore(cdiv, b.lastChild); } else if( !isBlokedByDomain( location.href ) ) { var injF = document.createElement('iframe'); injF.style.border = '0'; injF.style.margin = 0; injF.style.display = 'block'; injF.style.cssFloat = 'none'; injF.style.height = '254px'; injF.style.overflow = 'hidden'; injF.style.padding = 0; injF.style.width = '300px'; injF.src = '/adm/ad/injectAd.iframe.html'; if( b && ( !isTrellix || ( typeof isTrellix == "undefined" ) ) ) // All other tripod props { var cdiv = document.createElement('div'); cdiv.style = "width:300px;margin:10px auto;"; cdiv.appendChild( injF ); b.insertBefore(cdiv, b.lastChild); } } }( document.isTrellix )); } </script> <div id="tb_container" style="background:#DFDCCF; border-bottom:1px solid #393939; position:relative; z-index:999999999!important">  <style> .adCenterClass{margin:0 auto} </style> <div id="tb_ad" class="adCenterClass" style="display:block!important; overflow:hidden; width:916px;"> <div id="ad_container" style="display:block!important; float:left; width:728px "> <script type="text/javascript"> if (typeof lycos_ad !== "undefined" && "leaderboard" in lycos_ad) { document.write(lycos_ad['leaderboard']); } </script> </div> </div> </div> <script type="text/javascript"> if (typeof lycos_ad !== "undefined" && "slider" in lycos_ad) { document.write(lycos_ad['slider']); } </script>  <div id="FooterAd" style="background:#DFDCCF; border-top:1px solid #393939; clear:both; display:none; width:100%!important; position:relative; z-index:999999!important; height:90px!important"> <div class="adCenterClass" style="display:block!important; overflow:hidden; width:916px;"> <div id="footerAd_container" style="display:block!important; float:left; width:728px"> <iframe id="lycosFooterAdiFrame" style="border:0; display:block; float:left; height:96px; overflow:hidden; padding:0; width:750px"></iframe> </div> </div> </div> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" height=92 BGCOLOR="#003300" TEXT="#F7F7FF"> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="7" COLOR="#C0DCC0" FACE="Papyrus" ><B><U>--Type Title Here--</U></b></FONT><FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#000099" FACE="Arial" ><B> </b></FONT><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000099" FACE="Arial" ><B>    </b></FONT><B>|     </b><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="_"><U><B>home</b></U></A></div> <div> <I><B>*The James River Face Wilderness</b></I><I><B>   |   </b></I><A HREF="id5.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Ramseys Draft Wilderness "><U><I><B>*Ramsey's Draft Wilderness             </b></I></U></A><I><B>   |   </b></I><A HREF="id6.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Three Ridges Circuit "><U><I><B>*Three Ridges Circuit                          </b></I></U></A><I><B>   |   </b></I><A HREF="id27.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Crabtree Falls "><U><I><B>*Crabtree Falls  </b></I></U></A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" height=388 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B><U>*The James River Face Wilderness</U></b><B><U>  </U></b><B><U>                                 </U></b><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#003300" FACE="Papyrus" >  <IMG SRC="0d5fa8b0.jpg" border=0 width="250" height="139" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></FONT></div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#000099" FACE="Papyrus" ><A HREF="id26.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="James River Face Tales"><U><B><U>Mike and Geraldine's Tales from the Trails</U></b></U></A></FONT><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="id26.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="James River Face Tales"><U>(Click Here)</U></A></FONT><B><U>(</U></b><A HREF="id26.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="James River Face Tales"><U><B><U>Updated 2/10/01)</U></b></U></A></div> <div> <I><B><U>  <form method="post" action="http://www.weather.com/cgi-bin/uncgi/zip_city_search.cgi?par=trellix&site=magnet&code=372916&promo=english" target="_top"> <table> <tr><td> <font face="arial,helvetica" color="#004371" size="2">    Enter a City or US Zip: </font> </td><td> <input type="text" name="destination" size="8" value="">  <input type="image" src="http://image.weather.com/pics/button_go.gif" width="26" height="23" border="0" alt="go!" value="Go City"> </td></tr><tr><td colspan="2"> <a href="http://oap.weather.com/fcgi-bin/oap/redirect_magnet?loc_id=USVA0062&par=trellix&site=magnet&code=372916&promo=english" target="_top"> <img border="1" width="270" height="140" src="http://oap.weather.com/fcgi-bin/oap/generate_magnet?loc_id=USVA0062&code=372916"></a> </td></tr> </table></form>   <IMG SRC="10d1a860.jpg" border=0 width="538" height="390" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></b></I></div> <div>       The 8,903 acre James River Face Wilderness sits in the central part of the Blue Ridge mountain chain in Virginia. 10.3 miles of the Applalchinan Trail cross through the eastern side of this rugged close packed area. The most apparent feature of this area are the great views of the James River as it naturally meanders between the mountains.</div> <div> The AT winds through Petits gap and over Highcock Knob(great name?) then around a beautiful gorge before it crosses The Hickory Stand then makes a long decent toward the James River to Matts Creek Shelter. With fine views offered at every turn. The option to circuit hike the area for a weekend is somewhat limited unless you don't mind a certain amount of backtracking. Although retracing steps might not be exactly what you want to do, the many views offered by this hike make every step worth it.</div> <div>  We made this hike January 26-28 in 2001, the temperature was slightly chilly averaging around 20-30 at night and as high as 50 during the day. We made a nice <B>21 mile circuit</b> which included the Devils Marble Yard and the James River gorge.