Wilderness Expedition 2024
Our last overnight camp of the 2024 summer season. How the time flies by! We had a great group of campers, better weather than we expected, and some amazing views! And we hiked almost 30 miles!
Our last overnight camp of the 2024 summer season. How the time flies by! We had a great group of campers, better weather than we expected, and some amazing views! And we hiked almost 30 miles!
Day 1: Wilson Creek (2.5 miles)
Campers arrive, and we work on cramming all our personal gear into the vehicles. After a quick snack to get us started, we headed up to basecamp- Scales campground! Affectionately called a “hiking trail for cars”, the road to Scales is just a few miles, but takes us about 45 minutes to drive. It’s much less stressful if you’re in charge of driving the high ground-clearance BRDC work truck. Finally emerging from the woods and entering the grassy clearing, we’re shocked to see… cows? Cows around the campground are par for the course, but inside the fence? That was new. The weather forecast was still looking a little rainy, so we went ahead and set up tents and our kitchen, just in case. Once everyone was settled, we grabbed the macroinvertebrate gear and took a quick jaunt down to Wilson Creek. We found plenty of black-bellied salamanders (Desmognathus quadromaculatus), some small crayfish, and two northern watersnakes (Nerodia sipedon). On our way back to camp, we all munched on allegheny blackberries (Rubus allegheniensis) and highbush blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum). We also stopped for a quick bog-stomping break! But everyone was still plenty hungry for a walking taco dinner, followed by biscuits on a stick around the campfire!
Day 2: Little Wilson Creek Wilderness (8 miles)
After getting to know the cows, who enjoy eerily hanging around the bathroom at night and munching grass right around our tents, we decide to call them Bessie, Gertrude, and Fanny. They’re pretty good company, except for the presents that they like to leave behind. We got an early-ish start today to try to avoid the afternoon storm that’s predicted to roll in. Climbing up Stone Mountain and watching as our campsite gets smaller and the view gets better is a fun experience! Day 1 is a great chance to practice map skills and orienteering with Brendan! After that, we skirted just around the top of Third peak (4928 ft), and over Second peak (4843 ft) and First peak (4610 ft). Our long snack break was right by the Little Wilson Creek. We made it back right before the weather turned. Which allowed us to introduce camper-favorite activity: Whittling! Armed with knives, wood blocks, Kevlar gloves, and knowledge on blood circles, most of the campers dove right into their custom projects. One camper mentioned a water snake that was hiding behind the bathroom trashcan, and everyone ran over to watch Drew try and get it out. It was feisty! In the evening, we sat around the campfire and Shep regaled us for 30 minutes with an improvised story so epic that it cannot be described. And when it got dark enough, manhunt started!
Day 3: Lewis Fork Wilderness (8 miles)
The weather forecast was fluctuating a lot today, so we headed out a little later and hoped for the best. Starting on the Crest Trail, we again got to watch our campsite get smaller and smaller as we climbed the gradual hill. Along the way, we found a great snack spot nestled within a boulder pile with lots of (safe) climbing opportunities. Drew also introduced the group to the game Codeword, where you’re given a secret word/phrase and have to use it without getting caught. Some notable phrases: fat frog legs, laminated licorice, fergalicious, the hills are alive with music, size 13 crocs, and the singing bats of the Caspian Sea. For 20 minutes on this hike we were caught in an intermittent torrential downpour, but that was the only rain we got while hiking, so it was worth it! It did end up being a good lesson on how quickly trenchfoot can set in, and how uncomfortable it can be to hike in wet boots. But they trooped through it! On our return down the Crest Trail, we encountered wild ponies in the woods! And back at camp, we met the fourth and fifth cows in the herd who had been keeping us company. Now that the others were outside the fence, where they belonged, Georgina and her baby, Butters, made an appearance.
Day 4: Mount Rogers (8 miles)
Today was the day… time to backpack up to Mount Rogers! We took it easy in the morning, giving our tents time to dry as everyone reorganized their stuff. The only things you take up the mountain are the things you really need! While we relaxed, some campers worked on sketches in their nature journals, others put the finishing touches on their whittling projects. Annabelle and Esme created adorable nature-themed sculptures out of Babybel cheese wax. (Unfortunately no pictures were taken and they melted on the truck’s dash in the hour it took us to unload gear and say goodbye) After a hearty dinner, the hike began! It was an adjustment for some getting used to the pack size, but we made great time heading up to Rogers. Along the way, we stopped at a giant rock that we VERY CAREFULLY climbed up so we could appreciate the view, and get a good look at Mount Rogers from afar. We walked right past our campsite, and became the tallest people in Virginia! For about 45 minutes. We ate a snack, looked for (and found) Weller’s (Plethodon welleri) and Pygmy (Desmognathus wrighti) salamanders, and appreciated the beautiful and rare spruce-fir forest that we were in. Then it was time to backtrack a mile and a half to set up camp! Once everything was settled, we hustled to the top of Pine Mountain to catch the sunset, but instead got an amazing, spooky, experience in heavy fog. We had a quick campfire before heading to bed, tired from the day.
Day 5: Back to Scales (3.5 miles)
Everyone woke up early today, ready to get back down the mountain. After so many long days, today’s hike was a breeze! And mostly down-hill, so that helped! We made it back to camp by 10:00, did the final pack-up, loaded into the vehicles, and headed down the mountain. When we got back, Lisa had a lovely surprise waiting for us… PIZZA! Goodbyes are a little easier on a full stomach. The staff had a great week, and we hope all our campers felt the same! It felt almost too quiet once all the campers left.
