Meneka Peak, Little Crease Mountain, Cow Knob, High Knob, Reddish Knob, Elliot Knob, Big House Mountain, Bald Knob, and High Point: June 29th-July 2nd, 2023

Meneka Peak, June 29th

Meneka was the last peak I did in Virgnia before heading off to Alaska back at the start of Covid, so it has a special little place in my heart. Starting from 678 up Massahauten Trail gets you the rockiest trail I've seen in the south, with the rockiness rivaling a lot of the steeper northeastern hiking trails, but with gradual elevation and many switchbacks. Some really unique biospheres and some beautiful views I remember from last time when there wasn't wildfire smoke blocking even the parallel ridge. A nice little hike that brought me down memory lane

Little Crease Mountain, June 30th

Little Crease is accessed best through taking Tuscarora Veach Gap Trail up from 678 and then riding the mostly flat ridge south and doing a brief bushwhack through open woods to the summit. Just like Meneka, a lot of this biosphere reminds me more of the desert than the rest of the southeast, so be sure to check it out if you're in the area!

Cow Knob, June 30th

For Cow Knob I drove up Fr 87 from the east, and found the road to be doable in a sedan, the road along the ridge requires high clearance and I stopped after a bit due to the rain that I encountered collecting on the muddy road. The simple walk up to a summit with no views is worth it if only for the beautiful biosphere here, with it reminding me of the upper elevations in the Smokies or the mid elevations back in the Northern Appalachians

High Knob, July 1st

High Knob from the WV trailhead is a simple walk up a well-marked and maintained trail to a beautiful fire tower view. On the way back I decided to try my luck along the road, encountering increasingly-threatening private-property signs. I encountered the "trespassers will be shot" sign right as I heard a vehicle come up the road, so I ran on down the west ridge back to the trail. Don't shortcut it unless you want to be shot

Reddish Knob, July 1st

Reddish was a drive up a paved road the whole way, with a parking lot *on* the summit, which is unusual and which I don't like one bit - at least put the parking lot a tiny bit to the side of the summit, but right on top is just grotesque imo

Elliot Knob, July 1st

For Elliot Knob, I walked up the forest service road to the east, which was a dull-walk up that I could have avoided by lifting and opening the *unlocked* gate at the start, with the road having been good enough for my van to get up it. Nevertheless, I walked it and reached the summit tower right as a thunderstorm came crashing in, which the tower provided good refuge for. I met a nice local named Miles who had a wonderful conversation with me - I love meeting a good left-wing redneck more than anything in the world. Beautiful views after the storm subsided, and worth it if for only that reason. Though, maybe take one of the hiking trails from the south or west

Big House Mountain, July 2nd

Big House Mountain is a walk up a gated dirt road to a col at 2800ft, and then up an old road bed to the summit. The summit kind of sucks, an although an outlook is promised to the north, it was too far for me, so instead I went to Table rock along the south side of the ridge and was greeted by a fantastic view that made the hike worth it. And then I was motivated to go up Little House Mountain, which was a better trail with similarly-spectacular outcroppings

Bald Knob, July 2nd

Bald Knob I approached from the summit road from the north, which is gated but which does not limit foot travel. Fantastic views along the road up, with the fire tower being one of the best views I've seen in the entire south. Well worth your time, even though you can't enter the cabin of the tower

High Top, July 2ndth

High Top is on someone's lawn, so I drove up as close as I could along a dirt road and called it an ascent. Very much not worth one's time