According to Hiking Upward the Mudhole Gap 11.5 mile loop “can feel like a nice long walk in the woods”. And did it just.
The crew met at 7 a.m. in McLean with the welcome return of Mr. and Mrs. B (always a good thing). The trailhead was just a quick shimmy west and then south of Front Royal. It was a chilly morning but pretty close to ideal hiking weather. The loop started off well, walking on an old fire road for about 3.5 miles and our pace was a pretty respectable 3 miles per hour. Then things came to a screeching halt as we turned to head up the actual Mudhole Gap. According to the instructions there were 5 river crossings on this stretch of the hike.
You may have noticed recently that there has been some snow and an awful lot of rain. That leads to rivers being a tad higher than normal. Add the low temperatures and possibly usable rocks and logs that help you traverse the streams being covered in ice and or under water, and the day became sporty!
The guys initially tried to cross without boots and socks coming off. The result? Not good. Many wet boots were now added to end of many scout’s legs and one clever chap decided to go one step further and end up in the drink. Far from ideal at 28 degrees! Once everyone was back in dry clothes, we carried on.
After the initial crossing, boots and socks off became mandatory. This certainly slowed our progress and at one point one of the parents watched with tears in her eyes as one of her socks went on its merry way done stream!
When we emerged from the gap and headed up the fire road a quick pace was adopted to help warm us up. Hot chocolate and coffee were had at the reservoir at our lunch stop and we were joined, albeit briefly, by six horses and riders out for a lovely Sunday stroll!
One major obstacle remained. The hike up and over the ridge. This was definitely lumpy and kept the chatter to a minimum. Once at the top it was a gentle 3 miles down the trail back to the cars.
Once we ensured all were present, we hopped in our cars, put the heat on full and headed home for a really welcome hot shower. This hike had some challenges but it was really pretty with some lovely views. Thanks Brandon C. for picking this one out.
You can view scenic pix of this hike over here.