The mountains were calling

I had a million things to do today. I should have gotten my work done. But I couldn’t get my mind off a friend in Richmond who is going through some serious health issues and is back in the hospital.... (photos, continue reading here)

Photos ... Skyline Drive in late November 2014

The Friday before Thanksgiving … we took the day to play in Shenandoah National Park. It was sunny but a very cold 22 degrees with some wind and few visitors. I wrote about our day with photos.... (continue reading here)

Exploring a wintry Skyline Drive on the first day of February

 Heed the sign. Skyline Drive reopened for the weekend after being closed for a while due to snow and ice. While most of it was clear, there were definitely areas in shady curves that were covered. Easy going took care of it on this first day of February 2014. It's unusual for the National Park Service to plow the Drive so we took advantage of the break in the harsh winter weather and the cleared road to check it out.

 Winter in the Blue Ridge Mountains ... Shenandoah National Park did not disappoint.

 This flock of wild turkeys was crossing the road ahead of us. Half of them had already disappeared into the woods by the time I took this picture.

 Countless deer were on the road and looked at us almost as if they were perturbed at the disturbance of their solitude when vehicles were not normally in the Park.

 I love the winter woods where the views never quit and you can see the mountain terrain ... rocks and boulders, trees, laurel, streams, the Appalachian Trail as it meanders the ridges, old road beds, and forgotten stone walls.

 These mountain laurel bushes will be a riot of color in June, and I'll be back to again take photos of their beautiful pink flowers.

 Footprints in the snow ... memories.

 There were a number of hikers enjoying the warm winter day.

Critter count: 2 dozen wild turkeys, almost that many deer, 2 squirrels, and 1 opossum.

Byrd Visitor Center located at Big Meadows (Mile Post 51) is open weekends. However, we stayed on the south end of the Drive. No one was at the Afton Mountain entrance station when we arrived at mid-morning but he was there when we left in the afternoon. Pit toilets were available at Dundo picnic area, and the overlooks were plowed as well as the trail parking lots. The temperature at mid-day hit 40 degrees with bright sunshine, clear skies, and slightly blustery conditions. While many concentrate on Super Bowl Sunday, some may want to take advantage of a day in the mountains.

The Blue Ridge Parkway remains closed at the Afton entrance.

Photos by Lynn R. Mitchell
February 1, 2014

Chilly morning in Shenandoah Valley

View looking west from Skyline Drive, Shenandoah National Park, near Big Meadows

September 12, 2013

Thursday while visiting Shenandoah National Park, the temperature was 90 in the Valley and around 80 in the park -- unusually warm for mid-September. This morning, just three days later, it was 41 degrees at sunrise with heavy dew in my corner of Augusta County.

We're one week away from the first day of fall on September 22 and the weather this weekend has certainly felt like we've slipped into the next season. Temperatures in the low 40s the past two mornings are preparing us for cooler temps, sweat shirts, sweaters, and brisk walks.

One week left of summer with daytime highs predicted in the 70s. It's going to be a busy week so we'll get out and enjoy the waning days of summer. It's almost fall in the Shenandoah Valley....

Photo by Lynn R. Mitchell
September 12, 2013

Summer escape to Big Meadows

Shenandoah National Park ... this black bear crossed the Skyline Drive in front of us on Friday, stopped to look, and then disappeared into the underbrush. I only had time to snap one quick blurry photo through the windshield. The speed limit is 35 ... the Park requests that drivers observe it because a record number of bear cubs, deer, and other wildlife have been killed by vehicles.

We had decided to take advantage of the cooler temps and low humidity from a cold front that passed through western Virginia. Our destination was Big Meadows picnic ground and the surrounding area. The "big meadow" is behind the sign. When I was a kid, temporary overflow parking was in the field for those who arrived late after the campground was full. Today it is burned periodically to keep it open as it has been for centuries.

The Blue Ridge Mountains ... layers of historic scenery.

Wildflowers were in abundance as were butterflies.

The trail invites to explore the big meadow. On a July day with temps in the 60s and low humidity, it was perfect.

Dark Hollow Falls was a favorite trail with my family while growing up when our destination was the falls and coolness deep in the forest on warm summer days.

From the Byrd Visitor Center, there's a great view of the big meadow. Follow the seasons from the webcam at this location.

