Lewis Mountain - Slaughter/Pocosin Loop, SNP, VA

Photos by Saki (mostly) and Michael Juskelis (flowers and bug), 2006/07/08.

Lunch along the scenic Conway River.

The Conway near our fording point.

Pocosin Run, near its confluence with the Conway River.

Group shot before we start our climb up Pocosin Hollow (2400 ft elevation gain!).

Pocosin Run at a break spot.

This is how Andy takes a break on a summer hike.

While children were playing at a campground 30 yards away we saw this guy!

The Blue Ridge on our way home.

Bouncing Bet (Saponaria officinalis): Tall, phlox-like flowers that grow in thickets along roadsides and disturbed areas.

Pleasing Fungus Beetle (Megalodacne heros): Andy guessed this one right away. A colony was living on a large cluster of Hemlock Varnish Shelf.

Purple-blooming Raspberry (Rubus odoratus) was growing all along Pocosin Hollow Tr.

Wild (Smooth) Hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens): We saw a lot of this flower everywhere we hiked but this clump near the end of the trip was outstanding!

Sierra Club Howard County Group: