Sodsfest 2004: Dolly Sods in June

“Thanks for the email! I wanted to go on this trip, but will be going door-to-door for the Kerry campaign on Saturday, all day. I figure, if Bush stays in office, they'll be drilling and logging the place in the next four years, so I'm working to keep it environmentally sound for years to come.

Have fun out there!”

“Buddha Bear, you're OK!!!”

“Actually, Mark, I'm a jacka$$! :)”

“it's deet. i guess it must be a canadian brand.

anyone know what the long-range forcast looks like? cold? hot? wet? all-of-the-above?”

“You normally get the afternoon showers out there, so bring rain gear.”

“Hey, I'm a jackass too!

We may be in for some wetness up there.”

“Long range forecast is for Isolated T-storms Friday, Sun on Saturday and Sunday, but I'm sure that'll change. The last time I went up there the forecast was for sun and it was socked in.”

“There are lots of camping spots in the wilderness area and Dolly Sods North (the plateau).

Monongahela means Father of Waters. The Sods is west of the Allegheny Front (which forms the eastern border of the Sods), so it is in the rainy part of the mountains. It is very rare to go three days in a row without rain up there. It happened to me once, and people I ran into were totally amazed.”

“...do we meet at a certain spot or is everyone just hiking their own hike??

If we meet, where?? when???”

“I'll probably just wait for people to show up at the intersection of Little Stonecoal and Dunkenbarger I don't know if there's an obvious place there (rock outcropping or such) for people to meet up at.”

“The obvious meeting place would be the parking lot at the game manager's cabin where FS 19 crosses Red Creek.”

“Gemini, do you know how to get to the trail head where FS 19 crosses Red Creek?”

“i have no clue. never been in WV”

“Try looking for Laneville, West Virginia on mapquest.”

“found lanewville. woah...that's almost 500 miles from me. Okay... I better find you guys!”

“Gemini, I'm guessin' you would drive north on I-77 to I-81 in Virginia.

North on I-81 to Harrisonburg, Virginia.

West on Route 33 all the way to Harmon, West Virginia.
Take the right fork at Harmon.
There is a school at the fork and it a little bit of a town.

North on Route 32 less than 5 miles to Bonner Mountain Road, turn right.
If you miss Bonner Mountain Road, you will pass through the village of Dry Fork and cross Red Creek.

A while back I wrapped yellow tape around the phone pole there and the road climbs steeply with a big church on left at the top of the hill.

It is about 4-5 miles to Laneville.
There is nothing there, no village.
Its a few more miles to the trail head.
That is where the paved road ends when it crosses Red Creek.
Forest Road #19 starts there and climbs steeply.
The Trail head is just before #19 after you cross the creek.

I will try to flag the trail head with some pretty colored tape. >8^)

When will you get there?”

“The trailhead is obvious, right after you cross the creek there is a Ranger cabin on the left, parking for about 10 or 11 cars is behind the cabin.”

“You guys are going to either the Bright Morning Cafe or Blackwater Brew Pub in Davis (or both) at the end of the trip, right?”

“At Harmon, WVa take Route 32 North.”

“Geo, I guess it depends how beat-up we are.

Hmmmmmmm, beer or breakfast??”

“Purple Fiddle is the best IMHO.”

“thanks mark, that helps alot. :)
when will I be there? that depends...when will everyone else be there? I am thinking about maybe leaving thursday already. this way i can meet everyone else to whatever time....”

“Purple Fiddle.....yes, yes!!

Gemini, I should be there with JO before noon on Friday.....10:00 AM, we hope.

If you leave Thursday will you sleep in your car?
If you do that, bring some attack ferrets, the hillbillies are pretty wild there.
(just kiddin')”

“i am not sure what I do yet, I may just grab a hotel on my way up there. you know...one last good night of sleep before I get started. I am planning on backpacking pretty much the whole week, just not sure yet if I say in that area. I may hit the smokies after this weekend and hike the trails there. Have a bunch of them on my list....”

“The local folks are hospitable and kind to strangers. It's the folks living over in the next valley they can't stand.”

“Come one Geobeet, which clan are you from?

Some of my kin are in the Elkins area......don't mess!!!

Gemini, I will bring the Roaring Plains map.
You might want to check that out for a few days.....way cool place......while you're there.”

“thanks markO. Maybe that's what I'll do, I am not sure yet though. I would like to get leconte and clingman's dome done.Both are way on top of my list.”

“So what's going on for this trip? I haven't been paying attention. I'll be there Friday morning. I'll probably just start hiking in when I get there...where are we meeting for camp?”

“This is a real pain. I've got to do this dumb presentation thing Thursday.”

“dub, i don't know...I never know until the end. I need to start paying attention, but I never do...

read MarkO's direction and info to me on this page....that should help you. I'll be there thursday night or friday morning.”

