Hiking to White Rock Falls

One of the cascades at White Rock Falls.  I can only guess the big boulder is the whitish rock, though there were no truly white rocks around.  

There are two ways to the falls, the shorter of the two is by parking at the Slacks overlook, about 7 miles South on the Blue Ridge Parkway from the Fenton Inn ( MP 19.9)

The trail head is across the Parkway from the overlook and fairly subtly marked if you don't know where to look.  There are orange flags near the road and a small sign.  Once on the trail, the path is very well marked and cleared, with several wooden bridges across the stream.

A large fallen tree.  This ancient giant Hemlock may have been the ancestor of the many Hemlock trees in the area. 

A view out over the valley.  The woods are a mix of pines and poplars just getting their leaves in late spring.

A Hemlock tree has needles that are flat and branches that are also flat, where as most other pines have rounded needles and grow three dimensional branches and needle clusters.

A Chestnut Oak with shelf mushrooms.   

A lower cascade at the White Rock Falls where the trail crosses the stream.  We turned back at this spot, but had we taken two cars, we could have left one at the other end of the trail and continued on the trail.  As it was, we hiked for about 45 minutes to the lower falls and about the same to return to the overlook.  There was a bit more climbing on the return hike, but mostly shaded in the cool woods.  

Another cascade at the waterfall as the stream descends into the valley. It was a good afternoon hike, enough to feel like we went somewhere with out taking more than 2 hours.  Some of the best views were back at the car at the overlook, but the woods along the trail were filled with spring flowers, mountain laurel, trillium flowers, and many scenic rock cliffs to make it a very rewarding hike.

The Plunge hike at Wintergreen

Hiking the Plunge near the Fenton Inn

A panoramic view back towards Three Ridges from the Plunge rocky cliffs.

The trail head is just off Blackrock Circle,  and the hike is only 0 point 2 miles or 1/5 of a mile.  The decimal point is a bit faded on the sign.

Looking back up towards some of the large houses on Blackrock Circle.  You will note that we have been hiking down to get the view, and will climb up to get to the car again.  A bit opposite from most mountain climbing, but still great views from the Plunge.

A balanced rock on the edge of the cliff framed by some pine trees that cling to the rocks.  

Ancient stone works were made in the early 1980s when the trails were cut around the mountain.  

A natural table top and bench to enjoy the view.

Looking out over the Devil's backbone in the valley below.  A perfect spot for a zip line, but then how would we ever get back to the car?

A panoramic view on a sunny spring day.  We will have to come back and see it in the fall.

Day trip to Staunton.

Downtown Staunton has a number of restaurants and shops and just a 30 minute drive from the Fenton Inn.

The theater called the Black Friars playhouse brings to life Shakespeare in the Shenandoah Valley.

The chocolate shop called Cocoa Mill is a must stop for something sweet.

The display has many hand dipped delights.

Large variety of truffles.

Assorted chocolates could be a great gift for any occasion.

A favorite restaurant called Zynodoa offers a fresh menu and wine paring options. A number of our guests have been there and recommend the wine pairing with sampler sized plates of different menu items. It is a great way to try a variety of different foods and wines rather than deciding on just entrée. Life is about exploring and Staunton offers a fun day out on the town.

Winter Olympics Fireworks at Wintergreen

Fireworks at Wintergreen were held to celebrate the Winter Olympics. Wintergreen usually has fireworks on the Fourth of July and New Years, but this year an extra fireworks were held over the Ski Slopes. The entrance porch was decked out with light for the occasion.

Guests enjoyed evening full of music, games and Bold Rock Cider.

The fireworks are free and open to everyone, even if you do not ski, you can still enjoy the slopes.

It is fun to have the fireworks going off just overhead and echoing off the mountains.

 

Lighting up the night sky on a winter evening.

The grand finale.

Climbing Humpback Rock on the Blue Ridge Parkway just 6 miles from the Fenton Inn.

 A panoramic view from the top of the one mile long hike up the mountain.

The hike is fairly steep, but not very long, so a few breaks for water at one of the many benches along the way, and the top is in sight. Most of the lower section of the trail is very wide with gravel surface. About half way up, the trail changes to a more narrow climb, with sections having steps or climbing over large boulders. It can be a bit slick in the rain, so wear good shoes with some traction. The best method is to take someone much slower than yourself on the hike. That way you will get plenty of rest waiting for them at each switch back of the trail and they will do all the complaining for you through the steeper section. By the time they reach you, you are fully rested to scramble up the next section.

The reward for the hike is to get to the top and enjoy the view out over the Shenandoah Valley . The rocks are sloped at about 45 degrees, remnants of some ancient collision between the continents a half billion or so years ago. The rocks of the valley are limestone from a long lost ocean and they are going under the igneous rocks of the Blue Ridge Mountains right below your feet. The uplifting of the two layers are why the mountain top rock are pointed up and to the west all along the Blue Ridge Parkway.

A view of the rock layers, a half billion years in the making. These are the oldest mountains on earth, predating all but the simplest life forms. By contrast, the valley limestone is formed by a build up of complex life forms that used calcium to make shells at a much later period. These mountains have seen an ocean as big as the Atlantic Ocean, come and go from this view, seen dinosaurs, and multiple ice ages. Monican Indians roamed these mountains for a few centuries. Two hundred years ago, Peter Jefferson (Thomas Jefferson's father) surveyed the area, giving us such names as Devil's knob and backbone after finding it unsuitable to farming. In the 1930s, work crews put in the Blue Ridge Parkway and at that time, much of the land around had been clear cut. It is a lot to take in in just one view.

October at the Fenton Inn

A new door with a bit of October themed to it. It has a full moon over a covered bridge over a river.

 

On the bridge are two riders, the headless horseman and Ichabod Crane. The riders move from one window to the next, for ever chasing and being chased. Hold on to your hat … and head, Mr Crane. 

 

Below the bridge is a keystone archway. It looks like someone should be hiding there. We will have to check back at night and see.

Another view of the covered bridge.

  Pumpkins and three scarecrows at our picnic area near the drawbridge.

The first signs of fall are in the Dogwood tree. Different types of trees decide it is time to shed their leaves as much as a month apart. The hickories tend to be a bit pessimistic about the winter storms about to arrive. They grow slow and strong, waiting until the spring is in full bloom before starting any leaves and dropping them at the first hint of cool weather. The Poplar trees are ever the optimists, holding leaves until the last minute, and budding out early in spring. They grow fast and tend to lose a lot of branches and tops to the ice storms or early snow. Rather than sulk and give up, they will regrow from the roots if need be, still budding optimistically early and holding on the their leaves through the fall. Two different ways to deal with winter's adversities, both thriving on our sunny mountainside.

Devil's Grill Restaurant

We had Dinner at the Devil's Grill on Wintergreen.  It is just 4 miles from the Fenton Inn at the top of Wintergreen at the Golf Club.  There are a number of places called Devil's Knob, Devil's Backbone, Devil's Grill etc in the area, and apparently it dates back to the original survey done by Peter Jefferson (Thomas Jefferson's father).  While surveying on the Mountain they lost a horse off a cliff and so had a bad day while naming the area.  Plus it was considered poor land for farming tobacco (He never envisioned ski slopes or a golf course at the time).  

The start of the golf course on the top of the mountain (there is a second in the valley called Stoney Creek).  It is a fairly difficult lay out, with sharp turns and elevation changes.  

The newly added outside dinning area at the Devil's grill.  The top of the mountain can be quite a bit colder than in the valley, so dinning out in summer is a treat.  

The menu is very fresh and well made.    

My wife got the Korean Barbeque which was also quite good.   

I ordered the pan seared trout with pilaf.  The unique flavor with bacon and plum was a good surprise to the side dish.

The cauliflower soup was a little over spiced.

The baklava was a fun finish to an otherwise healthy and low fat meal.

After a short cloud burst of rain, the sun came back out before setting.