What could be better on a holiday weekend in the spring than a camping trip in a beautiful locale with fellow outdoor enthusiasts? Iva Gillet, PATC Committee Chair for Hikes as well as past president of the Charlottesville Chapter, spearheaded just such an outing last Memorial Day weekend. Held at the Caroline Furnace Camp & Retreat Center in Fort Valley, Virginia, this Charlottesville and Southern Shenandoah Valley Chapters’ long-weekend event featured hiking, kayaking, and even learning about history.

Some folks arrived Thursday afternoon to set up camp and enjoy a campfire before Friday’s Indian Grave Ridge loop hike in the Massanutten range. The next morning, walking through a woodland forest on a sunny day when the mountain laurels were in peak bloom was quite a treat. Before long, hike leader Howard Davis briefly stepped off the trail to show us the rock piles that are rumored to be Indian graves. 

Most of us considered this hike quite a challenge because of the nearly 9-mile length and a steep 1,300-foot climb to the overlook. The effort was worth it, though; our lunchtime vantage point afforded a fantastic view of the Shenandoah River.

On Saturday, about a dozen people gathered to tackle an out-and-back hike at Veach Gap in George Washington National Forest. Led by Brian Denny, this 7-mile hike, with about 1,100 feet of elevation gain, proved a bit easier than Friday’s excursion. 

However, early in the hike we found that debris had obstructed the flow of Mill Run, which had consequently diverted from the streambed onto the trail. Three intrepid hikers—Mark Perschel, current president of the Charlottesville Chapter; his son Mark; and John Shannon—could not pass up an opportunity to do some trail work. They removed branches and relocated rocks so that the stream would once again flow down its original streambed. When we approached this area on the return leg of our hike, the stream was flowing where it should have been, and the trail was reclaimed. 

Saturday had turned out to be another beautiful, sunny day, and most of us enjoyed a gorgeous view of the south fork of the Shenandoah River during our lunchtime break at a rocky overlook. The trail reclamation crew had taken a different route and rejoined us later.

Kennedy Peak was our last group hike of the weekend, and this popular route attracted five non-campers who joined us for the day. The highlight of this hike is the 360-degree view from the Kennedy Peak fire tower. The Luray Valley, south fork of the Shenandoah River, and the Massanutten Range were visible from our sunny perch atop the tower. After lunch, Dave Abdallah led those who wanted to complete a 9.5-mile loop on the Stephens Trail, while Howard led a smaller out-and-back group for a 7-mile hike. During their hike back, the 7-milers paused to listen for bird songs, identify plants, and admire the prodigious mountain laurel displays.

Also on Sunday, three campers skipped Kennedy Peak to go kayaking. Iva, Jeanne Siler, and Jodi Frederiksen were treated at the outset to a bald-eagle sighting. Putting in at Bixlers Ferry, the group floated 8 miles downstream on a day with perfect weather, sighting turtles and a wide variety of waterfowl, including blue herons, geese, merganser ducks, and double-crested cormorants. Many families were grilling riverside and playing soccer, and many folks were fishing.

As you would expect, all this physical exertion sparked our appetites. Mark’s famous spaghetti with meatballs or vegetarian sauce sated our hunger on Friday night, and Iva’s tacos did the same on Saturday night. Everyone pitched in with side dishes and desserts. Marit Anderson’s brownies were a particular hit.

Lest you think that the weekend was devoid of scholarly endeavors, Jodi presented a talk about the history of Caroline Furnace. The furnace produced three tons of pig iron daily during the Civil War. The slag from iron production is still scattered on the ground.

Of course, a camping trip is not complete without campfires. Jodi and Dave proved to be master campfire builders, and we gathered around their handiwork each night to eat and socialize.

Approximately 20 people participated in all or part of the weekend, some traveling from Maryland. Some stayed through Monday morning, whereas others came and went as their schedules allowed. Participants could set up tents or campers. Cabins were also available, as were hot showers, restrooms, refrigerated storage, and all the firewood we needed.

This Memorial Day weekend was all we could have hoped for: sunny days in the high 60s, beautiful countryside, a quiet campsite, and camaraderie.