Roaring Plains Oct 4-5-6

“Laurel.......gee that's just north of Beltsville.

I'm from Washington and know that entire area TOO well.”

“Roaring Plains is a lot nicer.”

“I don't think next weekend will get here soon enough.

Is anyone else as excited as I am?”

“I'm excited for you guys. Roaring Plains is one of my favorite most places. Wild!

But I'm probably not as excited as you are. But I am excited.”

“i am”

“silly question Tbull.”

“i am always READY! running girl has been brought it up a numerous times in the last 3 weeks so i know she is.”

“Maybe we can talk Pennsy into going!

Whuddoo we have, like, 80 people going?”

“Tom T
Buddur
Baume
Running girl
Prowler
Kym?
GOOSE
Skullcap
Wolfsister
Sauran
LeSubtil
Tarabull
Sass
BB
Gonzo
Brandy?

Who have I missed?

I can't believe it's wednesday already! We'll be on the road before we know it 'cause next week is going to FLY by!!”

“boy will be with us.”

“BB??.....beer belly?

Brandy?

How about a little whiskey?”

“BB=Buddha Bear
Brandy=Gonzo's better half”

“I'm leanin' toward takin' a bit of Scotch.”

“If it should rain that weekend, I hear tell that one member of the party is adept at making shelters under spruce trees.”

“I can eat 'em too.”

“You should drop Sauron from the list, he won't be coming along this time. He has a school activity that weekend.

As far as shuttling capacity goes, we won't have room for people but will have room for packs. It remains to be seen whether or not that will be helpful (I saw a question about that on the other thread).

I can't wait!”

“Dang...That's alot of folks.

Shuttling is an issue that needs to be discussed soon. If at least 2 cars can be shuttled to the ending trail, then those cars can bring only the drivers back to the starting trailhead to get the vehicles while the rest wait with the packs at the end of the trail. Isn't that how it works?”

“That is quite a crowd!

The ten day forecast is showing Sat 10/5 today and its lookin' good!

I will be out there early Fri 10/4.

If I can get away Thursday evening, I'll post it here.”

“we will be getting there around 6:30 pm (hopefully). we have an expedition that can be moved to the other end if folks are around then. that will probably require hiking in after dark, which is no problem for me.”

“We should be in the area around noonish on Friday. Our vehicle will definitely not be suitable for shuttling. However, it has a nifty tailgate if the passengers want to have a tailgate party while waiting for the drivers to return ; ) .”

“If some of you early arriving folks can arrange to meet at about the same time and shuttle some cars prior to others arrival, that'll keep the ones arriving late and or after dark from having to shuttle vehicles.

The (starting) trailhead is only about 4 miles from the end of the trail, so shuttle time should take little time and be very easy to do Fri and Sun.”

“We'll have a van, of some sort, depending on who ends up driving. Not sure, yet, what time we'll be getting there. Probably pretty early on Friday.”

“So once you get to Elkins,WV whats the rest of the directions?”

“it's still a week away, but the weather forecast for next weekend has changed for the worse. make sure you are prepared for any type of weather.”

“Poo!”

“Sounds like fun, I would be joining you guys if it weren't for the Maine trip the following weekend.”

“Take 33 East to Harman

Go North on 32, and turn right and go northeast on 32/72 for about 1-mile and turn right onto 45 Jenningston/Laneville Rd. You are going to want to drive this road as fast as you can...NOT!!!

We will be meeting somewhere around here. Not sure where, but close to there.

If you zoom in on the TopoZone maps you'll see that the red Xs mark where you should turn.”

“The red X is at the parking area for the Flat Rock Plains parking area. There is space for about six cars there. It is one quarter mile east of where Forest Service Route 70 joins FS 19, and at the top of the grade coming up from Laneville. The road makes a fairly sharp left turn just before the parking area is reached.”

“OK I've got the map from Tbull And Budder(thanks) and I think I can find my way to the trail head with the info supplied. I might come in early to get a little WV fishin'in. Anyone have any idea where to drown a worm?”

“I'm psyched as well! A friend of mine may be coming too. I should be there Friday afternoon.

Peace Out...”

“Pick a creek, any creek. Or stop in a country store and ask (They won't tell you the best spot, but they will tell you a spot that works).”

“weather looks good to me, must've changed again.”

“yep, looking good again. yesterday when i posted that it showed rain on friday and saturday. by yesterday afternoon it was just showers on saturday. now it looks good again.”

“I think it's a

little

too early to rely on the forecast. Maybe a few days prior to the trip, but not now.”

“If you don't get rained on once in three days, check the map. You're not on Roaring Plains.”

“BTW, what's the planned route for the trip. Sounds like you're starting off at the Flatrock Plains Trailhead, out to either FS 70 or bushwack to the pipeline, and then where?

Since I can't make the trip, I thought I'd do a virtual hike with my new Offroute.com map of the area.”

“Are we hiking the South Prong trail to the Boars Nest trail to the pipeline? And then where from there? To Roaring Plains trail and then Flatrock Plains trail and out? I'm also a bit fuzzy as to the planned route. Please clarify for me.”

“On the previous thread, North Laurel Fork Mtn whatever, I posted an itinerary that pretty much details the whole Roaring Plains (circuit) Trail(s) with no deviations. Please search that thread, I believe on this thread is a link to the other thread, for any questions regarding the hike.

Anywho... I do plan to deviate from the trail somewhat and anyone is welcome to do the same. There are views in which you must take side trails to get to, and also I plan to hit Thunderstruck Rock sometime when in the area, maybe after dinner on Sat.”

