Mom's first hike, Hogcamp Gap to Spy Rock, VA

Since my 2011 AT sobo thru-hike, my mom has been inspired to get involved in Trail life. She started with trail magic to me and my friends during my hike and since has joined her local chapter AT club, the Tidewater Appalachian Trail Club, which maintains one of my favorite sections on the entire trail, Reids (Reeds) Gap to the Tye River, including Three Ridges Mountain and the Mau Har Trail. I chose this hike for her first backpacking trip in the mountains for it's minimal elevation gain and fantastic final overlook at Spy Rock. Cooper fully enjoyed himself, as always!

The greatest elevation gain of the hike: up Tar Jacket Ridge from Hogcamp Gap parking/camping area, about a 500' climb.

Best water source during the hike between Hogcamp Gap and the Seely Woodsworth Shelter is down an old woods roads (dirt) a wee bit South of this intersection, to the East. (The opposite direction from the Lovingston Spring Trail)

Nice view of the Religious Range from the top of Tar Jacket Ridge.

there are some nice tent sites at this shelter

Cooper in his red Groundbird Gear jacket, on top of my Montbell red sleeping bag. Making breakfast in the morning at Seely Woodsworth.

We did not camp here, but this is a very nice campsite North of Seely Woodsworth, called Porters Gap.

Cooper really enjoyed exploring the top of Spy Rock and the double handles on his Groundbird Gear harness made it so easy to lift him up the tricky parts of the rock scramble to the top.

Spy Rock. View of the Priest and Three Ridges (the furthest back ridge, the gap in between them is the Tye River). This is one of the very best overlooks on the AT. It is one of the only 360 degree viewpoints on the AT in VA.