Shenandoah Revealed

At the top of Little Stony Man peak (elevation 3,215 feet), we stopped for lunch. It was warm, and the views to the west were expansive.

Refortified, we headed up to Stony Man Mountain (4,011 feet). On the way, we ran into a Belgian couple who had gotten turned around. See what can happen without a guide?

By the time we reached Skyland around 4 p.m., we'd climbed 1,000 feet, hiked for about 3 1/2 hours and lollygagged for two.

The next day, my guide was Chad Heddleston, 23, one of Nichols's employees. This time we started five miles south of Skyland Resort, at the Upper Hawksbill parking area. We hoofed it 450 feet up (the trip's single steepest climb) to Hawksbill Summit, at 4,049 feet the highest point in the park.

With a cold front having moved in overnight and the wind howling, we quickly admired the brilliant blue skies and unusually clear views and then hastily descended into the woods. We stopped just below the Pollock Knob overlook, where Heddleston, bless his heart, whipped out a Thermos full of steaming hot chocolate.

By the end of the second hike, I was tired and my legs pleasantly sore. Sure, I could have done the hikes myself, but my two guides were great company, and the nature nuggets they imparted enhanced my time in the woods. For some of the other offerings, qualified guides and instructors are even more important.

Most of the outings are based at Skyland Resort, a roadside hotel run by Aramark. A few of them start nine miles south at Big Meadows Lodge. Unfortunately, as capable and competent as Nichols and his guides are, Aramark still has lots of bugs to work out, starting with the blank looks I got at Skyland's front desk when I said I had arrived for the trekking program. Our morning start was delayed because Aramark had given Nichols and me different meeting times. And when the lunches finally came, the promised hiking map wasn't included.

Yes, a few kinks are expected in any new program, but over two days, Aramark exceeded its quota. Had they offered a "we-don't-know-what-we're-doing-yet" discount, or even an apology, I may have felt more forgiving. (Nichols said the Aramark staff would undergo more program training.)

As for accommodations, my room in the Canyon building, which would have cost about $110 a night separately, was basic and dated. But the sweeping mountain view westward made it priceless.

In the dining room, Aramark is joining the "green" bandwagon by offering some menu selections featuring local fish and organic produce. Those were welcome and far superior to the such breakfast fare as frozen hash browns.

The dining room, with its expanse of glass, offers even more dazzling panoramas. Still, as Nichols will tell you, the best mountain views are from the trails.