</div> <div>                                                            <IMG SRC="106fe560.jpg" border=0 width="510" height="342" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div>  <B><U>Petites Gap</U></b></div> <div> We started at<U> P</U><U>etites gap at mile </U><I><B><U>71</U></b></I><U> on the Blue Ridge Parkway </U> near <U>Big Island</U><U> </U>300 feet down USFS 35(2,369ft). Park your car here in a small but functional parking area near the Trail information station. The AT crosses  here on its way down from the Thunder Ridge Wilderness to the south.</div> <bR> <div> <B><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">    -</b>Ascend ~ 1.3 miles north on the AT  toward the false Highcock Knob then the wooded Knob itself(3073ft. highest spot in the wilderness). Good views of the city of Big Island are available to the east. This is a short but rocky ascent.</div> <bR> <div> <B><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> -</b>Descend Highcock knob on a rocky path that eventually becomes a level grade where an 1930's section of the AT splits off sharply to the left back to USFS 35. Take a sharp Right following the current AT on a steady grade descending to Marble Springs(2300ft.) where a great level campsite is available. Water is pretty much available here year round from the Marble Spring. When we were here in January the wind never let up and made setting up the tent and other "chores" a little interesting.</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">                                                                 <IMG SRC="108bb380.jpg" border=0 width="443" height="312" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> <I><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">     -</I> From Marble Springs make an easy assent up the AT and around the east side of Elk Creek Valley along a cliff side covered with dead and dying pine trees, giving the trail an eire feeling. A continuos view of the valley is to the west while you can look back at the Highcock Knob you just crossed.The AT circles the gorge for about a 1.5 miles before reaching the junction with the Sulfur Springs trail. </div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">   - Turn left on the Sulfur Springs trail and gently descend along the western side of the Elk Creek Valley to USFS 35. This is a nice relaxing trail which will feel nice on you feet compared to Highcock Knob which continues to loom over you to the southeast. Pass the sulfur spring to the right and give it a smell, this spring was named well and looks more like a mud puddle, but hey there is a sign for it. End up at USFS 35.</div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">  -Take the road to the right and follow a creek for about 2 miles. The road isn't a bad hike, level with a slight ascent. If your feeling eco-friendly you can pick up some of the beer cans tossed out the windows of local folks cars(Bud,Bud lite,Bush,Coors and Beast are the predominant species here). Pass a horse trail on the right soon after that several houses on the left. One of these houses is owned by a connoisseur of fresh pork products recognizable by the gutted pig carcasses hanging in his yard.Shortly past the pig house there is a parking area and a Trail Info center on the right. </div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> -Follow the Belfast trail across a bridge and around an old Boy Scout camp 1.4 miles up a rocky path to the Devil's Marble yard. The Marble yard consists of roughly 8 acres of car sized boulders stacked into a rectangular pile about 300 feet high. Either follow the trail to the right of the pile past a waterfall or climb right over the top(very difficult with a pack on). Continue uphill to past a junction with the Gunter Ridge Trail to the AT at ~3 miles.</div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> - Follow the AT north .5 miles past a junction with the Sulpher Springs trail. Great views of the James River gorge to the north can be seen here.</div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> -At the Sulpher Springs Trail junction descend steeply along the AT into the gorge. Follow nine switch backs(everyones favorite) and cross the Big Cove Branch(1,853 ft.)</div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> -Descend along the AT and watch the river get closer as you follow the Grassy Island Ridge. Cross to the northeastern side of the Grassy Island Ridge and continue to your decent into the valley to<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><B><U> Matt's Creek Shelter</U></b></FONT>. Matts Creek is a deep fast flowing creek which runs through a natural stone gutter in front of the shelter and is deep enough in some places to wade in the summer. Sleep well tonight since tomorrows return to the car is mostly uphill.</div> <div>                                                                                   </div> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> - Wake up and eat well its 8 miles to the car. <IMG SRC="10a7b020.jpg" border=0 width="379" height="258" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Ascend back along the AT up the 3 mile path to those nine switch backs you came down the day before to the Slupher Springs trail junction. Follow the thankfully easy grade to the Marble Springs Campground. Now the view you've had all day of Highcock knob from afar will be up close and personal. Ascend the rough rocky trail to the summit of Highcock for a  good view, then downhill, but before the final down hill make a rocky hop over the false knob. Descend about a mile to your car, then drive to Staunton and eat combo #5 at</FONT><U> </U><A HREF="id20.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="_"><U><U>El Puerto</U></U></A><U>.</U><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#111111" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div>                                                                   <IMG SRC="112eb520.jpg" border=0 width="491" height="338" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>