SECTION 8 (B)

1.6 Miles

Humpback Mountain View Overlook to the Humpback Picnic Area Sign

Humpback Mountain View - The view from near the summit (elev. 3,600) of Humpback Mountain, way above 'The Rocks' and the crowds of people. It's a bit of a hike, but a nice one.

The winter view from Humpback 'Not-the-Rocks' Mountain. (Photo: Dave W.)

A summer view from the overlook. (Photo: Merlot)

This overlook is a great place for a lunch break on a work trip. (Photo: Merlot)

Battery Cliffs - Think artillery and we're not talking Civil War history here. Years ago, somebody (who shall remain nameless) thought this would be a good spot for a battery of big guns for some reason ..... the name stuck.

The winter view of Wintergreen from Battery Cliffs (Photo: Dave W.)

The summer view of Wintergreen from Battery Cliffs. (Photo: Merlot)

A more westerly view (Shenandoah Valley) From Battery Cliffs. (Photo: Merlot)

The Gully - Erosion down the trail has made this section pretty much a 'gully'. We've spent countless hours putting in water bars and doing other work to try to slow down the water and get it off the trail. We can see where a lot of water comes down the mountainside and does what water likes to do ...... follows the 'path of least resistance' which happens to be right down the trail. We did put in a big 'dip' above the trail with a long run-out into the woods and if it's kept cleaned out of leaves and debris, it does help keep a lot of water off the trail. The trail in The Gully follows along beside one of those really beautiful stone walls that crisscross the mountain in the area. This makes rocks scarce for work on the trail .... they're all in the stone walls. There is little doubt that more work will be required in The Gully in the future.

The view of the beginning of The Gully (ascending/north) (Photo:Merlot)

Midsection of The Gully with some of the stone steps/water bars that have been put in. Remnants of stone fence are barely visible to the left of the trail. (Photo: Merlot)

Upper part of The Gully. Large water bar and some smaller stone steps. (Photo:Merlot)

Blue-blaze to Humpback Picnic Area - marked by a concrete post and a double blaze. Heading south, the blue-blaze goes off to the right for .3 of a mile before reaching the loop road/picnic areas. When the picnic grounds are open, water/bathrooms area available across the loop road from the trail.

Concrete post & old sign post with double blaze mark AT junction with blue-blaze to Humpback Picnic Area. (Photo: Merlot)

The blue-blaze trail ends/begins at this large rock with the AT symbol/blue blaze along the outer loop road in the Humpback Picnic Area. (Photo: Merlot)

Wildflowers, etc.

 

Bloodroot (Photo: Merlot - April 20, 2013)

Columbine (Photo:Merlot - June 16, 2012)

Wild Rose (Photo:Merlot - June 16, 2012)