laxatives - Sep 26, 2023 9:49 am Date Climbed: Nov 1, 2021
Fun climb with dad
First scramble with my ~70 year old dad. Long day, but not too technical.
Senad Rizvanovic - Sep 24, 2022 1:13 pm Date Climbed: May 24, 2022
Gorgeous nature
First time in Virginia, beautiful state.
Old Rag Mountain is pretty mountain, 9 miles loop is
great workout!
Chainshaw - Jul 19, 2022 7:53 am Date Climbed: Jun 24, 2022
The King of Shenandoah
Went into this one blind with some friends of various skill levels and whew, what a trip. Got a bit of a late start that meant we didn't get started up until around 1:30. We went up the scramble side (the only way to do it, IMO- would hate to have to do that in reverse after having already hiked up to the summit). The false summit is really nice, and the real summit is obviously spectacular- not much to say that hasn't already been said, honestly. My only minor gripe is with the hike back down the saddle trail- there's not really a ton to see and half of it is along fire roads, which make for an easy but boring hike. Still, Old Rag is popular for a reason- definitely one I'm glad to check off the list.
MW - Jul 6, 2021 12:22 pm Date Climbed: Jun 30, 2021
Old Rag Mountain, Shenandoah NP
Awesome loop with a good amount of climbing and a tough scramble at top, very technical terrain in spots. Certainly have to earn the summit in this one, unlike the short mountains on Skyline drive. Great views and terrain.
jane_danny - Jan 27, 2021 3:55 pm Date Climbed: Oct 31, 2020
Halloween Hike up and back on Old Rag
Started late to ensure on the mountain at Midnight, 2020 Halloween. Chilly evening. Help rescue of an unfit hiker off the lower rocks near the summit.
New upper parking lot provides plenty of parking. Land donated to the NFS by the Potomac Trust which extended the acreage available for hiker parking.
tudge - Oct 27, 2019 7:39 am Date Climbed: Oct 25, 2019
Quick Afternoon Summit on a Perfect Fall Day
Quick afternoon solo loop up the Ridge Trail and down the fire road. Autumn leaves were in full effect. Truly gorgeous as the sun began to set in the west.
Parking lot was nearly full when I arrived around 2:00 PM, but only ran into about a dozen hiking groups during the hike.
I assume most were finishing their hikes just after I began. Hustled down the fire road. Car-to-car in ~3 hrs, including a brief stop at the summit to enjoy a honeycrisp apple.
Got to the trailhead early and on the trail by 5:30AM. Second car in the lot and maybe the 2nd to the top for the day. Warm early on and a nice sunrise. 4 hours car to car. Was second guessing myself getting to the trailhead in the dark. In the daylight, things are a lot more obvious
mzelasko - Jan 14, 2019 7:18 am Date Climbed: Sep 5, 2018
Day hike
Took a friend from Chicago out for day hike. Because of the holiday weekend we hit some crowds, but hike still makes for a great day.
cgard61 - Aug 26, 2018 5:35 am Date Climbed: Aug 24, 2018
Great Hike and Views
I've hiked Old Rag many times in a loop that includes nearby Robertston Mt.
ZeeJay - Jun 8, 2017 9:53 pm Date Climbed: Jun 8, 2017
Fun hike
Fun scramble, nice views. We did the standard loop. I'm glad it was blazed!
tudge - May 2, 2017 3:56 pm Date Climbed: Jun 28, 2015
Perfect June Day
Perfect summer day. Enjoyed a PB&J and a cool breeze on top.
larvitar - Jan 31, 2017 12:58 pm Date Climbed: Jan 26, 2017
Windy!
