Standing, from left: Cam Carr ’18, Michael Sloan ’18, Edwin Robinson ’21, Zac Wood ’20, Joey Szabo ’19, Alec Williams ’19 and Pierce Waller ’21.  In front are Zymir Faulkner ’21 and Will Rukuba ’19.

Mr. Tony Brown’s two Appalachian Studies classes visited Shenandoah National Park on Friday, January 26.  His students have been studying the mountain range, its history and its future. The students are reading Bill Bryson’s A Walk In the Woods that details his journey on the 2,179-mile Appalachian Trail.

At Bearfence Mountain, the group met a hiker who had been on the trail for several weeks.  He was backpacking through Shenandoah National Park and back to Pennsylvania (more than 300 miles).  The boys were fascinated with the hiker’s stories and the fact that he was so relaxed. He explained that he was taking a break from the stress of life.  In fact, he wasn’t even sure what day of the week it was.  “He guessed Tuesday, but we didn’t tell him it was Friday.  Everyone got a good chuckle,” say Mr. Brown.

The group journeyed on to Hawksbill Mountain which is a two-mile hike up to the highest point in Shenandoah National Park.

For photos, click here.