High Knob Fire Tower Hike

High Knob Fire Tower in Brandywine, WVA

Finally!  We got our first hike in of the year.    Though, alas, I think they will be few and far between this spring.  With both boys in Boy Scouts now, and with baseball season starting to heat up,  our open weekends will be rare for some time.  All the more reason to enjoy the down time we will have together; and really, is there a better way to spend it than hiking?

Trying to get the dogs in an ‘usie’ with the fire tower in the background proved too difficult a task! But, we had fun trying.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The High Knob Fire Tower hike was a perfect choice for our return back to the trails:  fairly close to Harrisonburg,  and the reward was spectacular:  a 360 degree view that included Switzer Dam, Reddish Knob, Mole Hill and  most of Rockingham County, VA to the East and  Pendelton County, WV to the West.   Spring is just making its way into the valley, so our view was extended with most bare trees and a nice crisp, clear day.

Billy took this beautiful picture on the catwalk of the Fire Tower. The 360 degree view could not be beat.

 

 

Follow the yellow blazes

This is an easy hike to find, from Harrisonburg, follow 33 West.  Right after you cross the state lines, you will see the parking area on your left.    The hike is just short of 3 miles round trip, but is not easy.  The terrain is fairly rocky throughout, and it is a pretty steep climb.  There are a few sections that really get your legs and lungs burning.   At just over 4,000 feet in elevation, this is one of the ‘highest hikes’ in our area.   You also need to pay attention to a few twists and turns and side trails from  the hike as you make your way up;  so that you do not get lost on the way down!  The trail is marked with yellow blazes, so keep an eye out for those, and you will be fine.

Our main reason for picking this hike was to see the fire tower up close.  Mickey spent over 15 years as an active fire fighter, so he was especially keen on checking it out.  The High Knob Fire Tower is just one of three remaining fire towers in the George Washington National Forest, down from 24 when they were actively used to watch for fires.    Its amazing to think of its past and how people would live in these towers and spend their days watching for fires.   Fire towers are no longer operational in Virginia.  And they quickly fell into dis-repair and were removed or sold.  But the ones that remain are an interesting look into the past, and a birds eye view into nature at its finest.  And High Knob is a real beauty.

Billy, as he often does enlightened us even more on the topic of fire towers on our hike to the top.   They are still used in the more remote areas out West.  He read how they are offered up as summer jobs for college students.  It does seem quite a romantic notion, being all alone, high atop the world.  We all decided though, not for a whole summer.    There would be no chance of watching Cubs games, or even really keeping up with their box scores.  So, while appealing as it may sound,   Billy wont be sending in his application.

This short article highlights fire tower hikes in the Mid-Atlantic region:

http://www.blueridgeoutdoors.com/go-outside/hiking/fire-tower-foliage/

A neat carin at the base of the fire tower.

I was pleasantly surprised to see that High Knob Fire Tower is in  great shape.  While you cannot go in the actual tower itself, it has a nice ‘catwalk’ around it to take in the view.  And two separate fire pit areas on the ground.  The area was clean, and free from any graffiti or other misuse.    We encountered more hikers on the trail, and at the top than I expected.  I hope people continue to respect structure for years to come so that High Know Fire Tower can remain a popular hiking destination.  For the history,  and for the views:

A pano from the tower.

 

I was also pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed the process of this hike and not just the reward of the tower and its views.  Much of the hike is along a nice ridge, with pretty views spaced out pretty often.  The variety of trees, not only in species, but also in placement all along the trail really stood out to me.  And then just about halfway up, there is a very pleasant camping area that looks well used.

All in all, a not-to-be missed hike!  Wait a few weeks, and you can stop in at Riven Rock Park and cool off just after your hike.  It is just a few miles back down 33, heading back to Harrisonburg.

Pretty views along the ridge.

We stopped for a rest and photo op at the camping site in the middle of the hike.

Our rankings ( 4.7  out of 5)

Minnie:  5 – Completely met my expectations, and then some!

Mickey: 5- Great trail and the fire tower was cool.

Billy: 4.5 – A good length, neat things to look at on the trail and I liked the fire tower.

JJ: 4  – I liked the top, but I did not like getting there.  It was steep!

J-Wow and Stevie the Wonder Dog:  5 – We met lots of people on the trail who loved on us.  And we got to spend lots of fun times with our people pack.  A slight downside:  They did not let us climb the fire tower.  But, we got to sniff all around it!

I messed up taking a pano of the view, but ended up getting a pretty cool shot nonetheless!  J-Wow and Stevie the Wonder Dog are really pulling to climb the tower ladders!

Unwine Friday – Valentines Day Addition

We took the Friday before Valentines Day and hit up two new (to us!) vineyards, as well as one of our very favorite spots that we take any and all occasion we can get to revisit.

