NORSA ICE Conquers Another GWNF Peak

On January 17th, 2009, NORSA members convened for the annual Insane Cold-weather Excursion (ICE), an extreme camping trip in below-freezing temperatures. This year's ICE, though different in many ways from last year's, had much in common with ICE 2008. For instance, this year saw no more turnout than last year, and once again, ICE was confined to just three intrepid adventurers.

Repeat-offenders Tom, Steve, and Steven S., all from last year's ICE, coordinated and participated in the trip this new year. Furthermore, in what is becoming a tradition, the trio set out late and ended up hiking up the mountain partially in the dark. Finally, once more this year, as with last, 40's were purchased for summit consumption.

Upon hitting the trailhead, Tom and Steve, veterans of NORSA ICE 2004, remembered the parking area and quick stream crossing from the previous trip. The failed attempt to reach Duncan Knob in 2004 actually resulted in a camping trip at Scothorn Gap, and this year's group passed by the old campsite on this trip. In 2004, explorers from NORSA found the saddle pond along a trail which actually leads to Duncan Knob, but, without the aid of a map, they couldn't know that they were only about three miles from the peak. The 2009 ICE crew passed the pond in the waning daylight and pushed forward the remainder of the yellow-blazed Scothorn Gap Trail until it connected with the blue-blazed Gap Creek Trail that leads up to the Peach Orchard Gap campsite between Duncan Knob and the Middle Mountain ridgeline.

After reaching the white-blazed Duncan Knob Summit Trail, the troop set uphill to climb the peak, but instead deemed the final rock scramble to be to dangerous in the limited light. Returning to Peach Orchard Gap, they set up camp in the clearing and lit a raging fire to stave off the frigid, bone-chilling cold. Though not as windy as Signal Knob, the campsite at Peach Orchard Gap was not lacking for good fire wood and nature stoked the flames quite handily with some strong gusts. When the fire was out, the campers settled down to get what rest they could in long hours of the frozen night.

The next morning dawned rosily over the Massanuttens and Steve, Tom, and Steven S. set up the ridge trail to finish what they'd started. Duncan Knob, from it's perch on the peak of Catback Mountain, offers a spectacular 360° view of the George Washington National Forest and the surrounding area. To the east, one can see Kerns Mountain and Jawbone Gap; to the south, Waterfall Mountain and Scothorn Gap; to the east, the Shenandoah River and river valley is visible through Burner's Gap; and to the north, Duncan Hollow, Fort Valley, and Kennedy Peak. The climb to the peak is a fun rock scramble that involves some decent climbing skills and the payoff is rewarding when the view is great on a clear day.

Returning to camp and gathering their gear, the crew set off on the trail to return home. Along the way, though, they couldn't resist the saddle pond and it's enticing glassy surface. A solid six-inch thick sheet of ice covered the pond and petrified the clearing in a crystalline winter stillness. Some fox and deer tracks were in the sprinkling of snow that covered the icy pond's edge, and, following suit, the NORSA campers enjoyed some fun on the ice as well. Then, it was time to finish the hike and grab some lunch before heading back to DC. A trip to Front Royal brought the hungry trekkers to Mikado Japanese Steakhouse for some fantastic hibachi before heading back to the city and all the incoming Inaugural traffic.

ICE 2009 marks another big success in the pages of the NORSA extreme adventures. The 8° weather was second only to the 7° temperature of ICE 2004, and the night-hiking was equally, if not more, extreme as the night-hike of ICE 2008. With another year under its belt, who knows what 2010 will bring any adventurers brave enough to put themselves through the absudity that is NORSA ICE?