Virginia Outdoor Adventures | backpack, hike, paddle & more

📚 Next Book Club Pick: "Sherpa: Stories of Life and Death from the Guardians of Everest" 📚
✍️ By Pradeep Bhasyal

Join us as we head to the heights of the Himalayas—no passport required!
Our next book club read is "Sherpa: Stories of Life and Death from the Guardians of Everest" by Pradeep Bhasyal, a powerful and eye-opening look into the lives of the unsung heroes behind every summit.

📅 Date: Monday, August 12
🕕 Time: 6:00 PM
📍 Location: Capital L House
13831 Village Place Dr, Midlothian, VA 23114

⚠️ Heads up! This book is not available in audio format, so it’s time to dust off those reading glasses and crack open a physical copy.

Come ready for thoughtful discussion, mountain-high inspiration, and great company. Whether you're a seasoned climber or just love a gripping true story, this one promises to be unforgettable.

MASSACHUSETTS | ~79 miles Southbound (SOBO)
Oct 12th - 19th, 2025 including 2 days for travel time.
🤞Peak Fall Foliage 🤞
County Rd (Vermont) @ SOBO AT mile 591.7 to Great Barrington, MA @ SOBO AT mile 670.5 with help from a shuttle service we will coordinate as a group. We pass through a few towns on shorter mileage days for re-supply opportunities and touring, etc. We hope you join us!

Current proposed itinerary (Updated: 8/5 PM / prior update: N/A)

Total AT SOBO Miles: ~79
Total Route Ascent: ~14,669’
Total Route Descent: ~16,309’

Day: 0 | Date: Sun, 10/12 | Travel day | Park at Berkshire South Regional Community Center offers free outside camping, week long parking, $8/day pass gets you access to inside facility for bathroom, showers, etc, during working hours 6am or 7am until 5pm or 8:30pm depending on the day. Stay overnight

Day: 1 | Date: Mon, 10/13 | Williamstown & North Adams, MA | shorter mileage to allow time in town(s) during the day
● Meet at TBD time
● Shuttle with TBD shuttle service ~1 hour 22 minutes from Berkshire South Regional Community Center to “County Road” start point
■ Total AT Mileage: 10.2
■ Start: County Road @ SOBO AT mile 591.7
■ On the way: Williamstown & North Adams, MA 7.2 miles in @ 598.9
■ End: Wilbur Clearing Shelter @ SOBO AT mile 601.9 near Money Brook Falls | Elevation: 2197’
■ Total ascent: 2533'
■ Total descent: 2638'
· Water: stream ~50 yards from shelter
· Privy: yes
· Shelter: older lean-to with “space for 6-7”
· Tent sites: “several”
· Trees for hammocks:
· Bear protection: bear box
· Notes:

Day: 2 | Date: Tue, 10/14 | Cheshire, MA & “in-town” camping area day | shorter mileage to allow time in town
■ Total AT Mileage: 11.8
■ Start: Wilbur Clearing Shelter
■ On the way: Mark Noepel Shelter @ SOBO mile 608.5
■ End: Father Tom Campsite, Cheshire, MA @ SOBO AT mile 613.5 across the street from Diane’s Twist | Elevation: 974’ ***OR*** one of the hotels or B&Bs in Cheshire of your choosing
2021'
■ Total descent: 3261'
· Water: water spicket
· Privy: Port-a-potty
· Shelter: No
· Tent sites: 12
· Trees for hammocks: yes per more than 1 comments
· Bear protection: comments say there is a bear box
· Notes: anyone that stays at Father Tom’s Campsite vs a hotel or B&B must do so of their own choosing as an individual hiker since groups are not allowed; “electricity available”; sponsored by the Cheshire Community Association; comments say you can borrow a free bike to go into town

