The "Lee 333 Challenge"
Just leaving the car at Little Fort Valley on the ridge
This blog chronicles the hikes I've completed in the "Lee 333 Challenge". I haven't set a challenge deadline because I can't dedicate myself 100% to it. However, if the SNAP500 (or SHEN500) can be done in one year, I don't see any reason why a dedicated enthusiast couldn't complete the "Lee 333" in under a year also.
Today's Hike:
Distance: 6.13 mi
Duration: 3:30
Ascent: 1172ft
PATC Difficulty: 120
Lee 333 Progress Summary:
Trails: 8 of 114
Trail Miles: 28.75 of 339.22 miles
Hiked Miles: 44.65 mi
A beautiful day with light snow all day.
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| Mudhole Gap Track for Little Fort Valley to Sidewinder Trail |
The day dawned with snow in the forecast but I was not going to let that stop me from getting out on the trail. I drove out to Front Royal and into Fort Valley intending to hike the Mudhole Gap trail. However, when I turned on to Boyer Road I saw a sign that said that road ahead was closed. I assumed it meant F66 and that it was because of the snow. I pulled over and spent a few minutes looking through the trail guide for an alternative. A local resident stopped to see if I needed help, nice! I settled on Mine Gap trail because I could walk to the trailhead if the road was gated near Mine Mtn Road. But when I got to the intersection of F66 and Mine Mtn Road the road was open so I was able to drive to Little Fort Valley.
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| Looking back at the parking area at Little Fort Valley, and the 1st of 4 stream crossings. (My car is just behind the trees) |
It was lightly snowing but the road
(F66) was not icy in spite of the gently falling snow. I parked at the
Mudhole Gap trailhead in Little Fort Valley. The hike was pleasant under gray skies and light snow. The
trail headed gently down a nice stream valley until it made a sharp
left turn (north) and soon became a forest road. At the left turn there
is an unmarked trail that continues straight, I decided to explore that
trail on another day or on my way back to the car.
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| Another one of the stream crossings |
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| Mud holes on the first half mile of the trail, not a surprise! |
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| Nearing another of the stream crossings |
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| Looking back to the point where the 'trail' and the 'road' meet. |
I was kept entertained during the hike by the falling snow, the stream and an audio book playing on my phone. Time passes quickly with a book and while going downhill. I haven't been hiking much in the last year so I wasn't sure If I'd make it all the way to the Sidewinder trail (3 miles, a point where I'd already hiked). I really wanted to make it since it would mean that I'd complete the entire trail. Six miles would be my longest hike in quite a while.
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| Junction of Mudhole Gap and Sidewinder Trails |
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| Looking back from the Sidewinder trail junction |
At some point I realized that I was walking on another hiker's footprints in the snow. This hiker must have come up the trail earlier in the day but not all the way up to the ridge. Once I reached the Sidewinder trail intersection, I paused to eat some lunch before hiking back up to the car. After eating, I was getting cold and when I reached for my gloves, discovered that I only had one. Since they are black I thought I'd be able to spot the missing one against the new snow on my return journey. I found it after about a mile.
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| A view from Boyer road |
Once I got to the end of the road portion and was at the sharp turn in the trail, I turned down hill to see what trail options might be in that direction. I thought it might be only a few hundred yards to the Forest Boundary line but when the trail split into two with in a couple hundred feet I gave it up for that day. I was getting tired and it was getting colder so I made the hike back to the ridge along the creek with the snow highlighting the trees and bending branches into my path. I reached the car at 4pm and headed home.
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| A view of the Little Crease Mountain from Boyer road |
