Sodsfest 2004: Dolly Sods in June

“Alright, I'm in for this trip. It'll be interesting to see how we deal with the mob that has signed up for this trip...”

“yah, it's become a mob scene allright.! i've got a pretty good route planned out - i hope the rangers don't get pissed at us, may have to keep a sorta low profile.

the "official" route is Fri night thru Sun. If ya get there on Thur, your on your own - just plan to meet the group on Fri night. There'll be several routes to hike on Fri to meet the gaggle of TT'ers.”

“hmm i know dub mentioned this trip once upon a time and i thought about this...i dunno though...WV is aways off for my liking...and you thnk itll be ok if i sign up at the last minute...”

“one more couldn't possible hurt at this point shep, sign up, just get that smokey guy to sign up too!”

“lol hes liable to be there if i can find a job before then...if not then you know i got to hod off for that just in case emergency interview/drug test...i mean after all i wouldnt want to get too much second hand smoke and maybe have THAT show up on my test would i..”

“Allright guys, I'm gonna put together a firm route plan this week and will post it on a new thread.

With this size group I'll probably work out two routes that end up in the same place for Sat night. Apparantly there's some sort of size limit on the trail, so maybe by splitting up for the hike we can work around that and then wind up just so happening to camp close to each other.

It is probably about time to firm up the maybe's on the list so we know kinda what we're dealing with too.

Parking is going to be an issue as well, from what I've read there is room for about a dozen cars at the one place I was planning to start and about the same at another spot. But I'm sure we won't be the only people there this weekend. Hopefully some folks can carpool.”

“There is limited parking at outside Red Creek Campground (about 8-12 cars). There is more parking available at Bear Rocks, at the north end of FS Route 75.

Camping at Red Creek Campground is $11 a night. There is a campground manager there.

The trailhead just north of Red Creek CG is the Blackbird Knob Trail, which intersects the trail to Red Creek just south of Backbird Knob (some maps show the trail going around the north side of Blackbird Knob. It goes around the south side).

From Bear Rocks, there is a trail that goes out to Dobbin Grade (an old logging RR grade) and the trail to Raven Ridge, and on to Cabin Mountain on the west.

Also, on FS 19, there is parking at the wildlife manager's cabin FS 19 crosses Red Creek. This is the southern part of the wilderness area and the trailhead going up Red Creek.”

“That manager's cabin is one of the spots I'm looking at as a jumpoff point.”

“The trail from the manager's cabin up along Red Creek is hard to follow in spots. There have been a number of floods, with washouts and trail relocations. I don't know that an accurate, up-to-date map exists. If you find yourself looking for the trail, best to backtrack and root around for it.

The trail crosses from the right bank to the left bank of Red Creek just below a pretty little waterfall. From that point up to Blackbird Knob, the trail follows an old logging RR grade and is a lead pipe cinch to follow.

I prefer the open areas on the plateau north of the wilderness. in what is called Dolly Sods North. It was acquired by the Mon in the 90s, and has the best views.

Two trails traverse the roughly four-mile wide plateau: Blackbird Knob Trail on the south and Raven Ridge Trail on the north. There is a trail along Cabin mountain on the west. There is a hard to follow link from the southeast side of Blackbird Knob, going over the next knob north, and linking up with Dobbin Grade at its southern extremity, where it forms the base of a U. From there, Dobbin grade links up with both Raven Ridge Trail and the trail coming down off FS 75, making a nice two to three day loop. There are bogs, the streams, and open meadows with beautiful views. From Cabin Mountain there are expansive views across Canaan Valley to Canaan Mountain and beyond, as well as the windmills on Backbone Mountain in clear weather.

In the northern part of Canaan Valley lie the bogs and swamps of just-acquired land for the Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge.

On the east, there are views from Bear Rocks of North Fork Mountain and the Petersburg Gap.”

“Doesn't look like I'll be able to make this one.”

“If you wouldn't mind, I'd like to email you my idea for our route and get you to tell me if I'm crazy or not.”

“sucks, I'm on call at my work that weekend.”

“that sux Earth!

I have the topos on the way to me for the area.

Should arrive by the end of the week. All I've had to work with so far is the guide book map, ok, but not much detail.

someday i'll wallpaper a room with topo maps - lol”

“Geez, this is gonna be a platoon!

