Miscellaneous photographs from hikes and climbs in the Blue Ridge Mountains near Charlottesville Virginia.   [Read More... ]

On the 28th Jim's family, John's family, Charlie and I hiked Rip Rap Hollow trail out to Calvary Rocks.  We hung out on the rocks enjoying the beautiful view for a while but soon the kids started growing bored and began attempting to climb stuff I was scared of, so I rallied everyone into continuing on down the trail.  Everyone hiked for another mile or so then decided to turn around.

Charlie and I persuaded the kids to continue on so Jonathan, Samuel, JC, Matt, Charlie and I then hiked the Rip Rap Hollow loop down into the dark canyon north of the park and back up to the valley.  I had first hiked the trail when I was 15 and at the bottom of the hollow there is a big deep swimming hole where I was initiated into the Outdoor Club Polar Bear Club by diving into the pool in January.  The kids were all game to join the club when I told them about it and started ripping of their shirts and i had to talk them out of it! 

We then beat the kids up the 6 mile climb back to Skyline Drive.  Half way up it started raining a cold wet 40 degree rain.  None of the kids had jackets of course so Charlie, Matt and I had to give up ours to keep them warm.  After a while the rain turned to sleet so we forced them to jog the last 2 miles.  We reached the parkway just as it got dark where John and Jim picked us up.   [Read More... ]