Name: Josh Vaugh                                                                                     Hike: Old Rag
Date: 11/23/07                                                                                                           Rating: 5

Critique: I live in Luray. My brother and I ran this with a kid from his school, and it was really fun. We ran most of the way to the top, walked the top, and then ran most of the descent. From the lower parking lot and back, we completed it in 3 hours, .5 of which were sightseeing. Not the best trail for running though.

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Name: Peter Fleszar                                                                                                   Hike: Big Schloss
Date: 11/18/07                                                                                                           Rating: 4

Critique: Water report from November of dry 2007. Sandstone Spring was not running, just a fist-size pool of water that some unthoughtful person had dumped orange peelings into. Spring by the PATC cabin was dry but stagnant pool 100 yd. downstream was good enough for the cabin weekenders.

For those interested, Mill Mountain Trail and the portion of Tuscarora Trail north of the junction on this loop are considered now also part of Great Eastern Trail, as of today on the GET's web site http://www.greateasterntrail.org a photo of Big Schloss is on the opening page.

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Name: Ian                                                                                                                     Hike: AT/Mau-Har, 3 Ridges Loop
Date: 8/07                                                                                                                    Rating: 5

Critique: A friend and I did this loop. We started at the Tye, went north on the AT and came back vai Mau-Har the next morning. This direction is extremely strenuous. Get your pack as light as you can and get ready for lots of switchbacks, unending relentless switchbacks. First hike I've been on where my calves literally stopped working for a while.

The trail has great views. There were a surprising amount of people on it the weekend that we went but I must say it was a surprisingly beautiful weekend to go hiking.

We split the hike at the Maupin Field Shelter where the AT and Mau-Har's northern most intersection is, 1.6 miles from the Reed's Gap parking lot. Taking the Mau-Har back the next morning was nice. Not nearly as painful as the way up and over the three ridges.

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Name: Galen                                                                                                                Hike: Doyles River
Date: 11-10-07                                                                                                            Rating: 3

Critique: Did this one not as a loop, but as an out and back on the Doyles River trail. Not especially long or strenuous but it was meant for an outing with some hiking newbies that turned out pretty good. The original hike was supposed to be down to South River Falls but the Central district was closed due to ice and snow. In November. Weird. Anyhoo, this turned out to be a great plan B. Even with the rain deficit, the waterfalls were still chugging along with some impressive rock formations that you can climb all over. Makes for good lunch spots. Well marked trail with some loose rocks. Foliage was nice even though it was past peak. It's a hefty elevation change so we got a good workout on the way back. I'll bet this would be a nice hike year-round but best in the Spring when the streams are full.

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Name: The Fire Warlock                                                                                             Hike: Tea Creek/Tea Creek Mountain Loop
Date: 11/9/06                                                                                                             Rating: 5

Critique: We started at Tea Creek Campground and hiked the 3 miles plus into the shelter. At this time of the year, it was VERY wet footing and mostly streambed hiking. Thank goodness for XCR boots, eh? The shelter was finally reached and luckily it was in fine shape with a nice existing fire ring, including a huge piece of old iron, which we put to good use as a semi-fire/wind shield when the rains came on night two. We set up camp, though there was difficulty finding room for our 4 tents. The next day we completed a 10 mile day-hike loop (with some trepidation about leaving our tents and gear), though this was to prove unfounded. This whole area is completely untouched and pristine, with lots of evidence of glaciated boulders, and the famous "ice tea" pools, formed by conifer and mineral leachates leaking into the surrounding drainage.

Strange to see crystal clear water in pools, but the color of deeply steeped tea. We tiredly reached camp and found that someone? had left us a loaf of bread hanging in the shelter. A great trip for sure. Sorry it took me a year to find this site. -The Fire Warlock (Don't ask)

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Name: Sherry Martin                                                                                                  Hike: Billy Goat Trail A
Date: 11/03/2007                                                                                                      Rating: 5

Critique: This trail was awesome.  Loved the difficulty level, the rock scaling.  Took my dog, she loved it.  There is a sign that says dogs are not supposed to be on the trail, I think that that must be because of the difficulty of a dog to maneuver the terrain, but mine did beautifully with minimal help twice.  You just need a very fit, active dog.  I saw several dogs along the way.  The trail was so interactive and beautiful that you don't realize that you're even tired until your walking back!!  Trail is well marked.  If there's another trail like this anywhere, please someone let me know!!

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