Our first priority was DuCard vineyards in Madison County, Virgina.  I put it on ‘my list’ after reading about it on a list of ‘best tasting rooms’ in Virginia.      The promise of a  nice, cozy tasting room can draw me to a vineyard probably only second to a LOVEWORKS sign.  So imagine my surprise and delight  when this gem greeted us at Ducard:

I took this as a  wonderful omen that we would LOVE our visit to Ducard.  Which we did!  It is a fabulous place with so much charm.  The tasting room lived up to its billing, the wine was solid, and we had the pourer all to ourselves.  She  was quite knowledgeable about wine and DuCard, and she even poured us a few samples of wines they had not quite released yet.   Ducard is a winery just coming into its own.  They started out as a vineyard, growing grapes for other wineries.   And, then decided to make a go of it themselves.  They are doing quite well for themselves.

Our fun Valentines day lunch was made even better along a toasty fireside.

After  our tasting, we enjoyed a nice picnic inside alongside a lovely fire.  The day we visited was quite cold,  with some lingering snow on the ground from the blizzard ‘Jonas’ a few weeks prior so the fireplace was quite appreciated.    The stark winter setting was fitting for the day, and we enjoyed the barren mountain views.  But, I imagine visiting Ducard is an even better  sight to behold in the other three seasons.  Especially since they have a really unique set of event offerings:  Shakespeare in the Vineyard, a murder mystery dinner, and stargazing parties to name a few.  No doubt we plan to head back there in the future.

Ducard is in Etlan, Virgina.  In Madison county, right at the base of Old Rag Mountain.  In fact, those mountain views I spoke of are of Old Rag.   It is an area probably not easy for many people to get to.  But, it is well worth the drive.  Madison County  is scenic and charming, and quite less traveled part of the state.  It is not overly populated with people or establishments.  But, whats there is worth visiting.   Etlan  would be a great weekend visit.   Find yourself a nice Bed and Breakfast and explore.  Old Rag hike is often mentioned at the top of ‘to do’ hikes in Virginia.     Also  near by is White Oak Canyon Falls hike which boasts six waterfalls and swimming holes.  This hike can be accessed from Skyline Drive, which is how we have experienced it; or from the base of the mountain which I am longing to try.  After a morning hike, why not ‘un-wined’ on the patio of Ducard?  There is also another nice vineyard in the vicinity as well:  Sharp Rock.    Billy and I actually stopped there just after completing our first (and to date only) time we hiked Old Rag.  It was a nice reward for our efforts.

This is from Early Mountain’s website. An breathtakingly beautiful place.

In a circuitous route back to Harrisonburg, we stopped at Early Mountain Vineyards.  Our rave reviews of this place continue, and we have often mentioned it on this blog.  It boasts an amazing facility, fabulous service, tasty food and some of the best wines in Virgina.  The reason for that is twofold:  they pour wines from other Virginia vineyards as part of their mission to promote the wine industry in the state.  And  because Early Mountain wines are becoming increasingly impressive in and of themselves.  Each time we visit, their own wines become better.  Couple that with a chance to taste flights from all over Virginia.  And that makes Early Mountain my go to vineyard in Virginia.   Meaning if I were to recommend just one to visit, it would be Early Mountain.  If I had out of town guests and wanted to introduce them to Virginia vineyards, it would be Early Mountain.  And I would say after this visit, if asked the question, “Who produces the best wine in Virginia”, I could be pretty accurate in saying, Early Mountain!

Just outside of Harrisonburg, we ended our wine tasting day at the Purple WOLF vineyard on the ground of the White Oak Lavender Farm.    I have been in awe of the White Oak Lavender Farm since they first opened.   Visiting White Oak Lavender Farm is an experience in and of itself.   And I have watched in great admiration over the years as they continue to expand and grow and add new experiences to their farm and business.

So, I was just thrilled with the knowledge that they were opening a tasting room on their grounds this year.   The name is derived from the color of lavender (PURPLE of course) and then WOLF spells out White-Oak-Lavender-Farm.    The tasting room is its own small structure in the middle of the Lavender Fields.  The porch of the tasting room has an unobstructed view of Massanutten Mountain.      A painter could not even dream up a better setting.  Inside the tasting room is decorated tastefully in all things purple.  Which is fabulous for me, since purple is far and away my favorite color.  Currently, the grapes for the wine are being grown elsewhere, but made their own by their very own winemaker.
Purple WOLF currently offers five different wines, as well as the opportunity to taste their Chambourcin  before and after it is infused (with of course!) Lavender!   Grapes have already been planted onsite, and they look to continue to grow in their winery efforts over time.  We were already pleasantly surprised with what they are currently offering.  And having witnessed over time the way they have grown and expanded all of the rest of their farm and business, I expect great things out of the Purple WOLF vineyard in the future.

Needless to say, our Valentines Day Wine Tasting excursion was a success.  Three very distinct wineries and three fabulous visits.    It will be hard to top, but stay tuned for our efforts!

