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Source Walks: 8-03-91 and 9-13-95
This ascent, which encompasses two adjacent peaks with contrasting summits, is in excess of 1900 vertical feet (580 meters) over a trail distance of about 3.5 miles (5.6 km). Passage is through several elevational zones, slope aspects and forest types as reflected in floral changes. It also skirts and penetrates the edge of the superb federally-designated Ramsey's Draft Wilderness in which the recovery of native biological communities is rapidly occurring. In many ways the area is typical of but does not exhaust variations of the Shenandoah Mountain complex.
The area of the ascent is within a proposed Ramsey's Draft Wilderness addition as proposed by local conservationists. It is also part of a proposed "Shenandoah Wilderness", much larger in size, that would include the existing Ramsey's Draft as well as two other watersheds to the northeast, As large as this proposal is, it would be only a part of a much larger wilderness system linked by corridors to allow species movement (Mueller, 1991) . Recently (Mueller, 1999) the Shenandoah proposal has been renamed the "Ernie Dickerman Wilderness" in honor of a recently deceased prominent wilderness activist (see also our section on Ramsey's Draft).
Weather conditions in the August, 1991 ascent were typically hot and humid in the valley but temperatures felt as much as 10° F cooler on the summit of Big Bald Knob. On the Sept, 1995 ascent the morning was pleasantly sunny but gradual clouding and light rain occurred in the afternoon on Hardscrabble.
The North River, a headwater stream at this point, flows in a typically stony valley and is subject to widely varying flow volumes and shifting channels. Where fine sediments accumulate, or there is colluvial enhancement of soils on the valley sides, a complex mesic forest is present. At the Camp Todd trailhead at an elevation of 2357 ft. (718 meters) asl on the river flood plain, the canopy includes Sugar Maple, Tuliptree, White Pine, Adelgid-infected Canada Hemlock, White Ash, Northern Red and White Oaks, all of mature size. Understory consists of Striped Maple (Acer pensylvanicum ) and Muscletree (Carpinus caroliniana) ,while vines are represented by Summer Grape (Vitis aestivalis) , Poison Ivy (Rhus radicans) and Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) . The presence of Coral Berry (Symphoricarpos orbiculatus) attests to soil richness, as do herbs such as Wood Nettle (Laportia canadensis), Smooth Sweet Cicely (Ozmorhiza longistylis) and Hog Peanut (Amphicarpa bracteata) . Less demanding species such as White Snakeroot (Eupatorium rugosum) , Sessile-leaved Bellwort (Uvularia sessifolia) , Southern Lady Fern (Athrium filix femina) and Christmas Fern (Polystichum acrostichoides) are also present, as no doubt are others hidden in late summer dormancy.
Also conspicuous are large, vigorous canes of Black Raspberry (Rubus occidentalis) . Here at the start of our traverse this species is convenient for comparison with its more northern congener Red Raspberry (R. strigosus) to be encountered at high elevations.
Characteristically these riparian forests also reflect their richness in a greater abundance of animal life as is apparent from Gray Squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis) encountered in the evening whereas these animals are rarely seen in the dry oak forests of the adjacent ridges.
Where the trail begins its climb up Spring House Ridge, on the north side of a branching ravine, soil acidity apparently increases as moisture decreases. Northern Red Oak assumes greater prominence, Red Maple replaces Sugar Maple, Chestnut and Black Oaks and Black Locust put in an appearance, and Mountain Laurel (Kalmia latifolia ) alternates with Witch Hazel (Hamamelis virginiana) in the understory. Herbs such as Curtis’ Goldenrod (Solidago curtisii), White Wood Aster ( Aster divaricatus) , Carex platyphylla, Christmas Fern, Four-leaved Yam (Dioscorea quaternata ), Partridge Berry ( Mitchella repens) and Creeping Five-leaf (Potentilla canadensis/simplex) reflect the transitional nature of this slope between mesic and xeric habitats. Soon Teaberry (Gaultheria procumbens) , Deerberry (Vaccinium stamineum ) Rattlesnake Weed (Hieracium venosum), Creeping Bush Clover (Lespedeza repens) (the latter in bloom) and cushion moss (Leucobryum sp.) herald true xeric conditions. Pignut Hickory and Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida) also occur here, and although not noted previously, are probably present below as well. And scattered along this slope are Sassafras, isolated Cucumber Magnolia and in openings, shrubs of Sweet Fern ( Comptonia peregrina) . Here also, on this south facing slope, warmed by the September morning sun, three small snakes, at least two of which were common Garters (Thamnophis s. sirtalis) , were surprised basking, and vanished rapidly among the leaves.
