VA Appalachian Trail - Section 42 - Comers Creek Falls Trail to Hurricane Mountain Shelter

Date	Distance	Time	Elevation Gain	Average Moving Time	Year to Date Miles
6/16/2019	4.1 miles				230.3

Map: AMC Southwestern Virginia
Parking: Shuttle to Comers Creek Falls Trail
Directions: Comers Creek Falls Trail to Appalachian Trail. Appalachian Trail south to the Hurricane Mountain Shelter


I've been wanting to start backpacking more, so I signed up for a women's introduction to lightweight backpacking trip with Adventures in Good Company. I have actually been looking for a class like this for the last year, and finally found one which was just what I was looking for. Glen and I have already been backpacking a few times, but I wanted to learn more so that I feel confident about going out on longer backpacking trips. I've already started to collect a list of backpacking trips I want to do - the Timberline Trail, Wonderland Trail, TGO Challenge, Tahoe Rim Trail, etc. I also wanted to meet other adventurous women to go backpacking with.

Glen and I have been hiking since we met, but our first hiking vacation, years later, was the catalyst for living a life with more adventure. We took a guided trekking trip to the Ansel Adams Wilderness area in Yosemite. It wasn't quite backpacking - we stayed at a backcountry site - but our gear was brought in by pack animals. The location was stunning, and we learned so much about hiking on that trip from our guide. That trip inspired us to hike more and travel to beautiful places you can only reach by hiking. I'm hoping this backpacking trip will be another new beginning of future adventures.

Glen and I stopped in the Charlottesville, VA area to visit a college friend and her husband on the way down. Then we drove to Damascus, VA. After a quick walk around town, Glen left - he'll be day hiking on the AT while I'm out there backpacking it. Here are some photos from Damascus.

Our group stayed at a couple of local hostels in town. We spent the next day getting instruction and having a pack shakedown. So much fun! What a great group of inspiring, interesting women on this trip.

In the beginning, everything took us a long time....

Ready to begin our adventure! Photo from Tali Hunt

A bridge was out on the AT near Dickey Gap, so we started out at the Comers Creek Trail to reach the AT.

Group talking with a couple of section hikers. Photo by S Ghioto.

Dinner at the shelter before setting up camp. Photo by S. Ghioto.