“Gem, on the trips page there is a route plan. I'm just gonna hike up to where we're supposed to camp and wait there for everyone. Meet you there?”

“Dub - I'll be there Friday morning, I'm starting at the Wildlife trail and doing the loop from there, Consider joining me, it's more of a Hike on Friday, but less on Sunday, and there's limited parking at the trailhead where most people are starting.”

“I was going to be up there Thursday night, but my mom has been in New Orleans for the past week and I have some important business to discuss with her and my father...so I don't know what time I'll be getting there Friday as I don't know when I'll be done talking to them.”

“yeah, I saw that. already forgot about that AGAIN. Yeah, I'll meet ya there.

question: you think I show early signs of alzheimer? seriously!! my memory is way bad. Hate it”

“Weather allowing, I'm planning to extend my trek into Monday. Anyone is welcome to join.

Proposed Sunday-Monday Itinerary...
Sunday:
1. Red Creek Trail downstream to junction with Fisher Spring Run Trail.
2. Fisher Spring Run Trail uphill to Rohrbaugh Plains Trail.
3. Rohrbaugh Plains Trail to ??? --- Camp somewhere along Rohrbaugh Plains Trail. There are supposed to be some sites at/near a nice vista into/across Red Creek canyon.

Monday: Hike out to my car spotted at the Rohrbaugh trailhead on FS 19.

I'm not sure how many more miles this extension will add ...looks like maybe 8-10-12 miles total ...? Not much, so I plan to take it easy.

Lemme know if interested.”

“M Silver, I might do that. I'll let you know later this week.

question: you think I show early signs of alzheimer? seriously!! my memory is way bad. Hate it"
Gemini

Nah, it's just that blonde hair soaking into your brain ;-)”

“ahhh dub, you little fudger!!!!! payback can be a #&%!$!!

m silver, so you're staying past the weekend?? do you mind if I maybe join ya?”

“Dub, do you know the way?

If not, take Route 33 east from Elkins to Harmon the north on Route 32, etc.

You are in Ohio, no?

Gemini, you can hike those old sixers any time.
Hike West Virginia!!!”

“Dub: Okay.

Gemini: Yes ...weather allowing. And yes, you're more than welcome to join.”

“Yeah MarkO, my family has a cabin on the mountain between Glady and Bemis, so I know the way. Thanks for offering to help though!”

“I'll be arriving between 4:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m, E.D.T. Friday afternnon. Gemini and M Silver, I am also interested in extending the hike a day (or two), so I'll hike in with a days extra food to Monday morning, and have a couple days extra food in the car.”

“Well hell, I don't have anything else to do so I might as well say yes and pack an extra day's worth of food too.”

“alright...who knows, this trip may end up being a the longest TT trip yet...”

“Anyone taking a hammock? I can't decide on my tent or my hammock.”

“dub, i have my hammock in the car. belive it or not...I have not played with it yet. (shame on me)...

i can't decide either. how is the weather in WV?? cold nights??

do we have enough trees where we camp??”

“In red creak there are plenty of trees...but up on the Plataue(sp) I'm not sure if they are spaced out well enough or not and if there are enough to accomodate everyone. Last time I was there I think there were plenty of trees but they were all scrunched together. My second worry was temperature. After sleeping in it for four nights I finally figured out how to be comfortable, but I don't have the right gear if it's colder than 60F at night. So I gotta check the weather and buy something to help me stay warmer.

I might just carry both as the hammock weighs next to nothing. I'd be happy to show you how to set it up and get everything right.”

“While I don't think it'll be as cold as NY was 2 weeks ago (lows in the low 30's -- yes they had frost advisories), I would imagine it can get pretty chilly at those high altitudes -- especially at night.

I would imagine that if you're bringing a hammock, you'd probably want like a sleeping pad or something underneath you to at least trap some heat...”

“I think i'll bring all my tents with me in the car, and then decide once up there. LOL I guess the reason why I haven't used my hammock yet is the fear that it get's too cold, or that I have to pitch it on the ground. (don't want to do that)”

“I used a sleeping pad the first three times I slept in it. Problem is 1. sleeping pad tends to slide around, doesn't stay in one place, and you can't roll over on it 2. doesn't warm your sides as the hammock wraps around your sides. 3. isn't nearly as comfortable as sleeping without it.

I found on my last trip that a fleece bag alone didn't work well...but if you put another blanket below you, it was fine. Maybe I should try my sleeping bag on top of a fleece bag? That's an idea.”

“And at that point, you're probably carrying the weight of a double-walled tent...

It seems like I'm one of a dying breed of hikers who actually prefer a double-walled tent. I just can't part with the comfort and dryness it offers.”