Day: 3 | Date: Wed, 10/15 | Dalton, MA Day | & shorter mileage to allow time in town in the AM
■ Total AT Mileage: 11.7
■ Start: Father Tom Campsite, Cheshire, MA
■ On the way: Crystal Mtn Campsite @ SOBO AT mile 617.5 | Dalton, MA & the Housatonic River @ SOBO AT mile 622.2
■ End: Kay Wood Shelter @ SOBO AT mile 625.2 | Elevation: 1138’
■ Total ascent: 2743'
■ Total descent: 1932'
· Water: Barton Brook “50 yards steeply downhill” but one commenter wrote it's not as steep as described
· Privy: yes
· Shelter: bunk-&-loft style shelter “for ~10”
· Tent sites: one commenter wrote “excellent tent sites”
· Trees for hammocks: appears yes
· Bear protection: bear box
· Notes: .2 of trail; “close to road with noise overnight”

Day: 4 | Date: Thu, 10/16 | The Cookie Lady Day (& 2nd longest day)
■ Total AT Mileage: 16
■ Start: Kay Wood Shelter
■ On the way: The Cookie Lady @ SOBO mile 631.8. | October Mtn Shelter @ SOBO mile 634
■ End: Berkshire Lakeside Lodge @ SOBO mile 641.2; cost depends at least on #-hikers | Elevation: 1386’ | "located 100 yards off the AT"
■ Total ascent: 2106'
■ Total descent: 2497'

Day: 5 | Date: Fri, 10/17 | The Long Day With Options (see below)
■ Total AT Mileage: 17.5
■ Start: Berkshire Lakeside Lodge
■ On the way: AT Stand offering snacks, electricity, & WIFI @ SOBO mile 650.9 | Shaker Campsite with privy at SOBO mile 652.9 | North Mt Wilcox Shelter @ SOBO mile 657; elevation: 1952’; water: brook in front of shelter; privy: yes; shelter: “large lean-to with space for 8”; tent sites: “several”, “plenty”; no bear protection mentioned: .3 off trail
■ End: South Mount Wilcox Shelters @ SOBO mile 658.7 | Elevation: 1791’
■ Total ascent: 3632'
■ Total descent: 3225'
· Water: spring or just SOBO on AT
· Privy: yes
· Shelter: 2: 1 old, 1 new – space for at least 10
· Tent sites: 5 tent pads
· Trees for hammocks: appears yes
· Bear protection: bear box
· Notes: .1 off trail

Day: 6 | Date: Sat, 10/18 | Last hiking day & shortened in case some want to start traveling home on 10/18
■ Total AT Mileage: 11.8
■ Start: South Mount Wilcox Shelters
■ On the way: Ice Gulch at SOBO mile 663.9 | Tom Leonard Shelter @ SOBO mile 664.1 | Ledges @ SOBO mile 666.6
■ End: Great Barrington, MA / US Route 7 @ SOBO mile 670.5 @ Google Maps “Appalachian trail and US 7 Massachusetts” & either walk👎 (5 miles road walk 👎) or 1st hikers to finish shuttle to cars followed by helpful assist to get everyone back to cars at Berkshire South Regional Community Center
■ Total AT ascent: 1995'
■ Total AT descent: 2917'

Notes:
● Hike 6 days: Sun-Sat, 10/12-10/18 | Travel back home Oct. 18th or 19th depending on your preference
● Personal vehicles are currently planned to be left near our intended finish point, Berkshire South Regional Community Center, Great Barrington. Chris & Pam will coordinate shuttle cost, re-supply cost (if a re-supply is preferred) + tip split evenly among all hikers.
● 13⅓ average hiking miles per day. Longest day is 17.5 miles. Average ascent = 2445' per day. Largest total single day ascent is 3632' on our longest day (Day 5)
● Possible re-supply at about half-way -- unlikely, but under consideration -- however, individuals can make the own arrangements if not coordinated as a group, of course
● General intention is to sleep at relatively established areas each evening large enough for a group of perhaps 10 or less except Day 2; unofficial &/or “stealth” sites will likely be an option each day as well for hikers, plus hammock users will not need tent-sites, of course.
● All are at their own risk and are expected to be aware of their own capabilities for a section hike like this one. Make sure you know all of your gear, navigation, food needs, etc, and provide for yourself accordingly.
● We will need to connect with new faces to make sure they have had prior experience a section hike like this requires and is comfortable with the itinerary, etc.
● Please let us know if you have any questions.