My third day in the field was actually the fourth day of the trip. The day before I had finished with my conference responsibilities in the afternoon, and headed back west, but I had to go through DC at rush hour and spent several hours ensnarled in unbelievable traffic. I finally reached the mountains before sundown, found a campground on Massanusset Mountain, and got my tent up and settled in as the light failed. I had gotten no herping done that today, but now I was in position for the next day. I fell asleep to the sound of a nearby stream, and Spring Peepers calling all around my tent. I'd take it over the madding crowds in the District of Columbia any day.

This new day, my objective was three separate species of Virginia salamanders, each at a different spot. I would leapfrog my way down Interstate 81 and hopefully find all three. First up for the day was the Shenandoah Salamander. Plethodon shenandoah is only known from the tops of three mountains within the Shenandoah National Park. The morning was chilly but clear as I drove south along the parkway; even without much foliage, the scenery was outstanding. Reaching the parking area, I tossed some fruit and granola bars in my knapsack, as there was no telling at this point how far I would have to climb to reach the top of the mountain.

The trail quickly became steep, as it passed up through mixed stands of trees, and in short order there were plenty of rocks to look under. Here I found a number of Redbacks, the species that would compete with Plethodon shenandoah further up the mountain. This was turning into a major hike - the trail seemed to go straight up, and had numerous switchbacks, and after a half hour of slow but steady walking, the trees began to thin out, and to shrink. The summit seemed near now, and I was still turning up Redbacks. Then I saw an exposed talus slide ahead, and I got my hopes up - this was where shenandoah likes to live. Upon reaching the base of the rock pile, I flipped a bit of log about as thick as my arm, and there it was - a dark, pretty little salamander, sporting tiny silver and gold flecks on the dorsum. Plethodon shenandoah, and this one was a gift - I didn't need to clamber over a pile of rocks, or disturb anything, or fall down the mountain. It was right here, and it seemed all too easy, if you didn't count the hike up here.

After pictures were taken and the little salamander safely tucked back under its log, I went on up to the summit. No point in wasting a perfectly good view from up there, and I wanted to poke around for some more salamanders. I turned up a pair of yellow-striped salamanders under a log. These were probably shenandoah as well, since there is a yellow-striped variety. I also found a few more Redbacks here on the mountain top. While these two species certainly compete in this habitat, they reportedly interbreed as well. Perhaps some of the Redbacks with broken and diffused stripes that I had seen were a mix of the two.

It was time for me to move on to my next spot and my next salamander, so I headed back down the trail.  It's always easier going back down...