 

Un-Wine Friday – Fall 2015

I decided to play “hooky” from work on a recent Friday so Minnie and I could enjoy the fall foliage at a few Charlottesville area wineries without having to deal with the large weekend crowds. Our original plan was to visit First Colony and Trump, but we were pleasantly surprised to have a third vineyard added to our itinerary. We started our visit by making a quick stop at the Trader Joe’s in Charlottesville in order to “re-stock” our wine supply. Our second stop was a quick “in and out” at Wineworks in order to fill our “growler” and to purchase a box of Chardonnay. The “growler” and box of Chardonnay offered at Wineworks are both excellent values. We purchased both for $65. A great deal when you consider this equates to approximately 7 bottles of great quality wine. Now on to a more detailed review of the wineries we visited:

First Colony has a real thatched roof, which I really enjoyed seeing on our visit.

First Colony

The tasting room is constructed with rough cut lumber, but is bright and airy. We were the only customers in the tasting room during our visit and were served by a very knowledgeable and friendly pourer. I did not catch his name, but he was very knowledgeable about the wines and was a great  conversationalist. All in all, a very interesting guy. In my opinion, the pourer can make or break a winery visit and First Colony had an excellent pourer at the bar during our visit.

At the conclusion of our tasting, he told us about the Gabriele Rausse Winery which is located just down the road from Trump and Blenheim. We never would have noticed Gabriele Rausse Winery without his directions and recommendations.

The quality of the wines at First Colony certainly matched the competence of the pourer. In general, all of the wines were excellent. I found it to be one of the best vineyards in Virginia as far as wine quality.

• Rose’ 2014 – A very odd looking Rose’, almost yellow in appearance. It is very crisp, clean, and noticeably acidic. A very good wine. We purchased a bottle and are looking forward to drinking it soon!
• Chardonnay 2014 – As regular readers of our blog know, Minnie typically enjoys Chardonnays aged in oak barrels as opposed to stainless steel. With that being said, she loved this Chardonnay even though it is 100% aged in stainless steel. Very fruity and made with 100% grapes grown using the oldest Chardonnay vines in Virginia (planted in 1974 – a great year as it is also the year in which I was born!).
• Chardonnay Estate Reserve 2013 – I believe this to be Minnie’s all-time favorite Virginia Wine. You know what the means…buttery! This wine is full-bodied and 100% aged in American Oak.

We also tasted one other white wine, two reds, and three desert wines. All were good, but not quite as good as the Rose’ and both Chardonnays. First Colony is a great winery and I highly recommend it as a place to enjoy both great wine and a laid back atmosphere. It is just far enough from Charlottesville that you don’t have to wade through a crowd of drunken UVa students (are there any other kind of UVa students?), but close enough to be an easy drive.

This is what marks the entrance to Gabriele Rausse tasting room. That small wood side on the lift reads ‘tastings’

Gabriele Rausse Winery

As I mentioned previously, we had never heard of this winery and would never have noticed it from the road if we had not been given directions by the pourer at First Colony.  As all connoisseurs of Virginia wine, we have heard of Gabriele Rausse and enjoyed his wine at Barboursville and other vineyards around the Commonwealth. However, we did not realize he now had his own winery. This winery is similar to Wineworks in that it is “all about the wine.”

In fact, they are not open on Saturdays and all of the pourers also help make the wine and in vineyard operations.

The tasting room at Gabrielle Rausse.  It was nice and cozy and one of the more unique (and hidden) wineries we have ever visited.help to make the wine. The tasting room is beautiful, but very small and simply furnished. There are very few places to sit down. This place is definitely designed for a customer to partake of a tasting, purchase bottles of wine, and then go home to enjoy the wine.

 

 

 

A full tasting is $12/person and consists of 3 whites, one Rose’, and five reds. All of the wines were good to great, but the Dry Rose’ 2014 (Merlot and Cab Franc) and the Grenache 2011 were spectacular. We purchased a bottle of each and had the Rose’ with dinner after we returned home from our visit. This winery is a very neat and worth a visit. However, do not plan on spending an afternoon. Pop in, enjoy your tasting, purchase some wine, and move on to your next stop.

Trump Winery

We have visited this winery at least twice in the past when it was owned by Patricia Kluge’. However, we have not visited since the name has been changed to Trump and were interested in the changes put into place by “The Donald.” The architecture of the tasting room is less modern than before and has more of a “classic Virginia” look. Oak paneling, large wood trim, etc. They have also added seating to the exterior and cleared approximately a ½ acre of forest in order to open a spectacular view. Both changes were positive. Good job, Donald!

The ending to an especially good Un-Wine Friday in wine country

The wines have changed very little since our last visit. In short, they are all good, but not great.  The two standouts are definitely the sparkling wines. My favorite is the Blanc de Blanc.  We each purchased a glass of Blanc de Blanc after our tasting and enjoyed the view on a pretty fall afternoon. A great time.  The only downside to this winery was the crowds. It is pretty close to both Jefferson and Blenheim. This makes a visit very convenient, but also leads to a packed tasting room.  Trump is definitely much more commercial than First Colony and most other Virginia wineries south of the Leesburg area. The pourers were all very nice and seemed knowledgeable of the wine, but had not time for conversation or detailed descriptions.

I would encourage a visit to Trump as the view is beautiful and the wines are solid. However, be aware that it is likely to be crowded, especially on a weekend.