At 2800 ft. (850 meters) asl the trail turns sharply right with Trail Rush (Juncus tenuis) and Autumn Bent Grass (Agrostis perennans ) underfoot, as well as the first noted Mountain Fetterbush (Pieris floribunda) along side. These are accompanied by Wild Indigo (Baptisia tinctoria) and Hemlock, the latter only slightly defoliated by the Adelgid.
At approximately 3100 ft. (940 meters) the effect of the Adelgid appears to be greatly diminished or absent. This is characteristic of conditions in this part of the Appalachians at the present stage of infestation, in which, in many places, severe damage by this insect appear confined to relatively low elevations.
Somewhat above this elevation a spot inventory of species disclosed Chestnut Oak, apparently healthy Hemlock, Red Maple, Black Gum, Striped Maple, Mountain Laurel, Minnie-bush (Menziesia pilosa) , Mountain Fetterbush (Pieris floribunda) , Deerberry, Upland Low Blueberry (Vaccinium pallidum), Teaberry, Leucobryum cushion moss, and quite unexpectedly, near the trail, a small patch of Early Low Blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium), a northern species characteristic of the Allegheny Plateau and a few high elevation sites in the Valley and Ridge. Another spot inventory at about 3300 ft. (1000 meters) disclosed Northern Red and Chestnut Oaks, Pignut Hickory, Mountain Laurel and Hemlock. Generally the aspect at these elevations is southerly and the forest dry and ericaceous. Except for the presence of Early Low Blueberry, there is as yet no obvious response to elevation in the flora. However, above 3500 ft. (1070 meters) Chestnut Oak falls off rapidly and at 3600 ft. (1100 meters) the aspect becomes northeast and the forest more mesic with an increase in Black Cherry and Black Locust.
At 3730 ft. (1140 meters) asl there is a fork in the trail, the left branch leading to the summit of Big Bald Knob, the right toward Hardscrabble. At the fork a spot inventory reveals a canopy consisting of Northern Red Oak, considerable White Oak, Hemlock and Red Maple with an understory and shrub layer of American Chestnut (Castanea dentata) sprouts, Striped Maple, Mountain Laurel and Upland Low Blueberry. Cushion Moss is common ground cover.
The trail to the Big Bald Knob Summit skirts the edge of Ramsey's Draft Wilderness which lies to the west. The forest on the approach to the summit is dominated by Northern Red Oak, which becomes increasingly more “orchard”-like. Here also the first Mountain Holly (Ilex montana ) is encountered, Serviceberry , likely Downy (Amelanchier arborea) , becomes prominent in the understory and Laurel attains large size. Black Huckleberry (Gaylussacia baccata) and Minnie-bush increase and the first Bear Oak (Quercus ilicifolius) is seen, presaging the open summit.
The Summit of Big Bald knob at 4120 ft. (1256 meters) is covered by relatively low vegetation which includes wind-contorted and stunted Northern Red Oak, Pitch Pine, Black Gum, Black Birch, Black Locust and a little White Pine. There are many multiple-stemmed Downy Serviceberry trees and thick-foliaged Hemlock with branches to the ground. A few Mountain Ash (Pyrus americana ) further remind us of the effect of elevation. Extensive shrub thickets are dominated by heaths such as Mountain Laurel, Mountain Fetterbush, Minnie-bush, Black Huckleberry and blue berries, including Early Low, but also contain abundant Bear Oak, Witch Hazel and Hazelnut (Corylus sp) . In places grasses dominate the ground cover and the showy and curious members of the Lily family, Turkey Beard (Xerophyllum asphodeloides) and Fly Poison (Amianthium muscætoxicum) , species also at home in pine barrens and dry low elevation forests, are abundant. Down-slope, toward the south, the trail enters park-like stands of old orchard type Northern Red Oak with a dense ground cover of Hay-scented Fern (Dennstaedtia punctilobula) .
