Having read about many of the hikes available along the Skyline Drive, tried to focus on doing the ones that were the most interesting and fit within my timeline for this trip. One such hike is the to the eastern and western summits of Compton Peak. Most notably the eastern summit has is said to have an example of columnar jointing, like examples I have seen out west.
The trail starts easy enough and is well worn. There is a slight uphill climb, but nothing drastic and it doesn't seem to deter the visitors to much, most of whom are wearing masks. In fact, this is the most compliant group I have seen on this entire trip. Yay Virginia!
As I near the top, a sign points to the summit (which I know to be the western summit), but I decide to explore the eastern side first and therefore turn left at this junction. The trail from here is pretty steep and requires some amount of scrambling. There is also some lingering rain water, making this part of the trail slightly treacherous, but I take my time and make my way down to the base of the columnar jointing formation.
I've visited several of the geologic wonders all over the country, including Devil's Postpile, Columns of the Giants, Sheepeater Cliff, and even a few other less well-known examples. I have to say that this is one of the most spectacular I've seen. Visitors are able to walk right under the broken columns, which form what is essentially a building sized boulder made up of the individual columns. The joining is clear and distinct and there really is no mistaking what happened here geologically. These features are caused by fast-cooling lava flows rich in magnesium and iron. The oddity about this site is it's age. This area has not been volcanically active in many millions of years and yet these columns are incredibly well preserved.
Returning to the fork in the trail, I had up to the taller western summit. It's actually pretty anticlimactic after where I've just been. A pile of rocks notes the actual summit, but trees in all directions make any views pretty much impossible. Ah well, the geology was well worth the hike. I make way back down the mountain and return to the jeep. Time to find some shelter for the night. My adventure continues tomorrow in western Pennsylvania.
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