North Fork Mountain Trail, West Virginia

“There is no water on this trail and the first two miles is a long uphill march to mount the ridge.

I will bring at least four liters.”

“egads. Will work on tracking down water carriers.

....Will pay generously in chocolate chips for whoever is willing to sherpa my water :) lol.
Joking.”

“It ain't bad. As long as you have some water for Saturday's killer hike of 3 to 4 miles there will be food and drink waiting.”

“..............and chairs and firewood.”

“Who is going?”

“duh hu....count me bro”

“We needs mo' yankees so's we kin give 'em the West Virginia "special".”

“special......no way.....you bend over....”

“No, no, the other way around!!”

“Damn you”

“I'll be dogged!”

“Dog gone to hell”

“Dig what the dog dragged in.”

“Still thinking about tis, can someone tell me how far the trailhead is from Charlottesville? Time wise.”

“Charlottesville VA? Not far at all...maybe 2 1/2 hrs...”

“wow, so thats a 7 1/2 hour drive for me. Hmmmmmm”

“What do ya think, snow drifts this year?”

“YEP just like a few years back..and if so...we will have water...”

“We might be "due" for some ridge top drifts since we got off easy last year with just a bit of drizzle.

Ain't that the way it works?”

“Marko, I'm still in, and my daughter and a friend are interested, but want to be out 4 days, so may be looking for a way to expand the trip. Suggestions? Will this be a winter event, like needing snowshoes?”

“if you want to extend the trip just go across the valley and go into Dolly SOds”

“Hey, looky who dropped in!!!

The weather will be chilly and maybe sunny, Sunny.

We could see low temperatures below freezing but not much lower than that.

Four years ago there were intermittent drifts in places where the wind could not scour the snow away.
We got along OK without snowshoes.”

“sunnydayz....what Hoi said is well worth it.”

“Thanks! will do. I told my daughter Fridgy's "shine" is legendary.”

“Full moon is March 10.”

“Full moonshine”

“Hog nuts roasting on an open fire.”

“Marko--you bringing your geetar so we can play music while the hog nuts are roasting?”

“Excellent idea, Sunny.

On the second night we will camp at the cars and hopefully the weather will permit some hootin' 'round the campfire and we shall make merry.”

“Who is this Merry of whom you speak?”

“Merry get passed around the camp fire.

Hence, making Merry.”

“Question Mr. MarkO.....Hiking from the N end will approx be 7 miles and since 2 miles will be all elevation gain....we need to get started early on Friday. Saturday would be an easy stroll with minor humps of 4 to 5 miles....Leave Sunday.
If snow drifts are present.. we have H20....If no snow...I may head up on thursday and stash several gallons of water at the friday night camp spot by taking another trail in.
last edited: 2/16/09 2:48:06 PM”

“Early start on Friday we must.

I will probably head out Thursday evening and camp at the mid-point.
We can post a vehicle there and drive to the northern trail head Friday morning and get an early start.
Any late arrivals Friday can just park at the northern trail head and hike since we will have things covered.”

“Marko, my daughter and friend are not going to be joining us until Saturday, then I will probably go into Dolly Sods for 1-2 nights more, weather permiting. what would you recommend for them hiking in to meet us? I'm not sure I have my bearings. You have a map I could look at?”

“Should be at the end of the hike on saturday evening, where we park the shuttles. We also should have a vehicle already parked there , so all they would need to do is find this vehicle parked along road #79.
Send a map outlined to this spot MarkO....”

“Fridge, I'm not sure how to do that.

They should meet us at the end of the hike on Saturday afternoon and stay with us there Saturday night.

Finding a campsite at Red Creek Campground on Sunday shouldn't be too hard.
There are 8 or 9 sites and most people go back to civilization on Sundays.

Sunny, are you joining us Friday?”

“Hoping to join you on Thursday, definitely by Friday. Just broke up with my bf, so am looking forward to a couple days in the woods with the best mountain men ever!”

“So how visible is Friday nights camp form the trail?
If I start a little later on Friday what are the chances I could end up just strolling on by camp?
And where's a good place to get a map?”

“Friday night's camp is a stone's throw from the trail, Conk.
If you arrive real late just follow the sound of the buzz saws.................Snorzall

Holy mackerel, Sunny!@!

I don't know where to get maps.”

“www.wvhighlands.org/Pages/
http://www.midatlantichikes.com/id108.html


The road into Smoke Hole from US-220 is a small one, barely two lanes. The road up the mountain from the hamlet is, as I said, a gravel road that starts out as asphalt and turns to gravel.

The road from WV28 south goes to the northern trailhead and then down to where the midpoint access is. It, too, is barely two lanes. The vehicle shuttle will take about an hour, I'm guessing. Longer if you make a wrong turn.

If you don't already know, there is no water along the trail, so you'll have to carry it.
The cliffs at the top are formed by the Tuscarora sandstone, or quartzite. It arches up the eastern slope of the mountain and over the top, but there erosion has cut through it, exposing the valley between North Fork Mountain and the vertical bed of the Tuscarora that forms Seneca Rocks and Champe Rocks. Everything between the cliffs on the ridge and the vertical beds to the west has been cut through by rain and ice and washed away.

