We have a hike/scramble going out Hanging Rock Ridge to the plane wreck and back today. I'm hiking with 2 old friends with Friends of Sauratown Mountains and 2 two new friends with Get Hiking Triangle. Our approach is the usual approach to Hanging Rock and then the sharp right to continue out the ridge rather than the popular route out to hanging Rock itself. Our route has become increasingly more popular. The first excursion I took out this way, about 6 years ago, required hand clippers to snip our way through the greenbrier.
The first obstacle is a wall of rock. I have tried to find an easy way up this but have always come back to this one spot to make the scramble up. Once on top, we have nice views to the south of Flat Shoals Mountain and beyond.
After passing through the keyhole, we search for a manway down the south side. We find and follow it to a cantilevered rock. Someone has made a rock bench here, perfect for photo taking, although I realize now, I didn't take a photo of it. Sarah says we can follow the base of the rock face to a cave.
Never having been to the cave myself, I follow Sarah's lead and we struggle through blowdowns and greenbrier for a short distance. Then it appears above us, much larger and deeper than I imagined. I take the photo above from inside looking out.
We scramble back out and up and continue on our way taking in both views to the north and to the south. Then it is the long slow descent down Hanging Rock Ridge to the saddle with the First Sister.
I am supposed to be leading this outing to the 1963 plane wreckage. Since GPS coordinates and tracks take the fun and adventure out of exploring, I'm going on memory and intuition. I'm confident I can get in the vicinity of the wreckage. Recalling an area of odd rock just before the site, we pass by 2 "false" rock areas before seeing the correct one. The wreckage is just beyond.
A quick lunch of PBJ, blister peanuts and pickles fortifies me for the return. Regina has a massive sandwich and pumpernickel pretzels. Sarah is a peanut freak like I am.
Everyone enjoyed the outing and it was wonderful to meet and hike with a couple new friends and kindred spirits. It ended up being just 5 miles of terrain covered but an excellent workout.
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