My brother and I seized the chance to climb this notoriously crowded peak on a warm, sunny weekday in January. We still didn't quite have the trail to ourselves, but there was more than enough room on the mountain for all of us. The scramble at the top (ice-free, thankfully) was much longer and tougher than I'd expected, closer to what you'd find on an alpine peak up north than anything I'd yet seen in Virginia. And with all those narrow cracks and huge, smooth boulders, it definitely favors the tall and skinny. The weather, as mentioned, was beautiful, except for a stiff wind that nearly blew us off the summit. Bring a windbreaker, folks!
oso1212 - Feb 6, 2016 6:06 pm Date Climbed: Feb 6, 2016
Fun
Great time with friends climbing a mountain I've heard about but never had the opportunity to hike until today!
PeakAndAbyss - Oct 10, 2015 10:50 am Date Climbed: Mar 22, 2010
Old Rag
An old favorite. Have climbed Old Rag many many times in the past, including when it was snow covered in the winter.
technicolorNH - May 14, 2015 5:05 pm Date Climbed: May 11, 2015
Serious fun
I went without any prior knowledge of the mountain and by the time I was done I could see it had a deserved reputation. I did the nine mile loop in a touch under four hours. I saw the spur trail for Mount Robertson on the way down the fire road but decided to save it for next time since I wanted to tag Hightop and Blackrock before finishing for the day.
jgreeneruns - May 25, 2014 10:08 pm Date Climbed: May 25, 2014
Love the scramble
We camped along Nicholson Hollow to get an earlier start on the trail. We started from the parking lot around 8. I wouldn't have left any later than this because of the volume of people and how warm the top of the mountain got. The hike was very enjoyable with great places to see the valley to the west along the way. The scramble for the last third of the hike is by far the most fun. We made a loop by using the fire road and to avoid going against the summiting traffic.
Definitely a DC area must-hike!
JBR1969 - Mar 10, 2014 4:38 pm Date Climbed: Jun 8, 2008
laxatives - Sep 26, 2023 9:49 am Date Climbed: Nov 1, 2021
Fun climb with dadFirst scramble with my ~70 year old dad. Long day, but not too technical.
Senad Rizvanovic - Sep 24, 2022 1:13 pm Date Climbed: May 24, 2022
Gorgeous natureFirst time in Virginia, beautiful state.
Old Rag Mountain is pretty mountain, 9 miles loop is
great workout!
Chainshaw - Jul 19, 2022 7:53 am Date Climbed: Jun 24, 2022
The King of ShenandoahWent into this one blind with some friends of various skill levels and whew, what a trip. Got a bit of a late start that meant we didn't get started up until around 1:30. We went up the scramble side (the only way to do it, IMO- would hate to have to do that in reverse after having already hiked up to the summit). The false summit is really nice, and the real summit is obviously spectacular- not much to say that hasn't already been said, honestly. My only minor gripe is with the hike back down the saddle trail- there's not really a ton to see and half of it is along fire roads, which make for an easy but boring hike. Still, Old Rag is popular for a reason- definitely one I'm glad to check off the list.
MW - Jul 6, 2021 12:22 pm Date Climbed: Jun 30, 2021
Old Rag Mountain, Shenandoah NPAwesome loop with a good amount of climbing and a tough scramble at top, very technical terrain in spots. Certainly have to earn the summit in this one, unlike the short mountains on Skyline drive. Great views and terrain.
jane_danny - Jan 27, 2021 3:55 pm Date Climbed: Oct 31, 2020
Halloween Hike up and back on Old RagStarted late to ensure on the mountain at Midnight, 2020 Halloween. Chilly evening. Help rescue of an unfit hiker off the lower rocks near the summit.
New upper parking lot provides plenty of parking. Land donated to the NFS by the Potomac Trust which extended the acreage available for hiker parking.
tudge - Oct 27, 2019 7:39 am Date Climbed: Oct 25, 2019
Quick Afternoon Summit on a Perfect Fall DayQuick afternoon solo loop up the Ridge Trail and down the fire road. Autumn leaves were in full effect. Truly gorgeous as the sun began to set in the west.
Parking lot was nearly full when I arrived around 2:00 PM, but only ran into about a dozen hiking groups during the hike.
