text: Old Rag is Shenandoah's most popular and most dangerous hike. The number of blogs and websites about this hike attests to its popularity. The number of search and rescue missions each year attests to its danger. There's no doubt that the scramble is great fun and the views are spectacular. A day on Old Rag is one of Shenandoah's premier experiences. We want to be sure that your experience is not marred by an accident or health issue that could be prevented with good planning. 
   
   
   
   
   
   Old Rag Mountain Safety Video (object placeholder) Planning Your Visit The most important step to a great hiking experience in Shenandoah National Park is good planning. Many of the points below are applicable to any hike, but there are a few special considerations for Old Rag. Be sure that you are physically able to complete this hike. The circuit hike is about 9 miles. There is a significant elevation change and a strenuous rock scramble that requires good upper body strength. Often, children and shorter adults need assistance navigating the scramble. 
   
   Take at least 2 quarts of water per person. Dehydration is one of the most prevalent issues. 
   
   Wear sturdy shoes that will support your ankles and allow you to to get a foothold without slipping. 
   
   Allow 7 or 8 hours. Yes, people do it in less time but, like all types of travel, you may experience unanticipated delays. It's always a good idea to have a headlamp in case you don't complete your hike before dark. 
   
   Be sure you know the forecast and never attempt this hike in wet or icy conditions. 
   
   Stay with your group and stay on the trail. Do not allow children to run ahead. 
   
   Although you need to be sure you have plenty of water and food, it is a good idea to pack as lightly as possible. Most hikers prefer fanny packs to backpacks which can be difficult to maneuver through the rock scramble. 
   
   Planning your hike on a weekday will enhance your experience. Old Rag can become very crowded on weekends. At times, the parking lot will be full and there will be long lines and substantial waits at some of the narrow passages. For current conditions follow us on Twitter: ShenandoahNPS. 
   
   Pets are strictly forbidden on Old Rag for their own and hikers' safety. Directions Although Old Rag Mountain is within the boundaries of Shenandoah National Park, most people approach it from the park's eastern boundary. Follow these directions to get to the trailhead: From Sperryville, Route 211: Take Route 522 south for .8 mile. Turn right onto Route 231 and go 8 miles. Turn right onto Route 601 and follow the signs to the parking area (approximately 3 miles). 
   
   From Madison, Route 29 Business: TakeRoute 231 for 12.8 miles. Turn left onto Route 602 and follow the signs to the parking area (approximately 3 miles). Parking Especially during busy weekends, parking can be another challenge. All Old Rag hikers must use the large parking area at the Old Rag Fee Station. The small parking area at the Old Rag Trailhead is NOT open to the public. Parking at the lot at the fee station is free. You are required to purchase an entrance permit. Landowners with property adjacent to the Park are charging a fee for parking on their property. Paying a private citizen to park does not affect the entrance fee. Be sure to check the Shenandoah lot for availability before paying to park. 
   
   
   
   In an effort to make the Old Rag experience safer, we have increased patrols so the trailhead lot will be reserved for Old Rag staff including Search and Rescue personnel, park staff, trail overseers, and Old Rag Mountain Stewards. The parking lot is about a .8 mile walk along the road to the trailhead 
   
   
   
   Parking is prohibited along the road shoulders. Please use the lot to avoid being towed. Fees Visitors hiking Old Rag must have a valid Shenandoah National Park entrance permit. You can purchase permits and yearly passes from Rangers when present, or via self-pay at the Old Rag Fee Station. Please note: We cannot accept pre-loaded gift cards. Learn more about Shenandoah's fees. Overnight Camping in the Old Rag Area Legal overnight camping sites are very limited in the Old Rag area. Camping is prohibited above 2,800'. If you want to make your trip an overnight one, you'll need a Backcountry Camping permit and you'll need to study a map of the area to choose a site. Visit our Backcountry Trip Planning pages for more information. Study the suggested trips for the Old Rag, Corbin Hollow, and Nicholson Hollow areas. Old Rag Trail Description and Map Other Resources Want to know more about Old Rag? There are numerous organizations and publications devoted to this exceptional resource in Shenandoah National Park: Old Rag Mountain Stewards is a volunteer group whose members patrol the Old Rag area helping hikers understand how to protect themselves and the resource. Visit the Old Rag Mountain Stewards website. Websites and Blogs - You can learn a lot about Old Rag by reading the comments of other hikers. There are hundreds of comments about this and other great hikes on the "Hiking Upward" website for one example. Publications - Get hiking guidebooks and other publications about Old Rag from the Shenandoah National Park Association. ||||| Nicole Mittendorff (Photo: Virginia State Police) 
   
   FAIRFAX, Va. (WUSA9) -- Police need help locating a missing 31-year-old woman firefighter from Woodbridge, Va. 
   
   Police resumed their search for 31-year-old Nicole K. Mittendorff Monday morning. 
   
   Search for Fairfax Co. Firefighter Nicole Mittendorff suspended for tonight. It will resume tomorrow am @wusa9 pic.twitter.com/lMKs7DsvA1 — Stephanie Gailhard (@stephitv) April 18, 2016 
   
   She was reported missing to Virginia State Police on Friday and police say her car was found abandoned shortly before 8 p.m. on Saturday. She has not contacted her family since Wednesday. 
   
   Her dad she is extremely dedicated to her job as a firefighter at Merrifield station. She has been a firefighter for three years. 
   
   According to a post on Facebook. her dad says she did not show up for her Friday morning changeover. 
   
   Mittendorff's 2009 Mini Cooper was found in a parking lot in Shenandoah National Park. 
   
