This release site was located one kilometer north of Grayson Highlands State Park in Grayson County, just inside the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area. The hack box was situated on the tallest of three large outcroppings approximately one half kilometer apart oriented north-south along the crest of a rocky, pastured ridge known as Wilburn Ridge. All three of these rock outcroppings exceeded 1585 meters in elevation and are located less than 3 km southeast of the summit of Mt. Rogers (Virginia's highest point at 1609 m.). Rocky pasture, dense rhododendron thickets, and spruce-fir forest make up the surrounding habitat.

Notable for this site was the fact that the Appalachian Trail runs north-south within sight of the hack site, and a spur trail off the A.T. actually traverses the ridge that was used for the release. Hack attendants were forced to close this spur trail during the release effort, although much time was spent responding to curious hikers. Despite the 6.5 mile roundtrip hike to replenish supplies each week, the hack attendants were treated to the calls of Northern Saw-whet Owls by night and awakened to the trills of juncos and Vesper Sparrows each morning. This site was used with good success for the first two years of the mountain reintroduction effort beginning in 1985.

List of Hack Attendants

Dana Bradshaw
Joel Clark
Kathy Kyle
Russ Melton