Dolly Sods

“I really wanna go explore Dolly Sods. I've never been there before. Anyone have any suggestions as to the best time to go and routes etc.?
last edited: 9/19/07 10:42:47 AM”

“Sweet Pea...that is on my to do list as well. My list keeps getting longer and my treks getting shorter!

I'm anxious to see what replies you get.”

“we usually go in the fall - kind eerie but nice

(don't be anxious anymore cg!)”

“That's not much info...! I'm still anxious!”

“So Sarge, are you gonna go this Fall? Should I keep my eyes peeled for a trip page?”

“No. We usually go over Labor Day, but we had too much work on our new house to do (walls, flooring, etc..) Possibly next year though. We usually get a cabin by Seneca Rocks (I recommend it), then do the drive to Seneca the last day. Not backpacking, but hiking.”

“Chill crazygurl! You're gonna pee your panties!!”

“Fridge will be the best source of information. I also believe Hog on Ice may be well schooled as to the area as well.”

“As a side note, we went up to WV this summer and I thought it was beautiful. Can't wait to go back.”

“Fridge??
Ha!

What do ya want to know?”

“Where to go, what route to take, what map to get, where the water is, etc. I wanna do a backpacking trip.”

“WTF? MarkO hikes? The only times I have seen him he has been based camped with two cases of brew.”

“do a search - there should be at least a couple of good trip reports on here. We did a big group trip there in 2004 and there was another in 2005.

Nice place - I'd go back. allthough - that was the muddiest hike I've ever been on - and it only rained a little bit!

MarkO was on the trip in '04 with us! He's a hikin FOOL!”

“You pegged him on that one Roam...FOOL is right! LOL ;-)”

“Them Kackalackians are mean to me!!

When are you going, Sweepy??

I hope to go to Roaring Plains, just south of Dolly Sods and 500-700 feet higher.
That will be ThanxG Weekend, weather permitting.
If I can get a hold of my Lanville connection I can get a resident's report on possible snow.
Chances are there will be little if any snow on the plateau.”

“oh I was actually thinkin earlier than that...like sometime in October....or possibly one of the first two weekends in November.”

“OK

There is a twelve mile loop in Dolly Sods from the Red Creek Campground which makes for a nice "leisurely" two-nighter, unless you want to gallop.
But its a rather scenic and a nice walk to take one's time on.”

“Check out the Wilderness Areas on the Monongahela National Forest site.

http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/mnf/sp/wilderness_areas.htm”

“Dang!!

I didn't know they had such nice maps.

I've been using my USGS maps since the '70s.

Roaring Plains I know very well and rarely use the maps there.”

“Honestly, I wouldn't mind doin more than 12 miles in an overnighter. Do you know of anymore loops off the top of your head?”

“Hey Marko, thanks for the info btw. I'll start lookin at the links you gave me when I get home from work. Adios.”

“Why don't you plan the trip Marko!”

“I can't go in October, but I have a four-day ThanxG weekend.

I do know the area............and it is my ancestral and spiritual home.

Plan?

Time frame.........desired mileage?”

“Well iffin ya want Sweetpea to come you must ask her.”

“Well people I plan to go to somewhere on the plateau ThanxG weekend.

Come on Sweepy!!

I intend to trek to Haystack Knob and go by way of the Long Run Holler Rim Trail.
Some call it a "canyon", but this is West Virginia people!
Let's get our terms straight!

Long Run Holler is about four miles long and about one mile wide with the Rim Trail 2,000 feet above Long Run.

This trip would conflict with Uncle Fridgy's ThanxG Extravaganza, but I haven't been back to Haystack Knob in 2.5 years.

Decisions.............decisions.”

“I've hiked all the trails in Dolly Sods and it's my favorite area east of the Mississippi. If you have any questions about a trail or setting up a trip just send me an email and I can help. We usually do a WV trip in June every year since 04. Fridge is an expert on Cranberry Glades and MarkO knows Otter Creek Wilderness exceptionally well. All of these areas are great!”