We should break into fire teams and play some kinda "capture the booze" game or something.

I have two of those little radios.”

“I'll be happy to help you out Roam. Click on my name for email addy.”

“thanks Geo, i'll prolly get something put together tonight.”

“OK, what will the names of the tribes be?”

“I'll send out an email asking for the maybe's to firm up or drop off.”

“No wait, Scorch posted this trip. She needs to send out an email asking the maybe's to firm up or drop off as well as any yes's who are not going now.”

“I was gonna email her to ask her to do that, did you already?

hmmmm, tribe names, hmmmmm, maybe each tribe should pick their name and make a flag fri night and Sat for display in our compound Sat night.”

“If anyone wants to carpool from points northeast of Monongahela (I'm in west-central NJ), let me know. I've only got room for one more in my car, but if someone else wants to drive, I'll split the gas costs, etc.

Just email me at the address in my profile if interested.

Also, Roam/Scorch, if you need any help planning this, I'll do whatever I can -- just send me an email.”

“"hmmmm, tribe names, hmmmmm, maybe each tribe should pick their name and make a flag fri night and Sat for display in our compound Sat night."

And then we can have a merger and turn all against each other. Fun fun.”

“just letting you know. I am still a maybe for this trip, but it's looking good. Roam reminded me of it...I almost forgot.”

“It's not for another month... u better make plans to attend, Gem!”

“it's not until the end of june. I am think I am good.”

“awesome”

“Also, Roam/Scorch, if you need any help planning this, I'll do whatever I can -- just send me an email."
PhantomSoul
06:57:56 PM

thanks phantom, carpooling from some town close by might become necessary, we'll see what develops as people finalze their status.”

“I have this on the radar, but still uncertain as to whether I can make it.”

“The Sods is gonna catch hell!”

“Yous are gonna kill me, but I may have to bail on this trip.... I cannot take off of work that Friday because I will have just started working FT. So that means the earliest I'd be able to leave is Friday around 6:30pm or so and then it takes at least 6 hrs to get there. Then I'd have to drive 6 hours home on Saturday.. It's just not worth it for basically an overnighter. Plus I can't stand driving by myself at night for hours on end.

But I'm not sure yet...”

“awww man! that'll suck Scorch! I know how that work thing screws up plans though. Maybe you'll figure a way to get it to work out.”

“Go home Saturday?

Can't hike on Sunday?”

“Sounds like a classic shin-dig. The Sods will be sinking from the shear mass of humanity. Maybe I'll wander by if I don't have to work.”

“Hell yeah, the more the merrier!”

“I meant, Sunday, Marko.. either way it'd only be an overnighter... sucks to drive that much for one night.”

“You're kidding me Scorch, right? And here I was thinking that maybe we could share a ride, being that I'm just over the river in NJ. Bummer...

We're never going to meet...It's just not in the stars ;) Oh well, just like all the last times, there's always a next time I guess.”

“Get up Friday morning and call in sick, or better yet go into work looking all feverish and go home sick around 9:00 am.

Hardest part will be not talking about your awesome weekend trip on Monday.”

“Scorch! You can't bail! This trip was designed for a Nightcrawler get together! Here's the plan...call work on Friday and go [cough cough] I'm soooo sick [cough] ;-)”

“Ha Ha! Dub's smile got broken up by the line break...”

“ahhhh, the power of great minds thinking alike.

:)”

“Do like I do. A quick visit to the doctor saying you're not feeling well, allergies, etc, and that you need a note off work for the weekend, ehehehe”

“noticed that a couple of maybes have dropped off the list.”

“PS - We're destined to meet at the Pine Barrens!”

“...the i'm not going.....scratch me off the list...

Let's see....maybe i'll go to the beach...RIGHT!!....wax that board dude!!!!”

“I'm still thinking about this trip. Still a maybe.”

“I really want to go. The Black Mtn trip is the following weekend though.”

“I'm doin both. damn the torpedos!”

“full speed ahead”

“I was thinking about doing the Roan trip the week before. That trip is pretty far though (500 miles). Looks like I am off from being on call the weekend of Sodsfest.”

“okay, after scorchy rushing me [grin] I changed my status to "confirmed".

I am going. Don't care what will happen...I am gonna be there.... :)

See ya all there”