The Virginia Division of Natural Heritage (Rawinski et al, 1994) has established a test plot (their #3) immediately north of the summit. as part of their on- going studies of the research Natural Area within the Wilderness. While the test plot has a generally taller canopy than the summit, it contains many of the same species. Apparently excluded however are Witch Hazel, Hazelnut, Minnie-bush and Fly Poison. Species recorded at the test plot, but not outside it by us, were Red Maple, Black Cherry, Yellow Birch, Wild Sarsaparilla (Aralia nudicaulis) , Crinkled Hairgrass (Deschampsia flexuosa) ,Mountain Holly, Mountain Aster (Aster acuminatus) , Gaywings (Polygala paucifolia) , Smooth Gooseberry (Ribes rotundifolium) , the sedge Carex pensylvanica,, Intermediate Shield Fern (Dryopteris intermedia) and Indian Pipe (Monotropa uniflora) . A total of only 23 species of vascular plants found throughout the growing season by them illustrates the severe conditions that prevail here.
The branch of the trail leading to Hardscrabble Knob passes at first through a very open, dry mesic forest with a northern aspect and ranging in elevation from 3750 ft. (1140 meters) to 3650 ft. (1110 meters) asl in a saddle. The canopy is dominantly mature Northern Red Oak, many 2 ft (0.6 meters) or more dbh ,with minor White Oak, Red Maple and other mesic species. There are also scattered Chestnut Oaks, particularly in the saddle, which is a channel for the south wind. Ground cover in this forest is chiefly Hay-scented Fern and Indian Cucumberroot (Medeola virginiana) is common. The northern/high elevation aspect is emphasized by abundant Mountain Aster and Wild Sarsaparilla .
Natural Heritage has established a 400 square meter test plot (their # 1) on the south side of the above-mentioned saddle,where they found Northern Red and Chestnut Oaks equally common. In association were Red Maple, Black Birch, Downy Serviceberry, Mountain Holly, Mountain Laurel, Upland Low Blueberry, Witch Hazel, Teaberry, Fly Poison, Mountain Bellwort (Uvularia pudica) , Painted Trillium (Trillium undulatum) , Mountain Aster and a few other woody and herbaceous plants, but totalling only 20 species. A core taken by them from a 13 inch (33 cm) dbh Northern Red Oak yielded an age of 95 years, well illustrating the severe growing conditions.
Northwest of the saddle the elevation increases to 3960 ft. (1210 meters) at the head of Ramsey's Draft at Hiner Spring. For the most part the trail here has a SW aspect, although it follows a ridge, and the forest is dry and ericaceous. While most of the vegetation —Mountain Laurel, Mountain Fetterbush, Minnie-bush, Upland Low Blueberry, Black Huckleberry, Teaberry and Trailing Arbutus (Epigaea repens) — is similar to that at lower elevations, the elevation here is reflected in the absence of Chestnut Oak, the prevalence of Northern Red Oak seedlings as well as mature trees, Mountain Holly, Wild Sarsaparilla and a little Early Low Blueberry as well. Moccasin Flower (Cypripedium acaule) also is unusually abundant.
At the head of Ramsey's Draft the aspect is southeast, although the slope is very gentle. The forest here is again mesic and open and consists of relatively small Northern Red and White Oaks (the latter near its elevational limit), Black and Yellow Birches, Red Maple, American Chestnut Sprouts, Hemlock and Witch Hazel, with ground cover dominated by Hay-scented Fern. Mountain Aster and Curtis Goldenrod are also common.
Natural Heritage also established a test plot (their # 4) down-slope to the southeast of Hiner Spring. This plot is the most mesic found by them, with a canopy dominated by Hemlock and Yellow Birch and a total of 39 vascular plants. Among these were Mountain Aster, Carex scabrata , White Wood Aster (A. divaricatus) , Blue Monkshood (Aconitum uncinatum) , Turtlehead (Chelone glabra) , Black Cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa) , Filmy Angelica (Angelica triquinata) , Wide-leaved Joe-pye Weed (Eupatorium purpureum ),American Beech, White Clintonia (Clintonia umbellulata) , White Hellebore (Veratrum veridi) and Spring Bluets (Houstoni caerulea) .
