Pond Trail, Oak Ridge Cutoff, Faraway Mtn. and Faraway Connector Trails
Submitted by Pat
Stats
Date: March 25, 2017
Time: 5.5 hours
Miles: 7.34
Weather: Cloudy, lower 30s, light snow
Trails: Pond Trail — Oak Ridge Cutoff — Faraway Mtn. Trail — Faraway Connector Trails
Nancy and I meet at the Village Kitchen at 7:45 am. The waitress who greets us returns Nancy’s calendar/planner which she had left after our last time at the restaurant. She thought she had lost it and never considered calling the restaurant. Her whole life’s schedule was in that calendar. She spent a lot of anxious time calling people trying to recreate her schedule. Phew!
We are the only car in the hiker’s parking area when we pull in to Castle in the Clouds. Temperatures are hovering in the low 30s and the mountain tops are shrouded in clouds. Lower down is clear and rime ice accumulates at the higher elevations. Beautiful!
We set off at 8:50 am on the Oak Ridge Trail that we pick up near the pond. It’s a short, flat stint until we turn left onto the Lower bridle Path, picking up last week’s trail. It’s hard to see the trail we broke last week but it’s easier to follow than walking on virgin snow.
Both of us strip down to lighter layers and the warmth of the day reacts to our efforts as we climb. I can tell that we’re making good time, at least by comparison to last week. I feel much stronger despite the fact that I’m breathing hard and shallow so as not to start coughing. We trade the lead throughout the hike and I enjoy the fresh energy I feel when I’m in front and the small let down of energy when I bring up the rear.
We turn left on the Faraway Mountain Trail which has been traveled at some point in the last few weeks by a small 4-wheeler. They have driven over our packed trail and we end up walking in one of the tire tracks, which is too narrow for a normal stride. My snowshoes tilt when I step too far to either side. I try walking on virgin snow but that’s definitely harder so I stay on the track.
We continue to climb and rise into the clouds. The woods are enclosed in gray and a few flakes of snow begin to fall. At least it is a light snow because I foolishly forgot to bring a rain jacket. The forecast called for clouds, but no rain. The woods around us are hauntingly beautiful enshrouded in white.
We pick up the Oak Ridge Cutoff and continue to follow the 4-wheel tire tracks. I’m impressed that he/she was able to power through some of the deeper drifts created by last week’s blizzard. Still, it isn’t easy for us to walk in those tracks. We reach the High Ridge Trail at 11:15 am as compared to the three hours it took last weekend. We make better time and while I feel tired, I have the energy to keep climbing before we start down and let gravity do most of the work.
Decision time: do we try and bag Mt. Shaw and Black Snout or stay on the planned loop? Nancy points out that since views are nonexistent because of the clouds, the effort to bag those two peaks should be saved for a nicer day and the decision is made – we will stay on our planned loop. We turn left and hike on the High Ridge Trail for a mile and a half. At this altitude, the bare, wet tree branches begin growing hoar frost, beautiful to see as we walk through the clouds.
Finally, we reach the left turn to descend on the Faraway Mt. Trail. Someone has kindly been through there before us and has broken out the trail. Woo hoo! We don’t have to fight the narrow wheel ruts anymore. The going is much easier. Snow starts and stops and starts as we turn to head onto the Cold Spring Trail and then onto Cold Spring Rd.
Nancy says Cold Spring Rd is part of the 30 miles we have to cover in order to get our patch. I’m really tired about now and we’re still 1.3 miles from the parking lot and Nancy wants to hike up the road to its end before we turn around and head back to the cars…to be sure we have hiked the whole thing and aren’t cheating. I’m skeptical and wonder why a paves road would be considered part of the trail system, but decide to go for it since not walking it might leave a doubt as to whether or not we have walked the entire trail.
The road ends in a cul-de-sac where there is a gazebo and buildings behind a chain link fence. I can’t tell what the function of the buildings is but it looks like it might have to do with water management, a pumping station maybe. We turn around and head back down the road, the snow coming down heavy and wet. I am hugely grateful to reach the car at 2:20 pm. We change clothes and share cookies and chips as we sit in her car, talking about the hike and warming up.
I’m glad that we hike the full 7.34 miles that we planned and that my body didn’t collapse on me. I’m definitely tired, but no more or less than I was last week. I’m glad we spent the time together, pressing on toward our goal. I love that we persisted.