“skully....i went back and revisited the original thread for this trip and my understanding of what was proposed is this:

friday....hike from the easternmost trailhead of the south prong trail (tr517) to the approximate area marked on the map as D or E....everyone meet here and camp for the night....

saturday....hike across the plains and onto the roaring plains trail(tr548) over to the approximate area marked on the map as U....

sunday....easy hike down the flatrock run trail (tr519) to the trailhead on FR19 at the area marked on the map as S....shuttle vehicles would be needed here....

the important thing here is to make sure that everyone gets started up the trail from the correct trailhead on FR19....if you are on FR19 driving from west to east, you would pass one trailhead for south prong trail before coming to the second trailhead a few miles further up the road....



also, with so many people coming in from so many directions, we might want to consider meeting at the gendarme at several different times (ie noon, 2pm, 4pm, 6pm, etc....that way, we won't be waiting there too long for someone to show up and if you are running late, you won't have to wait too long to meet up with someone else at the next meeting time....(does this make sense?? i think it does but i don't know if i am explaining it coherently....)”

“perfectly coherent.”

“There is a bulliten board outside the door to The Gendarme.
Messages could be posted there whether they're open or not.
The guy keeps odd hours.

OK!!!
I see that there are some mistakes here!
The end point is NOT on FR 19 as gonzo posted.
It is the point where Flat Rock Run Trail ends at the paved road in Laneville(not really a town or village).
That point is about 4 miles east of Route 32 at a gas wellhead(there is a fenced-in area with green pipes, etc).
The trail goes up to the Plains through a horse farm.

Buddur has marked a place on the map with a red X at which to turn from Route 32 and go east to go to Laneville.
PLEASE!!!
Don't take that road!
Look at the map.
If you're travelling north on Rt 32 from Harman, the "proper" road to Laneville is a few miles north(of Harman) and on the right(east).
It is just south of Dry Fork(see map).
Dry Fork is just south of where Rt 32 crosses Red Creek.
The "other road" will take you to the same place but it is HAIRY!!!
It is paved but very narrow and "hung" right on the steep contours of the valley.
Also, you will have to backtrack on "my road" from where these two roads meet(Laneville) to get to the trailhead/wellhead/horsefarm.

When I arrive, be it late Thursday or early Friday, I am going to mark the proper turn-off(at Rt 32) with bright-colored plastic tape!
I will mark both trailheads too!

Oh boy, now I've gone and made a promise!
Eeeeeekkkk!!!

Regaring The Gendarme;
Those coming from the west should consider that the road(Rt 33) from Harman to Seneca Rocks(Gendarme) crosses the Allegheny Front at around 3300-3400 and has a wicked descent going east.
It is fit for large trucks but is a brake-burner with many 30 MPH turns......which are to be taken SERIOUSLY.
Westerners might want to meet somewhere in Elkins if you do any meeting.
Elkins is a BIG/little town with lots of places, but I don't have anyplace to recommend except maybe the intersection of Rt's 33 and 219.”

“I've been to the rock twice.

Its a bushwhacker's dream.......if ya like bushwhackin'.

Its a good navigation challenge best done before dark.”

“Mr.Terrific, I've driven that road everytime I've been to the Sods and there's nothing wrong with it other than there are hairpin turns and it can get a bit narrow. But, frankly, that's just indicative of the area, and as scenic of a drive as it gets. As you said, it is "paved" so c'mon now, it truely isn't as bad as you make it seem.

And as the folks I'm driving with are coming from the north, I guess it'd be a longer drive for us to take "your" road.

And how'bout a TopoZone link showing the Gendarme location (please).”

“The Gendarme location link would be good for those coming from the west, but us folks coming from the north won't even come close to that location without going waaaay out of our way.

And if I understand the trailhead/wellhead/horsefarm location correctly, that will be where we'll end the hike, and the location where we'll need to park shuttled cars.”

“Reading the Mon Nat'l For hiking guide...it states that the "S" is on private property and that only ONE (1) car is allowed to park there.

Frankly, if I may be Frank for the moment, technically we only need 1 car to get the shuttling started. But we'll figure that out when we get there.”

“go here to see the end of the trip and some gas pipes but don't go this way to get there. and watch out for the horses.

you folks are confusing me.

i need to get my map out and figure out how to get to the trailhead (the one we will be hiking IN on)from the east. i'll worry about the end of the trip on sunday. i will be coming in through seneca rocks a little before 6:00 pm (hopefully) on friday.”

“Right on brother!

I don't do links.......I'd have to get one of my kids to show me how its done.

The roads in question are roughly parallel and they meet Rt 32 just north and just south of Red Creek.
Either is OK.....
You've never taken the easier road?

You are correct about the end of the hike.

The Gendarme is out of the way for those coming from Elkins(West) too.
I don't recall exactly, but the drive from Harman to Seneca Rocks, east on 33, is 10-20 miles each way......and is a chore......or a pleasure, depending on one's point of view.”

“This location is the trailhead parking and trail is where we'll start the hike. It is marked as an "V" on the map I sent you.”

“baume66-
If I was you, I would go west on Rt 33 to Harman and north on Rt 32 to the road to Laneville.

This will take you past the "end of hike" trail head and the "start" is only 4-6 miles beyond that.

The alternative is to drive north on Rt 28 to the trun-off to Dolly Sods and then UP about 12 miles on gravel roads to the plateau.

There's no need to worry about the horses.
The horsefarm is just a landmark and we'll come out of the woods through the farm.
I've talked to Donnie and even taken refuge in his barn once when Henry and I got whacked by a sudden hail storm on our way out...

I've parked beside the road near the trail head a few times.
As long as the car is out of the road I think its OK.
The horse guy(Donnie) just asked that we not park in his driveway.”

“There are so many posts about directions to the trailhead, I'm losing my mind. Thank goodness we'll have Buddur in the car. Won't have to worry bout a thing!”