Above Hiner Spring the trail enters the Wilderness and leads northwest to another saddle between Hardscrabble and Tearjacket Knobs. Here, at an elevation of 4050 ft. (1230 meters), the trail forks, the right branch leading north, the left south to the Hardscrabble summit. The forest from the saddle to the summit, which has a northern aspect, is dry- mesic with large, widely-spaced Northern Red Oak. As usual for this elevation, these trees are thick-trunked, many more than 2 ft. (0.6 meters) dbh and of “orchard” form. Given the fire history of this region, they may be “old growth” and probably exceed 150 years in age. There are also scattered Black Birch and Hemlock and dense thickets of thorned Blackberries. Hay-scented Fern on this slope is particularly impressive, forming a dense waist-high cover. There are also Cinnamon and Interrupted Fern (Osmunda cinnamomea and O. claytoniana) , Indian Cucumberroot, Mountain Aster, Curtis Goldenrod, and under trees, Round-leaf Violet (Viola rotundifolia.) .
The summit of Hardscrabble, at 4282 ft. (1305 meters), is capped by an outcrop of fractured and jumbled sandstone blocks, probably Pocono Formation of Mississippian age. Canopy is mostly Northern Red Oak with Black Birch, Hemlock and White Pine. Mountain Holly and American Chestnut sprouts are in the understory. There is also a group of about ten Red Spruce (Picea rubens) , some of which are about a foot (0.3 meters) in diameter and bear cones. However there is no sign of spruce reproduction and it is likely these trees were planted at the time this peak was established as a fire look-out site.
Most interesting are the plants associated with the rock outcrop. These include mountain and northern species characteristic of cold exposed sites, such as Mountain Maple (Acer spicatum) , Mountain Holly, Fire Cherry (Prunus pensylvanica ) and Red Raspberry . The latter is closely related to and probably the same species as Rubus idæus, the European plant from which the commercial variety is derived. It ranges north to Alaska and is usually found only at high elevations in the Central Appalachians. In addition to the woody species there is also the northern Mountain Bindweed (Polygonum cilinode) , identified easily by a ring of stiff bristles at the nodes and which sprawls across the outcrop. Characteristically also for these summit occurrences, the Red Raspberry is virtually confined to spaces between the jumbled sandstone.
A test plot was established by Natural Heritage immediately southeast of the Hardscarabble summit (their # 2) . The community of this test plot is considerably different from that of the summit , but consists of species already encountered for the most part elsewhere on our traverse. None of the uncommon northerners of the summit found by us were recorded, and the only markedly cold-climate species were Mountain Aster, Mountain Holly and Yellow Birch. A 22 inch (56 cm) dbh Northern Red Oak cored here by them was found to be 150 years old. This result and the record of only 23 species of vascular plants found throughout the growing season in their plot again highlight the nutrient-poor soils and exposed conditions at these elevations.
9-13-1995: Hardscrabble Knob, Calamagrastis porteri?
While not conspicuous, bird life was not absent on these autumnal heights. Small flocks of Juncos (Junco hyemalis) were still present, Ravens (Corvus corax) called from time to time and subdued and unidentified notes were heard from dense cover.
Also noted on Hardscrabble was an unidentified tall grass, fresh-appearing with long drooping leaves. However absence of fruits prevented attempts at identification. It is possible that this grass is Calamagrosti porteri.
An additional point is the contrast in vegetation between the Big Bald and Hardscrabble Summits. The presence of a more ericaceous flora on the former would seem to indicate more acid and perhaps dryer conditions than on the latter. It is also possible that rock differences contribute to this contrast.
Mueller, R. F., 1991, The George Washington National Forest, Central Appalachian Wilderness in Perspective, Wild Earth ! (3) 62 - 67.
Mueller, Bob, 1999, A Wilderness for Ernie. Wild Earth, 9, (1), 84.
Rawinski, Thomas J., Gary P. Flemming and Francine V. Judge, 1994, Forest Vegetation of the Ramsey's Draft and Little Laurel Run Research Natural Areas, Virginia: Baseline Ecological Monitoring and Classification, Division of Natural Heritage Technical Report 94 - 14, Richmond, Va.