Big Schloss is a peak in the Great North Mountain range of the Appalachian mountains, with an elevation of 2,964 feet. The peak is in George Washington National Forest and borders Virginia and West Virginia. There are several different routes to hiking this mountain and Mill Mountain. I opted to hike from Wolf Gap and do an out-and-back hike. I grabbed my pack, locked the car, and was on the trail by 7:59 am. The first part of the trail coming out of Wolf Gap is where I would pick up most of my elevation gain. This would be the most challenging part of the trail, but the trail switchbacks up to the ridge, and I did not find it difficult.
Once up on the ridge, I had plenty of views looking into Virginia and West Virginia, depending on...
This was a fun hike, sitting north of Buzzard rock, which I had hiked a few weeks prior. I had read up on this loop hike, and what I was able to determine was it was a mix of conditions from river crossings, rock gardens, and steep and obscured views from the summit. I found all but the steepness to be accurate.
The parking area for Meneka Peak and or Signal Knob is quite large. When I arrived, there was a handful of vehicles already in the parking lot; all but one was covered in frost. I had anticipated this would be a popular hike, and for the most part, it was as the lot was full upon my return, although I wouldn't see another person until I crossed paths with two young women who were upbound as I was on my return to the trailhead...
I had heard mention of this hike previously, and a friend recently posted a memory of hiking it, and I thought, why not today? I read that the trailhead parking was limited, so I got a fairly early start, leaving the house around 7:00 am. it was still dusk when I left, arriving at the trailhead parking area around 7:45 am. There were three other cars in the lot when I arrived.
I threw on my pack and grabbed my hiking poles, and was on my way. There are no sign-in trail registers in Virginia, unlike the state of New York, where almost every trailhead has a register for hikers to sign in from.
This morning was crisp at 30 degrees, requiring gloves and a hat.; I would wear shorts and a t-shirt on my return trip out. This is beautiful...
I was looking for another hike that would push my limits a little further, both physically and mentally. Little Schloss mountain is just one of the many hikes in the Great North Mountain area, George Washington National Forest. This hike can be part of a loop hike with Big Schloss, creating a strenuous hike (this is something I would love to do at some point). Today I would only hike Little Schloss. The hike typically starts at the FDR92 parking area, across the road from the trailhead. However, due to the seasonal road closure, it added an additional 4.14 miles to what is normally a 3.2-mile hike, making it a 7.34 mile round trip day.
It was about 10 am when I started my hike after parking in a spot by the gate. The road walk wasn't...
This hike is just under four miles round trip. The trail offered me lots of solitude and some excellent, obstructed views, and I would not see another person all day. The only drawback is that the area is also known for dirt bikes and ATV use, which have their trail system. You could find engine noise distracting at times on this hike. I never heard any vehicles once the trail veered away from the road.
The trail up to the ridge of Waonaze Peak is part of the Massanutten Trail, which runs 71-miles in the George Washington National Forest. It appears to run north-northeast along the ridge. Taking this trail would be a nice hike in the fall by connecting with the 7 Bends State Park trail system, allowing Danie the chance to drop me off...