On the north side of Petersburg Gap, where the North Fork of the South Branch cuts through, the entire anticline is still intact. From some of the northern cliffs that should be visible.

If your headed north from Franklin on 220 , smoke hole road is 28/11(SMOKE HOLE ROAD) on the left. Forest road 79 branches off 28,11( SMOKE HOLE ROAD) Follow 79 approx 3.5 miles to the intersection with the trail.


http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?z=17&n=4302882&e=646664&s=200

The North Fork Mountain Area is part of the Seneca Rocks Unit of a National Recreation Area. It extends for 24 miles between US Routes 33 and 55. On its ridge crest is the district's longest trail, the 23.8-mile North Fork Mountain Trail.
North Fork Mountain runs roughly north/south. The east side of the mountain slopes gradually down to the valley, however the crest of the west side has a number of large, long, sandstone outcroppings. These outcropping provide spectacular views of the North Fork of the South Branch of the Potomac River as well as Germany Valley, Seneca Rocks, Fore Knobs and Champe Rocks. Looking west beyond the valley one can see Spruce Knob, Flatrock Plains, Roaring Plains, Dolly Sods and the Allegheny Front. Looking east, one can see Cave Mountain in the foreground and the ridges beyond extending into Virginia.
But North Fork Mountain provides more then just wonderful vistas. NFM, along with the Smoke Hole Canyon on the eastern spine of the mountain, was recently highlighted by the Nature Conservancy as one of the most remarkable natural areas in the eastern United States. The mountain is home to a dizzying array of rare plants and animals. For instance, the rock outcrops and the air currents through the North Fork valley create conditions favored by various birds of prey. Vultures, hawks, peregrine falcons, and bald eagles can be seen soaring overhead. In fact North Fork Mountain is one of the best places in the East for seeing raptors. It's situated right along a route that the birds follow during their fall migration. Other wildlife one might encounter includes white-tailed deer, black bear, grouse and turkey. There are even wild goats that have been startling hikers for years.
Like most national forests, the woods of West Virginia have been logged at various times, but the summit of North Fork Mountain was spared the axe. Here the trail passes through an ancient forest consisting of several oak species that are stunted and twisted by the wind. White, Virginia and Table Mountain Pines are common on the ridge top and the trail is so isolated and rugged that such far-north species as aspen and white birch thrive here. Vast fern beds, flaming azaleas, and grasses line the route and in some places the trail is in danger of being overrun by mountain laurel.


Location: It extends 24 miles between US Routes 33 and 55 North of Seneca Rocks, WV
Directions: North Fork Mountain can be accessed by car at three locations.
- The southern trailhead is located on US33, nine miles west of Franklin and five miles east of Judy Gap.
- The FR79 trailhead, near the midpoint of the trial, is 3.5 miles up the mountain on FR79 from a junction with Co28/11, Smoke Hole Road. Access to this junction is south from WV28 near Cabins, or north from US220 at Upper Tract.
- The northern trailhead is 0.3 miles south along CO28/11 from WV28.
Trails:
- The North Fork Mountain Trail runs the entire length of NFM and is rocky with several steep sections along it. Several segments of the southern part of the trail cross private property and could possibly be closed. You can either check with the Potomac District Ranger or access the trail from FR79, which is roughly the midway point. Except for the lack of water, the trail is ideal for a 2-3 day backpacking trip.
- Redman Run and Landis Trails provide access to the North Fork Mountain Trail from the east side. Junctions between the trails and the North Fork Mountain Trail are located at the 15.7 mile and 20.1 mile markers. Access to both trails can be reached along CO28/11.”

“conk/ You can take Redman trail up the mountain and intersect North Fork Mt trail ...head North for approx 1 tenth mile and that's where we will be Friday night.

Sunny/ I am working on a map (outlined) to send you this weekend.....

Use the midatlantic web site for other maps...”

“This trail is on the Monongahela NF map. I got mine at Senneca Rocks visitor center after Mark showed me his copy.
I might be able to get it scanned and have a PDF made.
I'll be headed down Friday morning should be there before noon....
Sunny you guys should head over to Roaring Plains and camp there, take the secret passage too....”

“Watch out for the bears on Roaring Plains!!

And don't step in nothin'..............neither.”

“Thanks, fridge.

I'll be arriving Friday, noon at the latest, but I'm shooting for earlier. I'll park at the northern trailhead and hike the 7 miles into camp.”

“mr. refrigerator, you have mail!”

“Don't forget extra water, Conk.”

“Hard/ I sent you what i already posted here. I'll send you a map this weekend....question...your e mail addy...are you mapleleaf? and if so I thought you lived North? Dutches of road kill (DORK)
Hard ONE dorkyup@live.com
Tue, Feb 24, 2009 at 5:25 PM To: refrigeratorfridge@gmail.com
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Hi fridge, I am so interested in this trip so can you please send me detailed information on how to get there from HighPoint NC and a map of this area please.
Hard shakes her bod at ya sweetie.
last edited: 2/24/09 5:13:09 PM”

“Send her the information, Fridge!!”

“Yeah Fridge send Him the information”

“So, how much water do I need to bring for Friday? (assuming no snow, just so I can plan how much wt to pack, worse case scenario), also, Marko, can you e-mail me directions (from Frederick) to the trailhead, or where we will meet thursday? thanks, S.”