Old Rag Mountain December 2014

Hiking Old Rag: December 2014

Having recently moved to Maryland, hikers I've met told me that climbing Old Rag Mountain, inside Shenandoah National park, was a must-do. The
Susquehanna Hiking Club, centered north of Baltimore, posted this trip, and after watching weather reports, we decided on 19 December as a good day to go.
Calling ahead to the Ranger Station, we were assured that there was no snow and minimal ice on the trail. Weather there had been most cooperative; Old rag
experienced no appreciable precipitation for the nine days previous to our trip, with temperatures cycling in the 40s daytime/20's nighttime. Our weather
report promised clear skies, 5 mph winds, and a high of 40 degrees -- perfect hiking weather.

Because of the quagmire that is the Washington Beltway during rush hour, we left extra early on that Friday -- 6 am -- in order to miss traffic. We're located a 1 hour drive from the Beltway, and we got through the Beltway traffic with very little problem. We stopped on Rt. 29 west of Washington for breakfast, and parked the car at 9:30, signed up for the access pass, and made the trailhead by 10:00.

Because of the mid-week departure and the lateness of the season, we found very few hikers on the mountain -- six, to be exact. That's a far cry from what many people experience during summer ascents. And any trepidation we had regarding trail conditions this late in the season were immediately dismissed – conditions were perfect, with almost no ice on the trail.  We budgeted six hours for the climb; approx. three hours for the way up, 30 minutes at the top, and 2.5 hours back.

The climb consisted of a long road walk from the parking lot tothe trailhead, a steady upward series of wooded switchbacks that would get most people huffing and a puffing, and then a mile and ½ of open terrain dominated by rock scrambles.  That’s what makes Old Rag the destination that it is – all that squeezing around, leaping over, and
pulling yourself up over the rock formations.  Views from the top were magnificent; the Shenandoah range is prominent to the west.

Difficulty:  I’d rate the trail a 4/10; ten being most difficult.  If you are in moderate hiking shape and have some upper body strength, you shouldn’t have too much trouble. The wooded portion of the trail, while uphill, isn’t especially grueling, while the open “playground” of rock scrambling only takes a sense of balance to walk over boulders and
such, enough physical strength of pull yourself up in a few places, and the ability to shimmy down a few crevices. It would be perfect challenge for your 14 year old kids, and the 14 year old kid in you.

Conclusion:  Highly recommended as a day-hike (and can be combined with Robertson Mountain for a longer 14 day.)  Hiking Old Rag in the late season is definitely the way to go if you’d like to avoid the immense crowds of the summer.  Plus you get the added benefit of being able to go back down the way you came up rather than use the saddle trail/fire road to descend (boring). I can’t imagine any better time to go.