Old Rag Mountain
| Old Rag Mountain |
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Old Rag Mountain, or simply Old Rag, is a mountain in Madison County, Virginia. A popular hiking destination; it is located in Shenandoah National Park, and is considered unusual in that unlike most mountains of the Blue Ridge, it has an exposed (rocky) top.
It is also located near the Washington, DC area which adds to its popularity and traffic - especially during the first weekend of spring, and the peak leaf season in the fall. Foliage aside, however, the seven-mile loop hike is considered a rite of passage for mid-Atlantic hikers.
The summit mile of the hike consists of a fun and strenuous rock scramble.
Old Rag is also a unique destination for rock climbing in the mid-Atlantic region. Its large granite exposures offer rock climbers an experience similar to that provided by the granite rocks of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, Yosemite, North Carolina, and New Hampshire - it boasts splitter cracks, dihedrals, and crystal pinching slabs.
The climbs are between 50 and 100 feet in length; and range in difficulty from beginner to expert (5.4- to 5.12+ on the Yosemite Decimal System).