Paddy Mountain 3 High Heads - Virginia, United States

Story: Kids, don't try this at home.  Really, I mean that.

If you are thinking of doing what I just did, you better know your GPS and you better be in shape.  This is NOT the trek to try out hand-me-down Garmin that your brother gave you because he bought a new one.

I spent the better part of the summer planning this little caper.  I looked at every angle of Paddy Mountain trying to figure out a way up and down.  I looked at the aerial imagery and the USGS TOPOs and determined there was no easy approach.  There is a reason this mountain is untrailed:  It's a pile of rocks, and where there are no rock there is mountain laurel that is intertwined in one big knot.

Although I didn't take this route, the easiest way to the peak may be from the south ridge, you might start where the Tuscarora Trail turns westward.  My route was counterclockwise, I went up the west slope and down the east side.  I went up a rock slide I went down a rock slide.  Naturally, I decided to err on the side of stupidity and didn't take a cell phone or a PLB.  It didn't matter, if I had fallen there would have been no way to get me down anyway.   I would have been turkey vulture snack food.   I did not take any pictures of the rock slides because I was having enough trouble keeping my balance, I wasn't going to start fooling with my camera.   You are going to have to take my word they exist.

Lucky for me I had planned everything quite carefully, my DeLorme PN40 was loaded up with the USGS Topos 1:24 which proved very helpful in deciding the route.  Every contour counted.   I was very happy I summited and even happier when I saw the minivan.  Damn I'm good.

Tags: Zepp

Photos: See all pictures from Paddy Mountain 3 High Heads
The road near the campsite, Minivan is my partner in crime, The tree stole my headband, Near the flat part of the route., Rocks at the top, I made it, The view from the top, Half moon looking across the ridge, Strange bug at the campsite.