Longdale ride

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    • #108333

      Getting a little behind on my ST ride reports, so here goes.

      Took a ride in the George Washington National Forest 2 weeks ago in the Longdale area.

      We did a figure 8 type ride. First loop was White Rocks tower trail, which sees almost no use. Steep jeep trail climb.
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      View back to see where the 2nd climb is
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      All that remains of the tower, hence the light traffic
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      Into the brush

      Trail was grown over, but I still liked it
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      After the first mile of riding just under the cliff, the trail opened up

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      Off through the pines on the descent
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      After 3-4 miles the trail drops you onto a Forest Service road for the ride back out.
      We stopped at our vehicles for lunch and then it was climb number 2 to the top of North Mountain, this time on hard packed dirt road.

      Nice waterfall along the way
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      Cool singletrack on top
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      Along with some great views
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      Along the ridge, there is Pete’s Cave. Requires a steep push to get in. More like a chasm or notch than a cave

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      Good views looking out
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      And then a real grunt to get out the other end.

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      Some more ridge, than a cool descent back to the vehicle.

      Big old forest fire over there right now. Several others close by too. We really need some rain to clean the air and lower the fire risk.

    • #108334

      You have some great trail finding skills, there are times I can’t see the trail at all in your pictures.

    • #108335
      "Funrover" wrote

      You have some great trail finding skills, there are times I can’t see the trail at all in your pictures.

      My bike is well trained. I just point it in the right direction and it goes. 😆

      The trails that don’t get a lot of use can be a challenge because of leaves and sticks.

    • #108336

      Just down the ridge from the first climb to White Rocks Tower last Saturday.
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      I believe this is part of a wilderness area so they probably had to let it burn. I could see the other side of the mountain on fire from Douthat but didn’t have my camera with me.

    • #108337

      CCR, I missed this one over the weekend. Glad I stumbled on it though. Is North Mountain where Dragon’s Back is?

    • #108338
      "fleetwood" wrote

      CCR, I missed this one over the weekend. Glad I stumbled on it though. Is North Mountain where Dragon’s Back is?

      Yea you would think with all the possible names, they could have come up with something other than North mountain and Brushy Mountain. Must be a half dozen ridges by both names in Virginia.

      The North Mountain where Longdale is parallels I-64 between Clifton Forge and Lexington.

      Dragons Back is on the North Mountain at Catawba VA, west of Roanoke and Salem on Rt 311 (just a little ways beyond Carvins Cove).

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