Busy butterflies.

Water in a rock ... this intrigued me as a kid.

Alone on a trail in the quiet woods.

Big Meadows Lodge where my parents honeymooned as young twenty-somethings. I never tire of its rustic wood-and-stone architecture, views from the terrace, walking its hallways, and thinking of my parents when they were just kids. My dad absolutely loved these mountains and passed along that love to me. They began taking me camping at Big Meadows when I was one, making many, many happy memories of spending time in Shenandoah National Park.

The sign says it all. The running joke was always that, as campers headed to the evening amphitheater program, the resident bears headed to the campground. How do you scare away a bear from the camp site? Bang on a pot with a big spoon. We never had any problems but definitely didn't take chances ... no food in tents, and coolers were kept safely in vehicles. Fun times!

Photos by Lynn R. Mitchell
Big Meadows, Shenandoah National Park
July 26, 2013

Virginia's mountains in July

“Thousands of tired, nerve-shaken, over-civilized people are beginning to find out going to the mountains is going home...." --John Muir

Photo by Lynn R. Mitchell
Shenandoah National Park
July 26, 2013

Black bear sighting in Staunton

Photo courtesy of Kristin Balsley

With the active black bear season this year in the Shenandoah Valley and surrounding mountains, it was only a matter of time before a bear was spotted in Staunton. Sure enough, that's what happened today as reports of a bear began surfacing around the middle of the day. The photo above was taken on North Augusta Street across from the Mary Baldwin College campus where the bear was seen on campus making its way toward Statler Boulevard.

I was talking with wildlife biologist and longtime friend Al Bourgeois from the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries as we sat at dinner last weekend at a wedding in western Augusta County. He is one of the resident bear experts who has dealt with bears in this area for years. He said it has been a very active season as the hungry critters are roaming looking for food and, since there is very little natural food just yet, some are making their way to populated areas sniffing out garbage, bird feeders, and other edible goodies.

Bears are not unusual in this part of Virginia, and each year there are incidents with some years busier than others. This is one of those busy years.

Previous posts from Lynn R. Mitchell about black bears:
- Bears bears bears in the neighborhood
- If you live in Virginia, you're in black bear country
- Black bears in Shenandoah National Park
- Black bears nabbing pets in Augusta County
- The Journey: "More on snakes and bears"
- Black bears at Big Meadows
- Black bear population exploding in the Shenandoah ...
- Aggresive bear alert in Shenandoah National Park
- Bear attack in Augusta County
- Shenandoah ... where the deer and the black bears play....
- Black bear sightings in Shenandoah Valley
- Honey ... there's a bear in the storage shed....
- Black bear attacks hunter 

Big Meadows ... Shenandoah National Park

Enjoying a picnic on a beautiful August day at Big Meadows grilling brats, onions and peppers.
View of "the big meadow" from window of Harry Byrd Visitor Center at Big Meadows.
The beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains
Skyline Drive
Part of the lunch menu....

Photos by SWAC Girl
Lynn Mitchell
August 9, 2009

Black bears at Big Meadows

We were sitting around the picnic table at Big Meadows Sunday afternoon, talking and enjoying the pleasant day, when SWAC Son heard something nearby and we all looked and saw this black bear. It was looking for grubs, turning over rocks and pawing at the ground, and continued to work its way through the woods and not toward our picnic table. Since we had brats on the grill and food on the table, we packed everything into our vehicle just in case it decided to return.

Earlier a black bear was seen from the trail behind Big Meadows Lodge.

Crossing the trail

Rooting for grubs and other goodies

SWAC Husband looking out over the Page Valley and Massanutten from Black Rock near Big Meadows Lodge.

Photos by SWAC Daughter
August 9, 2009

Big Meadows Lodge Gift Shop

Photos by SWAC Girl
Lynn Mitchell
July 2009

Big Meadows Lodge & picnic area

A million dollar view out Big Meadows Lodge
onto the Page Valley and Massanutten.

My parents honeymooned at Big Meadows in the 1940s.

There's something peaceful about walking in the mountains.

Picnicking at Big Meadows picnic area.

A reminder to be cautious.

Photos by SWAC Girl
Lynn Mitchell
July 2009