Boulders on Old Rag, Shenandoah National Park
Old Rag is one of the most iconic hikes in Shenandoah National Park. The rock scramble as you approach the summit is a fun challenge, and the 360-degree spectacular views from the top are worth the strenuous 9 miles round trip and 3,000’ of elevation gain. The boulders are old rag granite, a metamorphic rock formed during the Grenville Orogeny, a mountain-building event. Slow cooling deep within the Earth's crust led to coarse crystal growth and white-to-light-gray color. The boulders were further shaped by wind and water erosion on the exposed granitic blocks. Double matted and framed to 11x14 and available at Gay Street Gallery during this last weekend of my show.