Brown Mountain - Rockytop Backpack, SNP, VA

Photos by Michael Juskelis, 2007/06/30-07/02.

A panoramic view at the start/end of the trek.

View of Rocky Top. We'll be there tomorrow for lunch!

Roger and John take in the view from the Brown Mountain Trail.

View of the Shenandoah Valley and the southern end of Massanutten Mt. from the Brown Mountain Trail.

This rock outcrop looks a lot like Seneca Rocks in WV.

Big Run near our first night's camp.

Lewis Mountain from the Rockytop Trail.

Ken takes in a panoramic view from our lunch spot on Rocky Top.

Entire-leaved False Foxglove (Aureolaria laevigata or Gerardia laevigata) grows in a semi-parasitic relationship with oak.

Bristly Sarsaparilla (Aralia hispida).

Whorled Coreopsis/Tickseed (Coreopsis verticillata), found along many parts of the hike.

American Chestnut (Castanea dentata) on Rockytop Trail. Before the Chestnut Blight occurred, maybe
one out of every four trees on the Appalachian Mountains was an American Chestnut. They used to
reach 100 feet in height. Now all that is left is an occasional "shrub" that might reach a height of 20 feet.

Also see Roger's pictures.

Sierra Club Howard County Group: