Sunday, May 25, 2014

Day 65 - Saturday, May 25, 1974 - Punchbowl Spring Leanto to Wiggins Spring Leanto

19.9 miles - 494.8 cumulative miles

Punchbowl, the morning after The Peepers

We made it through the night with our sanity still intact, I guess.  Actually the peepers stopped later on during the night, all of a sudden - silence. 

Punchbowl in the morning
Near Pedlar Lake


Mountain Laurel

Pedlar Lake Dam - Lynchburg Reservoir

It was a beautiful clear morning.  I was really anxious to get going, I felt really good.  So we pushed on through to the first shelter, passing by some really beautiful brooks, past the Lynchburg reservoir and along Browns Creek.  The shelter was newly repainted and was real nice, but after lunch we decided to push on to the Wiggins Spring Shelter.

Little Irish Creek

Route 60 crossing

We climbed to Bald Mountain, 2,000 feet up from Route 60 in 3 miles then down 1 mile and up one mile to an open topped mountain like the balds down in Tennessee.  Really fantastic views.  Could see The Priest and Three Ridges among other mountains. 


Jack
Bud Man checking out the views
Got to the shelter at around 6:15.  Not sure if it was really 20 miles.  The mileage fact sheet said it was, but the guide book figured it to be around 16 miles.  Found the shelter occupied with 4 people.  Enough room left for us.  Boy Scouts camped out nearby and other hikers tenting, too.  Must be 20 people here, at least.  The spring is fantastic, a big hole in the ground with lots of cold water pouring out.  Nice spot. 



Comment seen in register at Browns Mountain Shelter:  Destination: The Priest.  Purpose: To see God.

No comments:

Post a Comment