Galax Middle School has a "Spook"tacular Week!
During Halloween week, Wildlife Rehabilitator and Naturalist Darin Handy, provided education and entertainment to the students at Galax Middle School.
During Halloween week, Wildlife Rehabilitator and Naturalist Darin Handy, provided education and entertainment to the students at Galax Middle School.
BRDC and Galax City Public Schools partner to provide after school enrichment to students in grades 5-7. Focusing on the Blue Ridge, BRDC brings hands-on, experiential learning with great guides like Darin Handy. Having 20 years experience with reptiles, he is the perfect guide to bring herpetology to the students.
Darin talked about the various species of snakes and turtles native to Virginia and the Blue Ridge. He shared information about how they The students were thrilled to not only learn about our reptiles, but also see and touch some of them. The Black rat snake, Northern water snake, Copperhead and a Hognose snake were part of the suborder Serpentes brought on Monday while the Woodland box turtle, Eastern spiny softshell turtle, Eastern musk turtle, and the Snapping turtle finished the Testudines on Halloween. Is there any better way to send the kids off trick or treating than after coming face to face with Chelydra serpentina?!
Why are some Snakes Black?
Red shouldered hawk. ©Bill Dunson
It is a normal reaction for the human mind to become accustomed to certain things and not to question them. So among the myriad of things I come into contact with every week I often see a large black snake whether I am in VA or FL. In VA this is a black rat snake and in FL a black racer. Although they resemble one another superficially they are not closely related and differ in several significant details. For example the black rat snake is a very accomplished climber and feeds heavily on birds (see photo right, black rat snake eating a starling) it is a relatively slow mover, it constricts its prey, has keeled scales on the back, and has flecks of white intermingled with its shiny black exterior. The black racer can move very quickly and tends to remain on or near the ground, it does not constrict its prey, it has smooth scales, and is colored a dull black color. So why are both of these two snakes so similar in color, and why black?
The story becomes even stranger when one looks at the juvenile snakes (see photos). Both are mottled in coloration and again somewhat similar. In addition to the differences in the shapes of the head and body (rat snake has a "loaf of bread" configuration, the better to climb trees), the blotched pattern is somewhat different. For example look at the top of the tail where the racer has no pattern and the rat snake has blotches. The purpose of this immature pattern seems clear as a means of camouflage. Indeed another member of the rat snake clan, the southern yellow rat or chicken snake has a similarly blotched, if yellowish juvenile.
Juvenile Black Racer. ©Bill Dunson
The purpose of the black coloration in the adults is less clear. In the north there are both black rat snakes and black racers, often in the same general areas. In the far south, in addition to plentiful black racers, there are yellow, red (corn) and gray rat snakes but no black rat snakes. So there is some geographic effect on the presumed value of the black coloration. The purpose of the coloration seems most likely to be related to protection from predators and/or a means of camouflage while the snake is hunting prey. One intriguing theory I have heard is the possibility that, depending on color, the unusual sinuous movement of snakes can make it difficult for predators to focus on a spot to attack. So snakes which are black or striped may receive some protection from capture by a predator such as the red shouldered hawk. These medium-sized hawks spend a lot of time perched in trees watching the ground for any movement. Some hesitation in attacking because it was hard to focus on the prey might be crucial in allowing a snake to escape. At least this is a plausible theory that might be tested. What are your favorite theories?
Bill Dunson
Galax, VA & Englewood, FL
Independence Day Weekend Event
July 3rd 2010
Historic 1908 Courthouse
Independence, Va.
Devin Floyd, who had driven down from Charlottesville the night before, and I met and set up on the courthouse lawn between 8 and 9AM. Soon joining us for the day’s activities were volunteers Cecelia Mathis, and Claire and Susan Gleason.
The main program, agreed upon by the Executive Committee, was designed around arrowheads found in Grayson County by the Floyd family over a period of years. The arrowheads were displayed for general inquiry as well as used for sketching models. Those who were willing, sketched a chosen artifact, and then used the sketch to match it to a chart, provided by Devin. From the chart one could determine the age and possible use of that particular arrowhead, while discussing and comparing the different examples on hand.
Claire Gleason brought her pet corn snake, the gentlest snake in the world. This attraction brought people to our table in droves, while Claire answered hundreds of snake questions and allowed any willing soul to hold and handle her snake. Claire’s mom, Susan, helped describe BRDC to folks, and tirelessly collected names and contact information. Cecelia shared her experience from the BRDC sponsored Spring wildflower walks, and enthusiastically drew curious people closer to the table and our arrowhead demonstration.
It becomes increasingly apparent that wherever one goes, parents, kids, grandparents and the rest of us all become enriched by the discoveries inherent to outdoor related activities. Many adults were fascinated by our small arrowhead display, and spoke of their own private collections or ones they knew about. Some of that information is contained in the contact list, and hopefully BRDC can return to those conversations in the near future.
As Grayson County’s BRDC initiative grows, so do the possibilities, endless and rich. It is great fun to see three or four generations gathered around such shared interests, and the curiosity displayed most edifying.
Big hugs to Cecelia, Claire and Susan!
Scott Jackson-Ricketts
Photographs by Scott Jackson-Ricketts and Devin Floyd
