Adventures on FS42

So, the first Saturday of every month I lead a hike for the Traildames. This month we were supposed to do a little section between Hightower Gap and Cooper Gap. Thursday I decide to drive up the Forest Service road and double check the conditions of the road. I had heard that you might not be able to get up very far.

So up and away I went. I made it to Horse Gap and decided to stop and hike up Sassafrass Mountain. Alot of people that know me know that I hate this particular mountain. It holds some not so fond memories for me. On the drive up (in which I had no problems whatsoever) I had decided that I would have to change the hike. There was too much snow on the road and alot of the ladies have small clearance cars.

So I headed up Sassafrass, it was a beautiful day, the sun was out, the sky was blue, and but there was alot of snow on the ground. Going up was fairly easy. Coming down was a little treacherous. I was glad that I made the decision to change the hike.

I get in my Ford Explorer and start heading back home. I get about 1/2 mile from Horse Gap and my car starts spinning out and “floating” backwards. Holy crap. I was sitting there very upset trying to figure out what I was going to do. I have no cell phone signal and didn’t have my SPOT with me. When all of a sudden the Army Rangers appear. They tell me I have to back my car back down to the gap. There is no way that they will be able to get around me. So the girl who hates backing up her car got the privelage of backing her car down the curvy mountain road for 1/2 mile. I made it back to the gap and the Rangers tell me that the road is worse going the other way but that if I keep my car in low gear, don’t stop, and keep a steady pace that I should be fine.

We go our seperate ways, I head back up the mountain, and guess what happens again. Yep, the same thing. At this point I am more upset than ever. Here we go again….backing the car up again down the moutain. I think I have been here at Horse Gap before…lol. Luckily I get cell phone service here. I was able to call my husband and Cool Breeze from Mountain Crossings. Cool Breeze says he is on his way but it may be a few hours before he can get here.

So I sit and wait. I meet a thru-hiker named Tango who is looking to get into town. I tell her that my car is stuck but I have someone on the way. She says she will wait. She’s a really cool chick and it was sure nice to have someone to talk to. The 2 other hikers come along, Wideload and one whose name I don’t remember. They were waiting for Josh from the Hiker Hostel to come along. I was able to offer Gatorade and a chair for them to sit in. It was nice being able to provide unplanned trail magic.

I talk to Josh for a few minutes and he said the roads were starting to melt. I decide to try one more time to get up and over that blasted mountain. Well I should have listened to my instincts. The third time is not always a charm. IN fact it was a little worse. I got to roughly the same point and the same thing happened except my car spun a little more than the last time and I was about 3-4 feet from the edge of the mountain. I really thought I was going to wet my pants. It was quite scary. I finally catch my breath, go off to pee, and then kick the snow out from under the tire. I couldn’t very well leave my car sideways across the road. Eventually I was able to get the car and back it down for the third time to Horse Gap. And patiently waited for Cool Breeze to come and get us.

Finally made it to Mountain Crossings to hang out in the hostel until someone came to get me. I am sure that I was quite a sight with my big purse, daypack, hairdryer sticking out of my daypack (don’t ask), blanket, and 2 extra pair of shoes…especially among all the thru-hikers there.

Finally I met Miss Janet who is running the hostel there this season since Pirates soaking the sun up in Florida. Baltimore Jack was there who was as nice and pleasant as he has always been (at least to me).

Hubby wasn’t going to be able to make until midnight so my friend Kellye came and got me and put me up for the night.

While I write this my car is still sitting at Horse Gap but everything turned out OK. Just glad I didn’t have to spend the night out there since it was really cold and I had no gear with me.

Until later…..