Old Rag-Shenandoah Hiking
Shenandoah National Park
April 25 - May 2, 2025
Co-Trip Leaders: Jeanine Mikell and Barb Bates
Type of Trip: Hiking
Trip Cost/Deposit: $375/185
Cancellation Date and full payment: March 1, 2025
Wilderness Level: 3 - typical meetup day event in good weather setting with cell coverage
Trip Difficulty: Rugged - see notes below *
Policy on Fitness Self-Assessment
Level 2: Primarily applies to trips in which we carry only day packs. In one day, we can hike up to 9 miles and 4500 feet of elevation gain on maintained trails, or up to 7 miles and 2000 feet of elevation gain on more rugged, less-maintained trails. For a Level 2 trip you should be comfortable hiking 6-8 miles in a day in hilly or mountainous terrain with a light day pack. If a backpacking trip has a Level 2 rating, it means the distances are 2-4 miles with little elevation gain/loss.
Level 3: Applies to backpacking trips in which we hike with 25-35 pound backpacks. In one day, we can hike up to 7 miles and 3000 feet of elevation gain on maintained trails, or up to 5 miles and 2000 feet of elevation gain on more rugged trails. For a Level 3 trip you should be comfortable hiking 6-8 miles in a day in hilly or mountainous terrain with a 25-pound backpack.
Level 4: Denotes backpacking trips on established but rugged, unmaintained trail with multi-day backpacks (30-40 pounds). The hiking can be steep and sustained with long daily distances (up to 9 miles) and significant elevation change (up to 4000 feet). You should be comfortable running/biking/hiking for several hours without many breaks.
Level 5: Applies to backpacking trips on very rugged trails or off-trail with multi-day backpacks (35-45 pounds). Expect prolonged, rugged hiking with very strenuous, difficult sections. Terrain can be steep, loose, rocky and/or exposed. You must be able to exercise vigorously at home (extended runs, swims, bike rides, etc..) to join a hike with a Level 5 rating.
Group Size: 8/7 Maximum/Minimum
Adults Only
Old Rag Mountain is the most popular hiking destination in the Shenandoah Valley of the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of northwestern Virginia. Highlights include stunning views, fun rock scrambles, and beautiful scenery. Challenges are steep climbs and potential crowds. The hike is 9.4 miles with 2604 feet of elevation gain, with the descent on the pleasant Weakly Hollow Fire Road that follows a bubbling stream with some bridged water crossings. This is a challenging hike that takes between 5-7 hours and is considered hard. Hikers need to take their time and pay attention to the flashes painted on the rocks and how the hikers before them navigated the scrambles.
The other three hikes we will do are from 2-6 miles and are easy to moderate: The North Mountain Trail to Orkney Springs, Big Schloss via Wolf Gap, White Oak to Big Ridge, and Spring Mountain via North Link/Cross Trail to Shrine Mont (Cathedral Shrine of the Transfiguration, an open air sanctuary and previous Native American settlement).
An optional tour of Luray Caverns and dinner out at the historic Mimslyn Inn is possible (fee for caverns =$34.00, dinner = $20-$30
Hikers are responsible for food in restaurants while in route as well as (3) dinners out during the week est ($15-20) each. There are several places to eat in the resort vicinity and we will plan to stop at Penn Alps Restaurant (buffet) and Craft Center on either the way there or home. Hikers will also be responsible for trail lunches and snacks.
The trip cost pays for lodging in resort area home, transportation in rental vehicles to and from Virginia, six breakfasts and two dinners at our home base, all park fees and parking, entrance to Luray Caverns, and miscellaneous expenses.
There will be a shake-down hike on April 12 at Martell Forest in Monmorenci, IN. This will help leaders and participants to evaluate trip readiness.
*Total hiking is 28.0 miles, longest hike is Old Rag Mountain: 9.4 miles. Old Rag has a steep ascent with well-appointed switchbacks and three granite summits. The summits require some scrambling and pulling oneself up. There is a crevice that requires you to use your core strength or a little help from above or below (rope), to navigate. You will step across some gaps in rocks. Most people do not have any problems with the scrambles. The scenery at the top is well worth the challenge.
Questions may be submitted to ciwcinfo@gmail.com.
All trip participants must fill out and submit a CIWC Medical Form and Long Waiver Form.
Effective on all trips, there will be a $50 non refundable registration fee. This fee will be assessed to those who sign up for a trip, get on the roster and then later cancel. Even cancelling before the cancel date. Those who never make the active roster (i.e. those who stay on the waitlist) will NOT be charged the $50 cancellation fee.