“Check out http://midatlantichikes.com/

He's got some pretty detailed hikes in the Monongahela NF, including the Sods.

I also like the fact that he gives directions to trailheads. :)”

“ive heard the trails are really crappily marked, especially the junctions. is that still true?”

“Rock carins all the way. Trailheads now have signs, but other than that, follow the carins, half the fun is getting lost! I think our trip reports were called Lost in the Sods, Lost in the Sods again, etc.”

“so are the ppl that go on the trips referred to as "dolly sodomites"?”

“Years ago the Sods was worked by a family named Dahle(sounds like "doll-eh") that farmed sheep.

Hey, its West Virginia!

My Mom's brother participated in infantry maneuvers there in April '44 before shipping to Europe.

Dub, you might oughta see Roaring Plains sometime. It's higher and more remote and much less travelled than The Sods.

On a three-day weekend at The Sods some years back I saw 80-100 backpackers, one mob of college students was about 20.

'Tis a beautiful place though.
last edited: 9/20/07 4:56:04 AM”

“sheep

SODomy

west virginia

very interesting”

“West Virginia is the center of the Universe.”

“easy on the Mountain State!

I took a trip at the end of June, did the Red Creek Loop and the Roaring Plains Circuit. Roaring Plains is a lot tougher simply beacuse of little use, a lot of bush wacking, rock scrambling and scarcity of water. But, the views are worth it!!!

I believe the Forest Service issued a bear warning as they had a hard freeze in the spring that killed all the berries, so bears maybe a factor.”

“Thanks for the invite Marko, but I can't go anywhere around Thanksgiving. It's a bummer.”

“ThanxG is a four-day weekend for me..................and away I go!

Hey Bernie, have you been to the knobs on Roaring Plains?

Porte Crayon and Thunderstruck Rock, in particular?”

“Don't yall just like sayin "Monongahela"”

“I love it!”

“I think if you stay away from Red Creek Campground, use proper bear safety etiquette and camp in the back country the bears won't bother you. Just got back from "The Plains". It was a fantastic weekend. Came within 1 foot of a 5 foot long Rattlesnake.

There's several good loops described on my site as Miss Dolittle noted. Theyre all good. In the Sods most trails are obvious. A couple of signs are missing but the junctions are pretty clear. Make sure you include Dolly Sods North in your trip.”

“We have a cabin on the mountain between Glady and Bemis--I can see spruce knob from the top of the hill and can get to within .9 miles via a four-wheel drive trail. I'm in the area all the time, backpack a couple times a year, fourwheel and dayhike more. Next time we go we're gonna go up to Greenbank Observatory, haven't been in awhile. Roaring Plains will be on my list next. I love WV.”

“ThanxG weekend, anyone??

Who wants to spend time with family whom you might already see too much of anyway?

Unless its pouring rain this is a nice cool time of year to hike.

One must remember to bring brightly colored things to wear so's the hunters can draw a better bead on ya.”

“So if a West Virginia mom and dad get divorced, are they still brother and sister?”

“I would go, but I already have a backpacking trip planned. :(

I love West Virginia. It's the only place on earth where people live in trabins.”

“Where are ya going Creek Dancer?”

“Creek Dancer, you going to Uncle Fridgy's ThanxG extravaganza?”

“Hey, that trip isn't on the trips page! Iffin it's a private trip you forgot me Fridgy!”

“I just looked and Sticks has a trip going to Mount Rogers that weekend.

My bad...............”

“Stay away from the Tee Pee trail!!! About 1/4 short cut through Rhodies so thick, you'll think your in triple canopy jungle!! I've got a nice scar on my shin from that trail! Although, you would do just about as well to shoot an azimuth and dead reckon through it or around it.”

“Stu and Marko. Ewker and I are hiking from Dicks Creek Gap to Franklin that weekend. He is probably going to to kick my butt though. He's so dang skinny now.”

“Ewker............skinny?”