Stan Birch ‘22
News Editor
The last time I wrote for the Law Weekly about camping and social distancing, it was not the best of “camping” trips but provided ample comedic content for the paper.[1] So, naturally, when I planned another camping trip, I figured a second article would either prove I actually knew what I am doing or would continue to provide comedic relief. This article, dear readers, does a little of both.
Quarantine has been a drag on everyone and keeping socially distanced can feel frustrating, but the moment I am on a hiking trail I want as few people near me as possible. This makes backpacking the perfect activity to avoid people while forgetting that avoiding people is all you seem to do these days. My significant other, an awesome person and also cooped up at home, readily agreed to pack up our bags and go backpacking. Having been in and out of Shenandoah National Park many times during quarantine for drives, day trips, and another backpacking trip, we knew that, in order to miss the fall crowds, we needed to pick a more difficult and sparsely traveled trail. We settled on Rocky Mount and Gap Run trails, right off Two Mile Run Overlook on Skyline Drive.
Pictured: The cold, bugs, and sweating was well worth this view. Photo Courtesy of Stan Birch '22.
Driving in on a Friday afternoon, the park was beautiful with great foliage all around us. Or so I’m told. I was focused on avoiding the many drivers who seemed to forget they were behind the steering wheel of a large moving piece of metal and were busy looking out at the scenic views or filming for their Instagram story.[2] After arriving at Two Mile Run, I got a chance to enjoy the view myself, including the rocky cliffs far in the distance, and all the foliage in full fall swing. We loaded up our packs, locked the car, texted our parents where we were and when we’d be back, and headed off to the trailhead.
It was quiet and there weren’t other cars parked at the overlook, so we felt confident that we were some of the only people on the trail. That confidence was bolstered when we repeatedly walked face-first into very large and very ornate spider webs spun right across the trail. As the sun started to set and the light faded, our goal became finding a good place to set up for the night. We made it to a fork in the trail and started searching for a nearby flat space. Since this is backcountry camping, there weren’t any ideal pre-cleared spaces, so we found a seemingly flat space[3] and started pushing the fallen leaves off to the side to set up our tent. We were greeted by more of our arachnid friends from earlier. After shooing off a few particularly large friends, we were left alone for the rest of the night and set up our tent without too much trouble. This meant it was chow time.
Opting for light and convenient, we went with freeze-dried pouches, just adding boiling water. While packing, I found an old freeze-dried granola from my Scouting days[4] and thought I’d bring it (along with a spare) to see if it was still any good. Things we learned: While many freeze-dried meals last for nearly three decades, some of the powdered milk options decidedly do not.[5] I say “we,” because after taking two bites and not being sure if I should keep eating, my camping companion tried a much smaller spoonful and could not spit it out fast enough. The spare granola was immediately prepared, and the remnants of the spoiled meal scattered far away from our campsite. After this, we packed up the rest of our food into a bear bag, found a suitable tree, tossed a line, and hoisted our breakfast and power bars to safety far from any prying paws.
After taking care of dinner, it was time to climb into our home-away-from-home. This tent was a change in gear from our previous trips. Being lighter and smaller meant it would pack and carry easier, but it also meant less space inside. This proved not to be too much of a problem, until the ever-so-slight slope meant one of us was continually being sandwiched between the tent wall and another soundly sleeping party. Ultimately, everyone slept well through the night despite the gravity-induced snuggling.
The next morning involved some highs and lows. The highs: Nothing getting into the food bag overnight, freeze-dried biscuits and gravy tasting several times better than expected, and the views when we reached the peak. The lows: It started to drizzle as we started packing and we ended up seeing a few other people on the hike. After rushing to pack everything away and putting pack covers on, we headed for the peak—only for the rain to stop. The trail marker said 1.2 miles, but I am not sure what definition of a “mile” they had in mind.
It was all worth it. The view was wonderful, it was quiet and full of changing leaves and colors, and we had it all to ourselves. In the far distance I noticed a white car parked at an overlook and realized I was standing on the rocky face I had seen when we first loaded up. On our hike back we passed a few groups heading in as we made our way back to the car. After getting off the trail and remembering what I said earlier about drivers on Skyline, we decided to walk along the wall to avoid hiking against the road. This was a great plan—but it seems that a little snake had the same idea. After a rapid series of high-knees and sly slithers to avoid one another, we walked up to the car and planned what to get for lunch. On the way out, the lines of cars getting into the park were each about seventy or eighty long. I was glad we were on our way out.
Overall, this trip proved much more enjoyable and much more adventurous than the time I camped “near” the Law School. If you can safely do so and feel any inclination to hike or explore the Shenandoah, I can’t recommend it enough. Who knows, we might see one another on the trail and awkwardly shuffle past each other.
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sfb9yu@virginia.edu
[1] 4/12/20 Article “Practicing Social Distancing and Adverse Possession”
[2] If you go to Shenandoah to see how beautiful it is, and you very much should, use an overlook. Put your car in park. Take it all in. Don’t be these people.
[3] It was not.
[4] Approximately 2011.
[5] Rule of Thumb: If it tastes like cardboard and smells weird, stop eating.