Trek to Big Schloss

I recently took part in a trek to Big Schloss, a peak in the George Washington National Forest on the Virginia-West Virginia border. A 3 hour car ride from Washington D.C. (2 hours from Northern Virginia) takes you to the trailhead at Wolf Gap Campground where one begins the 4.5 mile hike and climb to the peak (2,964 feet). 

The start is insanely steep and rocky: the ascent in the first 0.7 miles is over 1,000 feet! After that, it levels out and the hike along the ridge is much easier. Another shorter climb gets you to a picturesque wooden bridge; then a short rock scramble and I had reached the summit and the stunning picture postcard views! 

The rock outcropping or spur was named by German settlers in the area. It really does look like a schloss, or castle with turrets.  

My companions were a couple dozen members of the World Bank 1818 Hiking Club. Most were experienced hikers casually chatting about treks they’d already done or were going to do in Patagonia, Tibet, Mt. Kilimanjaro, and Norway. 

Cardio Workout

Unlike moi! I huffed and puffed the whole entire way; it was a challenge and a real cardio workout! The rocky terrain at the beginning of the hike was treacherous! My feet kept slipping on slush and finding holes burrowed by animals. I took a couple of small spills and skinned my knees, but nothing serious. 

My friend Xiao Ye lent me one of her hiking poles which really helped on the downward journey as it took the strain off my scraped knees. 

Clueless and Cold!

I wore too many layers and was soaked through! It was 35 degrees F to begin with and warmed up another 10 degrees by the afternoon. But, as soon as I started climbing, I got very hot, very fast. Removing the layers would’ve meant carrying them in my backpack, so I left them on!  

Next time, I would definitely go lighter and ditch most of the contents of my backpack - everything except two liters of water, camera or phone to take pictures with, Tic-tac or other mints, and lip balm. I carried snacks but brought them back untouched. Other unused items were a poncho, phone charger, Band Aid, sunscreen, and insect repellent. 

I would also wear clothes with multiple easy-to-reach pockets, such as cargo pants. 

New Togs!

In anticipation of the hike, I splurged on swanky new Salomon hiking boots, Smartwool merino socks, and REI hat and gloves, and broke them in the previous day during a day-long trek from the Lincoln Memorial to Capitol Hill and back - and all the newer memorials in between!  

I was thinking of previous hikes I’d done a long time ago in Nepal: trails in Pokhara, the Everest Base Camp; and India: Lahaul-Spiti (Himachal Pradesh); Valley of the Flowers, Hemkund Sahib, and Kedarnath (Uttarkhand).  

They were all accomplished sans hiking poles or any smart outdoor gear and equipment.  

We had plain old sneakers then which may not have even been waterproof!  I remember wearing woolen “inners,” multiple sweaters and parkas, and buying a blue and white (slightly used) ski jacket in Nepal before starting the Annapurna Circuit and proudly using that in all my treks. Those were the days!

“Chai” Shops and Litter 

I also remember the ubiquitous “chai” shops all over the Indian and Nepalese trails. The “chai” or tea was served sweet and milky, flavored with ginger and “tulsi” (holy basil), sometimes pepper; along with glucose biscuits and hard boiled eggs.  

I recall biting into more than one not-so-fresh egg on the arduous trek to Gurudwara Shri Hemkund Sahibji, a Sikh place of worship, at an elevation of over 15,000 feet in India’s Garhwal Himalayas. 

The tea was so welcome then but perhaps impractical in today’s world! Imagine the chaos and litter that tea stalls would create on the narrow trail to Big Schloss? Good thing they weren’t there!

Looking back at treks in Nepal, I remember my first time in Pokhara with a group of New Zealanders and being offended at the incongruous sight of plastic bags littered everywhere! Those were less PC days, before the threat of imminent Climate Change, unchecked commercialization - and looming environmental disaster!

Trekkers help the Economy

In North America, outdoor enthusiasts, especially trekkers, have helped to transform and grow rural economies and make them more sustainable.  

Trekkers support small business owners when they visit recreation areas and pay for entrances fees, licenses and other travel-related expenses such as airfares, rental cars, lodging, campgrounds, restaurants, groceries, gasoline, souvenirs, and much more. 

According to an Outdoor Industry Association study, Americans spend $646 billion on outdoor recreation each year which directly results in more than 6.1 million direct jobs and $80 billion in federal, state and local tax revenue. 

Rest and Ibuprofen!

The back and forth on Big Schloss took about 4 hours. My companions went on a hike to another nearby peak that afternoon, Tibbet Knob, but I opted out in favor of rest and ibuprofen!

My recovery was quick. Two days later I did another 3 hour trek along the Potomac. Good times!  

Ludi Joseph

Washington, D.C.

February 26, 2020