   She is described by police as a 5'6 white female, weighing 125 lbs. with blonde hair and green eyes. 
   
   Mittendorff's dad says she enjoys training for triathlons. 
   
   Her family says she would often go to Shenandoah National Park to run. 
   
   Nicole's neighbors fear she was attacked on one of the trails. 
   
   A prayer vigil for Nicole will be held Monday at 7:30 p.m. at St Paul UMC 1400 G St Woodbridge. 
   
   Her family has set up a Facebook page titled Find Nicole. 
   
   Anyone with information concerning her whereabouts is asked to call Virginia State Police at 703-803-0026. ||||| - (AP) - Virginia State Police say they are continuing their search for a woman who was reported missing and whose car was found abandoned in a parking lot in the Shenandoah National Park. 
   
   Virginia State Police say 31-year-old Nicole K. Mittendorff of Woodbridge, Virginia, was reported missing Friday and her car was discovered Saturday evening. Monday's searches for Mittendorff, who is a firefighter and paramedic with Fairfax County Fire and Rescue, will concentrate in the region of White Oak Canyon Trail, where her vehicle was discovered. 
   
   Mittendorff is a white female with blonde hair and green eyes. She is 5’6 and weighs approximately 125 lbs. The last contact her family had with her was Wednesday, April 13, 2016. 
   
   Anyone with information concerning her whereabouts is asked to call Virginia State Police at 703-803-0026 or #77 on a cell phone or 911 or email at questions@vsp.virginia.gov. State Police say Mittendorff, who has blonde hair and green eyes, last had contact with her family on Wednesday. 
   
   Family has set up a webpage to assist in the search: http://find-nicole.com/ 
   
   The Associated Press contributed to this report. ||||| Update: Search resumes for missing firefighter in Shenandoah National Park 
   
   A car belonging to a missing 31-year-old Woodbridge woman was found in a remote area of the Shenandoah National Park over the weekend, but the search continues for the avid runner and tri-athlete who family members said might have been in the park to use a running trail. 
   
   Virginia State Police discovered Nicole K. Mittendorff’s 2009 Mini Cooper parked near the White Oak Canyon Trail — close to Old Rag — on Saturday night, said Corinne Geller, a spokeswoman for the state police. But there has been no other sign of Mittendorff since the middle of last week. Family members reported Mittendorff missing Friday after she didn’t show up for a morning shift at her job, which was highly unusual for her. 
   
   To aid in the search, the family set up a web page, Find-Nicole.com, that is seeking tips and has provided regular updates on Mittendorff’s possible whereabouts. In a Facebook post, her father said Mittendorff was “extremely dedicated” to her job and didn’t show up for a Friday morning changeover, sparking concern. 
   
   Jennifer Clardy Chalmers, Mittendorff’s sister, said Mittendorff is a career paramedic/firefighter with Fairfax County Fire and Rescue, and has been with the department since 2013. The department directed questions to Virginia State Police. 
   
   Nicole Mittendorff was reported missing on April 15, 2016 and her car was found in rural Virginia a day later. (Family photo) 
   
   “We are holding up as best as can be expected under difficult circumstances,” Chalmers said Sunday. “At this time we are focused on finding Nicole and have the deepest appreciation for everyone helping. We hope and pray for a safe resolution in the near future.” 
   
   Family members speculated that Mittendorff might have been going out to train for a race. Shenandoah National Park, along the Blue Ridge Mountains, has an extensive trail network, including a stretch of the Appalachian Trail. The White Oak Canyon Trail runs near Skyline Drive and it is known for it waterfalls. 
   
   “Nicole likes to compete in multi-sport events such as triathlons and regularly runs half marathons,” read a companion Facebook page “Find Nicole.” “She participates in CrossFit, is a gym regular and can often be found riding and running on trails.” 
   
   Robert Clardy, Mittendorff’s father, said in his Facebook post his last contact with her was through text messages at about 10:50 a.m. Wednesday morning. 
   
   State and U.S. Park Police have been searching for Mittendorff by ground and by air, and efforts to find her continued Sunday afternoon, police said. 
   
   Mittendorff is described as a 5-foot-6-inch white female with blonde hair and green eyes, weighing about 125 pounds. The Virginia State Police has asked anyone with information about Mittendorff to call (703) 803-0026 or email information to questions@vsp.virginia.gov. 
   
   In a Facebook post Sunday morning, Clardy thanked friends and followers for their dedication to finding his daughter and for their words of support. 
   
   “My near and dear are a treasure, and the time with them is a reservoir in this drought,” he said.
target: – Police have uncovered one big clue but no answers in the search for a 31-year-old Virginia woman who was last heard from on Wednesday. Nicole Mittendorff's 2009 Mini Cooper was found Saturday night in what the Washington Post describes as a "remote area" of the Shenandoah National Park; it was left near the Whiteoak Canyon Trail, which is close to Old Rag, described by the National Park Service as Shenandoah's "most popular and most dangerous hike." Some of Mittendorff's family suggested it's possible she was headed to the area to do a trail run, something she reportedly regularly did. Fox 5 DC reports authorities have said that nothing yet indicates something "suspicious in nature" occurred. WUSA9 describes Mittendorff as "extremely dedicated" to her job as a firefighter; her father says she didn't show up for a changeover on Friday morning, and she was reported missing that day. A "Find Nicole" website and Facebook page have been set up. The latter features a Saturday night post from Mittendorff's husband, Steven, who "continues to ask for your prayers for both our family and the many who continue to investigate." As for the search, another post on the page notes the Virginia State Police "do not need volunteers and they've asked to keep away anyone outside the official effort. That will keep any changes, traces or other items undisturbed and prevent distractions."