I assume most were finishing their hikes just after I began. Hustled down the fire road. Car-to-car in ~3 hrs, including a brief stop at the summit to enjoy a honeycrisp apple.
Such a great hike.
wannabepeakbagger - Oct 6, 2019 5:40 am Date Climbed: Oct 4, 2019
early morningGot to the trailhead early and on the trail by 5:30AM. Second car in the lot and maybe the 2nd to the top for the day. Warm early on and a nice sunrise. 4 hours car to car. Was second guessing myself getting to the trailhead in the dark. In the daylight, things are a lot more obvious
mzelasko - Jan 14, 2019 7:18 am Date Climbed: Sep 5, 2018
Day hikeTook a friend from Chicago out for day hike. Because of the holiday weekend we hit some crowds, but hike still makes for a great day.
cgard61 - Aug 26, 2018 5:35 am Date Climbed: Aug 24, 2018
Great Hike and ViewsI've hiked Old Rag many times in a loop that includes nearby Robertston Mt.
ZeeJay - Jun 8, 2017 9:53 pm Date Climbed: Jun 8, 2017
Fun hikeFun scramble, nice views. We did the standard loop. I'm glad it was blazed!
tudge - May 2, 2017 3:56 pm Date Climbed: Jun 28, 2015
Perfect June DayPerfect summer day. Enjoyed a PB&J and a cool breeze on top.
jerky1280 - Apr 7, 2017 3:38 pm Date Climbed: Sep 1, 1995
Long AgoClimbed as a kid.
larvitar - Jan 31, 2017 12:58 pm Date Climbed: Jan 26, 2017
Windy!My brother and I seized the chance to climb this notoriously crowded peak on a warm, sunny weekday in January. We still didn't quite have the trail to ourselves, but there was more than enough room on the mountain for all of us. The scramble at the top (ice-free, thankfully) was much longer and tougher than I'd expected, closer to what you'd find on an alpine peak up north than anything I'd yet seen in Virginia. And with all those narrow cracks and huge, smooth boulders, it definitely favors the tall and skinny. The weather, as mentioned, was beautiful, except for a stiff wind that nearly blew us off the summit. Bring a windbreaker, folks!
oso1212 - Feb 6, 2016 6:06 pm Date Climbed: Feb 6, 2016
FunGreat time with friends climbing a mountain I've heard about but never had the opportunity to hike until today!
TheWolfIsLoose - Nov 2, 2015 5:09 pm
Great ScrambleA great little scramble in a very pretty area.
PeakAndAbyss - Oct 10, 2015 10:50 am Date Climbed: Mar 22, 2010
Old RagAn old favorite. Have climbed Old Rag many many times in the past, including when it was snow covered in the winter.
technicolorNH - May 14, 2015 5:05 pm Date Climbed: May 11, 2015
Serious funI went without any prior knowledge of the mountain and by the time I was done I could see it had a deserved reputation. I did the nine mile loop in a touch under four hours. I saw the spur trail for Mount Robertson on the way down the fire road but decided to save it for next time since I wanted to tag Hightop and Blackrock before finishing for the day.
jgreeneruns - May 25, 2014 10:08 pm Date Climbed: May 25, 2014
Love the scrambleWe camped along Nicholson Hollow to get an earlier start on the trail. We started from the parking lot around 8. I wouldn't have left any later than this because of the volume of people and how warm the top of the mountain got. The hike was very enjoyable with great places to see the valley to the west along the way. The scramble for the last third of the hike is by far the most fun. We made a loop by using the fire road and to avoid going against the summiting traffic.
Definitely a DC area must-hike!
JBR1969 - Mar 10, 2014 4:38 pm Date Climbed: Jun 8, 2008
Follow the dotsFun, easy climb.
wanderweg83 - Feb 1, 2014 10:40 am
What can I say that hasn't already been said?I have climbed Old Rag twice so far. I will be back as often as I can. It is popular for a good reason!