Old Rag Mountain

Mad & I went hiking at Old Rag Mountain the day after school ended this year. Old Rag is a unique mountain in Shenandoah National Park. It sits east of the main line of the Blue Ridge Mountains; eventhough it is a little shorter (3268') than some other nearby peaks, it appears to be taller since it is all alone. The rocks on top are over one billion years old (unless you subscribe to the young earth theory, which would make them approximately 5800 years old).

It was a little windy on the summit.

This is the view of the way we came up. The hike is very difficult, with lots of rock scrambling. I had climbed the mountain by myself a couple of years ago, and after having to boost a thirty-something woman up a section of the trail I decided to wait a while before bringing Madeline. The loop trail we hiked is almost 9 miles long, by far the most Mad had hiked at one time.
She complained on the way up and on the way down, but she loved the rock scrambling in the middle.

This is looking west to the Blue Ridge.

 

Little girls

Few things on earth beat pictures of sleeping babies.

Emma is already so much larger than when she was born. Her hair line is receding - she is destined to be bald like the other two girls - so she looks something like a 50ish man with male pattern baldness.

Molly loves her hats. This helmet is one of the few things that can make her large head look small by comparison.

Thanks for the sling, Catherine. I haven't used it, but Dea likes it.